light/heat help

rafsmum

Active Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2020
Messages
155
Location (City and/or State)
wirral uk
I recently ws given 7 yr old redfoot. he has bene kept in a small 90 x 45 enclosure for the last 4 years and before that apparently wasm ill treated before the lady I got him from took him in.
I was just told to put his lamp on in the day, off at night and leave the heat pad on in the hide.
he had bagged pellets as bedding.
I have since come on here and realised that changed need to be made.
I have changed bedding to coco coir

I m halfwy through making my larger enclosure, which i will be placing the existing closure inside and removing the glass front screen. I have also ordered a larger water bowl as i feel the one he has is too small for him to climb into fully. he has probaly had it since he was tiny.
I am getting "cloche" to go over thetop as i feel it will be easier to make to size
The new enclosure will only be 4 foot x 3 foot but it is still more than double the size of his existing one so will be better for now. we do take him out each day for a walk around our room and also give him a bath in the big bath most days where he can walk around. I am adding his existing enclosure inside the new one, so that when we go on holiday i can just keep him in the old one for a week by removing it and adding the glass back.
Come summer i will be making an area in our back garden where he can go outside during the day and just come in at night
So i am aware that the indoor set up will not be as big as some of you would like but I am making improvements and he will have far more than he had, he also seems very happy with us and is somewhat affectionate. So i would be grateful for advice on what I have asked rather than being told he needs a bigger enclosure. I do not have the room inside, but s i said come summer he will have a large one outside. He is not as active atm anyway

This is the cloche i am thinking of putting over to aid humidity.. its 45cm high so will be enough room for a lamp to stay at the side where it is now
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2X-POLY-...W-PROTECT-PLANT-1-5M-X-45-X-42cm/264680965494. I will cut it down to size. It will not cover the entire enclosure but will leave some space for him to be not covered, which will then not be such major shock to him. he doesnt appear to like change too much. he was not impressed when i changed his bed to coco coir from bagged pellets!

So, will that cloche be ok over his existing home which is only 90cm x 45cm and leave the rest 90 x 75 open? It is in the recess under my stairs so is enclosed in some way. It would mean he'd have an area of humidity and one a bit drier which would not be such a massive shock as enc losing it ll in one go.

Which lamp/heat emitter should i get and how would it work? (need to know wattage etc) The lamp i have now, i have no clue what it is. His previous owner just told me to sk t the pet shop! I have no idea of wattage or anything! I have been reading the mercury vapour lamps may be an idea? would it be 80 or 100w for his enclosure ( about 4 foot by 3 foot)
He has a heat pad in his hide. very low watt

plus the coco coir is very damp. Should it be like that? I m worried about him getting shell rot when he has always had a bone dry substrate. you cannot ring any wet out of it or anything and it does dry up a bit under the lamp but is damp in his hide. (there is a very low watt heat pad behind a glass screen on the wall of his hide)

I do want to try and get things sorted for him so would be grateful for the advice. I still am unsure what exactly to get
I have just ordered a larger pool for him too as he doesn't fit in the existing one properly! We give him a bath in the big bath most nights but id still rather he had a larger pool


Thanks in advance
 

christinaland128

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2014
Messages
1,619
Location (City and/or State)
Metro Detroit
Hi there! Congrats on your new addition!

Let me start by saying Redfoots are incredible tortoises! I’ve had my boys for 7 years now and they are simply the best.?

If you look here on the forum under South American Tortoises, you will find tons of info on good setups and proper care...https://www.tortoiseforum.org/forums/redfoot-and-yellowfoot-tortoises.79/

The best way to manage heat and humidity is by providing a closed chamber enclosure. You can convert your table by adding a greenhouse top.

You can find these on Amazon. I’ve got a list of supplies I recommend for Redfoots you can find here...Check out this Idea List on Amazon: Tortoise Supplies by C. Landry https://a.co/2TIn7Vn

I used a Lifetime Raised Garden Bed for my enclosure. I will include some pictures below.

For substrate, you want to have good depth to retain moisture. I have 3” topsoil (fertilizer/pesticide free) as a bottom layer, then a top 3” layer mix of ZooMed Forest Floor and coir. As you can see in the picture below, it retains moisture well enough to grow chia sprouts.

