Enclosure Improvement

[Bass.Isles]

Okay, so I finally got her improved enclosure set up today. And today was the very first day, since acquiring Isla a month ago, that my temps and humidity were optimal!

My daytime lighting is a 4ft hanging (soon to be bolted) double fixture (hung approx 22 inches above substrate level). One side is a T5 HO UVB tube. The other side is a 6400k T5 tube. I keep this on for 13 hours a day.

My nighttime lighting is a 150W 110V infrared CHE & a 100W 110V infrared CHE. I keep this on for 11 hours a day.

They are both on timers and a temperature control that makes sure it never gets too hot inside the chamber.

The pic kinda cut off the full length of the enclosure. It is over 5 ft long.

Also, got her this little "playpen" for the yard. Before anyone says it, I NEVER just go inside and leave her unattended in it lol. I usually sit right there and watch her lol. Or work close by in the yard (which is fenced). The netting is just a precaution because we have hawks close by and I'm that anal lol. The whole thing is also staked into the ground by 16 stakes.

So, how'd I do?

 

[Bass.Isles]

Just measured it. Bigger than I thought. Almost 7ft.

 

[wellington]

I can't tell if the humidity gauge is tort level, but it needs to be. Also, you don't mention what the temps are, but you said the Che's are on 11 hours.
The enclosure needs to be 80 degrees day and night, so the 11 hours won't work. Forget the timer on the Che's and have one of them ran by the thermostat I believe you said you had and leave the other on as the basking area for a 95-100 degree basking temp for during the day. The basking che will be on all the time, while the other is on the thermostat. Then use the time just for the actual lights.
Otherwise it looks good.
Now, the outside pen needs a water bowl and a hide or plants for shade and should also have some natural shade in half the area as babies can over heat, get heat stroke very quickly. Add the mentioned things and the playpen should do good.

 

[Bass.Isles]

I can't tell if the humidity gauge is tort level, but it needs to be. Also, you don't mention what the temps are, but you said the Che's are on 11 hours.
The enclosure needs to be 80 degrees day and night, so the 11 hours won't work. Forget the timer on the Che's and have one of them ran by the thermostat I believe you said you had and leave the other on as the basking area for a 95-100 degree basking temp for during the day. The basking che will be on all the time, while the other is on the thermostat. Then use the time just for the actual lights.
Otherwise it looks good.
Now, the outside pen needs a water bowl and a hide or plants for shade and should also have some natural shade in half the area as babies can over heat, get heat stroke very quickly. Add the mentioned things and the playpen should do good.

Thank you for replying! The humidity & temp gauge is specially made for reptiles and reptile enclosures, is that acceptable? As far as mentioning the temps, I posted a picture of the temp & humidity, which was taken at 8:45 pm EST (felt it would be redundant to state the temps in my post as well haha). They're a little high, so after I took that pic, I unplugged my 100W CHE. I thought temps were supposed to be 80 degrees minimum? Can it not be any hotter? Because I read that optimal is between 80-93 or so, and basking at 95-100. Also, good idea about using one of the CHE's for a constant basking light. I think I'll just do that! And yeah, after I took that pic of her playpen, I put in a little wicker hut like the one she has in her closed chamber and a large but shallow water dish. I guess I took the pic too early! Haha. Thank you for all your input! Have a wonderful night!

 

[wellington]

I would keep the constant around 80. Not lower. In the wild they can search out a cooler temp, digging in under bushes, etc. in our closed chambers they have little to no choices to get out of a constant high temp. In the heat of the day they will hide away in the wild. Keeping a constant 90+ temp I see it as being a constant high heat of the day and not when they would want to be out. With the 80 and then the higher basking temp they have a choice.

 

[Bass.Isles]

Okay, well then I've run into a problem... the daylights are keeping the chamber too hot. Without ANY CHE and just the 2 daytime tube lights (uvb & fluorescent), the chamber is not dropping below 93 degrees. I only have 1 humidity gauge, but 3 temp thermometers and they all read above 93. I was thinking about unscrewing one of the tube lights... would you say to unscrew the ZooMed UVB or fluorescent?

 

[Bass.Isles]

Nevermind that question. I did some reading and the fluorescent puts off hardly any heat. So I undid the ZooMed UVB and left in the fluorescent. Temp hasn't dropped hardly at all in 35 minutes... if it hasn't cooled any in an hour or two, I'm gonna unscrew the two CHE bulbs out of their fixtures and screw in my two little special UVB bulbs that I've been using up to this point and see if that changes anything?

 

[Bass.Isles]

well, nothing is working. I cannot raise and maintain humidity above 65 without raising the overall temp of the closed chamber above a constant 90-93. what do I do?

 

[KevinGG]

Why can't you raise humidity without raising heat?

Low 90s is a fine daytime ambient. Temp will drop at night with lights turned off. Never go below 80. Basking area should be close to 100.

Temps can take a long time to lower in a closed chamber. If you feel more comfortable keeping enclosure in 80s, take the lid off for a few mins. Fluorescents can give off quite a bit of heat. Put your hand underneath and feel if it is warm.

Also, if you were talking about the coil UVB bulbs, don't use those. Lots of cases of tortoises being blinded by them. No reason to risk that. Stick with the tubes.

