ANOTHER Night Box Thread...

Clorenzo85

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Sorry to keep bothering you. Donatello's enclosure is 4 ft x 6 ft and 11 inches tall. Where he'll be sleep is (2 ft x 1ft and 4 inches), also 11 inches tall. It's an open enclosure that is in a 9ft length x 11 ft width and 7 ft and 5 inches height room, with room temperature being 75 to 78 degrees Fahrenheit. I am thinking that the 40 watt radiant heat panel will be enough and the 18 x18 46 watt Kane Mat will work. What do you think?
 

kmloughran

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Tom- Have you even installed gas springs to aid in the lifting of the lid? Thinking about installing some to assist my wife in lifting it up, and to keep if from slamming shut. If you have, do you have any brand suggestions?
 

Tom

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Tom- Have you even installed gas springs to aid in the lifting of the lid? Thinking about installing some to assist my wife in lifting it up, and to keep if from slamming shut. If you have, do you have any brand suggestions?
I never have, but I've thought about it many times. I'm a big macho man (at least in my own mind...) and I just lift them up with a heave every single day. But when I'm out of town or busy, my wife, daughter and mom all help me look after things, and those lids on the 4x8' boxes are darn heavy for the ladies.

I think the gas shocks are a great idea, and someone here on the forum has done it at least once with good results. I don't know how to find that thread, but it was probably a year or two ago, and I just never got around to trying it. The thing that always held me up was figuring out attachment points. There are no studs in the middle of my walls and I don't want all that tension and weight torquing on 11/32 plywood. I'd have to add in a 2x4 and attach it to the top and bottom 2x4s used in the framing.

If you pursue the idea, please do a thread on it. Show how and where you attach the ends and where you get the shocks. I think you'll inspire me and others to do the same.
 

kmloughran

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I'll work on it and keep you posted. Thank goodness I followed your lead and took pictures as I built my box so I can remember where potential attachment points are.
 
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Big Charlie

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Tom- Have you even installed gas springs to aid in the lifting of the lid? Thinking about installing some to assist my wife in lifting it up, and to keep if from slamming shut. If you have, do you have any brand suggestions?
I wanted some springs to keep the lid from slamming shut. It was easier to attach a hook on the wall above so I could keep the lid propped open.
 

kmloughran

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Strange enough... I’m having a tough time finding plastic flaps for the doorway. Mine is 24x24.... suggestions on where to look anyone? Our only local hardware store is HD, and they don’t have it.
 

Tom

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Strange enough... I’m having a tough time finding plastic flaps for the doorway. Mine is 24x24.... suggestions on where to look anyone? Our only local hardware store is HD, and they don’t have it.
Try searching for commercial freezer door flaps.
 

Always pondering

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Strange enough... I’m having a tough time finding plastic flaps for the doorway. Mine is 24x24.... suggestions on where to look anyone? Our only local hardware store is HD, and they don’t have it.
I found it at Tap Plastics. I ordered 6”x6’ for $1.45 a foot. Shipping was more than the plastic but total was $26. That was last October. Hope this helps.
 

Blackdog1714

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Try a truck stop there mud flaps last a long time. Not sure if they would be too thick?
 

Nash

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Tom, I've saved this thread for 5 years, knowing that eventually I was going to need to build this. My 5 year old male sulcata is doing real well, thanks to you and all the professional advice that I've followed and now it's time for my husband and I to build him one of your night boxes. To my dismay, the step by step pictures you once posted while you were building it won't come up anymore. I just get a big happy face man dancing. And while you're at it...I did find the materials list, has it changed? Thanks
 

Tom

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Tom, I've saved this thread for 5 years, knowing that eventually I was going to need to build this. My 5 year old male sulcata is doing real well, thanks to you and all the professional advice that I've followed and now it's time for my husband and I to build him one of your night boxes. To my dismay, the step by step pictures you once posted while you were building it won't come up anymore. I just get a big happy face man dancing. And while you're at it...I did find the materials list, has it changed? Thanks
Bummer about those third party websites shutting down. All those pics lost.

Here are the new threads. I'll just include all of them for you:
 

kmloughran

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Still haven’t installed the heating elements, Or the plastic door flaps, but this is our guys’s daytime setup now. In a couple of weeks, it will be his full time summer house. Thanks for your advice and guidance.
 

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Tom

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Still haven’t installed the heating elements, Or the plastic door flaps, but this is our guys’s daytime setup now. In a couple of weeks, it will be his full time summer house. Thanks for your advice and guidance.
That looks nice, but the tortoise needs a much larger area than that. 4 times that size would be a minimum.
 

kmloughran

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Thanks again for all your help.
That looks nice, but the tortoise needs a much larger area than that. 4 times that size would be a minimum.
This is a temporary enclosure while we finish our yard. We let him out to roam every day. We’ll have him in a 15x15 by the end of the summer.
 
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JeffR

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Three season accommodations

I flipped the bottom and sealed it into the top with foam insulation, making it double walled. I then used insulation board inside. I doubled up on a clear shower curtain for the the door and placed it on a heat pad with an ink bird WiFi thermostat. It stays in the high 70’s even when temps are in the 50’s and actually stays in the 80’s even when it hits 100. I do have to tuck a couple of torts in who are not smart enough to get out of the cold:)
 

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