# Heated Den Boxes



## Tom (Feb 7, 2010)

The Rubbermaid was my first one. They shared it for several years and then Big Bertha decided to be Bert and started flipping Scooter on to his back, in the sun, in the summertime. Now they are mostly separated. The green wooden house is the one I just built for Bert. It used to be all one pen, but now you can see the dividing wall between the two houses. I like the wooden one better and it holds the heat in well. The wooden one is about 4'x4'. I'm designing and planning to build one big one, 10-12 feet long with a divider in the middle and a door on either end. The rubbermaid sheds work, but they are too drafty and its just too much space to heat up. They don't need all that vertical space.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4046/4339909540_86e5fc7d7f_b.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2801/4339907150_6e64881d32_b.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4020/4339160351_3cfd970876_b.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2802/4339157471_35ed750b66_b.jpg


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## Yvonne G (Feb 7, 2010)

See, I'm just the opposite. I *WANT* all that vertical space so I can walk inside and clean it up better. I like your tort houses, and they are very similar to what I used to use. But the past two years I've changed them all out for insulated walk-in sheds.

Scroll down in this thread and see how Chipdog fixed the inside of his Rubbermaid deck box for the tortoises:

http://tortoiseforum.org/thread-4432-post-36546.html#pid36546


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## Tom (Feb 7, 2010)

emysemys said:


> See, I'm just the opposite. I *WANT* all that vertical space so I can walk inside and clean it up better. I like your tort houses, and they are very similar to what I used to use. But the past two years I've changed them all out for insulated walk-in sheds.
> 
> Scroll down in this thread and see how Chipdog fixed the inside of his Rubbermaid deck box for the tortoises:
> 
> http://tortoiseforum.org/thread-4432-post-36546.html#pid36546



I didn't measure the torts when I made the door for the wooden one. I measured the width of my RAKE! Ha Ha. It fits through the door perfectly. Cleans up in two or three swipes.

The temps are fine in there, so I don't think I need to do all that insulating. The wood actually insulates very well by itself.


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## Candy (Feb 7, 2010)

I love this thread and you guys are so creative. I love Chipdogs and I love yours. I like the wood one also, but I thought the Rubbermaid would hold heat better then the wood, but again I've learned something new. Your Sulcata's are so lucky that you do all of this for them.  I bet their very happy campers at your house. [/i]


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## TylerStewart (Feb 7, 2010)

I build a lot of mine similar to your green one.... I like them low height because the heat always rises, so when heating shorter enclosures, less of the heat is wasted (so you can use a lower wattage). My lids all lift right off, or hinge to the back so you can open them right up for cleaning (Shop Vac). Being too short is difficult also because the heat source is more likely to be too hot on the tops of their shells (unless you're using mats). I have settled around the 24" height for most of them nowadays. I have some of the Kane mats but I'm becoming a bigger and bigger fan of red bulbs.... I like the red bulbs because I can do a quick spot check each night and see little bits of red coming out of the doors and know that the heat is on and functional. I occasionally will have a surge protector trip, or water hit something and shut off the power, so seeing the red light is a quick way to check. Plus the larger Kane mats are pricey!


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## Tom (Feb 8, 2010)

Candy said:


> I love this thread and you guys are so creative. I love Chipdogs and I love yours. I like the wood one also, but I thought the Rubbermaid would hold heat better then the wood, but again I've learned something new. Your Sulcata's are so lucky that you do all of this for them.   I bet their very happy campers at your house. [/i]



Yeah the plastic ones have small cracks and gaps at every joint, so a lot of hot air gets out and a lot of cool air gets in.

My wooden one is completely sealed all the way around, except for the door and a little hole in the back for the power cord. Its so dry where I am, I don't need any ventilation at all.



TylerStewart said:


> I build a lot of mine similar to your green one.... I like them low height because the heat always rises, so when heating shorter enclosures, less of the heat is wasted (so you can use a lower wattage). My lids all lift right off, or hinge to the back so you can open them right up for cleaning (Shop Vac). Being too short is difficult also because the heat source is more likely to be too hot on the tops of their shells (unless you're using mats). I have settled around the 24" height for most of them nowadays. I have some of the Kane mats but I'm becoming a bigger and bigger fan of red bulbs.... I like the red bulbs because I can do a quick spot check each night and see little bits of red coming out of the doors and know that the heat is on and functional. I occasionally will have a surge protector trip, or water hit something and shut off the power, so seeing the red light is a quick way to check. Plus the larger Kane mats are pricey!



All good info Tyler. I like your point about the visual check with the red bulbs. I have to do a feel check every night to be sure. The power is pretty reliable here, but I've got a gennie should it fail.


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## TylerStewart (Feb 8, 2010)

Roachman26 said:


> All good info Tyler. I like your point about the visual check with the red bulbs. I have to do a feel check every night to be sure. The power is pretty reliable here, but I've got a gennie should it fail.



The "feel checks" aren't too bad if it's one or two enclosures.... I already have to go walk around on cold evenings to make sure nobody fell asleep outside the hideboxes, but at least that can be done quickly. To have to get into several boxes can be time consuming, so the light check is nice.