Also read this: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/

 

[Bass.Isles]

Why can't you raise humidity without raising heat?

Low 90s is a fine daytime ambient. Temp will drop at night with lights turned off. Never go below 80. Basking area should be close to 100.

Temps can take a long time to lower in a closed chamber. If you feel more comfortable keeping enclosure in 80s, take the lid off for a few mins. Fluorescents can give off quite a bit of heat. Put your hand underneath and feel if it is warm.

Also, if you were talking about the coil UVB bulbs, don't use those. Lots of cases of tortoises being blinded by them. No reason to risk that. Stick with the tubes.

Also read this: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/

No, I wasn't referring to the coil UVB bulbs, I read a lot of bad things about them.

And as for not being able to raise humidity without raising heat, maybe I worded it wrong. My problem is that with it being a completely closed chamber, the lights are making the whole enclosure very hot. I'm talking a constant 97-102 throughout the whole chamber, yesterday at least. But like I was told, keeping a closed chamber with good lighting and damp substrate does create awesome humidity. But it just cannot be good for her for the whole chamber to be at basking temp. And when I open the top of the chamber to let it cool off some (at least trying to get it below 94), the humidity immediately plummets. Then when it does cool down and I close the chamber again, the humidity builds back up, but so does the heat! I know I have the correct/adequate lighting. But, I even tried turning all the lighting off (while she was grazing in the yard) and it only dropped 3 degrees in 2 and a half hours and when I put her back in and flipped the lights back on... wham! right back up to 97.8. I'm very frustrated. Any suggestions?

 

[KevinGG]

So, the only lights you have turned on are the tubes?

Doesn't really make any sense that with all of the lights turned off and the lid off the temps wouldn't plummet. What thermometer are you using? What is the ambient temp of the room you are using? Just normal room temp?

Im guessing the thermometer isn't accurate and/or one of the strip lights is putting off a lot of heat. Put your hand under the lights and see if they are hot.

 

[Bass.Isles]

So, the only lights you have turned on are the tubes?

Doesn't really make any sense that with all of the lights turned off and the lid off the temps wouldn't plummet. What thermometer are you using? What is the ambient temp of the room you are using? Just normal room temp?

Im guessing the thermometer isn't accurate and/or one of the strip lights is putting off a lot of heat. Put your hand under the lights and see if they are hot.

When the lid is off, the temp does drop some. But then in order for it to be a closed chamber, you hafta put the top back on lol. when I put the top back on, the temp climbs right back up IF I turn on ANY type of lighting.

 

[Bass.Isles]

So, the only lights you have turned on are the tubes?

Doesn't really make any sense that with all of the lights turned off and the lid off the temps wouldn't plummet. What thermometer are you using? What is the ambient temp of the room you are using? Just normal room temp?

Im guessing the thermometer isn't accurate and/or one of the strip lights is putting off a lot of heat. Put your hand under the lights and see if they are hot.

and I have 3 diff kinds of thermometers and 2 humidity gauges. 2 of the thermometers are specially for reptiles. the other is just a regular thermometer. the humidity gauges are designed for terrariums. they all show a reading of within 3 degrees of eachother.

Her closed chamber is on my screened in back porch. it is pretty warm out, but I just can't bring the whole shebang indoors. I think I'm just gonna hafta give her as much yard time as humanly possible till summer passes, then just put her in the chamber with as little lighting as possible.

 

[KevinGG]

and I have 3 diff kinds of thermometers and 2 humidity gauges. 2 of the thermometers are specially for reptiles. the other is just a regular thermometer. the humidity gauges are designed for terrariums. they all show a reading of within 3 degrees of eachother.

Her closed chamber is on my screened in back porch. it is pretty warm out, but I just can't bring the whole shebang indoors. I think I'm just gonna hafta give her as much yard time as humanly possible till summer passes, then just put her in the chamber with as little lighting as possible.

Thats the problem. Where do you live? No way to get the closed chamber cooler than outdoor ambient. I'd recommend bringing the enclosure indoors where temps can be more precisely regulated. If you still decide to keep outdoors, you really have to monitor temps closely. High 90s or 100s is too hot. If you can't figure out a way to keep temps at appropriate levels, you'll have to bring indoors. Not providing adequate lighting isn't a solution.

 

[Bass.Isles]

Thats the problem. Where do you live? No way to get the closed chamber cooler than outdoor ambient. I'd recommend bringing the enclosure indoors where temps can be more precisely regulated. If you still decide to keep outdoors, you really have to monitor temps closely. High 90s or 100s is too hot. If you can't figure out a way to keep temps at appropriate levels, you'll have to bring indoors. Not providing adequate lighting isn't a solution.

Yeppp, going to have to watch the temp and humidity very closely, that's why I'm trying so hard on here to get all the helpful advice possible. Because I can't bring her whole enclosure indoors. not permanently anyways, if we're due for a heat wave or something, I could. Because I have a smaller thing she could stay in for a few days to a week, indoors. Our daily outdoor temps are usually around 86-90, this time of year. Which is way better than when I was a child and teenager. used to, it'd be at least 94 degrees everyday at this time of year. Not anymore though, it seems.