# Heating for outdoor enclosure



## nongtao (Sep 27, 2012)

I have leopard tortoise almost 4 years old. 
This summer is the first time that he lives outside in the garden.

I plan to build him a house with heating system for winter time. By doing some research in this forum. Here's what I came up with the idea of the house for my tortoise

I attached the picture of my plan...sorry i'm not good at drawing. 
Here's the list of heating that I plan to use:
1. Reptile Basics 80 Watt Radiant Heat Panel 12.5"22.5"x1.75" Put on top and the heating source from ceiling.

2. Kane Heat Mats 18"x18" 46 watt for heating on the floor.

The house build with insulation in the wall.

Are the heating source sufficient enough for the area?
Is the hight good enough for ceiling heating?


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## wellington (Sep 27, 2012)

I had called a company about the Reptile Radiant heat panels. Wanted it to heat a tort house in the winters of Chicago. The house would be 7x7. Half would have a 5.5 to 6 foot ceiling. The other half, warmer/heated half would have a 4 foot ceiling. They said there wasn't a reptile radiant heat panel that would heat it warm enough. Before you buy one. Call them and give them your house size and winter temps to make sure it will do the job for you.


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## DrewsLife727 (Sep 27, 2012)

Where is the picture?


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## nongtao (Sep 27, 2012)

Here's the picture


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## nongtao (Sep 27, 2012)

I thought that I attached picture to the post already. Sorry for that.
I will try a gain.


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## lynnedit (Sep 27, 2012)

The height might be OK for a Radiant heat panel. But Barb is right, contact the company with your dimensions and they can advise you, I have heard they are very helpful.

Make sure the Kane mat only covers part, say, 1/2, of the flooring, so the tort can move back and forth, on and off of it.

As your tort grows, he may outgrow this house as his sole place to be all winter. But it could be used as a sleep box in a larger shed at that point.


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## Laura (Sep 27, 2012)

heat rises... I use a stanfield pig blanket heat matt and a CHE.. if the ceiling is too tall the heat will sit up top.. 
and make sure there is some ventilation and the matt does Not cover the whole floor.


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## nongtao (Sep 27, 2012)

@Laura @lynnedit
Thank you for your answer. Yes I will order the matt half size and have some space for them to move.
The house will be 30"x24"x20" and the mat will be 18"x18".


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## nongtao (Sep 27, 2012)

Laura said:


> heat rises... I use a stanfield pig blanket heat matt and a CHE.. if the ceiling is too tall the heat will sit up top..
> and make sure there is some ventilation and the matt does Not cover the whole floor.




As I'm not native English speaker. Could you please explain what is CHE?


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## lynnedit (Sep 28, 2012)

CHE= Ceramic Heat Emitter bulb.

In your house, I think the Radiant heat panel is better, it is less likely to burn the top of the tort's shell.

Look at some of Tom's posts, he really likes them.

check out posts #4 and #6 in this thread:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-sulcata-wood-house-build-for-winter#axzz27nMn41QD


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