For lighting stay away from compact or coil bulbs. You want a forest dwellers bulb. There are two I recommend in my Amazon list along with fixtures.

Redfoots are sensitive to bright light so I recommend putting the light on one end and a dark end on the other side so he can retreat from the light if desired.

For heat please avoid heat pads. I just recently saw a post where a person accidentally burnt their hatchling. The pics of his blistered feet were awful, (on my page Redfoot Fanatics on Facebook.)

Instead, you will run a CHE (ceramic heat emitter) 24 hrs for a nice ambient heat.

A basking bulb is unnecessary. Run the UVB tube bulb in the day to replicate daylight, and the CHE 24 hrs for heat.

Use a temp gun to measure ground temps and hide spots. Use a hygrometer to measure overall temp and humidity. Both can be found in my list.

If you need help making a homemade fogger, let me know.?

C459D4A8-6CAB-44B2-B671-D23F3788FE68.jpeg52AB2ABD-9691-41E6-ABCC-C4C96737564E.jpegD405D22B-99E7-4A63-841A-E87259164E00.jpeg1B65ACCF-802A-4ABD-94D4-9B9F7628602D.jpegFC742FBC-01FF-4F51-88D4-119EBC921C79.jpeg907C52F8-BD4F-4BBB-BA4E-57DA5C8DBD70.jpeg
 

christinaland128

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2014
Messages
1,619
Location (City and/or State)
Metro Detroit
One more thing about substrate.

You are correct is saying they can get shell fungus from too much moisture.

Don’t stress about it!

Your entire enclosure doesnt have to be 80-90 humidity.

What you want is a decent ambient humidity like 60% and some nice humid hides.

If you accidentally overdo it with humidity, you will end up with wet substrate and a tortoise with shell fungus.

Instead your goal is to have moist substrate. Even dry on top. But if you stick your finger down into the substrate you can feel moisture.

You don’t want to pummel them with a non-stop fogging system. If your temperature drops and your humidity is high you can end up with an upper respiratory issue.

I run my fogger from 12 to 5/6pm everyday.???

When it’s off my hygrometer reads 50% humidity. Perfectly fine!
 

rafsmum

Active Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2020
Messages
155
Location (City and/or State)
wirral uk
Hi Thank you This is still confusing me
So the link i put to the cloche. will that be ok over the top? it wont cover the entire enclosure but will cover the exixting one so he will have one section humid and another a little drier. as he has had no humidity for all these yrs I am thinkign that my be best anyway rather than a big shock to the system??
I can assure you the heat pad wont burn him. It is barely warm and is behind a glass sheet. I worried that it was giving off no heat. its probably about 2w. hes had it at least 4 years. But i am happy to exchange it for a heat emitter if i know which to get and how to install it
The bulb in the tortoise list you gave is in america and has no price and i have no clue what wattage or how to connect
How do i install and connect a CHE please?? What lamp should i look for? and what wattage? 80watt?

as there is no humidity at present until I get my greenhouse thing ( i do keep putting bowls of steaming wter in his hide while he is out of it. ( and wait there obvs!!) to try and create humidity but i am worried about the moisture of the coir whilst it isnt that warm ( about 70 degrees max) Is it going to cause problems whilst i wait for the greenhouse to come?

We love our little friend and want to do things right for him. Sorry if i m not fully 7nderstnding but i m new to this. I do not want to go and buy the wrong things. here he is

raf36.jpgraf37.jpgraf13.jpgraf15.jpg
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,265
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
I recently ws given 7 yr old redfoot. he has bene kept in a small 90 x 45 enclosure for the last 4 years and before that apparently wasm ill treated before the lady I got him from took him in.
I was just told to put his lamp on in the day, off at night and leave the heat pad on in the hide.
he had bagged pellets as bedding.
I have since come on here and realised that changed need to be made.
I have changed bedding to coco coir

