First time owner. Issues with maintaining heating

[Bronx11]

Hello everyone!

This week I finally pulled the trigger and set myself up to adopt a baby Sulcata. I've been reading a lot and have gotten the materials for constructing a terrarium (40gal).

The things that have been taking the most time have been humidity and heating. I opted for a 100watt CHE for heating. To assist with humidity on the cool side, especially for the humid hide, I got a Nat Geo Fogger.

So, I use a screen top right? And, I've trouble keeping humidity up without closing it all in. I used saran wrap to test and I was able to get it at 80%. I'm pretty sure having the top closed off will solved the issue, but that puts me into another problem.

The main problem I'm having is heat. The CHE I got doesn't heat as well as expected. I know all my heat is going out as soon as it goes in. So the question arises; how does everyone have the daytime temp so high if they have open top terrariums? The solution looks like i need to encase the dome inside the terrarium, but that'll require me to cut into a nice screen top I have. It also looks bad just hanging there imo. I would prefer to have it sitting on top, but what are my options?

 

[DutchieAmanda]

Don't use an open topped enclosure
With a closed chamber you can keep the temps and humidity up more easily and keep them more stable.

 

[SarahChelonoidis]

It's very difficult and inefficient to keep an open top terrarium uniformly warm. Having it fully covered with all the lights and heating elements inside is the recommended way to do it.

 

[Yvonne G]

You can either buy a piece of clear acrylic the size of the top of the viv, or a sheet of plywood cut to fit. Then cut out holes where the light/CHE would sit.

 

[Speedy-1]

Yep , a full cover is the answer you could even use tin/aluminum foil over the screen top . I cut a hole for my bulb , and took the dome off , and lowered my whole CHE and ceramic outlet down into the tank , just had to invent a little hook to hang it from !

 

[Tom]

I would over all go much bigger than a 40, and the problem you are having is the same problem everyone has with an open top. You are fighting physics.

You should replace that ramped water bowl right away with something safer. Those are a tipping/drowning hazard for tortoises. I use terra cotta saucers sunk into the substrate for food and water.

You will also need multiple heat sources. The CHE will work great to maintain ambient if you set it on a thermostat, but you still need a basking lamp.

What are you doing for UV?

Check these out:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/closed-chambers.32333/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/

 

[Bronx11]

Thanks for all the replies guys. The water bowl I was going to use as a food bowl and have a terracotta saucer for water at the spot where the black thermo/hydrometer is. I read that they could drown in it, so I figured to re-purpose it. But if they tip from it too, I can imagine he could roll down the hill into the hot side and end up getting toasted. Eh, was cheap. He can use that later when he's bigger.

The UVB bulb is coming in the mail It's a florescent TUBE. 10.0 T8.

Right now, the CHE is on a thermostat. I also began to think last night and figured that I was going to have to get a basking bulb and have that hooked to the night/day switch that my UVB was going to be on exclusively. They'll both go off when night comes around and the CHE can turn on or off depending on the temp.

I'm going to go the acrylic route, get a basking bulb and have them both hanging inside the enclosure. Now my new concern is that the basking bulb is going to be the pictures worth far from the ground. Would a 60watt be best in this case since I'll have the CHE running at the same time?

 

[Yvonne G]

Only you can know the answer to that. You have to set it up then check and double check the temperature all over inside the habitat, not just under the bulb. If the 60 isn't doing it, try 100

 

[teresaf]

I have baby tortoises as well. a slightly smaller kind. And let me tell you that you're going to go through a lot of tank set ups at this rate. he's going to be considered a baby for a year or two at least and how long do you suppose he'll fit in that tank? it happened to me too. I now house my two meps in a 7 foot long 210 gallon tank divided down the middle so they are separated. they have totally outgrown the previous setups I had and are close to being too big for what I have. thank God for Craigslist! Lol let me say that you're doing the right thing when just getting one. I didn't know that they didn't get along with their fellow tortoises and actually very solitary animals until I found the Forum. by then it was too late :/ your thermometer hygrometer might be affected by the high humidity inside the tank you might consider using one of these that I picture below. the probe is the only thing inside getting wet not the whole mechanical piece. it looks like we have the same temperature gun. I love that. make sure that when you have his basking spot setup that you measure his SHELLS temperature under the light. I think the very hottest it should be is 120f in that spot. don't worry, once you get the initial tank setup perfect all the other Enclosure setups in future are much easier because you don't have to relearn all this stuff. you may want to look at some of the threads by searching for "closed chambers".

