Movin' Indoors/Enclosure tips

[July]

I have a 4 1/2 in. red foot that I got this summer. For now, she is able to be kept outside because it is 95 and terribly humid here in Maryland. This fall/winter, though, obviously she will be in. I plan to put her in our unfinished basement, as I can build a bigger box for her down there. I was planning on just making a simple box out of plywood. Probably about 4 x 8 and putting it up on saw horses. OUr basement is kinda problematic: tends to get some water in it at times and is overall damp. I run a dehumidifier down there and a pump throws out any excess water that accumulates on the ground during a rainy/flood type weather--ok, so it's a really old house we have been completely rehabbing--If I use a heat lamp I can get her enclosure warm enough. What kind of hide box do you recommend inside the box? Any thoughts or tips for me as I try to figure this whole setup out?
Also, a quick diet question--she tends to really just go for the fruit when I offer it. Is that common to get stuck on one sweet good thing and leave the veggies behind?
Thanks for all the help.
Mary

 

[Missy]

I have that sort of set up for one of my sulcata. I have an old house with a wine cellar in the basement. I will be using a small heater and a heat lamp for basking and uvb during the day. I plan to keep that room about 80* A large flower pot on its side would do for a hide or you could make a box out of wood. I don't know about red foot diet but I would say that I prefer fruit to veggis. LOL. Good luck and I would love to see pics.

 

[terryo]

I use a heat emitter on one side and a long tube 5.0 UVB on the other side. There are many ways to make a humid hide. I just have a half log that I soak in hot water ...maybe once a week, and put long fiber moss inside, which I soak in warm water, squeeze it out and fluff it up. Some people us a plastic tub for a hide which also holds humidity well. I have the same problem here in NY. Mine is outside now for the whole Summer, so I have to re-do his vivarium to make it interesting for him when he comes in. Sad for these guys that have to come in for the winter.

 

[July]

I use a heat emitter on one side and a long tube 5.0 UVB on the other side. There are many ways to make a humid hide. I just have a half log that I soak in hot water ...maybe once a week, and put long fiber moss inside, which I soak in warm water, squeeze it out and fluff it up. Some people us a plastic tub for a hide which also holds humidity well. I have the same problem here in NY. Mine is outside now for the whole Summer, so I have to re-do his vivarium to make it interesting for him when he comes in. Sad for these guys that have to come in for the winter.

Heat emitter like a mercury vapor? or just one of those ceramic heat thingys that screw in light a regular light? I have one of those....
Do you use live plants? Does the UV keep them going? Right now she loves to hide under the smallish hosta plant...I'd love to keep on going and plant it in the box.

 

[Madkins007]

M nickel's worth...

It will be a LOT easier to heat and humidify that thing if you take a few extra steps...
- Use rigid insulation o the outside walls and underneath
- Consider making a tent or even a smallish room around or over it. If you do this, you can use a room heater and a room humidifier
- Take the time to make it interesting for the torts. Plants, hills, different hides, things to climb on, etc. Active, curious torts are happier, healthier torts.
- Consider a bioactive substrate- a mix of soils, mulches, and sand with some worms and bugs that simulates a natural plot of soil. I will tell you more about this if you are interested. You can also search this forum and on-line for more about it.
- Consider under-soil heating cables or tapes to warm the soil to about 80F overall. Helps heat and humidify the torts.


As for the fruit- they LOVE fruit, but to much is not good. Most of the diet should be greens and such.

 

[TORTOMANIA]

I have a sugestion, don't keep him in the damp cold basement. My brother went through trying to keep a reptile in a similar situation, and it took alot more effort, time, and money, to get the conditions right, than it was worth. it's very hard to keep a small basement warm, my brother had $750 electric bills that winter.
If you do just heat an enclusure it should be well insulated , but then it is hard to properly ventilate it, because the outside air is much cooler. for a small tort like yours i would sugest finding room in your house, even if he doesn't have as much room, he will be happier, and you will be happier.
You probably won't totaly understand until you have went through it yourself

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