CHEST FREEZER ENCLOSURE

[Tidgy's Dad]

Hello, all, this might seem a bit bonkers, but bear with me.
Global temperatures continue to rise and this summer is hotter than ever, even I, such a lover of the heat am finding it hard.
It's no problem heating Tidgy's enclosure in the winter, house heating and an MVB or two raise the temperature to quite acceptable levels and the winter is short so it's not terribly expensive.
But what about the summer ?
Months and months with the temperature over 40°C (well over 100°F).
Now, The Tidge has hides that are shade and she's always burrowing into her coco coir and the garden soil but is clearly struggling with the heat, she's not happy when it's this hot and is always seeking somewhere cooler. I spray her and soak her but this provides only temporary relief . I hate to see my little girl uncomfortable.
So, I am thinking about buying a large chest freezer, slapping in some coco coir and cooling her this way.
Hmmmm.
So what do you guys think ? Anyone tried it ?
And what temperatures do you set it at to achieve optimal temps with the lid open ?
Any advice gratefully received.
Cheers,
Adam.

 

[Moozillion]

Bonkers!!!!!

 

[Tom]

I think the chest freezer idea would be a great place for you to put your head!

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

I think the chest freezer idea would be a great place for you to put your head!

No, Tom.
I put my head in the freezer section bit at the top of our fridge.
I've got a dodgy back, so the chest freezer wouldn't be as convenient.

 

[Tom]

No, Tom.
I put my head in the freezer section bit at the top of our fridge.
I've got a dodgy back, so the chest freezer wouldn't be as convenient.

Hmm… I see…

In this case Adam, we are going to need to go big. I think you are going to need one of those walk-in type commercial freezers. You know, the kind people always hide in in horror movies. It will need a Lazy Boy Recliner massaging chair and a power outlet, so you can stay connoted to TFO when cooling your head and relaxing your dodgy back.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Hmm… I see…

In this case Adam, we are going to need to go big. I think you are going to need one of those walk-in type commercial freezers. You know, the kind people always hide in in horror movies. It will need a Lazy Boy Recliner massaging chair and a power outlet, so you can stay connoted to TFO when cooling your head and relaxing your dodgy back.

Brilliant idea!
But if i spend that sort of money on a walk in freeer, wifey will divorce me.
mmmmm
Brilliant idea!

 

[Tom]

Brilliant idea!
But if i spend that sort of money on a walk in freeer, wifey will divorce me.
mmmmm
Brilliant idea!

Yes, yes….

{Taking a well deserved bow and smiling smugly…}

You are very welcome. Its what I do. No need to thank me...

 

[Yvonne G]

There was this guy, Harold Carty, who travelled all over the world for turtles. He was a very well-known name in the turtle industry. He lived on an old dairy farm and made use of the no-longer-in-use cow stuff for his turtles. He had large ponds, for wild-like turtles, then there were many very large cement 'tanks' for breeders. He raised and sold hundreds of turtles to folks all over the world.

His wife liked the tortoises, so they had a few of those too. He had acres of grass with only perimeter fence, so lots and lots of land for tortoises to roam. He had several upright freezers where he removed the motors, the bottoms and the backs, then lay them on their back in the field. He put the vinyl strips over the "bottom" of the freezer, the part that used to be on the floor when the freezer stood upright, and these were his sulcatas shelters. This was in the middle of California, where summers are in the 100sF most days, and these 'shelters' were right out in the middle of the field, in the direct sun.

I use chest type freezers in the old abandoned house at the back of my property for hibernating. The inside of that house gets down in the low 40sF most nights, and occasionally dips down into the 30sF some nights. The freezers are well-insulated and maintain a good hibernating temperature. I never actually knew the inside temp of Harold's freezers, but the tortoises spent many years living that way, so it must have been ok.

Adam: My sister has some sort of bucket she fills with ice then runs a fan over it. She says it works pretty good if you want to stay right in front of the fan. I don't know the ice situation in Morocco, but maybe something like that would help the Tidge be more comfortable.

