FloresGurl said:What are the dimensions of this chamber?
4x8x2'.
FloresGurl said:What are the dimensions of this chamber?
Tom said:Been meaning to do this one for a while now...
Over the years I have kept a lot of reptiles in a lot of different ways. I've learned a lot of stuff about a lot of species. Since finding and joining this forum almost two years ago, I've learned a TON more. Now I'm not just stumbling around alone in the dark. Now, with the help of all the fantastic TFO members, I can see and experience everyone else's enclosures and styles too.
There are a lot of good ways to house a tortoise indoors. Tank, tub, trough, table, and... closed chamber. Different methods work best for the various species and ages. Through all of my "experiments" and sharing the vast experience of others here on the forum, I have reached my current conclusion that "closed chambers", with a basking lamp inside, are the best means of housing the babies of most species. Everyone's situation is different, and we all live in different climates... heck our torts are all from different climates too. Still, overall, I have personally experienced the best results and seen the best results from others, in this style of enclosure. Several people come to mind, but Tyler, Neal, Kristina and KBaker, have especially shown their enclosures and the results. There are lots of others too, but these members have had the biggest influence on me recently.
Only in a closed chamber can I control the humidity properly. Its very dry where I live, and its a constant battle to maintain any humidity at all in most enclosures. In a closed chamber, its a piece of cake. I've used glass tanks and various styles of tortoise tables for years to house my chelonians, but the open tops let out all that beneficial humidity and heat. By putting my heat lamps and CHEs INSIDE the closed enclosure, they do NOT dry things out AND they use a lot less power to give me the same amount of heat. Plus, once they heat everything up and the thermostat kicks them off, the heat just stays in there. I'm using less electricity on my 4x8' closed chamber than I am on my 40 gallon open topped glass tank! (I have little electric meters called "Kill-A-Watt EZ"). The humidity is lower directly under the heat lamp, but its as high as I want to keep it all around that area and the rest of the enclosure.
In theory this all sounds reasonable, but what happens in the real world? I've gotten the best results I've ever gotten in this type of enclosure. On a lot of my glass tanks I end up covering as much of the top as I can. It seems like the more and better I cover them, the better the results I get. But I still lose all my heat and humidity out of the hole that has to be there for my light fixtures. Like this one:
This leads me to a big problem that has come up recently with several potential new tortoise keepers. Where does one go buy a "closed tortoise chamber" for their new pet? Most conventional enclosures are too shallow to have a closed top and still allow enough room for a hanging fixture with a hot bulb in it. I like the Vision tubs, but they are too short for this purpose. My leopard enclosure is 24" tall and that just barely accommodates things safely. When I build the next one it will be around 30" tall. I have not seen a pre-made enclosure with the right dimensions. Tyler showed me this one that he is using. I can't remember which species he is housing in this.
Remember we are talking about housing babies. Not adults or even juveniles. Discussion is welcome here. I'm always wanting to learn more.
I consider them "babies" from the time they lose the egg tooth up to one year. This is not about age though, this is about size. No one knows at what size they are "out of the woods" so to speak. Several of us in dry climates are having trouble with bigger older ones when trying to make the transition to the great outdoors full time.
Hi Dianne, welcome to the forum. In recent years it has become apparent that proper humidity level as well as hydration, diet and exercise are critical to raising a smooth shelled healthy sulcata. I assume that you will be keeping yours inside most of the first year. I suggest that you don't rely on the ambient temperature and humidity of your house to provide such an important part of their care. You may not need to work as hard to keep the humidity and heat levels where they should be as I do, but with a closed chamber you are assured that they will be spot on.Howdy, I am very new to all this. Planning on getting 2 hatchling sulcata but all I read about is how to keep humidity in. I live in SE,Louisiana most of the time we have humidity of 80% w outside summer day time temps that can get to the mid 90's.. Roght now we are in the mid 80's and very moist. Yes, my house is air conditioned to keep the temps down and to dry up some of the moisture.. I am still deciding on an enclosure for my babies. I am leaning towards those big rubber maids.. Just would like to hear some opinions from people who have an abundance of heat and humidity. Maybe I can be referred to another area of this forum.... .
