Double checking that I'm doing it right for Sulcata

[Prairie Mom]

Hello, you great group of Tortoise owners

I'm sure you get tired of reading threads like this, but I'm getting a crash course in Sulcata raising. (Feel free to glance at my first thread for details...http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread...ify-have-calcium-concerns.101100/#post-943511)

I've been carefully reading the multiple care sheets for sulcatas and am constantly checking threads. Some of the info is still a bit over my head. I'd be grateful if someone could take the time to let me know if I have a correct understanding of the advice given to house her...
Our newly rescued Sulcata "Mavis" is old enough that she really needs an outdoor enclosure with a heated area in our climate. For now, we are letting her out in good weather and sunshine for several hours a day and need to build her a cheap basic enclosure that will meet her light & heat needs to get through this winter.

For this winter, she'll be spending a bunch of time in 3 large tuperware fastened together. (Sad, I know, but we'll do better).

I'm planning:
- planning to purchase a 160watt self balisted UVB vapor bulb for basking spot

-also want to buy a unheated uv/uvb florescent strip just to maintain descent fake sunshine during the winter in addition the basking spot vapor bulb glowing during the day.

-ceramic heating emitter for night temps no lower than 60 degrees F.

-??During the day: Do I just use the basking bulb to maintain heat at the heated end of her enclosure and let the cooler side be the basic warm temp of my house? Or do I have the heat emitter going all day and night with some sort of thermostat to maintain day and night temps?

-humid hidey hole...for this winter can I just have an open ended up side down small Tupperware with daily dampened sphagnum moss and run a humidifier near her enclosure?

Thank you!

 

[lismar79]

-??During the day: Do I just use the basking bulb to maintain heat at the heated end of her enclosure and let the cooler side be the basic warm temp of my house? Or do I have the heat emitter going all day and night with some sort of thermostat to maintain day and night temps?- this will depend on what temps you are getting in each part. 80 is as low as I go with mine but she is still little. Your guy looks pretty good sized so I would just watch him & see where he spends his time.

-humid hidey hole...for this winter can I just have an open ended up side down small Tupperware with daily dampened sphagnum moss and run a humidifier near her enclosure? - That is exactly what I do. You do want to make sure this is the area that stays warm though. Cold & wet will make for a sick tort & yours has already experienced some harsh conditions when you found her.

 

[Prairie Mom]

-??During the day: Do I just use the basking bulb to maintain heat at the heated end of her enclosure and let the cooler side be the basic warm temp of my house? Or do I have the heat emitter going all day and night with some sort of thermostat to maintain day and night temps?- this will depend on what temps you are getting in each part. 80 is as low as I go with mine but she is still little. Your guy looks pretty good sized so I would just watch him & see where he spends his time.

-humid hidey hole...for this winter can I just have an open ended up side down small Tupperware with daily dampened sphagnum moss and run a humidifier near her enclosure? - That is exactly what I do. You do want to make sure this is the area that stays warm though. Cold & wet will make for a sick tort & yours has already experienced some harsh conditions when you found her.

Thanks for your response lismar That's good advice to watch and see what temp my tort seems to hang out in the most. I also did actually need the reminder to put the humid hide hole near the heater. You are right. She's had enough cold wet conditions! I've read a few things that made me think I'm supposed to keep it in the unheated section. I think I'll just put enough substrate for her to burrow in the unheated section, but keep the hide hole nearer the heat emitter. Thanks so much!

 

[Yellow Turtle01]

That sounds really nice for her! You have all the lighting right
Just make sure to soak her everyday!

 

[Prairie Mom]

That sounds really nice for her! You have all the lighting right
Just make sure to soak her everyday!

I really appreciate you double checking me, Yellow Turtle. I'll be sure to remember to keep soaking her.

 

[Tom]

The MVB sounds fine.