I m halfwy through making my larger enclosure, which i will be placing the existing closure inside and removing the glass front screen. I have also ordered a larger water bowl as i feel the one he has is too small for him to climb into fully. he has probaly had it since he was tiny.
I am getting "cloche" to go over thetop as i feel it will be easier to make to size
The new enclosure will only be 4 foot x 3 foot but it is still more than double the size of his existing one so will be better for now. we do take him out each day for a walk around our room and also give him a bath in the big bath most days where he can walk around. I am adding his existing enclosure inside the new one, so that when we go on holiday i can just keep him in the old one for a week by removing it and adding the glass back.
Come summer i will be making an area in our back garden where he can go outside during the day and just come in at night
So i am aware that the indoor set up will not be as big as some of you would like but I am making improvements and he will have far more than he had, he also seems very happy with us and is somewhat affectionate. So i would be grateful for advice on what I have asked rather than being told he needs a bigger enclosure. I do not have the room inside, but s i said come summer he will have a large one outside. He is not as active atm anyway

This is the cloche i am thinking of putting over to aid humidity.. its 45cm high so will be enough room for a lamp to stay at the side where it is now
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2X-POLY-...W-PROTECT-PLANT-1-5M-X-45-X-42cm/264680965494. I will cut it down to size. It will not cover the entire enclosure but will leave some space for him to be not covered, which will then not be such major shock to him. he doesnt appear to like change too much. he was not impressed when i changed his bed to coco coir from bagged pellets!

So, will that cloche be ok over his existing home which is only 90cm x 45cm and leave the rest 90 x 75 open? It is in the recess under my stairs so is enclosed in some way. It would mean he'd have an area of humidity and one a bit drier which would not be such a massive shock as enc losing it ll in one go.

Which lamp/heat emitter should i get and how would it work? (need to know wattage etc) The lamp i have now, i have no clue what it is. His previous owner just told me to sk t the pet shop! I have no idea of wattage or anything! I have been reading the mercury vapour lamps may be an idea? would it be 80 or 100w for his enclosure ( about 4 foot by 3 foot)
He has a heat pad in his hide. very low watt

plus the coco coir is very damp. Should it be like that? I m worried about him getting shell rot when he has always had a bone dry substrate. you cannot ring any wet out of it or anything and it does dry up a bit under the lamp but is damp in his hide. (there is a very low watt heat pad behind a glass screen on the wall of his hide)

I do want to try and get things sorted for him so would be grateful for the advice. I still am unsure what exactly to get
I have just ordered a larger pool for him too as he doesn't fit in the existing one properly! We give him a bath in the big bath most nights but id still rather he had a larger pool


Thanks in advance
Read this one:
 

christinaland128

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2014
Messages
1,619
Location (City and/or State)
Metro Detroit
He a very handsome fella!

Personally I would try to cover the whole enclosure if possible. Otherwise you will loose heat and humidity.

Humidity is very important if you want his shell to grow smooth and not bumpy. You can learn about “pyramiding” here on the forum.

Also good variety in his diet and good hydration will help his shell grow smoother. I like to spray my boys’ greens with water for extra hydration.

Heres a link on pyramiding..https://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/what-is-the-physiology-behind-pyramiding.83263/

The CHE you will need for an enclosure that size should be 100 watt I believe. Be sure you buy a fixture with a ceramic base for fire prevention.

They sell fixture stands online, or you can mount it somehow yourself. I would browse enclosure ideas here on the forum or in a fb group.https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=oa.1870528623014341&type=3. Seeing other people’s setups might give you an idea.
 

rafsmum

Active Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2020
Messages
155
Location (City and/or State)
wirral uk
I have about pyramiding. he has never had humidity and i dont think his diet hs been correct either nd there is no sign of it yet!
Read this one:
Ive already read it, but it doesn't really fully explain what I need to know. I read that the first week I got him.
 

rafsmum

Active Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2020
Messages
155
Location (City and/or State)
wirral uk
He a very handsome fella!

Personally I would try to cover the whole enclosure if possible. Otherwise you will loose heat and humidity.

Humidity is very important if you want his shell to grow smooth and not bumpy. You can learn about “pyramiding” here on the forum.

Also good variety in his diet and good hydration will help his shell grow smoother. I like to spray my boys’ greens with water for extra hydration.

Heres a link on pyramiding..https://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/what-is-the-physiology-behind-pyramiding.83263/

The CHE you will need for an enclosure that size should be 100 watt I believe. Be sure you buy a fixture with a ceramic base for fire prevention.