Of course, you could always hire a fan bearer to stand behind Tidgy's enclosure and fan the air for her.

 

[tortdad]

Hmm… I see…

In this case Adam, we are going to need to go big. I think you are going to need one of those walk-in type commercial freezers. You know, the kind people always hide in in horror movies. It will need a Lazy Boy Recliner massaging chair and a power outlet, so you can stay connoted to TFO when cooling your head and relaxing your dodgy back.

This sounds like my next project. I'm about to be turning my garage into a Man Cave.... perhaps a freezer mod now, lol

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

There was this guy, Harold Carty, who travelled all over the world for turtles. He was a very well-known name in the turtle industry. He lived on an old dairy farm and made use of the no-longer-in-use cow stuff for his turtles. He had large ponds, for wild-like turtles, then there were many very large cement 'tanks' for breeders. He raised and sold hundreds of turtles to folks all over the world.

His wife liked the tortoises, so they had a few of those too. He had acres of grass with only perimeter fence, so lots and lots of land for tortoises to roam. He had several upright freezers where he removed the motors, the bottoms and the backs, then lay them on their back in the field. He put the vinyl strips over the "bottom" of the freezer, the part that used to be on the floor when the freezer stood upright, and these were his sulcatas shelters. This was in the middle of California, where summers are in the 100sF most days, and these 'shelters' were right out in the middle of the field, in the direct sun.

I use chest type freezers in the old abandoned house at the back of my property for hibernating. The inside of that house gets down in the low 40sF most nights, and occasionally dips down into the 30sF some nights. The freezers are well-insulated and maintain a good hibernating temperature. I never actually knew the inside temp of Harold's freezers, but the tortoises spent many years living that way, so it must have been ok.

Adam: My sister has some sort of bucket she fills with ice then runs a fan over it. She says it works pretty good if you want to stay right in front of the fan. I don't know the ice situation in Morocco, but maybe something like that would help the Tidge be more comfortable.

Thank you, Yvonne.
I can make ice in quantity if I wish.
wifey uses most of it in her G&Ts.
But I have a tower fan that may be suitable.
i shall seriously give this a go.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

There was this guy, Harold Carty, who travelled all over the world for turtles. He was a very well-known name in the turtle industry. He lived on an old dairy farm and made use of the no-longer-in-use cow stuff for his turtles. He had large ponds, for wild-like turtles, then there were many very large cement 'tanks' for breeders. He raised and sold hundreds of turtles to folks all over the world.

His wife liked the tortoises, so they had a few of those too. He had acres of grass with only perimeter fence, so lots and lots of land for tortoises to roam. He had several upright freezers where he removed the motors, the bottoms and the backs, then lay them on their back in the field. He put the vinyl strips over the "bottom" of the freezer, the part that used to be on the floor when the freezer stood upright, and these were his sulcatas shelters. This was in the middle of California, where summers are in the 100sF most days, and these 'shelters' were right out in the middle of the field, in the direct sun.

I use chest type freezers in the old abandoned house at the back of my property for hibernating. The inside of that house gets down in the low 40sF most nights, and occasionally dips down into the 30sF some nights. The freezers are well-insulated and maintain a good hibernating temperature. I never actually knew the inside temp of Harold's freezers, but the tortoises spent many years living that way, so it must have been ok.

Adam: My sister has some sort of bucket she fills with ice then runs a fan over it. She says it works pretty good if you want to stay right in front of the fan. I don't know the ice situation in Morocco, but maybe something like that would help the Tidge be more comfortable.

Of course, you could always hire a fan bearer to stand behind Tidgy's enclosure and fan the air for her.

I also like the last idea.
wifey!