You will likely need to run two or three CHEs set on a thermostat to maintain ambient temps. This is always difficult in an open topped enclosure. No one can tell you how many bulbs or what wattage you will need. Only your thermometer can do that. We can give you a best guess starting point, but you will have to check your temps and make the necessary adjustments. I don't know how you are going to maintain 80-100 degree temps in three linked tub over winter in a cool house. Remember, you are trying to simulate the African rainy season.

The florescent sounds good. Get the "HO" type bulbs if the bulbs will be mounted more than 18" above the tortoise. You can use the regular bulbs if the tube will be within 10-12" of the tortoise.

Night temps should not drop below the high 70s for a young sulcata.

For a humid hide use a black dishwashing tub from Walmart for $1.82. Flip it over and cut out a door hole. There should be no need to wet it under there every day. If its drying out that fast, you have another problem to fix.

Using a humidifier is like using a coffee cup to bail out a leaky boat. Plug the leak. Like this:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/closed-chambers.32333/

Several hours of sunshine a day? That sounds like exactly what this tortoise needed! Good for you. Don't forget to soak on the way in each day.

 

[Prairie Mom]

The MVB sounds fine.

You will likely need to run two or three CHEs set on a thermostat to maintain ambient temps. This is always difficult in an open topped enclosure. No one can tell you how many bulbs or what wattage you will need. Only your thermometer can do that. We can give you a best guess starting point, but you will have to check your temps and make the necessary adjustments. I don't know how you are going to maintain 80-100 degree temps in three linked tub over winter in a cool house. Remember, you are trying to simulate the African rainy season.

The florescent sounds good. Get the "HO" type bulbs if the bulbs will be mounted more than 18" above the tortoise. You can use the regular bulbs if the tube will be within 10-12" of the tortoise.

Night temps should not drop below the high 70s for a young sulcata.

For a humid hide use a black dishwashing tub from Walmart for $1.82. Flip it over and cut out a door hole. There should be no need to wet it under there every day. If its drying out that fast, you have another problem to fix.

Using a humidifier is like using a coffee cup to bail out a leaky boat. Plug the leak. Like this:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/closed-chambers.32333/

Several hours of sunshine a day? That sounds like exactly what this tortoise needed! Good for you. Don't forget to soak on the way in each day.

Tom, thanks for taking a look at my question. You've given me a lot to think about. I'm making my hubby take a look at your post and closed chamber thread also. Thanks for the warning that we will most likely need several heat emitters. I'll get several and see how our temps go. Thank you for correcting me to not allow the temp to go below the low 70's. We are planning on putting a top of some sort on it, but were doing it mainly to keep kids and critters out of it, but your thread has made us think about this a little more. We will probably be posting again with more questions as soon as we have things all set up. Meanwhile, the weather has warmed up during the later part of the afternoon and Mavis loves it out there. She becomes so peaceful and relaxed. It has been fun to see her enjoying herself and eating like a piglet. Thanks again!

 

[Tom]

Tom, thanks for taking a look at my question. You've given me a lot to think about. I'm making my hubby take a look at your post and closed chamber thread also. Thanks for the warning that we will most likely need several heat emitters. I'll get several and see how our temps go. Thank you for correcting me to not allow the temp to go below the low 70's. We are planning on putting a top of some sort on it, but were doing it mainly to keep kids and critters out of it, but your thread has made us think about this a little more. We will probably be posting again with more questions as soon as we have things all set up. Meanwhile, the weather has warmed up during the later part of the afternoon and Mavis loves it out there. She becomes so peaceful and relaxed. It has been fun to see her enjoying herself and eating like a piglet. Thanks again!

High 70's at night. Don't let it drop below the high 70's. Low 70's with humidity risks respiratory infection.

Good luck! Hope we can continue to help.

 

[Prairie Mom]

High 70's at night. Don't let it drop below the high 70's. Low 70's with humidity risks respiratory infection.

Good luck! Hope we can continue to help.

no lower than HIGH 70s at night-Gotcha! ( I actually saw my flub, but it was too late to fix) Thank you for keeping me on the right track. Mavis will appreciate it too!