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Tropical Tortoises' Humidity in Texas Winters By Beverly Logan

      If more of those "cold fronts"  are to come my tropical tortoise species I keep are looking for a ride to "South America or Bust."   In their quarters the low humidity levels are taking the toll on their waiting for real spring warmth outside.
     The associated  tropical tortoise keepers I know seem to have all the same dilemmas in wintertime keeping. The one big problem I have is incorrect humidity levels resulting from too much dry indoor heating for warmth.  Only 20% humidity is all we even get indoors, from one other opinion.  That most daily "relative high humidity" should seep in the cracks from one end to the other of this old house, apparently does nothing for the  tropical tortoises' sake. 
    Feeling confident with heating and humidity provided for my tortoises, I hear other keepers of tropical tortoise's developing illnesses with dry heating only.  Low humidity levels are what I understand critical to what the tropical tortoise faces in any controlled environment.  So this alerts that my indoor husbandry should be watched  more closely.
   The many problems of tropical tortoise keeping species are even few and far, with the still to come chilly and even freezing days or nights. Sometimes the wind chill keeps my somewhat halfway decent outdoor tortoise house enclosure system at a risk. I watch the wired inside/outdoors tortoise's thermometer drop a degree or two in their satisfactory heated domain. Having to add an additional blanket must make it even dryer inside.
    This time of  year I can see on all three of the tortoises appearances that a big dish of water is not the only humidity solution.  In my observation they just drink out of the shallow dish when thirsty, and sit in it when need to be hydrated, fast.  Soaking tropical tortoises helps several times a week and a must if mine don't soak in their water provided.  Misting them is only a temporary solution for about five minutes, as my tortoises still look dry when the mist dries up.
    Higher humidity levels is definitely an addition strongly needed in a controlled tortoise keeping environment and will aid in my tortoises future years. A humidifier, and barometer reading is in order for my tropical tortoises.... that have to wait and wait, in their inside and outside "slammers," living in Texas "cold fronts,"  that blast from October to even April.