They sell fixture stands online, or you can mount it somehow yourself. I would browse enclosure ideas here on the forum or in a fb group.https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=oa.1870528623014341&type=3. Seeing other people’s setups might give you an idea.
Hi Christina.
He is indeed handsome! And very loving.
I am still unsure which heat emitter to get. 100w I now know, but not sure which type. I will have a look at ceramic heat emitters and post some links so you can tell me which one is correct.
What about the lamp? he has one now but am not sure what type it is

I am not sure if i can cover his whole enclosure because of how under the stairs slope but maybe i could add some plastic sheeting or somehting. In any case he will have more humidity than he does now.
I have read about pyramiding. )I've been googling and reading since i got him! Just seems confusing, and so many posts contradict each other!!
Does he have any pyramiding now? he has lived humidity free for 7 years and i dont think his diet hs been right relly from what she said. Also she said to bath him once a week but I have been putting him in our big bath at least every other day but almost daily. We've also made him a little area from an old upseide table that has sides underneath so e can wander round it after his bath and hve his food. (its by the fire so he cn get warm.
I've been gently brushing his shell with a soft brush too. Does it look ok?
I spray his enclosure now and then and have also sprayed his food!! I use lukewarm water and bought an empty spray bottle from aldi to use

and is it ok his bed being moist when it isnt too warm? ive puta hot water bottle in there now whilst he is out to try and warm it up

by the way the "A" key on my laptop is fulty. I have to hit it really hard for it to work, and as I type fast this is causing a problem! Please excuse!

Sorry for all the questions. tbh if id realised what she said wasnt right i may not have taken him, because we go away a lot and she is going to have him thyen and i am a little worried about leaving him now. ( well more than a little!)

I will have questions about his outside set up, but will leave that for now until i can get this one sorted!!
Thanks for your help. It is appreciated.
I will have a look at some heat things and get back
 
Last edited:

rafsmum

Active Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2020
Messages
155
Location (City and/or State)
wirral uk
He a very handsome fella!

Personally I would try to cover the whole enclosure if possible. Otherwise you will loose heat and humidity.

Humidity is very important if you want his shell to grow smooth and not bumpy. You can learn about “pyramiding” here on the forum.

Also good variety in his diet and good hydration will help his shell grow smoother. I like to spray my boys’ greens with water for extra hydration.

Heres a link on pyramiding..https://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/what-is-the-physiology-behind-pyramiding.83263/

The CHE you will need for an enclosure that size should be 100 watt I believe. Be sure you buy a fixture with a ceramic base for fire prevention.

They sell fixture stands online, or you can mount it somehow yourself. I would browse enclosure ideas here on the forum or in a fb group.https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=oa.1870528623014341&type=3. Seeing other people’s setups might give you an idea.
Christina i tried that facebook link but it doesnt work sadly 1612116596228.png
 

rafsmum

Active Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2020
Messages
155
Location (City and/or State)
wirral uk
He a very handsome fella!

Personally I would try to cover the whole enclosure if possible. Otherwise you will loose heat and humidity.

Humidity is very important if you want his shell to grow smooth and not bumpy. You can learn about “pyramiding” here on the forum.

Also good variety in his diet and good hydration will help his shell grow smoother. I like to spray my boys’ greens with water for extra hydration.

Heres a link on pyramiding..https://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/what-is-the-physiology-behind-pyramiding.83263/

The CHE you will need for an enclosure that size should be 100 watt I believe. Be sure you buy a fixture with a ceramic base for fire prevention.

They sell fixture stands online, or you can mount it somehow yourself. I would browse enclosure ideas here on the forum or in a fb group.https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=oa.1870528623014341&type=3. Seeing other people’s setups might give you an idea.
Christina would this be OK? https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07N2KLVNX/?tag=
where would i put it??

but which lamp do i need. I already have a lamp stand so would just need a bulb. Thank you
 

christinaland128

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2014
Messages
1,619
Location (City and/or State)
Metro Detroit
Christina i tried that facebook link but it doesnt work sadly View attachment 316848
Christina would this be OK? https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07N2KLVNX/?tag=
where would i put it??

but which lamp do i need. I already have a lamp stand so would just need a bulb. Thank you
yes I believe that would work. You just want to hang it in an area that is free of fake or real plants so there is no fire hazard.
You also want to put his hide spot near the warm so that he’s nice and warm.

