Enclosure ides?

[Tony the tank]

Well started my enclosure build... Room in basement..Size 20'x15' .. Raised floor, fully insulated except for one concrete wall.. Ducted into the house heat, with a oil radiator heater to supplement...

For lighting 2 basking lights. 250watts each.. And then UVB bulbs.. What kind do I get the long florescent tubes or the incadesent bulbs which would work best??

Also Im going to use hay as a substrate..anyone see any issues??

Last question.. Was thinking about adding a second tier...has anyone done this for there lg sulcata 50lbs....

Thoughts opinions?

 

[jackrat]

I don't know about hay as a substrate. Cypress might be better.

 

[Tony the tank]

I don't know about hay as a substrate. Cypress might be better.

Thought about cypress ...but that would be a lot of cypress...Why not hay?

It's cheap and it's edible...

 

[bobbymoore]

it could catch on fire easier

 

[CtTortoiseMom]

That all sounds like a great idea. Regarding using hay as substrate one thing comes to mind... A couple years ago there was a huge fire down the street from me. It turned out to be a barn fire because the owner kept the hay they used for their horses in an enclosed barn and the fireman told me that some of the hay must have gotten wet which somehow caused the fire. Maybe someone else can elaborate on this? I never really understood but I thought it was worth mentioning.

 

[bobbymoore]

maybe wetness and electrical outlets ?

 

[Yvonne G]

Maggie just has a plywood floor with hay in a corner for eating and rummaging. No substrate. She also has her oil-filled electric heater mounted up on a low shelf and boxed in for safety.

I have rubber horse stall mats with no substrate in my outside sheds.

If you hang your lights from chains and attach the chains firmly and safely to the ceiling, you minimize the risk of a light/heat accident.

 

[Edna]

That all sounds like a great idea. Regarding using hay as substrate one thing comes to mind... A couple years ago there was a huge fire down the street from me. It turned out to be a barn fire because the owner kept the hay they used for their horses in an enclosed barn and the fireman told me that some of the hay must have gotten wet which somehow caused the fire. Maybe someone else can elaborate on this? I never really understood but I thought it was worth mentioning.

Tightly baled wet hay can spontaneously combust. Heat-creating organisms grow in the wet hay and raise the temp to 150 degrees. After that temp is reached chemical reactions take place that can result in combustion. This cause of fire would be unlikely in loose hay, even if wet. Rubber stall mats sound like a better choice.

 

[Tony the tank]

Maggie just has a plywood floor with hay in a corner for eating and rummaging. No substrate. She also has her oil-filled electric heater mounted up on a low shelf and boxed in for safety.

I have rubber horse stall mats with no substrate in my outside sheds.

If you hang your lights from chains and attach the chains firmly and safely to the ceiling, you minimize the risk of a light/heat accident.

All the light will be hung on chains... The oil heater will be elevated on a platform and chained also...just in case

I really want to use a substrate... To absorb some of the waist and to keep them from smearing it around....

The horse mats would create another cleaning issue..I use hay now in the kitty pool I'm using until he room is finished... Easy cleanup.. Every morning I use a scooper and throw out the soiled substrate... Takes all of 2minutes.. And no bad smell..

Will hay be OK??

 

[Edna]

Why not the coarser, less expensive cypress from Home Depot? Its more absorbant than hay, and would be easier to pick than hay.

 

[Tony the tank]

Why not the coarser, less expensive cypress from Home Depot? Its more absorbant than hay, and would be easier to pick than hay.

Is cypress OK for them to ingest.. Because Tony will try to eat anything...If he's hungry.. Or when he's feeding he will eat everything including the hay the food was placed on...

 

[Edna]

My little guys eat a certain amount of it when it sticks to their food or just gets in the way and it makes its way through the system OK. If they were seeking the cypress out and eating it on purpose I would be concerned. Suggestion: Cypress on the floor and a pile of hay for snacking.

 

[lynnedit]

Can't remember where you live, but in some areas, Cypress mulch is quite expensive.
Your enclosure sounds great and well thought out. I believe the UVB would be a better source of UV than hood lights for a Sulcata.
I would think whatever substrate works for you, as you are cleaning and changing it often, and taking cost into account. As mentioned, it is loose, not a tight bale. If Cypress mulch is reasonable in your area cost wise, then a combination would be fine. You could put the hay in whatever spot he chooses to nest for the night.
A second tier sounds interesting, but would it make it harder to keep clean underneath? Structurally, would it be a bit of an engineering challenge for a restless 50# Sulcata?

 

[CtTortoiseMom]

I use cypress but have to order it on amazon because they do not sell it near me. I personally don't see a problem using either substrate. Especially now that Edna explained the hay is not a fire hazard. Thank's Edna!!

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

I use cypress but have to order it on amazon because they do not sell it near me. I personally don't see a problem using either substrate. Especially now that Edna explained the hay is not a fire hazard. Thank's Edna!!

Is placing an order for cypress mulch w/ a gardening or hardware store feasible?

 

[Missy]

I have a room in the basement as well. I use cypress and it works great. The hay could mold if it gets wet and we all no how much they pee. I use a boot tray for food and it works great for keeping the food out of the mulch. I have a pig matt in one corner and Lana sleeps on it at night. I would love to see pics of your room.

 

[CtTortoiseMom]

I use cypress but have to order it on amazon because they do not sell it near me. I personally don't see a problem using either substrate. Especially now that Edna explained the hay is not a fire hazard. Thank's Edna!!

Is placing an order for cypress mulch w/ a gardening or hardware store feasible?

I tried asking local shops, Home Depot and Lowes and they all said they have to order it by the tractor trailer full to be cost effective. I definitely do not need that much (yet)

 

[JaMar219]

Did you consider straw as an option? Farmers use hay for eating and straw for sleeping....for their animals of course lol

 

[Edna]

In some parts of the country, and depending on how the grain crops did in a given year, straw can be as expensive as hay. And it's not edible, or it's not a good choice for eating.
Erin: To clarify, I said loose hay is not going to spontaneously combust. I would still consider it a fire hazard because it's easily ignited.
My 2 leopard girls still fit in their big tub, but will probably be going into a basement room next winter. Grass hay is premium here, but the Home Depot in Casper carries cypress mulch in the big bags, so that's what we'll be using.

 

[JaMar219]

Oh my, sorry i wasn't thinking about prices in other parts of the country:/ around here a bale of hay is 1.50 in the fall. But i also live in the middle of farm country.