 

[Linhdan Nguyen]

I have a question about these closed chambers, how do they get any fresh air in there ? Or does it not bother babies? I would like to get hatchlings in a couple of years and understand humidity is important and closed chambers are the way to go, but i worry about air. Maybe because i always think , "if that were me, i would like fresh air"

 

[Kasia]

Thanks for all the replies guys. The water bowl I was going to use as a food bowl and have a terracotta saucer for water at the spot where the black thermo/hydrometer is. I read that they could drown in it, so I figured to re-purpose it. But if they tip from it too, I can imagine he could roll down the hill into the hot side and end up getting toasted. Eh, was cheap. He can use that later when he's bigger.

The UVB bulb is coming in the mail It's a florescent TUBE. 10.0 T8.

Right now, the CHE is on a thermostat. I also began to think last night and figured that I was going to have to get a basking bulb and have that hooked to the night/day switch that my UVB was going to be on exclusively. They'll both go off when night comes around and the CHE can turn on or off depending on the temp.

I'm going to go the acrylic route, get a basking bulb and have them both hanging inside the enclosure. Now my new concern is that the basking bulb is going to be the pictures worth far from the ground. Would a 60watt be best in this case since I'll have the CHE running at the same time?

Only you can know the answer to that. You have to set it up then check and double check the temperature all over inside the habitat, not just under the bulb. If the 60 isn't doing it, try 100

Or replace florescent TUBE. 10.0 T8 for MVB 100 Watts or 125 for light and UVB + Your CHE for additional heating (maybe on 125 Watt MVB will be just fine on its own). Good luck.

 

[Tom]

I'm going to go the acrylic route, get a basking bulb and have them both hanging inside the enclosure. Now my new concern is that the basking bulb is going to be the pictures worth far from the ground. Would a 60watt be best in this case since I'll have the CHE running at the same time?

The above sounds good. I use 65 watt regular food bulbs in my enclosures.

ANother solution is to get a 100-150 watt flood and run it on rheostat. You'd simply dial in the temp you need. More in the winter, less in the summer.

 

[Tom]

I have a question about these closed chambers, how do they get any fresh air in there ? Or does it not bother babies? I would like to get hatchlings in a couple of years and understand humidity is important and closed chambers are the way to go, but i worry about air. Maybe because i always think , "if that were me, i would like fresh air"

Closed chambers are not meant to be air tight. They just restrict airflow, so you don't lose all your heat and humidity into the room. With all the cracks, plus opening and closing the doors all the time, there is plenty of airflow.

 

[Bronx11]

Update:

Whew! That mug got HOT! The humidity was 80% - 85%, The day temps on the hot side were 95* and the cool 80*. The basking spot hit a whopping 110-118* though. Looks like a smaller basking bulb is needed in this case.

Night temps were 80* the hot, 75 on the cool, including the humid hide. So, I'm going to up it some to keep it 80 in the hide. Probably move the CHE towards the left as over near humidifier as well.

Other than the basking spot, I think almost everything is near ready. Just some more temp monitoring and a few fake plants/rocks to decorate, and we'll be good to go.

Oh yeah! Any inside hints and tips to reduce condensation on the glass? If any? A bunch of google sites want me to reduce humidity. Nope.

 

[Linhdan Nguyen]

Closed chambers are not meant to be air tight. They just restrict airflow, so you don't lose all your heat and humidity into the room. With all the cracks, plus opening and closing the doors all the time, there is plenty of airflow.

Oh, okay. I feel more comfortable about it now
Thank you

 

[Kasia]

Update:

Whew! That mug got HOT! The humidity was 80% - 85%, The day temps on the hot side were 95* and the cool 80*. The basking spot hit a whopping 110-118* though. Looks like a smaller basking bulb is needed in this case.

Night temps were 80* the hot, 75 on the cool, including the humid hide. So, I'm going to up it some to keep it 80 in the hide. Probably move the CHE towards the left as over near humidifier as well.

Other than the basking spot, I think almost everything is near ready. Just some more temp monitoring and a few fake plants/rocks to decorate, and we'll be good to go.

Oh yeah! Any inside hints and tips to reduce condensation on the glass? If any? A bunch of google sites want me to reduce humidity. Nope.

Science says heat outside as well Gas water (steam) hits cool glass surface and bam... It's too cold for being a gas and becomes water Raise temperature on the other side of the glass