Worried! Feral cats! Should we make a wire "lid" for expanded outdoor enclosure?

[mylittlecholla]

Thanks, Tom. I appreciate the response, as always.

My son in law came over today to help us get going with the night box. He's ready to get work on it right away but he has four questions.

However, getting the busy young man to sit down at the laptop and read everything is something of a challenge. He's looked at your info & photos, but to get the busy young man to sit down on the laptop and read everything closely is something of a challenge.

His questions are as follows:

For a 2X4 box,

1. What should the interior height be?

2. Given interior space, what wattage for CHE?

3. Just one CHE, right?

4. What base/fixture for the bulb/s do you use?

5. Recommendations for thermostat? He's thinking about some electronic gizmo that will signal your cell phone if something goes wrong.

By the way, apropos of not much, this young man and our daughter will be the ones to "inherit" Cholla when my husband and I get too feeble and/or kick the bucket. Daughter is crazy about Cholla, and her husband and son are fond of her too. It's great having them involved in her care housing and care now, since they're the "beneficiaries" in our will and trust.

 

[Cathie G]

Thank you, Karen. And thanks for sending forwarding the thread, which I've read.

Cholla is still very small--3 yrs old and 5" long.

But I couldn't shoot a cat either. Blackdog1714 suggested a motion-activated sprinkler, and I'm going to look into that.

As you refer to Chug in the past tense, I fear that he has passed away. ☹ I'm so sorry. I always wanted a tortoise, but until I had Cholla, I never knew how dear to the heart they can be. You have my sympathy.

I have a little Russian. His enclosure is covered. I even padlock it. I don't trust racoons even though I like them. I'm possibly an overprotective tort Mom.?

 

[Cathie G]

Thanks, Tom. I appreciate the response, as always.

My son in law came over today to help us get going with the night box. He's ready to get work on it right away but he has four questions.

However, getting the busy young man to sit down at the laptop and read everything is something of a challenge. He's looked at your info & photos, but to get the busy young man to sit down on the laptop and read everything closely is something of a challenge.

His questions are as follows:

For a 2X4 box,

1. What should the interior height be?

2. Given interior space, what wattage for CHE?

3. Just one CHE, right?

4. What base/fixture for the bulb/s do you use?

5. Recommendations for thermostat? He's thinking about some electronic gizmo that will signal your cell phone if something goes wrong.

By the way, apropos of not much, this young man and our daughter will be the ones to "inherit" Cholla when my husband and I get too feeble and/or kick the bucket. Daughter is crazy about Cholla, and her husband and son are fond of her too. It's great having them involved in her care housing and care now, since they're the "beneficiaries" in our will and trust.

Cool ????

 

[mylittlecholla]

I have a little Russian. His enclosure is covered. I even padlock it. I don't trust racoons even though I like them. I'm possibly an overprotective tort Mom.?

 

[mylittlecholla]

Boy, do I get it!

 

[Skip K]

I have a little Russian. His enclosure is covered. I even padlock it. I don't trust racoons even though I like them. I'm possibly an overprotective tort Mom.?

You can’t be too overly protective as far as I’m concerned..lol. While it’s true that foxes, coons and possums are night predators...I’ve have seen all 3 in the daytime too ( possibly sick). I’ve seen owls, hawks and rats in the daytime as well. And a padlock might help deter 2 legged predators. Certain areas might be safer than others predator wise...but not where I live.

 

[mylittlecholla]

My small town neighborhood is pretty safe, thank God. We've never had a backyard (human) invader, but you never know what might happen.

 

[Cathie G]

You can’t be too over protective..lol. While it’s true that foxes, coons and possums are night predators...I’ve have seen all 3 in the daytime too ( possibly sick). I’ve seen owls, hawks and rats in the daytime as well. And a padlock might help deter 2 legged predators. Certain areas might be safer than others predator wise...but not where I live.

Yea I've seen stuff too. I've seen a dove snatched by a hawk that was eating right beside me. And racoons aren't called bandits for nothing. Their little "hands" can work most things open. Cats just depends on the cat but I'm not willing to allow my little guy to find out the hard way. Kids are a whole nother story. I wanted my little tortoise for years before I got him. I want him to feel safe and happy.?

