Indoor Baby Enclosure - Maintains Heat / Humidity

[txturtledude]

If you are looking for a less expensive option for an enclosed type of chamber, this is what I do. My baby Sully will stay in this enclosure for the first year. The Basking Temp at the flat rock averages 95-98 F. The Cool Side Temp stays around 81-85 F. Humidity % ranges low 80’s to low 90’s. The temp inside the Hide Box is usually between 83-85 F. All of the housing and equipment expense was around $200.

Hope this helps, good luck with your tortoise ?!

 

[Yossarian]

What is the yellow tray from?

 

[txturtledude]

It is a spill basin from Grainger’s. It is meant to hold 2 full size plastic barrels. The tent is a 4’x2’ mini greenhouse from Amazon...

 

[Tom]

You've got one soon to be big problem: With such perfect conditions, and if you bought that baby from a seller who starts them in even a mildly satisfactory way, that little enclosure ain't gonna last a year!!!

 

[txturtledude]

@Tom
Oh snap! I bought him from you and he eats like a goat. Also, he is not the least bit shy or skiddish. He was one of your ground hatched Sudans.

I am planning his juvenile enclosure right now. When he gets big, he’s going to have his own corral at our family’s ranch.

How long do you estimate he can stay in this 4’x2’ enclosure?

Thx!

 

[Tom]

What? One of my babies that eats anything and everything??? No way.

I'm glad everything is working as it should.

My babies, under ideal conditions, which is exactly what you've got there, usually reach 800-1000 grams by their first year. Some of them raised on a richer diet than what I offer grow even faster. Other buyers have gotten them 1500-1800 grams at 12 months, but fast growth isn't my goal. I shoot for healthy growth and feed a more bland, high fiber diet of grasses and weeds. Most of my babies are 8-10 inches and ready to move outside full time after about14-18 months. All that hydration and humidity, along with a good varied diet, makes them grow like weeds.

Once your tortoise reaches about 200-250 grams or so, its too big for a 2x4. You'll probably reach that size in 2 or 3 months.

I usually have something 4x8 feet to house them in until its time for them to move outside full time.