Enclosure Improvements???

[karlyholmes]

Okay, just today I went and picked up my new Leopard tort. He came with an enclosure and Im hoping I can use it for a little while, but as it stands, it's not very effective.
He is about 4" long approx. 7months old.
The enclosure is nice "quality" it is wooden with plexiglass front windows. The floor space is not humongous, its 3' by 1' but again the goal is to use the enclosure for a month or so if possible. I wont be able to do a pricier enclosure until next month.
The space is well used, has a built in hide. My main issue though, is that the walls are not that high- maybe 8"- but then it has an arm and hook that is built on to the side on one end for with which to hang the lights.
I have a dual lamp to hang there, but there is no clear way to COVER the enclosure to maintain the moisture.
The previous owners were clueless about humidity and moisture retention, they bought him at a reptile show, forgot to ask where they got the enclosure. He has pyramiding due to the dry conditions and I want to rectify that immediately. He is very sweet and curious, not timid at ALL.
Please, if anyone has some helpful suggestions, I would love some input.
Please do not say "get a bigger/better enclosure" because I know what a good enclosure is, and no I do not have that right now- I will in the near future (I actually have a VERY large Rubbermaid tub but do not have a plexiglass or similar, not even the lid lol, to cover it so until I can get one (price?!)) Im hoping to make the one I have at least somewhat BETTER than it was to improve his conditions. I feel badly that he has lived for 7months in these dry conditions, but all I can do is improve things
Thanks in advance.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Can you cover 1/2 the top with foil? Or use a small plastic hide with moss inside kept damp? That's how we did it in the 'olden' days...

 

[lismar79]

I use light weight sub flooring sheet. Cut holes with hole saw & lined with metal furnace tape. Works great also have one using a pcof foam inslation board & itworks well for enclosed chamber but not sure about putting lights on it...

 

[karlyholmes]

Does the foil actually work?

 

[Evy]

I started with a glass since I was miss informed so what I did is to cut a piece of cardboard cut the holes to put the lights )that covered the enclosure and wrapped with foil


London a lovely sulcata!

 

[Evy]

And then you are able to put the lights on top of the lid. It keeps the place humid. Check that the soil, coconut bark, moss, orchid bark are moistened and cover. Check every two days for dryness of the floor. Also it help if you have 3 or 4 inches deep the soil or whatever you use. Read what substrate is best for your breed.


London a lovely sulcata!

 

[karlyholmes]

 

[karlyholmes]

Pics are bad (phone) lol but we've got some improvement. Coco coir, calcium powder for sprinkling, an all-in-one mercury vapor bulb and the little guy seems to be loving the new moist habitat. However, you see what I mean about the low walls and the lamp making it hard to cover???? Would the foil work for this??

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Foil would work, yes. It would fictional not pretty

I suggest you put a flat rock under the basking light. It'll warm up and my Leopards all like to lay on the warm rocks.

Do you have a night heat source? If you use humidity the ambient temps must stay above 80F to prevent illness.

 

[karlyholmes]

I don't have a night source. I was thinking of getting a ceramic emitter for night/the other side but im out of tort funds til July lol! Its 75 in there at night. Without a rock, it is hitting 100 degrees in there right now under the light, switch the thermometer to the hide to see the coolest temp.

 

[karlyholmes]

Also, after these pictures, I took some lids from pizza boxes and covered them in foil to cover each side of the enclosure. Just leaves it open where the lights come in. Will that help at all or does the foil need to go over the light arm and light and come down the front?

 

[julietteq]

If you have a green thumb, and can get a grass sod to grow in there with lots of plants, in my experience you will not need to make a closed chamber. The plants and grass take care of the humidity and the torts appear to love it. I know it is harder work for the owner to keep everything growing, but I believe the torts will appreciate it.

 

[julietteq]

If you would like to see how I did it, go here http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/using-real-grass-on-an-indoor-open-table.93824/#post-873151