Boosting Humidity in your RF enclosure via Heat ropes (Lots of pics)

[mightymizz]

Im just at a loss on what mulch to get since here in the PNW I haven't been able to find the Cypress. I also don't want to use soil because in the past in has bugs and such, which is not gonna be good in our house.

The thing is, I have built a new much bigger enclosure and really want to get my tort into his new home.

 

[Madkins007]

What cheap shredded or chipped wood do your local landscapers use? There are a lot of things that do the job pretty nicely- just try to get a good whiff of it. Look for something that does not smell like cedar or chemicals. Some people avoid anything that smell like pine as well, but the clinical jury is still out on that one.

 

[mightymizz]

We have tons of cedar mulch. All the stores have it.

Anything not cedar is labled brown mulch. There are no ingredients listed either.

 

[Jacqui]

Anything not cedar is labled brown mulch. There are no ingredients listed either.

On the bag should be listed the address and sometimes the phone number of the company who makes it. Just call them and ask.

This has been a very interesting thread. I haven't tried the ropes yet but they do sound good.

 

[Redstrike]

Anything not cedar is labled brown mulch. There are no ingredients listed either.

On the bag should be listed the address and sometimes the phone number of the company who makes it. Just call them and ask.

This has been a very interesting thread. I haven't tried the ropes yet but they do sound good.

I know Jackrat uses these (linked below) and I picked one up to try it out, it's an alternative to the Big Apple ropes (which are great) and I wanted to see if there is any difference in longevity. Will report back:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006JLPGI/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

 

[mightymizz]

Looking forward to your experience with the hdyrokables!

IF you don't mind me asking yall one more question about how the ropes work to help raise humidity? If I am understanding it correctly, the ropes heat the water to a gas and that gas (steam?) rises through the substrate and into the enclosure's atmosphere? But, to convert water to steam, isn't the temperature quite high where these ropes only get to around 120 degrees F. from what Big Apple told me?

Really appreciate your time and sharing here!

 

[Redstrike]

Looking forward to your experience with the hdyrokables!

IF you don't mind me asking yall one more question about how the ropes work to help raise humidity? If I am understanding it correctly, the ropes heat the water to a gas and that gas (steam?) rises through the substrate and into the enclosure's atmosphere? But, to convert water to steam, isn't the temperature quite high where these ropes only get to around 120 degrees F. from what Big Apple told me?

Really appreciate your time and sharing here!

That's correct. Despite the ropes only heating up to 95-110 degrees it's enough energy to transform the liquid water to gas. It doesn't have to boil the water to do this.

 

[CharlieM]

Wow! Great enclosure.

 

[Konza]

When I spaced them about 1.5" apart, I got really nice warmth in a very chilly winter, but they did not hold up as well, and went through a lot of water.

About 2" apart did better overall- but as long as you don't lock them down too tightly you can always dig them up and adjust them if you need.

Part of this is also substrate thickness, room temps and humidity, etc. so it is really hard to talk about absolutes here.

I'd love to try using the heating cables to increase warmth and humidity in my enclosure, but are they too hot to use in a plastic under-the-box storage bin? Will they melt the plastic? I'm planning on building a tortoise table but I'm moving in a few months so have to stick with the plastic for now.

 

[Redstrike]

When I spaced them about 1.5" apart, I got really nice warmth in a very chilly winter, but they did not hold up as well, and went through a lot of water.

About 2" apart did better overall- but as long as you don't lock them down too tightly you can always dig them up and adjust them if you need.

Part of this is also substrate thickness, room temps and humidity, etc. so it is really hard to talk about absolutes here.

I'd love to try using the heating cables to increase warmth and humidity in my enclosure, but are they too hot to use in a plastic under-the-box storage bin? Will they melt the plastic? I'm planning on building a tortoise table but I'm moving in a few months so have to stick with the plastic for now.

I use the Hydor Hydrokables in a plastic tote that acts as one of my enclosures. They don't get overly hot and you can pick up a cheap rheostat that allows you to adjust the cable heat by a small margin. (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002AQD0Y/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20) - Rheostat I use.

Don't rely on these for heating an enclosure, they're no good for that. What they are good at heating specific surface areas, not air space. Thus they act as great humidifiers when submersed in water. Be sure you get WATERPROOF cables. The two I use are Big Apple and Hydor Hydrokables. Both are excellent and around the same price.

Hydrokables: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006JLPGI/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

Big Apple Cables: http://www.bigappleherp.com/Big-Apple-Flexible-Heat-Ropes

FYI, I'll be trying a bioactive substrate soon, I'm dissatisfied with mulches.

