I just typed up a list of the needed supplies to build a night box and thought I'd copy paste it here:
For sulcatas, I make the doors 26x16". This will fit all but the largest of large males for their entire life. If you end up with one of the giants, you will eventually have to make another box with a bigger door.
I don't use anything on the floors or walls. I put some dirt on the floor, and this makes clean up really easy. The floors in my sulcata boxes never rot. If ever they did, its easy to put a plywood patch over the rough spot and get another decade or more of use out of the box. If ever the patch were to rot, easy to replace the patch.
Cost for all the electric stuff (Heavy duty extension cord, latching plastic box, thermostat, heater, computer fan, etc...), insulation, sealant, paint and primer, hinges and latches, and all your lumber will run around $700-800.
For a 4x8' box, you'll need:
For sulcatas, I make the doors 26x16". This will fit all but the largest of large males for their entire life. If you end up with one of the giants, you will eventually have to make another box with a bigger door.
I don't use anything on the floors or walls. I put some dirt on the floor, and this makes clean up really easy. The floors in my sulcata boxes never rot. If ever they did, its easy to put a plywood patch over the rough spot and get another decade or more of use out of the box. If ever the patch were to rot, easy to replace the patch.
Cost for all the electric stuff (Heavy duty extension cord, latching plastic box, thermostat, heater, computer fan, etc...), insulation, sealant, paint and primer, hinges and latches, and all your lumber will run around $700-800.
For a 4x8' box, you'll need:
- 7 sheets of plywood. Do NOT use OSB or any other type of particle board. I use 11/32 thickness. This keeps the weight of the box down, and the insulation and sealant holds the heat in just fine.
- 4 sheets of rigid foam 1.5" insulation.
- Around 12-15 2x4s.
- 6-10 2x3s.
- 4 2x2s to frame the lid. Saves a lot of weight in these heavy lids...
- 5-6 tubes of GE Silicone I sealant.
- One gallon of Killz 2 primer.
- One gallon of Behr Premium Exterior Paint.
- I use "Deck Screws" from Home Depot. Super long lasting, strong, and you'll never pop the head off of one. Mostly 1 1/4" screws to attach the plywood to the framing, but also 3" screws for strength in the corners and when you attach the 2x4 to the back of the box that you'll attach the lid to with hinges. Not a bad idea to have 1 5/8 or 2" screws in case you strip the wood with one of the 1 1/4 screws in softer wood.
- I also get a couple of pressure treated 2x4s and cut three strips to size, to rest the box on and keep it off the ground.
- Spend the extra few bucks on the hot galvanized hinges for your doors. Its a pain in the arse to replace those if they rust due to pee or rain. Regular door hinges work fine for me for the back since they dry off after a rain and don't sit in water all the time.
- I use a plastic shoe box type thing to contain all my cords and thermostat and keep things a little neater, and to prevent the tortoises from getting tangled in the wires.
- I use coffee cup hanging hooks to route my wires and keep them out of tortoise reach.
- Use a medium or heavy duty extension cord. At least 14 gauge, if not 12. I think the thinner 16 gauge cords are too thin.
- Here is the thermostat I usually use: https://www.lllreptile.com/products/13883-zilla-1000-watt-temperature-controller
- Here is the heater I typically use: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Optimus-...hguid=47821a26-852-1673f254fbdcb1&athena=true
- Here is the computer fan I usually use: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009DLW9RO/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20