 

[Tom]

Thanks, Tom. I appreciate the response, as always.

My son in law came over today to help us get going with the night box. He's ready to get work on it right away but he has four questions.

However, getting the busy young man to sit down at the laptop and read everything is something of a challenge. He's looked at your info & photos, but to get the busy young man to sit down on the laptop and read everything closely is something of a challenge.

His questions are as follows:

For a 2X4 box,

1. What should the interior height be?

2. Given interior space, what wattage for CHE?

3. Just one CHE, right?

4. What base/fixture for the bulb/s do you use?

5. Recommendations for thermostat? He's thinking about some electronic gizmo that will signal your cell phone if something goes wrong.

By the way, apropos of not much, this young man and our daughter will be the ones to "inherit" Cholla when my husband and I get too feeble and/or kick the bucket. Daughter is crazy about Cholla, and her husband and son are fond of her too. It's great having them involved in her care housing and care now, since they're the "beneficiaries" in our will and trust.

1. I make the exterior walls 24" to make it convenient and efficient since we are using 4x8 sheets of ply and 8' 2x4s. Once the floor is correctly built up and insulated, this will make the interior height roughly 21".
2. I don't normally use CHEs for this application, and you don't need it warm like a tropical tortoise box. I think a 21" radiant heat panel will do it. You only need it in the mid to low 60s and if it dips into the 50s on a particularly cold night, its no big deal for an adult. Your daytime basking bulb set on a timer will warm up the box and the tortoise during cold cloudy days.
3. No CHE. Use a RHP. And a basking bulb. 65 watt flood bulbs have been working well for me, but you'll have to have an out of state friend order them and have them shipped to your address. You can't buy them in CA any more.
4. I go to Home Depot and get a base for about $9.13, and the ceramic flat mount socket for about $2. You can get a fancy socket with a pull cord and an additional socket for $4.92.

5. I've been using the $30 Zilla ones, or Jumpstart, or Inkbird. There are lots of them now. Get one rated for at least 1000 watts. Most of them are. I've never used any of the wifi notification devices, but feel free. Nothing wrong with that. Its just over my head technically speaking. I find that keeping things simple works best for me.

 

[Skip K]

Yea I've seen stuff too. I've seen a dove snatched by a hawk that was eating right beside me. And racoons aren't called bandits for nothing. Their little "hands" can work most things open. Cats just depends on the cat but I'm not willing to allow my little guy to find out the hard way. Kids are a whole nother story. I wanted my little tortoise for years before I got him. I want him to feel safe and happy.?

I actually had an huge owl...watching the baby Sulcatas...in the daytime. But he couldn’t figure out how to get to them through the enclosure. If you check my old posts you can see photos. The post heading is “Always assume there are vigilant parties eyeing your torts”

 

[mylittlecholla]

1. I make the exterior walls 24" to make it convenient and efficient since we are using 4x8 sheets of ply and 8' 2x4s. Once the floor is correctly built up and insulated, this will make the interior height roughly 21".
2. I don't normally use CHEs for this application, and you don't need it warm like a tropical tortoise box. I think a 21" radiant heat panel will do it. You only need it in the mid to low 60s and if it dips into the 50s on a particularly cold night, its no big deal for an adult. Your daytime basking bulb set on a timer will warm up the box and the tortoise during cold cloudy days.
3. No CHE. Use a RHP. And a basking bulb. 65 watt flood bulbs have been working well for me, but you'll have to have an out of state friend order them and have them shipped to your address. You can't buy them in CA any more.
4. I go to Home Depot and get a base for about $9.13, and the ceramic flat mount socket for about $2. You can get a fancy socket with a pull cord and an additional socket for $4.92.
View attachment 310935View attachment 310936
5. I've been using the $30 Zilla ones, or Jumpstart, or Inkbird. There are lots of them now. Get one rated for at least 1000 watts. Most of them are. I've never used any of the wifi notification devices, but feel free. Nothing wrong with that. Its just over my head technically speaking. I find that keeping things simple works best for me.

 

[mylittlecholla]

Muchas gracias, Tom. I should be readily able to find this post for my son in law.

