Night Heating

[Quixx66]

Room temperature gets cold at night as we seldom use the heater (I have no control over this). Someone suggested a CHE with a hard-wired ceramic socket. I can’t do that for a few reasons, one of which is my plans to move to an apartment soon.

Would this fixture be okay? I plan to place it directly on the coir/soil substrate, not clamp it. Can it be put on a timer since it has an on/off switch? How would I make a whole in the top of my storage bin to thread the wire through?
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002DIWVO/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

 

[Guts]

Placing it directly on the sub seems like a hazard.

im a bit confused though the fixture you’d be using with that hood is a che?

 

[TeamZissou]

Some photos of your setup would help understand what you're trying to accomplish, as well as the species of tortoise you're dealing with, and temperature at night.

Generally, you want to mount a CHE above the substrate pointing down. Clamp fixtures like this aren't great since they can fall over. Running it on a thermostat is the best option so that a constant temp is maintained. A timer alone wouldn't control the temp.

 

[Quixx66]

Some photos of your setup would help understand what you're trying to accomplish, as well as the species of tortoise you're dealing with, and temperature at

Matteo is in the upper left corner. The hide is coming out as I heard it’s too open. His soaking bowl doesn’t live there, I just forgot to remove it. Im swapping the saucer for a terracotta one now that he’s bigger.

I have rocks and decors as well now that he’s bigger. Would the get too hot with the CHE and basking lamp and burn him?

Thanks.

 

[TeamZissou]

Looks like a Hermann's tortoise.

Here's a link to temperature and other care info.

The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...

tortoiseforum.org

Shoot for an overnight low in the 68-72F range, slightly lower (mid to low 60's) wouldn't be terrible as long as it gets up to the proper temp starting in the morning. Daytime basking temps under the lamp should be around 95-100F, and the rest of the enclosure should be around 80F. Use your temp gun. It will be tough to get uniform temperatures without a lid on the box.

If you're able to keep it above the mid 60's at night, you don't need a CHE. Anything below that would probably be a good idea. Look into running it on a thermostat (set around 70 with the sensor wherever he sleeps) so that it does not get too hot.

Mount the CHE from the top, pointing down, like the light. Don't place a CHE directly on the substrate.

 

[Tom]

Would the get too hot with the CHE and basking lamp and burn him?

Only your thermometer can answer that question.

Ambient heat sources need to be controlled by a thermostat.

 

[Chefdenoel10]

Room temperature gets cold at night as we seldom use the heater (I have no control over this). Someone suggested a CHE with a hard-wired ceramic socket. I can’t do that for a few reasons, one of which is my plans to move to an apartment soon.

Would this fixture be okay? I plan to place it directly on the coir/soil substrate, not clamp it. Can it be put on a timer since it has an on/off switch? How would I make a whole in the top of my storage bin to thread the wire through?
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002DIWVO/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

not really. “Clamp lamps” are very dangerous. A lady on here was using one. When her work called her back in from covid, she came home only to find her baby dead. The clamp unclamped and the light fell on her baby killing it. It sounds very ugly AMD my heart is still broken for her. But if telling you a tragic story prevents more deaths then that’s why I have to do.
Try to use this one from Amazon.

 

[Quixx66]

Placing it directly on the sub seems like a hazard.

im a bit confused though the fixture you’d be using with that hood is a che?

I’m confused about myself as well as confusing you! For some reason I thought CHEs went inside the enclosure so I could put the lid on at night. Sorry about that!

 

[Quixx66]

Looks like a Hermann's.

Yes, sorry forgot to include that he’s a Hermann’s, one of the Western varieties. Thanks for the detailed information! That works best with my brain! ?

 

[Quixx66]

Only your thermometer can answer that question.

Ambient heat sources need to be controlled by a thermostat.

Thanks, Tom.

 

[Quixx66]

not really. “Clamp lamps” are very dangerous. A lady on here was using one. When her work called her back in from covid, she came home only to find her baby dead. The clamp unclamped and the light fell on her baby killing it. It sounds very ugly AMD my heart is still broken for her. But if telling you a tragic story prevents more deaths then that’s why I have to do.
Try to use this one from Amazon.

Oh no! Poor baby and poor lady! Thank you for letting me know about this. And thank you for a specific model to buy. That helps a lot.