My Best Night Box Design Yet

vladimir

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It looks like archive.org has at least some of them:

14qv4i.jpg
 

M-Torr

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Hi Tom, any new threads that you would suggest for outside boxes?? Can’t see your pictures anymore. Getting ready to move my little, bit so little guy out full time. Thanks
 

Minty82

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Hi Tom, any new threads that you would suggest for outside boxes?? Can’t see your pictures anymore. Getting ready to move my little, bit so little guy out full time. Thanks

agree, @Tom any chance you have any other posts, like to see other people’s builds
 

goReptiles

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I’d love to see the original photos. I’m wanting to send to my dad to see if he will build for me. Where can I see the photos?
 

Tom

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Hi Tom, any new threads that you would suggest for outside boxes?? Can’t see your pictures anymore. Getting ready to move my little, bit so little guy out full time. Thanks
agree, @Tom any chance you have any other posts, like to see other people’s builds
I’d love to see the original photos. I’m wanting to send to my dad to see if he will build for me. Where can I see the photos?

Here are two designs and supportive threads to go with them:
 

goReptiles

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Here are two designs and supportive threads to go with them:


Thank you!!!
@Tom Do you paint the inside? Or just the outside?
 

Tom

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Thank you!!!
@Tom Do you paint the inside? Or just the outside?
I never use paint inside. If its for a dry species and I intend to have only moderate humidity, like for adult sulcatas, I leave the inside untreated. I'll put a thin layer of dirt on the floor for easier clean up.

If I intend to maintain high humidity inside the box, like I did for my stars, I use Pond Shield inside. Its expensive and can be tricky to work with, but the finished product is completely waterproof, totally inert and fume free, super durable against wear and tear with tortoises walking and rubbing their hard shells on it, and lasts forever. The company you buy it from will help you learn how to use it and apply it correctly. After doing it a few times, I totally "get it" now, and they helped me learn. Great customer support. About $70 for the inside of a 4x8 box.

I've used non-toxic, low VOC boat paint in the past, and that worked, but it was even more expensive, lots of fumes for a few days, and it eventually wears away with heavy species likes sulcatas or large SA leopards rubbing on it. $90 for a gallon of primer, and $130 for a gallon of paint, but totally water proof.

I've heard of other members here using Flex-Seal, but I've yet to experiment with that yet. Frankly, I'm afraid of fumes in a closed space, but that fear may be due to my ignorance of the product. The Pond Shield can be used inside salt water aquariums. Its that inert and impervious to breakdown. That is the main reason I go that way. 100% non-toxic and fume free once cured after a few hours.
 

Sue Ann

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436
Location (City and/or State)
chapin , South Carolina
After much thought about what worked and what I wanted to improve over previous attempts, here is the latest version with a step by step pictorial on how I did it. It is time for my 2010 South African herd to move outside. They are moving into a 16x20' completely closed in enclosure. The enclosure is a wooden frame enclosed top to bottom with welded wire. It has a wire roof and the wire extends 18" down into the ground. The actual night box is 4x8x2'. I found a mini oil-filled heater to heat it with. The heater is on a thermostat and will be set to 80 for about half of the year and 70 over the warmer months.

Here is the lid. You can see the insulation in place.
14qv4i.jpg


Here is the plywood cover going over the insulation in the lid. The lid fits on top of the box and is hinged. There will be weatherstripping all around the top and the lip on the lid keeps the rain out of the box. You can see a finished lid for a second box in the background.
ao0wo6.jpg


Here is the bottom. Notice the door notch and how that will fit in later.
33xvjsw.jpg


Insulation in the bottom. All the insulation is 1.5" thick and has the shiny mylar foil side pointing to the outside. Don't know if that matters much, but thats how I did it.
18d5dg.jpg


Insulation on the floor all covered up.
259bwva.jpg


Here the front and back are attached. Notice the door taking shape. Since 9 animals will initially share this, and as they get older they will get bigger, I went kinda big with the door at 26x16". This way one of them won't be able to sit in the doorway and block all the others in or out, and later, when they reach adult size, they will easily fit in and out of this door.
py4o3.jpg


Another view of the front with the sides going up.
4ih5cm.jpg


Here the side wall insulation is in place and about to be covered up. This box is also double caulked to keep out any cold drafts on those below freezing winter nights. The only air movement will be from the door, or when I open the lid.
5bel9i.jpg


All buttoned up.
309og29.jpg


Here goes the front insulation.
1qsbuo.jpg


The front insulation is all covered up here. The 2x4 blocks there will support a 2x10" water tub holding shelf. Having containers of water inside will keep the humidity up in the night box, and act as a bit of a heat sink. This technique has been working very well in my underground sulcata night box.
359eov9.jpg


Here's a top view showing the area where the heater will live, the weather stripping in place, the door flaps, and the 2x4 in the back that the lid hinges attach to.
zvmt5.jpg