Know what you mean keeping things simple in general. Yeah. Millenial son-in-law a great guy, but he's always trying to high-technify everything. All seems simple to him!

 

[mylittlecholla]

Yea I've seen stuff too. I've seen a dove snatched by a hawk that was eating right beside me. And racoons aren't called bandits for nothing. Their little "hands" can work most things open. Cats just depends on the cat but I'm not willing to allow my little guy to find out the hard way. Kids are a whole nother story. I wanted my little tortoise for years before I got him. I want him to feel safe and happy.?

 

[Cathie G]

I actually had an huge owl...watching the baby Sulcatas...in the daytime. But he couldn’t figure out how to get to them through the enclosure. If you check my old posts you can see photos. The post heading is “Always assume there are vigilant parties eyeing your torts”

Yes. I've even been present and sat and watched a dove check out my tortoise. I know the dove thought he was a snake. S/he did circles on the ground, around my little Russian and me. Just to make sure her babies would be safe I guess. But I've seen some of that behavior in other birds too. Even geese. Birds check out anything that resembles a snake. Some of them like to eat snakes sooo...? no one gets my tortoise anytime soon.

 

[mylittlecholla]

Yes indeed. And I want me to feel safe and happy too, and not feeling I have to rush out there every 5 minutes to check that Cholla's okay.

The guys in my family think my "maternal anxieties" are kinda over the top.

But my daughter understands. She used to get up at 5 a.m. to forage for food for the Russian tortoise who was a classroom pet at the school where she taught. And even go back to the school on weekends to check on the little critter, bring him tortoise treats, rose petals, etc. She shed tears when when they moved and she had to leave "Hamburger" behind because he belonged to the school,)

Our husbands think we're both nutty, but they indulge us. I

Interesting how my husband is too macho to admit he's mushy about "the little critter" but always interrogating me little critter". "Did you feed the little critter? Not yet? Why not? Okay, d--n it, then I'll do it." Or
"Where's the little critter, outside or in?". Doesn't object to designing building stuff for her either. And neither does the son in law.

 

[mylittlecholla]

Yes. I've even been present and sat and watched a dove check out my tortoise. I know the dove thought he was a snake. S/he did circles on the ground, around my little Russian and me. Just to make sure her babies would be safe I guess. But I've seen some of that behavior in other birds too. Even geese. Birds check out anything that resembles a snake. Some of them like to eat snakes sooo...? no one gets my tortoise anytime soon.

 

[Cathie G]

Muchas gracias, Tom. I should be readily able to find this post for my son in law.

Know what you mean keeping things simple in general. Yeah. Millenial son-in-law a great guy, but he's always trying to high-technify everything. All seems simple to him!

It looks to me like you have great help. Tom and your son-in-law. Have fun with it. It's sooo worth it.?

 

[mylittlecholla]

Yes. I've even been present and sat and watched a dove check out my tortoise. I know the dove thought he was a snake. S/he did circles on the ground, around my little Russian and me. Just to make sure her babies would be safe I guess. But I've seen some of that behavior in other birds too. Even geese. Birds check out anything that resembles a snake. Some of them like to eat snakes sooo...? no one gets my tortoise anytime soon.

 

[Cathie G]

Yes indeed. And I want me to feel safe and happy too, and not feeling I have to rush out there every 5 minutes to check that Cholla's okay.

The guys in my family think my "maternal anxieties" are kinda over the top.

But my daughter understands. She used to get up at 5 a.m. to forage for food for the Russian tortoise who was a classroom pet at the school where she taught. And even go back to the school on weekends to check on the little critter, bring him tortoise treats, rose petals, etc. She shed tears when when they moved and she had to leave "Hamburger" behind because he belonged to the school,)

Our husbands think we're both nutty, but they indulge us. I

Interesting how my husband is too macho to admit he's mushy about "the little critter" but always interrogating me little critter". "Did you feed the little critter? Not yet? Why not? Okay, d--n it, then I'll do it." Or
"Where's the little critter, outside or in?". Doesn't object to designing building stuff for her either. And neither does the son in law.

That's too cool.??

 

[mylittlecholla]

Skip J : We have owls around here too. Love hearing them at night, but don't want them anywhere near Cholla.