Shelter Update!
- Thread starter Nic
- Start date
In the first picture, did you put wet dirt on the bottom and then add dry mulch to the top on the 3rd pic? Did you put a liner in there before you added the wet dirt? If not, I would suggest doing so, or coating the wood itself so it does not mold or rot. I missed a spot when I coated the inside of my enclosure with pond liner, and the mold was horrible.
What kind of bulbs are you using? Three seems a bit excessive unless one is UVB with no heat, one is a day light and one is lightless. Just guessing, though.
How is the humidity with the closed top, is it above 50-60% now? And the temps? And how large is your Red Foot? Seems like a small enclosure but if you have a baby it should last for a bit.
Sorry for all of the questions, I think it looks good but the temp and humidity results are the most important things. I have a tortoise rock just like the one you have in there
What kind of bulbs are you using? Three seems a bit excessive unless one is UVB with no heat, one is a day light and one is lightless. Just guessing, though.
How is the humidity with the closed top, is it above 50-60% now? And the temps? And how large is your Red Foot? Seems like a small enclosure but if you have a baby it should last for a bit.
Sorry for all of the questions, I think it looks good but the temp and humidity results are the most important things. I have a tortoise rock just like the one you have in there
No worries...the first picture is pond liner foam...hardens like a rock...the tort is just a baby thus the size...I just completed it tonight so I will be checking the humidity/temps going forward (I think it would only improve since it used to just be covered half way)...basking light, uvb and a night heat source explains the 3 fixtures...trying my best so here's hoping!
I'm concerned, due to the shape of your light fixtures, that one of your bulbs is a compact fluorescent. If so, I would advise switching to a tubular fluorescent for your UV. Or you could use a UV-B Heat Lamps (Self-Ballasted Mercury Vapor) which provides both heat and ultra violet rays.
Good luck!
Good luck!
That type of UVB has caused eye problems, especially for babies. I prefer a ceramic heat emitter on a thermostat for night heat, but some use the bulbs. A tube UVB or a mercury vapor, kind of like the one you have, just with UVB as well as UVA would work.
Hi Nic.
I can see you have put thought and time into this enclosure. You haven't said how big the enclosure is. If I was you I would have UVB strip light on a timer and a Ceramic Heat Emitter(CHE) on a thermostat. The UVB will give off light so can have that on for 12hrs a day. Your CHE can be limited to 30deg via a thermostat. This method will save you money on electricity too. If you want to take it a step further you can get thermostats with a double setting on them. So you can set the CHE at lets say 5deg lower than your day temp(30deg) and at night it will automatically set for 25deg. Also just one thing to remember for when you have to upgrade to a larger environment, Your better off with your enclosures length twice the width. So 2x4ft or 3x6ft etc. This makes it easier to get a heat gradient in your enclosure So your tort can find the right thermal temperature it wants,and have your heat and light source coming from the same area acting like the sun. Mine goes from 32 down to 27deg and is 2x4ft. Make sure CHE bulbs are in ceramic holders not plastic, they will melt plastic bulb holders.
Yours looks good, Your on the learning curve now. lol Building new and upgraded enclosures is part of the fun.
This is a picture of the thermostat I use with my CHE. I have had no problems yet. About £30 over here in the UK. Don't know where you are.
The compact fluorescent on the left in your picture is of a variety that some members had tortoises experienced eye swelling and more severe eye problems in the past. Some feel that these problems have been resolved; but I would not take a chance with my tortoises.
Good luck!
