Rescued an African Spurred Tortoise- please help

[EllieMay]

Get you a couple pieces of wood trim from your local hard ware and make you an A frame over what you’ve got. (2 pieces on each end and and 2 in the middle. Then use a clear shower curtain and cover.it will look like a tent and will hold your heat and humidity. You can hang your lights off of the A-frame.. probably cost less than $20

Your guy really needs those 85f+ temps

 

[Clorenzo85]

Get you a couple pieces of wood trim from your local hard ware and make you an A frame over what you’ve got. (2 pieces on each end and and 2 in the middle. Then use a clear shower curtain and cover.it will look like a tent and will hold your heat and humidity. You can hang your lights off of the A-frame.. probably cost less than $20

Your guy really needs those 85f+ temps

That's a good idea!

 

[Ray--Opo]

Right now the room temperature is about 75 and his floor temperature ranges from 70 to 74%. I can get a small heater for this room. It's a small room. I don't know what else to do besides ordering the panel and kane heat mats.

Donatello is probably to small for a heat pad. You might end up overheating him. When he gets bigger a lot of members here use Kane mats with a thermostat. You really need to cover something like Ellie May suggested. Humidity is a must and it will warm the enclosure up. The surface of the substrate should be at least 80/85.
Hang in there. Being a step behind when you want the best for Donatello is hard. I know where you are coming from. I no sooner got Opo dialed in and now I have to get Opo outside for good. So I am starting all over again.
Sorry for forgetting about this thread. I am glad I found it today.

 

[Clorenzo85]

Donatello is probably to small for a heat pad. You might end up overheating him. When he gets bigger a lot of members here use Kane mats with a thermostat. You really need to cover something like Ellie May suggested. Humidity is a must and it will warm the enclosure up. The surface of the substrate should be at least 80/85.
Hang in there. Being a step behind when you want the best for Donatello is hard. I know where you are coming from. I no sooner got Opo dialed in and now I have to get Opo outside for good. So I am starting all over again.
Sorry for forgetting about this thread. I am glad I found it today.

 

[Clorenzo85]

Donatello is probably to small for a heat pad. You might end up overheating him. When he gets bigger a lot of members here use Kane mats with a thermostat. You really need to cover something like Ellie May suggested. Humidity is a must and it will warm the enclosure up. The surface of the substrate should be at least 80/85.
Hang in there. Being a step behind when you want the best for Donatello is hard. I know where you are coming from. I no sooner got Opo dialed in and now I have to get Opo outside for good. So I am starting all over again.
Sorry for forgetting about this thread. I am glad I found it today.

I’ll work on closing off his enclosure to control his temperatures.

 

[Clorenzo85]

Get you a couple pieces of wood trim from your local hard ware and make you an A frame over what you’ve got. (2 pieces on each end and and 2 in the middle. Then use a clear shower curtain and cover.it will look like a tent and will hold your heat and humidity. You can hang your lights off of the A-frame.. probably cost less than $20

Your guy really needs those 85f+ temps

His UVB light is finally up.

 

[Clorenzo85]

how much should the humidity be at?

 

[Ray--Opo]

Good job. If you are able to miter 45° cuts for your light post you wont have a problem making a A=frame for your top. You can use the same type of wood. You need at least 2 CHE's to heat or replace the basking bulb to a 100 watt CHE on a thermostat and a 60 watt at the other end. Just my thoughts anybody chime in.

 

[Ray--Opo]

how much should the humidity be at?

80 or higher

 

[Ray--Opo]

Where I was going with the CHE is now that you have the UVB light. You can put it on a timer. Sent so you have 12 hrs of light. Donatello needs total darkness at night.

 

[Clorenzo85]

Good job. If you are able to miter 45° cuts for your light post you wont have a problem making a A=frame for your top. You can use the same type of wood. You need at least 2 CHE's to heat or replace the basking bulb to a 100 watt CHE on a thermostat and a 60 watt at the other end. Just my thoughts anybody chime in.

My fiance made it lol. He was pretty frustrated seeing that we don't have the proper tools or table. I'm a little confused about the CHE lights. I thought that would dry up my enclosure.
my basking bulbs is 150 watt. the top of his shell reads 91 degrees F

 

[EllieMay]

how much should the humidity be at?

You want his humidity as high as you can get it but holding that heat in is most important. I think the circumstances are a little different for adults than for hatchlings and juveniles. He has to have the warmth to properly digest his food. You can’t get too much humidity regardless ... it will be hard to maintain the high percentage in the wood enclosure but whatever you can achieve is better!
I honestly hate to give you too much advice because I’m just a beginner here compared to others. I’m just trying to think of easy fixes to get you thru until you decide on your permanent option. I have lots of respect for what your doing!
Members like Tom & YvonneG are very knowledgeable with the Sulcatas .

 

[Clorenzo85]

Where I was going with the CHE is now that you have the UVB light. You can put it on a timer. Sent so you have 12 hrs of light. Donatello needs total darkness at night.

