Temperatures

[JMM19]

I understand that temperatures can be lowered at night, but is it necessary? Can I keep temp constant between 80-85? I purchased a ZooMed temperature controller & I’m not sure it can be adjusted for daytime/nighttime. New owner, awaiting my arrivals.

Thanks I’m advance.

 

[wellington]

Depends on the species.
Mediterranean species need it cooler at night. This should easily happen as all heat lights should be off for night time. If heat is needed at night because temp goes below 60-65 then a che should be used, it gives off no light
Other species need to have the same temp at night as the over all day temp but still need it dark
Let us know what species and what heat and lights you are using

 

[JMM19]

I understand that temperatures can be lowered at night, but is it necessary? Can I keep temp constant between 80-85? I purchased a ZooMed temperature controller & I’m not sure it can be adjusted for daytime/nighttime. New owner, awaiting my arrivals.

Thanks I’m advance

Depends on the species.
Mediterranean species need it cooler at night. This should easily happen as all heat lights should be off for night time. If heat is needed at night because temp goes below 60-65 then a che should be used, it gives off no light
Other species need to have the same temp at night as the over all day temp but still need it dark
Let us know what species and what heat and lights you are using

Depends on the species.
Mediterranean species need it cooler at night. This should easily happen as all heat lights should be off for night time. If heat is needed at night because temp goes below 60-65 then a che should be used, it gives off no light
Other species need to have the same temp at night as the over all day temp but still need it dark
Let us know what species and what heat and lights you are using

 

[JMM19]

Thanks for your response (and sorry I replied & resent in the wrong area. The enclosure is 7.5’ x 3.5’ with an open top. I have two 3’ fluorescents spanning the width with a CHE in the middle of the back wall. I have 3 baby Hermann’s scheduled to arrive next week. I just got the substrate & lighting situated with the temperature controller synched with the heat emitter. I’m trying to fine tune the temp before they arrive of course. So far the controller temp readout hasn’t really moved much, which I thought was weird.

 

[wellington]

Read this thread I'm linking. If it states a different night temp, which I believe it does, then yes, it should be cooler at night.
Thread 'The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise' https://www.tortoiseforum.org/threa...ise-any-temperate-species-of-tortoise.183131/

 

[Tom]

Thanks for your response (and sorry I replied & resent in the wrong area. The enclosure is 7.5’ x 3.5’ with an open top. I have two 3’ fluorescents spanning the width with a CHE in the middle of the back wall. I have 3 baby Hermann’s scheduled to arrive next week. I just got the substrate & lighting situated with the temperature controller synched with the heat emitter. I’m trying to fine tune the temp before they arrive of course. So far the controller temp readout hasn’t really moved much, which I thought was weird.

It will be hard to maintain the correct temps and humidity with an open topped table for babies. I would use a closed chamber instead. Also, that is a good size enclosure, but not necessary for little babies. 2x4 feet will work better for babies in their first year or two.

Plug your CHE's thermostat into a regular appliance timer from the hardware store to get your needed night temperature drop. If your thermostat won't hold settings with the power off, then plug the CHE into the timer, and the timer into the thermostat.

More info here too:

Info For New People. Please Read This First.

Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...

tortoiseforum.org

 

[JMM19]

It will be hard to maintain the correct temps and humidity with an open topped table for babies. I would use a closed chamber instead. Also, that is a good size enclosure, but not necessary for little babies. 2x4 feet will work better for babies in their first year or two.

Plug your CHE's thermostat into a regular appliance timer from the hardware store to get your needed night temperature drop. If your thermostat won't hold settings with the power off, then plug the CHE into the timer, and the timer into the thermostat.

More info here too:

Info For New People. Please Read This First.

Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...

tortoiseforum.org

Thank you. Very good read. I read through Ben Teams guide & thought I had a good read on things. It’s a bit late to make any major structural changes, minor is still possible. As you can see, a lot of time & effort went into planning everything. I’ve got the heat emitter in the middle, & am realizing (thanks to your guidance) I need to buy a different temp controller with day/night modes. One question I have is does the probe go into the substrate or does it just dangle into the enclosure to read ambient air? I thought it was substrate but now I’m confused. Definitely going to splurge for the UV reader too. Thanks again for the feedback. There’s gonna be a ton of learning on the job.

 

[Tom]

Thank you. Very good read. I read through Ben Teams guide & thought I had a good read on things. It’s a bit late to make any major structural changes, minor is still possible. As you can see, a lot of time & effort went into planning everything. I’ve got the heat emitter in the middle, & am realizing (thanks to your guidance) I need to buy a different temp controller with day/night modes. One question I have is does the probe go into the substrate or does it just dangle into the enclosure to read ambient air? I thought it was substrate but now I’m confused. Definitely going to splurge for the UV reader too. Thanks again for the feedback. There’s gonna be a ton of learning on the job. View attachment 354694

Have you run the CHE that way yet? It won't be very effective. It needs to be mounted in a hood with a ceramic base, and it needs to be pointing straight down. Even when used correctly, a single CHE will not be effective on an open table this large. You will need at least three of them, and that will waste a lot of electricity and heat the room as much as the table.

They make a $30 thermostat that does a night temp drop, but a $12 timer will work just as well for you...

The probe should dangle down low, but out of tortoise reach, and away from all heat sources.

I don't see a basking lamp on your table.

I don't know who Ben Teams is, but if the advice was to use a table for babies, then it is wrong. Please run this table for several days before getting the babies. Check the temps and humidity all around and you will soon see why I am telling you that it will be difficult, if not impossible to maintain the correct temperatures and humidity in a large shallow open table. This sort of housing is fine for adult Testudo in winter, but its not good for babies. Your babies will pyramid in an enclosure like this.

 

[wellington]

What you could do to make things a bit easier is to place a divider at the end of the first florescent fixture that is closest to the hides. This cuts the enclosure down in size while they are small. Then get plastic and fix it like a tent over the half you will be using.
When they get bigger around 3 years or so, you can just remove the divider.

 

[JMM19]

What you could do to make things a bit easier is to place a divider at the end of the first florescent fixture that is closest to the hides. This cuts the enclosure down in size while they are small. Then get plastic and fix it like a tent over the half you will be using.
When they get bigger around 3 years or so, you can just remove the divider.

Thank you both for your advice. I did end up sectioning off half of the enclosure & I created a little greenhouse out of sheet plastic. I’m maintaining the temperature much better than before.

 

[Maro2Bear]

Greetings…..i was going to comment on your CHE… but I see that Tom has that covered.

➡️ Have you run the CHE that way yet? It won't be very effective. It needs to be mounted in a hood with a ceramic base, and it needs to be pointing straight down. Even when used correctly, a single CHE will not be effective on an open table this large. You will need at least three of them, and that will waste a lot of electricity and heat the room as much as the table.

Remember, you can have more than one CHE and they come in many different sizes/wattages. Your CHE looks very undersized.

 

[JMM19]

Greetings…..i was going to comment on your CHE… but I see that Tom has that covered.

➡️ Have you run the CHE that way yet? It won't be very effective. It needs to be mounted in a hood with a ceramic base, and it needs to be pointing straight down. Even when used correctly, a single CHE will not be effective on an open table this large. You will need at least three of them, and that will waste a lot of electricity and heat the room as much as the table.

Remember, you can have more than one CHE and they come in many different sizes/wattages. Your CHE looks very undersized.

I did buy a proper hood for both the CHE sand the basking lamp. I also surrounded the entire enclosure with plastic sheeting & got a humidifier in there to help regulate humidity. Everything seems to be good. Where should I try to keep the humidity level?