Here's info on this:
http://www.chelonia.org/Articles/soilmixforterraria.htm

 

[Rover15]

I have lined my tortoise table with a tarp would the rope be too hot, would it melt the tarp?
How deep is the substrate?

I use coco fiber, cypress multch, and soil I have red wigglers and pill bugs as well as live plants (spider plant, pothos and will be adding philodrons next week) will the heat ropes kill the plants or the bugs/worms?


But it is an amazing enclosure

 

[Redstrike]

The heat ropes remain 90-110ºF, so they will not melt through the tarp nor will they kill your plants or invertebrates.

I also run the ropes on a rheostat, which allows me to adjust their temperature: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001OVD7Q8/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

I aim for a substrate that is at least 10 cm (4 inches) thick.

---

The ropes are not intended for heating air space. Be sure you get waterproof ropes, I have used and like both of these

http://www.bigappleherp.com/Big-Apple-Flexible-Heat-Ropes

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006JLPGI/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

The idea is to have standing water or very moist substrate in contact with the ropes that evaporates upward through the substrate and increases humidity in the enclosure. I'm going to install a false bottom to my substrate soon (link 1 below). I'm also going to be using a bioactive substrate (link 2 below)

1. http://www.amphibiancare.com/frogs/articles/tropicalterrarium.html
2. http://www.chelonia.org/Articles/soilmixforterraria.htm

 

[Rover15]

The heat ropes remain 90-110ºF, so they will not melt through the tarp nor will they kill your plants or invertebrates.

I aim for a substrate that is at least 10 cm (4 inches) thick.

I have 6" substrate so that is not an issue what is the purpose of the hardware cloth?

 

[Redstrike]

The cloth keeps the ropes from being disturbed when I overturn and stir up the substrate.

I stir up my substrate for two reasons.
1. To aerate - this keeps anaerobic bacteria at bay.
2. The ropes dry the bottom portions of substrate pretty quickly, so I have to churn it all up and add water to keep the humidity engine running. For this reason I'm going to be switching to a false bottom system soon (linked above) and keep the ropes submerged in standing water below the substrate. I'll still overturn it once every 1-2 weeks for aeration, but I will no longer need the hardware cloth with this setup.

 

[Rover15]

The cloth keeps the ropes from being disturbed when I overturn and stir up the substrate.

I stir up my substrate for two reasons.
1. To aerate - this keeps anaerobic bacteria at bay.
2. The ropes dry the bottom portions of substrate pretty quickly, so I have to churn it all up and add water to keep the humidity engine running. For this reason I'm going to be switching to a false bottom system soon (linked above) and keep the ropes submerged in standing water below the substrate. I'll still overturn it once every 1-2 weeks for aeration, but I will no longer need the hardware cloth with this setup.

I read the link above, I assume false bottom is the rocks and charcole but would it work with out charcole? Could you use the hardware cloth for seaperation?

 

[Redstrike]

A false bottom would contain nothing, just a grid for the water to pass through. I plan on using fiberglass screen for soil separator, then a plastic grid that they sell as florescent shop light covers under that (2x4 foot piece is ~$15). This would lower weight in the enclosure while allowing the heat ropes to continue their function. I will put horticultural charcoal in the water to keep it from getting too fouled.

False bottom shown here:
http://www.amphibiancare.com/frogs/articles/images/terrariums/substrate01.jpg

Hardware cloth could also work for the false bottom, but the soil separator needs to be a finer mesh so the soil doesn't fall through and muck up the water. I prefer fiberglass for this because it won't rust and rot as quickly.

 

[Rover15]

I think I'm going to try the zoo med repti fogger first the heat ropes sound like it might get messier then I first assumed. I will look into it more if the fogger doesn't work out. I'm trying to get my yellow foot to bee more active she seems to be active most when I mist (right now with spray bottles) and I soak the whole set up my bacement is dryer and my enclosure is an open top I'm shopping around for plexiglass and I'll be building a more prenament cover

Before cover(I have added a CHE and more plants since this picture)

And with my Ghetto temp cover

It helps keep heat and will hold humdity until for a few hours I mist 2 times a day right now I work from home I just want to keep to try and make her more active because when the humidity is low she just digs in the moss and stays there.

 

[ElfDa]

these ropes seem like they might be helpful for all torts.
would this method cause too much humidity for a leopard?

 

[Redstrike]

these ropes seem like they might be helpful for all torts.
would this method cause too much humidity for a leopard?

I don't own leopards so I don't want to ill-advise you here. I would suggest posting this question on the leopard tortoise section of the forum.

These ropes will really humidify the entire enclosure. Recently I added a false bottom and it really cranks up the humidity. I don't know if this would result in RI's in a leopard or not, so that's why I'm not providing much of an answer on this.