I use lower wattage heat lamps, place them right in the glass aquarium, and use a plexiglass cover to seal in the humidity. I have not had any issues with mold, shell rot, or "lack of air-flow."
My Sulcatas, Redfoot (now yearling,) and Star hatchlings have been kept this way from day one and have grown smooth. I started my Greek (yearling now also) in a a sweater box with a humid hide, and she started to pyramid. It isn't bad, but it makes me feel like a failure.
Here are some pics of my aquariums.
As you can see in this one, the heat lamps are right down in the enclosure. The one over the water dish turns it into a little "sauna" and the smaller, darker of the two babies loves to lay in it. She will put her little head on the rim and go to sleep there.
Here are the babies. They are bigger now (WAAAAAAYYYY past time to update pictures!)
Here is where I kept my first Star before summer hit. You can see again the heat source is right down in there. In this case it is a 60 watt black light bulb (both this enclosure and the one above have these as a heat source with an additional florescent for light.)
Here is the result...
Next is my little Redfoot. This one started out in an old Metaframe slate bottom aquarium. The hood for the tank has two incandescent sockets, which hold compact florescents, and the other hanging down is a 60 watt black light bulb.
Having that set up made this...
wish i'd have seen this or thought about it before we built our newest enclosure. but, plexiglass will have to do for this one. i have a yearling sulcata in here, but this coming summer we'll move him outdoors and my baby leopard will inherit this enclosure.
my ideas definitely came from your closed chambers, tom. and there was a kid on the forum that had the idea of the sloped lid that i used. i have a 100 watt che on a thermostat and a 100 watt mvb in here. although i'm getting ready to try a 150 watt che on the thermostat because right now the 100 watt has to stay on 24/7 and never goes off. i also have a humidifier pumped into the enclosure that goes on and off throughout the day.
before this enclosure i used a 50 gallon glass aquarium. it wasn't technically completely enclosed because my lights are on the outside with holes cut out. but it worked pretty well cause my sulcata isn't perfect, but he's pretty darn smooth.
i'm not sure daniel, but probably. it's been a great enclosure idea. it's worked fine. between the original aquarium and this enclosure based off your ideas and toms, i've got one very smooth sulcata. only thing i would do different is to make it at least twice as big, or more.Was I, by any chance, the kid whos idea this was? If so, I'm glad to see that people like my design!
Hi maggie3! I am getting ready to adventure into the world of hatchling raising. I see that this is your specialty. I seen your enclosures and I believe I will go with something along those lines as well. I was wondering if u could give me so advise on raising one. I want to provide the very best care and environment I can from the start. I have some ideal on what I need to do, largest enclosure possible, UVB light, basking spot, and heat source, which I want to set everything up on a thermostat so I have a soft cycle and it's not just a on/off situation. Plus it will help regulate temps. In your opinion what would b the best material to put in the enclosure? Everything I have read seems to point to the Eco earth that comes in bricks and u wet. I'm a little confused as to weather I leave all that damp or just certain spots to create the right amount of humidity. Please give me some insight on this.I am crushed that you would leave me out when you are naming names. I guess it's my lack of experience...
Or maybe it's my lack of enclosures...
this one has 2 lids on top
you can have one lid open, or 2
I guess it means nothing that hatchlings are my specialty or that I raise them in many different types of enclosures.
i'm not sure daniel, but probably. it's been a great enclosure idea. it's worked fine. between the original aquarium and this enclosure based off your ideas and toms, i've got one very smooth sulcata. only thing i would do different is to make it at least twice as big, or more.
no, i've had no problem with that.Have you found that it's a little irritating having to place all lights on the back wall though, because of the closed lid?