Night box in the works

Eburg85

Member
Joined
Sep 27, 2021
Messages
43
Location (City and/or State)
Pomona, CA
Starting my night box for my Sulcatas Lieutenant Trouble and Little Foot. Still have some work and to go and some enclosure modifications. Thank you @Tom for all the input and specs. I’ll keep posting the progress.
 

Attachments

  • 8BE37BB5-FEA6-49CB-B572-12B4174D0389.jpeg
    8BE37BB5-FEA6-49CB-B572-12B4174D0389.jpeg
    1.9 MB · Views: 20

wellington

Well-Known Member
Moderator
10 Year Member!
Tortoise Club
Joined
Sep 6, 2011
Messages
49,660
Location (City and/or State)
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Is this one box for both? You do know that tortoises should not be kept in pairs right? Seperate enclosures seperate hides.
 

Eburg85

Member
Joined
Sep 27, 2021
Messages
43
Location (City and/or State)
Pomona, CA
Is this one box for both? You do know that tortoises should not be kept in pairs right? Seperate enclosures seperate hides.
They are young right now. Future state will be separated in the next 6 months. Planning to build another single box later after winter.
 

Eburg85

Member
Joined
Sep 27, 2021
Messages
43
Location (City and/or State)
Pomona, CA
Almost there. Should be done in a couple days.
 

Attachments

  • DF15E294-CDC8-468E-BDB9-C6C03E8D49D5.jpeg
    DF15E294-CDC8-468E-BDB9-C6C03E8D49D5.jpeg
    1.7 MB · Views: 18
  • 867AB7B5-CB19-4F8F-B73A-F212E3562559.jpeg
    867AB7B5-CB19-4F8F-B73A-F212E3562559.jpeg
    1.6 MB · Views: 18
  • 93F8D9AF-B04A-4628-9CFF-F3E2FD2C0F1C.jpeg
    93F8D9AF-B04A-4628-9CFF-F3E2FD2C0F1C.jpeg
    1.5 MB · Views: 18

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,265
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
Almost there. Should be done in a couple days.
Did you insulate the floor too? I always find it interesting how other people build their boxes. I mean the order in which they do things like the walls, and the floor. I'm just self taught and my work is pretty amateurish, so I'm always trying to learn from how others do things.
 

Eburg85

Member
Joined
Sep 27, 2021
Messages
43
Location (City and/or State)
Pomona, CA
Haven’t installed the floor yet but it will be insulated, just did the framing. Then I have to build the top and install the internals. Oh and believe me, I have never built anything like this and have had many scratching my head moments. But I will say this thing is solid haha. I think more solid then my own house haha
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,265
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
Haven’t installed the floor yet but it will be insulated, just did the framing. Then I have to build the top and install the internals. Oh and believe me, I have never built anything like this and have had many scratching my head moments. But I will say this thing is solid haha. I think more solid then my own house haha
I always tell people: You could park a car on top of one of my boxes!!!
 

Eburg85

Member
Joined
Sep 27, 2021
Messages
43
Location (City and/or State)
Pomona, CA
Heating elements arrived and almost done with the night box. Should be finished this weekend.
 

Attachments

  • 5FA85469-95F2-4C74-93A1-F0D03632C9F7.jpeg
    5FA85469-95F2-4C74-93A1-F0D03632C9F7.jpeg
    1.1 MB · Views: 17
  • 349B8FD8-3368-4724-B19B-160BC89575FB.jpeg
    349B8FD8-3368-4724-B19B-160BC89575FB.jpeg
    1 MB · Views: 17
  • 35AE435A-FE7D-49B1-9CE0-6D1026DB00D4.jpeg
    35AE435A-FE7D-49B1-9CE0-6D1026DB00D4.jpeg
    1.1 MB · Views: 17

Eburg85

Member
Joined
Sep 27, 2021
Messages
43
Location (City and/or State)
Pomona, CA
@Tom i know you mentioned before that you don’t put substrate inside but I was thinking of adding some. Thinking of propping up the heat mat and putting it around. Any suggestions on what type?
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,265
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
@Tom i know you mentioned before that you don’t put substrate inside but I was thinking of adding some. Thinking of propping up the heat mat and putting it around. Any suggestions on what type?
I wouldn't recommend that. Substrate is going to end up on the mat. Also, to use substrate it will have to be kept damp, and that will cause the untreated wood to rot. You can use Pond Shield to protect the wood from moisture, but as the sulcata gains size, it will likely destroy any coating you try to put on the wood with their weight and activity.

If you want substrate you should use a radiant oil heater instead of a heat mat/RHP combo.
 

Eburg85

Member
Joined
Sep 27, 2021
Messages
43
Location (City and/or State)
Pomona, CA
Sounds good. They will have a good size area outside to roam. I’ll send up dates through the weekend.
 

Eburg85

Member
Joined
Sep 27, 2021
Messages
43
Location (City and/or State)
Pomona, CA
Update on the tortoise ramp. Haven’t been posting updates.
 

Attachments

  • 5C8CC042-119F-4266-9EFA-A0C292B0587E.jpeg
    5C8CC042-119F-4266-9EFA-A0C292B0587E.jpeg
    2.7 MB · Views: 11

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,265
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
Should I put a UVB lamp in the tortoise house? @Tom
No. No need for UV for a tortoise that is outside. I prefer not to use any type of lighting at all for a sulcata night box, as it is kinda sorta supposed to simulate a "burrow" for them.
 

Eburg85

Member
Joined
Sep 27, 2021
Messages
43
Location (City and/or State)
Pomona, CA
Sounds good. Don’t plan on putting substrate. Was actually shocked that my tort went down the ramp and up it on its own.
Temp is currently 76 degrees inside. Going to check it through the night to make sure it stays in that range or higher.
 

Eburg85

Member
Joined
Sep 27, 2021
Messages
43
Location (City and/or State)
Pomona, CA
Here it is finished product.
 

Attachments

  • 291D7D4A-1B12-431E-AD69-5BF2E7E476E6.jpeg
    291D7D4A-1B12-431E-AD69-5BF2E7E476E6.jpeg
    3.4 MB · Views: 17
Top