I need help with housing my baby sulcatas?

[TiyahLove]

I have read Toms updated version of the sulcata and leopard tortoises care sheet and I still have questions on certain types of heat bulbs and UVB bulbs (it is way to cold in nc for the babies outside and catch some rays right now).

This is everything that I am doing as far as housing for my baby sulcatas: Each baby is in their own separate sterallite tub I keep the lid on to create a very humid environment for the babies and there are holes drilled into the sides for a little ventilation, but it still keeps the humidity up to about 80 or 90 with a 100% humidity hide. The way that I am heating the babies is I use zoomed infrared bulbs during the night I keep the heat lamps about 2-3 inches away from the top of the cage (to keep the plastic from warping) the temperature in the enclosures stay about 80 degree ambient temperature, 90 degrees on the warm side and 100degree hot spot in the hide. Them from 7am to about 6pm I use a powersun 100 watt UVB bulb. It provides a nice hot spot of about 100 and the babies love to come up to it and bask and enjoy some rays. Because I have the babies in my reptile room they have a constant ambiance of 80 degrees when I take the tops off the sterallite tubs so they get a good amount of UVB rays. While they bask with the UVB I spray the babies and the enclosure about a every 30 minutes.

Are the bulbs and temps I am using acceptable?

 

[sibi]

The only thing I see that you'll need to replace is the infrared light at night. Babies can't really sleep with lights on...any light. Buy a ceramic heat emitter which will heat the enclosure at night w/o the light. Also, 100% humidity is too much. Try to keep it at 80%.

 

[wellington]

I agree, a CHE would be better for night time. Also, the humidity is fine, anywhere between 80 and above is fine, but don't let temps drop below 80 ever.

 

[mike taylor]

I would out a hide on the cool side . 100 degrees in the hide is to much I would think . I like to let my tort hide out on the cool side but not no lower than 80 degrees. That way he comes out to bask eat drink poo the back to hiding .

 

[Tom]

All your parameters sound okay to me.

My only worry would be low humidity with the top off and the big MVB in a tub like that. Seems like it would dry it out and give you lower humidity, but hopefully your misting will balance that out.

If all goes well, you will need to build them something much larger in the next few months. When this time comes, I highly recommend a closed chamber. It will make your life so much easier.

 

[TiyahLove]

I plan on building a closed chamber when it is needed
Do you guys think I can wait until this weekend to get some CEM when I get paid? If needed I can get it tonight, but I have to drive an hour to the nearest pet store.
Tom, when the babies bask under the bulb I spray everything down to where it is almost dripping about every 30-45 minutes just to make sure everything stays nice and humid (when I spray the enclosure the babies get their shells misted as well)

 

[Saleama]

I bought a 75 gallon tub from wal-mart to house my babies. It was big enough for about three weeks, lol. If you are lucky, like Tom said, you will be upgrading fast. Learn from other's mistakes. Go big out of the gun! I upgraded to something way to big and I am so glad I did but now, two months later, I am needing more room.