Here is the front with paint and door flaps and water shelves in place.
hv9f03.jpg


Here is the door. I will carve out the dirt where the door/ramp hits the ground so it sits flush. One "weak" spot of previous designs was the simple plywood door. I went to great time and trouble to super insulate my night boxes, but then just used thin plywood to cover the door holes. This time the door shares the same 1.5" insulation as the rest of the box. Door open:
14k9u85.jpg


Door Closed:
2d11h68.jpg



Here you can see the heater installed, the metal heat shield above it, the water tubs for humidity on the shelves, and my purple shoe box that holds all my electrical stuff.
3135d3s.jpg


Here are some of the babies enjoying their bermuda grass bedding.
118m8mh.jpg



Here is a wide view showing some of the enclosure. The empty wooden box in the lower right foreground of the pic is their 4x8' shade table/planter box. I will be filling it and planting leopard tortoise food in their in the next few days.
2qdd8om.jpg



One more view of the same thing from the other side.
30w1f0o.jpg




Well that's it. Tell me what you think. :)
Tom any chance you still have these pictures available somewhere?
 

Shellieru

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Oct 28, 2020
Messages
4
Location (City and/or State)
Arizona
After much thought about what worked and what I wanted to improve over previous attempts, here is the latest version with a step by step pictorial on how I did it. It is time for my 2010 South African herd to move outside. They are moving into a 16x20' completely closed in enclosure. The enclosure is a wooden frame enclosed top to bottom with welded wire. It has a wire roof and the wire extends 18" down into the ground. The actual night box is 4x8x2'. I found a mini oil-filled heater to heat it with. The heater is on a thermostat and will be set to 80 for about half of the year and 70 over the warmer months.

Here is the lid. You can see the insulation in place.
14qv4i.jpg


Here is the plywood cover going over the insulation in the lid. The lid fits on top of the box and is hinged. There will be weatherstripping all around the top and the lip on the lid keeps the rain out of the box. You can see a finished lid for a second box in the background.
ao0wo6.jpg


Here is the bottom. Notice the door notch and how that will fit in later.
33xvjsw.jpg


Insulation in the bottom. All the insulation is 1.5" thick and has the shiny mylar foil side pointing to the outside. Don't know if that matters much, but thats how I did it.
18d5dg.jpg


Insulation on the floor all covered up.
259bwva.jpg


Here the front and back are attached. Notice the door taking shape. Since 9 animals will initially share this, and as they get older they will get bigger, I went kinda big with the door at 26x16". This way one of them won't be able to sit in the doorway and block all the others in or out, and later, when they reach adult size, they will easily fit in and out of this door.
py4o3.jpg


Another view of the front with the sides going up.
4ih5cm.jpg


Here the side wall insulation is in place and about to be covered up. This box is also double caulked to keep out any cold drafts on those below freezing winter nights. The only air movement will be from the door, or when I open the lid.
5bel9i.jpg


All buttoned up.
309og29.jpg


Here goes the front insulation.
1qsbuo.jpg


The front insulation is all covered up here. The 2x4 blocks there will support a 2x10" water tub holding shelf. Having containers of water inside will keep the humidity up in the night box, and act as a bit of a heat sink. This technique has been working very well in my underground sulcata night box.
359eov9.jpg


Here's a top view showing the area where the heater will live, the weather stripping in place, the door flaps, and the 2x4 in the back that the lid hinges attach to.
zvmt5.jpg


Here is the front with paint and door flaps and water shelves in place.
hv9f03.jpg


Here is the door. I will carve out the dirt where the door/ramp hits the ground so it sits flush. One "weak" spot of previous designs was the simple plywood door. I went to great time and trouble to super insulate my night boxes, but then just used thin plywood to cover the door holes. This time the door shares the same 1.5" insulation as the rest of the box. Door open:
14k9u85.jpg


Door Closed:
2d11h68.jpg



Here you can see the heater installed, the metal heat shield above it, the water tubs for humidity on the shelves, and my purple shoe box that holds all my electrical stuff.
3135d3s.jpg


Here are some of the babies enjoying their bermuda grass bedding.
118m8mh.jpg



Here is a wide view showing some of the enclosure. The empty wooden box in the lower right foreground of the pic is their 4x8' shade table/planter box. I will be filling it and planting leopard tortoise food in their in the next few days.
2qdd8om.jpg



One more view of the same thing from the other side.
30w1f0o.jpg




Well that's it. Tell me what you think. :)
Why are all the pictures not available? Such a bummer! It sounds amazing!
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,264
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
Why are all the pictures not available? Such a bummer! It sounds amazing!
Because tinypic shut down and that was my pic hosting site. Now we have pics downloaded directly onto the forum. Here are two night box threads for you. With pics!
 