Yeah, so at night. We take him into the tank that was given to us when we first brought him home. Not sure if you have seen it. He only has his cave in there. The tank is located in our bedroom. We take him out at 12pm and place him in here since it's not fully functional yet. I feel better knowing how he's doing at night, instead of leaving him in this separate room without the proper heating for night time. In our bedroom, it gets pretty warm since it's the two of us plus our dogs and the heater is on. I'm usually hot as hell in there. That's why I am trying to figure out his enclosure, so that he has a better space for night time. But it takes time and money. I am willing to spend the money but all the things that I have to buy is pretty confusing.

 

[Clorenzo85]

Yeah, so at night. We take him into the tank that was given to us when we first brought him home. Not sure if you have seen it. He only has his cave in there. The tank is located in our bedroom. We take him out at 12pm and place him in here since it's not fully functional yet. I feel better knowing how he's doing at night, instead of leaving him in this separate room without the proper heating for night time. In our bedroom, it gets pretty warm since it's the two of us plus our dogs and the heater is on. I'm usually hot as hell in there. That's why I am trying to figure out his enclosure, so that he has a better space for night time. But it takes time and money. I am willing to spend the money but all the things that I have to buy is pretty confusing.

Where I was going with the CHE is now that you have the UVB light. You can put it on a timer. Sent so you have 12 hrs of light. Donatello needs total darkness at night.

Donatello's enclosure is 4 ft x 6 ft and 11 inches tall. Where he'll be sleep is (2 ft x 1ft and 4 inches), also 11 inches tall. It's an open enclosure that is in a 9ft length x 11 ft width and 7 ft and 5 inches height room, with room temperature being 75 to 78 degrees Fahrenheit.

Tom was advising me to get a radiant heat panel and a Kane Mat. Just unsure of the sizes.

I am thinking that the 40 watt radiant heat panel will be enough and the 18 x18 46 watt Kane Mat will work. What do you think? you're saying that the Kane Mat will be too much for Donatello? he's only about 2.5 lbs.

 

[Clorenzo85]

You want his humidity as high as you can get it but holding that heat in is most important. I think the circumstances are a little different for adults than for hatchlings and juveniles. He has to have the warmth to properly digest his food. You can’t get too much humidity regardless ... it will be hard to maintain the high percentage in the wood enclosure but whatever you can achieve is better!
I honestly hate to give you too much advice because I’m just a beginner here compared to others. I’m just trying to think of easy fixes to get you thru until you decide on your permanent option. I have lots of respect for what your doing!
Members like Tom & YvonneG are very knowledgeable with the Sulcatas .

Right now the humidity is 36% ((( I really don't know how he survived all this time. He had absolutely nothing. he had an empty tank.

 

[Ray--Opo]

Donatello's enclosure is 4 ft x 6 ft and 11 inches tall. Where he'll be sleep is (2 ft x 1ft and 4 inches), also 11 inches tall. It's an open enclosure that is in a 9ft length x 11 ft width and 7 ft and 5 inches height room, with room temperature being 75 to 78 degrees Fahrenheit.

Tom was advising me to get a radiant heat panel and a Kane Mat. Just unsure of the sizes.

I am thinking that the 40 watt radiant heat panel will be enough and the 18 x18 46 watt Kane Mat will work. What do you think? you're saying that the Kane Mat will be too much for Donatello? he's only about 2.5 lbs.

Ok I didn't see what Tom said. Forget what I wrote. You are in great hands with Tom

 

[Ray--Opo]

Right now the humidity is 36% ((( I really don't know how he survived all this time. He had absolutely nothing. he had an empty tank.

He's got you now. Thanks again for rescuing Donatello

 

[EllieMay]

Right now the humidity is 36% ((( I really don't know how he survived all this time. He had absolutely nothing. he had an empty tank.

It is amazing what they can survive after you know what’s optimal for them! You are right abou the low wattage RHP and the Kane mat being enough for what you’ve got right now... but..... if your ever planning on upgrading, you don’t want to have to buy this stuff again. You can control the temperatures of both with a thermostat. There are several companies that make good digital ones for <$30.... it will alleviate any fears you have of overheating.

 

[Ray--Opo]

Yeah, so at night. We take him into the tank that was given to us when we first brought him home. Not sure if you have seen it. He only has his cave in there. The tank is located in our bedroom. We take him out at 12pm and place him in here since it's not fully functional yet. I feel better knowing how he's doing at night, instead of leaving him in this separate room without the proper heating for night time. In our bedroom, it gets pretty warm since it's the two of us plus our dogs and the heater is on. I'm usually hot as hell in there. That's why I am trying to figure out his enclosure, so that he has a better space for night time. But it takes time and money. I am willing to spend the money but all the things that I have to buy is pretty confusing.

I didn't help you much. Telling you my advice not knowing Tom had you under his wing.

 

[Clorenzo85]

Ok I didn't see what Tom said. Forget what I wrote. You are in great hands with Tom

haha no worries. Thank you for all of your help!