Pyramiding of Shell (humid hides)

[Alan1]

Okay thanks. I had read somewhere that I should mist the substrate with a water mist spray thing to create some humidity and I've been doing that every day but is that still neccessary (or was it ever?) if I create a humid hide?

[Kirkie]

I still mist my tort tables every morning. This normally results in a lot of weeing and pooing activity

[Ozric Jonathan]

I don't keep Horsefields but I believe they are very susceptible to damp. However, Editha Kruger said that the Moroccan tortoises she was breeding were supposed to be extremely vulnerable to damp, but she didn't have any problems with the humid hides.

In relation to Hermanns, Andy Highfield did some of his own research. I will copy here a short reply that Andy put up to a question of mine on TT

"I have measured the actual RH experienced by Testudo hermanni in both France
and Spain myself, incidentally. When buried (or partially so), humidity next
to the animal can range from 50-70%. From what I could tell, they only
experienced that when innactive (except when dictated otherwise by weather
conditions). Above ground, moving around, I measured RH from 25-40% which is
pretty
"dry".

It could be argued they need to self select between the two. Forcing them to
be in one or the other would not be advisable."

Andy doesn't comment here on any differences between hatchling, juveniles and adult tortoises.

[Kirkie]

I forgot this bit cause I posted it on Fluffy' thread:

"One thing that hasn't been mentioned is where to position the hide. I put mine midway between the hot and cold end. You want humid, not cold and damp and if its too near the heat it dries out too quickly."

[Valerie]

This is what my local tortoise breeder said when I asked about pyramiding:

Please don't get sucked into loads of mis-inform people giving out more mis-information on web forums claiming all to be experts . We have been keeping and breeding tortoises for over 25 years and you can keep tortoises on just about anything apart from builders sand . Grass pellets will be fine and don't forget to give them a wet box in one corner to hide in as this will provent the tortoises shell from going lumpy as they need moisture .

PLEASE NOTE THIS ISN'T MY VIEW AND IS PURELY WHAT MY BREEDER SAID

[Lynnie Lou]

What a thoroughly great thread. Did a search for Humid Hids. Seven years on from the last post, has anything changed?

For those of us who are mid way between beginners and experts, it's a big confusing but threads like this are SO helpful.

I was at our local recycling centre the other day and I found a glass tank, it had one small entrance hole, it's absolutely perfect for a hide. Stuffed it half full with Moss and they seem to love it.

[CherryBrandy]

I would say there is a lot more information out there now - for instance RNS can be caused by too hot and dry, too humid, too much bacteria, fungus from wet soil or stagnant air....pellets cause fungal spores to develop naturally occurring but lethal to tortoises. 2 tier tables worse than single open top due to lack of air circulation. environmentally I think we are a lot more savvy and atuned to tortoises needs. that's thanks to internet and research and SW.

[Lynnie Lou]

Are there any more up to date threads? I don't use soil or pellets. Coco Coir and Moss. Gawd, you think you're doing well. lol

[Ozric Jonathan]

There are loads of threads which have something to say about pyramiding or humidity.

In my opinion it's not the easiest subject to deal with and every tortoise that I've raised is different. I have two big ones that are very smooth and I've had them since they were tiny. A couple of others are slightly lumpy and I also raised one which grew far too fast and is definitely pyramided but is healthy otherwise.

Again this is my opinion but I think there is a crucial point in the growth of the tortoise where if it gets pyramided it will always be so and if it doesn't then it probably won't get pyramided later.

[Suze65]

Originally Posted by Ozric Jonathan

There are loads of threads which have something to say about pyramiding or humidity.

In my opinion it's not the easiest subject to deal with and every tortoise that I've raised is different. I have two big ones that are very smooth and I've had them since they were tiny. A couple of others are slightly lumpy and I also raised one which grew far too fast and is definitely pyramided but is healthy otherwise.

Again this is my opinion but I think there is a crucial point in the growth of the tortoise where if it gets pyramided it will always be so and if it doesn't then it probably won't get pyramided later.

I agree with this, I keep mine in exactly the same conditions, and some are smoother than others, generally speaking all my Margies are growing very nicely, but my Herman baby is a bit lumpy, and they are all kept exactly the same way.