I have to hide spots in my enclosure one in a warm area and one in a cooler area.

Here is the link to the Facebook group, once you join you will be able to see pictures. https://www.facebook.com/groups/redfoottortoisefanatics/
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,265
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
I recently ws given 7 yr old redfoot. he has bene kept in a small 90 x 45 enclosure for the last 4 years and before that apparently wasm ill treated before the lady I got him from took him in.
I was just told to put his lamp on in the day, off at night and leave the heat pad on in the hide.
he had bagged pellets as bedding.
I have since come on here and realised that changed need to be made.
I have changed bedding to coco coir

I m halfwy through making my larger enclosure, which i will be placing the existing closure inside and removing the glass front screen. I have also ordered a larger water bowl as i feel the one he has is too small for him to climb into fully. he has probaly had it since he was tiny.
I am getting "cloche" to go over thetop as i feel it will be easier to make to size
The new enclosure will only be 4 foot x 3 foot but it is still more than double the size of his existing one so will be better for now. we do take him out each day for a walk around our room and also give him a bath in the big bath most days where he can walk around. I am adding his existing enclosure inside the new one, so that when we go on holiday i can just keep him in the old one for a week by removing it and adding the glass back.
Come summer i will be making an area in our back garden where he can go outside during the day and just come in at night
So i am aware that the indoor set up will not be as big as some of you would like but I am making improvements and he will have far more than he had, he also seems very happy with us and is somewhat affectionate. So i would be grateful for advice on what I have asked rather than being told he needs a bigger enclosure. I do not have the room inside, but s i said come summer he will have a large one outside. He is not as active atm anyway

This is the cloche i am thinking of putting over to aid humidity.. its 45cm high so will be enough room for a lamp to stay at the side where it is now
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2X-POLY-...W-PROTECT-PLANT-1-5M-X-45-X-42cm/264680965494. I will cut it down to size. It will not cover the entire enclosure but will leave some space for him to be not covered, which will then not be such major shock to him. he doesnt appear to like change too much. he was not impressed when i changed his bed to coco coir from bagged pellets!

So, will that cloche be ok over his existing home which is only 90cm x 45cm and leave the rest 90 x 75 open? It is in the recess under my stairs so is enclosed in some way. It would mean he'd have an area of humidity and one a bit drier which would not be such a massive shock as enc losing it ll in one go.

Which lamp/heat emitter should i get and how would it work? (need to know wattage etc) The lamp i have now, i have no clue what it is. His previous owner just told me to sk t the pet shop! I have no idea of wattage or anything! I have been reading the mercury vapour lamps may be an idea? would it be 80 or 100w for his enclosure ( about 4 foot by 3 foot)
He has a heat pad in his hide. very low watt

plus the coco coir is very damp. Should it be like that? I m worried about him getting shell rot when he has always had a bone dry substrate. you cannot ring any wet out of it or anything and it does dry up a bit under the lamp but is damp in his hide. (there is a very low watt heat pad behind a glass screen on the wall of his hide)

I do want to try and get things sorted for him so would be grateful for the advice. I still am unsure what exactly to get
I have just ordered a larger pool for him too as he doesn't fit in the existing one properly! We give him a bath in the big bath most nights but id still rather he had a larger pool


Thanks in advance
1. You need a large closed chamber. This is the only way to hold in the needed heat and humidity. Enclosing the enclosure completely in a portable green house might work. Your thermometer and hygrometer will answer this question.
2. You don't need a basking lamp for a RF. You need ambient heat controlled by a thermostat and you need some light from a LED or a fluorescent tube. Ambient heat can be provided by CHE, like in your link, but you don't need the cage around it since its out of reach of the tortoise, or by radiant heat panels. Basking lamps are for species that bask in the wild, not needed for forest tortoise species like yours.
3. Substrate should be 3-4 inches of orchid bark. The lower layers can remain damp, which will give you the needed humidity, while the upper layers remain dry to prevent shell rot. Cypress mulch can work too. Coco coir is going to be too messy, and the wicking effect tends to keep it more evenly moist. This moisture is needed for humidity and dust prevention, but it can me too moist sometimes. As I said, orchid bark works best. None of this will work in an open topped enclosure in a cold room.

