night box ?

Action

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So i live in northern california......My Sulcata is 2 years and about 20lbs. I am finishing up my night box to move him/her out side......it is insulater and heated but wondering if i still run day time lighting? I am guessing a basking light my not be needed?
Thanks for any help
 

KarenSoCal

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No basking light...the sun will be sufficient...in fact, no light at all goes into the night box.

Are you using a RHP and heat mat for heat? Don't use a light for heat in the night box.
 

Markw84

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So i live in northern california......My Sulcata is 2 years and about 20lbs. I am finishing up my night box to move him/her out side......it is insulater and heated but wondering if i still run day time lighting? I am guessing a basking light my not be needed?
Thanks for any help
Glad to hear your tortoise is doing so well. 20 lbs! Great job!

I only use lights in the night box in the winter months. I do like to provide a more African Sahel - type photoperiod so when the days shorten and it is colder, I do have a few LEDs I have go on at about 6:30AM and off at 7:00PM. A basking light also helps for those Jan/Feb days when the high may only reach 50° or so. Just be sure the height of the basking bulb is enough so as not to create hot spots on the shell. So depending upon the height of the night box, you may need to be creative for ways to do that. You may need to simply put in a RHP on a thermostat and timer to go on to bump up daytime temps to the high 80°s in the winter. I think @Tom simply bumps up the nightbox ambient temp in winter, but I like the daytime a bit warmer along with photoperiod.

But this time of year, no light at all is fine in the night box.
 

Action

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Thanks.....I am using a radiant heater for heat......the height of the box is about 24" on the short side...it is 66" x 48" and insulated...still work to be done but Skittles is checking it out.Skittles night box.jpg
 

Tom

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Thanks.....I am using a radiant heater for heat......the height of the box is about 24" on the short side...it is 66" x 48" and insulated...still work to be done but Skittles is checking it out.View attachment 329873
I use no light for sulcatas. The box is supposed to simulate a burrow for them. Over the years I've refined my temps. I set the thermostat to 70-75 in summer when every day will be near 100. I set it to 80-82 for spring and fall when we have warm sunny days and cooler nights. I set the boxes to 86 in winter, when the daytime highs only reach into the 60s. A basking lamp is not needed and should not be used. They are not effective for larger tortoises in this application and usually do damage to the carapace.

A radiant heat panel alone is not going to be sufficient. RHP in combination with a Kane mat will usually work, but only your thermometer can answer this question. That door is huge and you'll lose a lot of heat that way.
 

Action

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I use no light for sulcatas. The box is supposed to simulate a burrow for them. Over the years I've refined my temps. I set the thermostat to 70-75 in summer when every day will be near 100. I set it to 80-82 for spring and fall when we have warm sunny days and cooler nights. I set the boxes to 86 in winter, when the daytime highs only reach into the 60s. A basking lamp is not needed and should not be used. They are not effective for larger tortoises in this application and usually do damage to the carapace.

A radiant heat panel alone is not going to be sufficient. RHP in combination with a Kane mat will usually work, but only your thermometer can answer this question. That door is huge and you'll lose a lot of heat that way.
thanks.....what size door would recommend?
 
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