Winter Adult Sulcata Housing

[ducksarecool12]

I found many plans that you have made for night boxes and they all look great!!

 

[argus333]

i live here in n.j and it gets really cold here an sometimes tons of snow. i have 2 females and 2 males that live outside all yr. i have a winter box thats 6x 9 ft like toms but with a lot more insulation with a oil filled heater and a attached 22 ft x 12 ft greenhouse and a 100 x 80ft yard they have access to the yard all yr except for really cold days. they come out every day but don't leave the green house most of the winter. all my guys get along well but i have a another lone male that fights with everyone! he even rams me an my wife all the time. the homemade greenhouse will get up into 80s\90s even on cold days depending on sun usually 20 to 40 degree warmer in there in daytime.

 

[Len B]

This is Walkers house, he uses it when it's cold, but sleeps under it in warm weather. He has been living outside all year for some time now, he turned 18 this past summer, built this house in 2007 for him.He comes and goes as he pleases, Even takes late evening walks in the snow.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

here's Bob's shed a couple of years ago....

tortoiseforum.org/threads/bobs-shed.20710/

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Bob's shed now...it's great for winter. Thanks to good insulation the ambient air stays 85 degrees. He's got water, a sleeping box with a pig blanket and room to pace...

 

[taza]

Whats a pig blanket?

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Whats a pig blanket?

It's a heavy rubber mat with heat coils inside. It's actually called a 'farrow pad' as it's used to keep Mama's and brand new piglets warm. Bob's mat is triangular, fits in a corner and is operated by a rheostat, he sleeps on it every night. Keeps him nice and warm in the winter...

 

[taza]

Thankyou I heard you mention it before in another thread.

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Thankyou I heard you mention it before in another thread.

Here's a picture of Bob's mat inside his sleeping box It's operated by a rheostat that keeps the temperature constant. I don't believe under plastron heat is good for hatchlings, but ya can't beat one for keeping a big tort warm in the winter...

 

[ducksarecool12]

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[ducksarecool12]

Well I screwed up and don't really know what to do now... I made the base exactly 4'x8' so my lid is going to be off 3/4" on all sides to accommodate for the plywood, and so my sheet of 4'x8' plywood lid wont cover the top completely... Any ideas anyone???

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

Won't it end up sitting on the edge of the 2"x4" you've got as a framework?

 

[Tom]

Any ideas anyone???

Take it apart, cut and rebuild the bottom to fit inside the top. I've had to rebuild a few myself... You won't make that mistake again.

 

[Len B]

Frame out the (lid) piece to make it bigger, or add to the inside top (base) opening to make it smaller.

 

[Dizisdalife]

Len's suggestion will work. You might need to be creative to frame out the lid so that there is enough clearance around the edge. Here is a link to a thread where this same problem was solved. It was a smaller box, but the idea is the same.
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/my-first-heated-night-box-for-leopards.100302/

 

[Tom]

...or add to the inside top (base) opening to make it smaller.

That's a great idea Len. A lip of 2x6 around the inside top with some sealant would work and still keep the rain out. The lid would rest on the lip of 2x6 instead of the top of the box.

Seal it well though... Lots of silicone.

 

[ducksarecool12]

I'm going to try and make the lid out of one piece of the plywood, and frame it with 2x2s with a strip of the plywood around the 2x2s and then screw 2x4s into those. Wish me luck!

 

[marcy4hope]

my husband just made the same mistake on ours. he framed out the lid on the outside so when i close the "ramp" at night, i just barely life the lid and the ramp stays shut under the lip of the frame. eliminated the need for a latch on the ramp/door.

 

[ducksarecool12]

Here is some progress.. Not much left to do. I need to put some pieces across the bottom, frame around the door, order the door flap, hinge the lid once in place, paint, order a heater and..! Probably something else I'm missing... So happy with the progress I've made.
Oh also, I'm putting trim on the lid.
What's a good substrate for the box?

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

Really, you don't need substrate. Many folks use grass hay which doubles as food.