Shellieru

New Member
Joined
Oct 28, 2020
Messages
4
Location (City and/or State)
Arizona
Those water tubs only get humidity up to around 40-50%. Maybe they will be able to do more in winter when its not so hot and dry.
I can't see the pictures so can't visualize the "water shelves" idea here. But, I am always considering humidity with my leopards and am curious about what this looks like in your house set up?
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,264
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
I can't see the pictures so can't visualize the "water shelves" idea here. But, I am always considering humidity with my leopards and am curious about what this looks like in your house set up?
See the post just above this one. #434.
 

vanessaordiales

New Member
Joined
Sep 6, 2021
Messages
3
Location (City and/or State)
Elk Grove, CA
After much thought about what worked and what I wanted to improve over previous attempts, here is the latest version with a step by step pictorial on how I did it. It is time for my 2010 South African herd to move outside. They are moving into a 16x20' completely closed in enclosure. The enclosure is a wooden frame enclosed top to bottom with welded wire. It has a wire roof and the wire extends 18" down into the ground. The actual night box is 4x8x2'. I found a mini oil-filled heater to heat it with. The heater is on a thermostat and will be set to 80 for about half of the year and 70 over the warmer months.

Here is the lid. You can see the insulation in place.
14qv4i.jpg


Here is the plywood cover going over the insulation in the lid. The lid fits on top of the box and is hinged. There will be weatherstripping all around the top and the lip on the lid keeps the rain out of the box. You can see a finished lid for a second box in the background.
ao0wo6.jpg


Here is the bottom. Notice the door notch and how that will fit in later.
33xvjsw.jpg


Insulation in the bottom. All the insulation is 1.5" thick and has the shiny mylar foil side pointing to the outside. Don't know if that matters much, but thats how I did it.
18d5dg.jpg


Insulation on the floor all covered up.
259bwva.jpg


Here the front and back are attached. Notice the door taking shape. Since 9 animals will initially share this, and as they get older they will get bigger, I went kinda big with the door at 26x16". This way one of them won't be able to sit in the doorway and block all the others in or out, and later, when they reach adult size, they will easily fit in and out of this door.
py4o3.jpg


Another view of the front with the sides going up.
4ih5cm.jpg


Here the side wall insulation is in place and about to be covered up. This box is also double caulked to keep out any cold drafts on those below freezing winter nights. The only air movement will be from the door, or when I open the lid.
5bel9i.jpg


All buttoned up.
309og29.jpg


Here goes the front insulation.
1qsbuo.jpg


The front insulation is all covered up here. The 2x4 blocks there will support a 2x10" water tub holding shelf. Having containers of water inside will keep the humidity up in the night box, and act as a bit of a heat sink. This technique has been working very well in my underground sulcata night box.
359eov9.jpg


Here's a top view showing the area where the heater will live, the weather stripping in place, the door flaps, and the 2x4 in the back that the lid hinges attach to.
zvmt5.jpg


Here is the front with paint and door flaps and water shelves in place.
hv9f03.jpg


Here is the door. I will carve out the dirt where the door/ramp hits the ground so it sits flush. One "weak" spot of previous designs was the simple plywood door. I went to great time and trouble to super insulate my night boxes, but then just used thin plywood to cover the door holes. This time the door shares the same 1.5" insulation as the rest of the box. Door open:
14k9u85.jpg


Door Closed:
2d11h68.jpg



Here you can see the heater installed, the metal heat shield above it, the water tubs for humidity on the shelves, and my purple shoe box that holds all my electrical stuff.
3135d3s.jpg


Here are some of the babies enjoying their bermuda grass bedding.
118m8mh.jpg



Here is a wide view showing some of the enclosure. The empty wooden box in the lower right foreground of the pic is their 4x8' shade table/planter box. I will be filling it and planting leopard tortoise food in their in the next few days.
2qdd8om.jpg



One more view of the same thing from the other side.
30w1f0o.jpg




Well that's it. Tell me what you think. :)
Hey Tom! Since tinypic is no longer a thing will you email these pictures to me please? [email protected]
 
Last edited:

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
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Messages
63,264
Location (City and/or State)
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Hey Tom! Since tinypic is no longer a thing will you email these pictures to me please? [email protected]
How about this instead:
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
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Messages
63,264
Location (City and/or State)
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Pics have gone away, but here are the newer threads with newer pics showing all the details of my night box design:



 

Angela Clooney

New Member
Joined
Oct 26, 2017
Messages
4
Location (City and/or State)
Yelm,wa
@Tom I hope you still read on here. I have read through thousands of your posts we are building an outdoor box like your plans but I can't seem to figure out how to make the door into a ramp. I have EVERYTHING else done! I went through the photos that are still up and I feel like I will be guessing off of them. Please if I just missed it let me know. thank you for all your help here and how many tort lives you have changed with your knowledge is probably not even countable. Thanks again.
 

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