 

[Markw84]

Adam

Yvonne's idea has good merit for you as you have quite low humidity. Evaporative cooling is effective where humidity is low. I sun my hatchling aquatic turtles this time of year regularly and my climate is quite similar to your's. In an open tub in 100° weather, the water never gets above 86° in the shade on a breezy day. (by now you probably know how anal I can be and check everything!) A tub of water with fan blowing across in an enclosed hide could be very effective for the tidge!

 

[Markw84]

There was this guy, Harold Carty, who travelled all over the world for turtles. He was a very well-known name in the turtle industry. He lived on an old dairy farm and made use of the no-longer-in-use cow stuff for his turtles. He had large ponds, for wild-like turtles, then there were many very large cement 'tanks' for breeders. He raised and sold hundreds of turtles to folks all over the world.

His wife liked the tortoises, so they had a few of those too. He had acres of grass with only perimeter fence, so lots and lots of land for tortoises to roam. He had several upright freezers where he removed the motors, the bottoms and the backs, then lay them on their back in the field. He put the vinyl strips over the "bottom" of the freezer, the part that used to be on the floor when the freezer stood upright, and these were his sulcatas shelters. This was in the middle of California, where summers are in the 100sF most days, and these 'shelters' were right out in the middle of the field, in the direct sun.

I remember driving up the first time I visited Harold. Saw a field with upturned old refrigerators strewn about! Insulated white hides. Where have I more recently heard that before????

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Adam

Yvonne's idea has good merit for you as you have quite low humidity. Evaporative cooling is effective where humidity is low. I sun my hatchling aquatic turtles this time of year regularly and my climate is quite similar to your's. In an open tub in 100° weather, the water never gets above 86° in the shade on a breezy day. (by now you probably know how anal I can be and check everything!) A tub of water with fan blowing across in an enclosed hide could be very effective for the tidge!

Thank you, Mark.
It's 110 or more most days at the moment. Mostly fine for me, but not so good for wifey and Tidgy and the other torts I visit.
I am actually in the process of trying this now!

 

[Markw84]

Thank you, Mark.
It's 110 or more most days at the moment. Mostly fine for me, but not so good for wifey and Tidgy and the other torts I visit.
I am actually in the process of trying this now!

week before last we just went through a streak of 7 days in a row at 110° and above. My 10,000 gal pond and my "sipping" pool never got above 86°. My little turtle kiddie pool stayed below 88°

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

week before last we just went through a streak of 7 days in a row at 110° and above. My 10,000 gal pond and my "sipping" pool never got above 86°. My little turtle kiddie pool stayed below 88°

Most of Ramadan was 110 plus.
Twas very difficult this year.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Do you have a room that you can jam a window unit AC in?
That way you could all benefit from the cooler room.

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Do you have a room that you can jam a window unit AC in?
That way you could all benefit from the cooler room.

Hi, Ed.
Air Conditioning ?
You can get them here now, I suppose.
The neighbours are beginning to get them.
But I like the heat.

 

[Bee62]

Hi Adam,

I think the best substrate for a chest freezer enclosure are dry baked beans. Tidgy can dig in the beans and eat them. I think she`ll love it !
For a hide I would choose a frozen turkey. It is big enough that the Tidge can climb and sit in. I think this can be a funny picture: A tort looking out of a frozen turkey !
For a water dish I would use a half water melon ( not frozen ). If Tidgy eat all the flesh of this melon the peel would make a perfect water dish.
Good luck with your freezer-enclosure !

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Hi Adam,

I think the best substrate for a chest freezer enclosure are dry baked beans. Tidgy can dig in the beans and eat them. I think she`ll love it !
For a hide I would choose a frozen turkey. It is big enough that the Tidge can climb and sit in. I think this can be a funny picture: A tort looking out of a frozen turkey !
For a water dish I would use a half water melon ( not frozen ). If Tidgy eat all the flesh of this melon the peel would make a perfect water dish.
Good luck with your freezer-enclosure !

Hmmmmm.
I don't think you're taking this seriously, Sabine.