P.S. Look at the enclosure pictures on FB for some inspiration, but DO NOT ask for or take advice form those crazies. They are full of all sorts of ridiculous ideas and info.
 

christinaland128

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2014
Messages
1,619
Location (City and/or State)
Metro Detroit
I agree with him about the Facebook crazies LOL. That’s why any information I share on that page is directly from the tortoise Forum. This should definitely be your primary source for information.?
 

rafsmum

Active Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2020
Messages
155
Location (City and/or State)
wirral uk
sowhat is this led or flouresecent tube i need please? and what wattage should that be?
So i get a heat emitter without a cage round?
ive asked no one on fB for help. i was just looking at the pics christina gave me but they dont work
i will look at getting somje cypress stuff to mix in with the coco coir. someone on thisn forum advised me to use it so i brought a massive brick of it. \in am not going to waste it but can mix it

i am now worried about him getting shell rot. i have dried his bedding as much as i can with a water bottle and drying it under his lamp. im not going to stop using his lamp until i have an alternative as he has been used to it all these yrs
 

rafsmum

Active Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2020
Messages
155
Location (City and/or State)
wirral uk
thats the only complete one i can see
does it matter if it has a cage round?
or should i buy this
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07KVTSC67/?tag=

and then these

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08DKJ2F33/?tag=
Would it not be safer for it to be in a cage? :/

i will buy these tonight, and my mini greenhouse i posted the link to before as no one has said it isnt suitable

just need to know which light source to buy now and hopefully i can get this sorted soon
 

rafsmum

Active Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2020
Messages
155
Location (City and/or State)
wirral uk
sorry i didnt see this post before. yes i will make a new hide. the current one isnt too warm so i will create a warmer one.

the red foot thingie said cypress mulch or coco coir for bedding.
 

rafsmum

Active Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2020
Messages
155
Location (City and/or State)
wirral uk
the heat emitters i posted earlier, they had bd reviews and i'd rtaher not take the risk, Looking on ebay and amazon there are only few and they all seem to be from china!
where m i best to buy a heat emitter holder from oh and how high above the bottom of the enclosure should it be? i wanted to buy this tonight but hve hit a brick wall!
 

rafsmum

Active Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2020
Messages
155
Location (City and/or State)
wirral uk
I agree with him about the Facebook crazies LOL. That’s why any information I share on that page is directly from the tortoise Forum. This should definitely be your primary source for information.?
christina, does he look like he is pyramiding? as i said he has had no humidity in his 7 years
what sort of led holder/bulb/wattage am i looking at please?
 

KarenSoCal

Well-Known Member
Tortoise Club
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jul 8, 2017
Messages
5,749
Location (City and/or State)
Low desert 50 mi SE of Palm Springs CA
This is what you want for your tortoise's CHE's. I would get 2 100 watt bulbs. They don't burn out and won't break easily, so no cage is needed. You mount them by hanging them from the horizontal bar at the top of the greenhouse.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08DKJ2F33/?tag=

They must go into a ceramic socket. I would get 2 of these. Remove the bracket, and just hang it from the bar. It would go a little higher than the top of your enclosure. You would adjust it as needed to get the proper temp below it.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07KVTSC67/?tag=

You need a thermostat to control the CHE's so they don't make it too hot in the enclosure. Both get plugged into the same thermostat. This one would work nicely...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B018K82UQU/?tag=

The cloche will not work. Only covering part of the enclosure is useless. It is the same as removing half of your roof and trying to heat your house.

This is the type of greenhouse you want to get.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B076HJH7ZB/?tag=

or this...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08DLSD1RH/?tag=

This one isn't clear, but would work just fine. They come in different sizes, so check before ordering.

The LED light you ask about is an ordinary household bulb, that screws into an ordinary light socket. It is so you can see your tortoise, and so he gets a day/night cycle of 12 hours on/12 hours off. Redfoot like dim lighting, so I would go with a 40 watt on one end of the enclosure. Leave it dark on the other end.

Your other option is a ordinary fluorescent tube light, like you would put above your sink in the kitchen. This fixture could also be hung from the bar. If you used one of these, get one that is in the 5000-6500 "K" color range. They look better than ones with a lower value.

I hope this has helped to lower your confusion.
 
Top