I also keep a good supply of 72 hour heat packs around in case of a day or two without power..... We don't have really cold spells, so even a few 72 hour packs can raise temps inside of a well-built box enough to keep it decent for the tortoises.


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## Stephanie Logan (Feb 8, 2010)

So, it looks like you Californians have need for an extra-wide "snow" shovel after all, though your snow is heavier and darker than the stuff piling up in my yard right now! 

Or maybe it's designed to move "rocks"?


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## Tom (Feb 8, 2010)

Stephanie Logan said:


> So, it looks like you Californians have need for an extra-wide "snow" shovel after all, though your snow is heavier and darker than the stuff piling up in my yard right now!
> 
> Or maybe it's designed to move "rocks"?



You guys use those things for snow?! Geez, that seems like a weird use for a perfectly good pooper-scooper.


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## Maggie Cummings (Feb 8, 2010)

TylerStewart said:


> I build a lot of mine similar to your green one.... I like them low height because the heat always rises, so when heating shorter enclosures, less of the heat is wasted (so you can use a lower wattage). My lids all lift right off, or hinge to the back so you can open them right up for cleaning (Shop Vac). Being too short is difficult also because the heat source is more likely to be too hot on the tops of their shells (unless you're using mats). I have settled around the 24" height for most of them nowadays. I have some of the Kane mats but I'm becoming a bigger and bigger fan of red bulbs.... I like the red bulbs because I can do a quick spot check each night and see little bits of red coming out of the doors and know that the heat is on and functional. I occasionally will have a surge protector trip, or water hit something and shut off the power, so seeing the red light is a quick way to check. Plus the larger Kane mats are pricey!



I use black light bulbs. I like them better then the red as they seem to put out more heat. I like the color of their light better.


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## Stephanie Logan (Feb 8, 2010)

Roachman26 said:


> You guys use those things for snow?! Geez, that seems like a weird use for a perfectly good pooper-scooper.



Touche!


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## chadk (Feb 8, 2010)

I'm also a fan of the red light and low ceilings. My heated tort shed as a 4 foot ceiling. So I still have room to crawl in if I need to, but not much energy spent heating the extra air space above the torts. And I can see just a touch of the red light shining through if it is too rainy and dark to go out and check. And since I like natural dirt floors, pig blankets don't work well for my setup. So I have a space heater for ambient temps, and heat lamps for basking areas. And as mentioned, the floor is just bare dirt with a little spag. pete moss mixed in. Gives him something to dig around in and stay busy when it is too cold to venture out for long.


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## [email protected] (May 21, 2010)

That is really cool. I love it. Very clever.


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## N2TORTS (May 21, 2010)

emysemys said:


> See, I'm just the opposite. I *WANT* all that vertical space so I can walk inside and clean it up better. I like your tort houses, and they are very similar to what I used to use. But the past two years I've changed them all out for insulated walk-in sheds.
> 
> Scroll down in this thread and see how Chipdog fixed the inside of his Rubbermaid deck box for the tortoises:
> 
> http://tortoiseforum.org/thread-4432-post-36546.html#pid36546


Here is one for the RF's " hide" ... I too wanted the verticle space, Thus this Shack  Is 7' tall, NO drafts , water tight, no rust,no faded paint and easy to wash and sanatize. The back is multi tiered , for hatchlings , while the bottom is 35 SF. of floor space .. Multi substrate with two different levels, Lighting, heating, and of course a " quick connect" to simply create a very fine foggy mist .... To keep up the humidity and mositer on those hot days. This one is low key , can be locked up at night, Little window on side , double doors in front & skylight to provide natural lighting during the day , or open the doors to a wonderful " tortie" yard.....












Funny thing is ... I usally build ALL my own stuff .... but this was just Too " Neat" and very easy to maintain ... 
BTW ~ I puchased it at Sams Club
..JD 



N2TORTS said:


> emysemys said:
> 
> 
> > See, I'm just the opposite. I *WANT* all that vertical space so I can walk inside and clean it up better. I like your tort houses, and they are very similar to what I used to use. But the past two years I've changed them all out for insulated walk-in sheds.
> ...



Or .... the other side is the summer time RF's "hut" ... actually made out of doors, that all foldup and or open for ease of cleaning , feeding. This too with lighting and heating ... 





And along the same rows .. are all different " runs" even Natural hides for the rest of the " crew" ...















Notice the slab of Marble? ....... Excellent ... " conductor" ...and retains bottom heat ...


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## Laura (Aug 22, 2010)

I have something similar to the Green box.. but we put insulation/styrofoam type along the walls and the ceiling. 
I also have a larger area inside, so they can either be on the heat pad or off.. 
I have heat lamps with a red bulb for my goats when they have babies.. I have not used those in a tort house.. I worry about it being too hot under them, ( maybe I need a smaller bulb...hmmm) and fire, but I LOVE the visual factor.. being able to just look and 'see' heat is on...


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