Keeping eco earth moist?!

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Originally Posted by hazzaram

Grounds pretty frozen. I don't think I could dig any up. I can come spring time, lol.

Well, the thing is that I'm building a big 7 foot wooden enclosure for the tort. I already have a lot of the supplies for it, including a very large RHP that is going to span the top. But, I can use a flood bulb and fluorescent fixture in that. They're just so expensive! I'll have to save up for them. The fixture I had for my beardie was a T8 and 10.0 Reptisun bulb and it cost $127 with shipping. Gotta save up for that a little bit, lol. The little guy just has to be in this rubbermaid until it's finished.

I think tomorrow when I give him a bath, I'm going to take the top layer out and mix it up with water and readd it.

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Dang!! $127for a T8 bulb and fixture??!!! I use a Reptisun 10.0 T5 HO for my beardie and it runs me $18 for the bulb and I picked up a 22" T5 fixture from my local grow shop for like $20. I used to use Zoo Med MVB and also Mega Ray MVBs and honestly, I wasn't that impressed. I ended up going back to UVB tubes and just using a Spot light for the heat lamp.

I used to use Eco Earth for my snakes a long time ago and I got rid of that stuff. To me it wasn't worth it. Like you said, it dries out pretty quick unless you got something like a PVC cage or something that will hold the humidity well. And once it dries out, it becomes dusty. Not to mention it gets everywhere and sticks to everything.

I probably wouldn't use a RHP for a tortoise as they are day animals and need the lighting like beardies. If you are making a pen, I would make him a sleeping box and also a humidity box where you can put a top on it and put down cypress with some moss so it stays more or less sealed and humid. That way the tortoise can go in there if he wants lots of humidity. I believe most tortoises dig underground in dirt when they want lots of humidity thus the humid box built onto the tortoise pen. So he would have his normal humidity "playing" area, his "bedroom" for sleeping and the "sauna" room.

If your using open top setups your going to be fighting a constant battle with moisture. And don't be afraid to dump water in, sometimes it takes a bit for it to soak in, but as long as you don't have standing water in the bottom after an hour or so your fine. To give an idea, one of my green tree python cages has an 18"×36" floor, and I usually have to add at least a gallon once a week, if not a little more. But this is also a well sealed cage, and I don't mist much.

Thank you everyone for all your replies and tips!!


Aztec4mia - Thank you. I actually took everything out of the bin today and poured a whole bunch of water in and mixed it up by hand. I don't think I poured nearly enough into it the first time I did it. Now it's moist and dark in colour. I'm hoping this fixes most of the problem.

I'm measuring humidity down by the substrate because my tort is so little. I wanted readings where he/she is. I'm measuring all over. Under the basking light and on the 'cooler' side.


I might have to get a piece of slate or something like that. I need to make a trip out to the hardware store to find a piece. I think that'll help.


My tort oddly doesn't seem to like the humid hide? He/she doesn't use it all all. He spends his time hidden in the plants and uses that as a hide instead. At night, he buries down into the substrate and hides that way. I guess Hermann's are known for burying themselves. I think he'll do better now that the substrate underneath is nice and moist.


DVirginiana - I might try mixing sphagnum moss in. The problem I find with moss is that it molds so quick. I had to stop using it in my brb's enclosure for that reason. But I'll definitely try! I'm not sure if he'll try and eat it, though. He's a little piggy.



Sauzo - Yeah, Canadian prices are crazy. I used to go shopping in the States (I live in a border city) because everything is much better priced but our dollar is pretty much useless so there's no point now.



I'm thinking about switching to the tube fixtures for the big, 7 foot enclosure I'm making. I just hate the prices, lol.


I was only planning to use the RHP to boost the ambient. He'll still have a basking spot, plus I'll probably add in a Reptisun tube for the UV. I'm just worried about keeping the air warm enough for him. I will keep that in mind. I might just switch to a sleeping and humidity box.


Darkbird - It's not an open top. It's a rubbermaid with a hole cut in it just big enough for the lamp. Most of it is covered.

I think my problem was that I was too afraid to just dump water in. I was fed up and I did that today. I took everything out (including the baby torty) and just dumped buckets of water in and mixed it all by hand. It seems much, MUCH better already!! The new cage I'm building for him is 7 feet long and it's enclosed so I know that will hold the humidity alright.

Thought I'd add some pics for you guys :) Keep in mind, this is only temporary until the end of Feb and then he'll be in a big, roomy 7 foot long enclosure.

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/...pswwolgr29.jpg


http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/...psj5zbd50v.jpg

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/...psxjnv0hwv.jpg


He/she doesn't look like it, but he's only 2 inches long!
http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/...psuz3exo6f.jpg

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/...psc2dilyb6.jpg