# Cement Mixing Tub



## jonahbassjazz (Apr 30, 2012)

Just bought my first step towards getting a baby hermanns tortoise. I got a cement mixing tub. 8inches high and 3 feet by 2 feet wide. I will put a wire mesh on the top of the enclosure. Next step: Substrate, Lighting, Heat and Food dish/Hiding spot.


----------



## ascott (Apr 30, 2012)

Very good and look forward to seeing the complete with tort pics....


----------



## ALDABRAMAN (May 1, 2012)




----------



## Greg T (May 1, 2012)

I used one of these when my guys were smaller and it worked great. Now i use it when I have to transport them somewhere so they don't trash my truck. Anyone who has taken their torts for a ride probably know exactly what I'm talking about!


----------



## jonahbassjazz (May 3, 2012)

Just ordered a power sun uvb 100 watt bulb, a powersun 100 watt ceramic heat emitter, an infared thermometer, a tortoise cave, and a book on tortoises. Also yesterday I bought two 10 inch brooder ceramic light fixtures and cypress mulch substrate. On my way to being ready for a tortoise!


----------



## GBtortoises (May 4, 2012)

With a 100 watt basking light (too high in my opinion) you should have no need whatsoever for an additional heater, unless the room that your tortoise is being kept in gets below 55 degrees at night. In an enclosure that is 2' x 3' both the light and heater on during the daytime will produce far too much heat. 
I am not a fan of using MVB bulbs with very young tortoises. They require UVB for proper growth and heat/light for basking. With MVB bulbs the light is very concentrated directly under the bulb. This not only results in the rest of the enclosure being much darker, which you will definitely have with the black tub, but it also forces the tortoise to sit directly under the basking light for heat and UVB. With any of the MVB bulbs that I have seen and the few that I use for adults, in order for the UV rays to be effective the light has to be mounted fairly close to the substrate, which increases the heat at the substrate directly under the bulb and causes the rest of the enclosure to be even darker. Baby tortoises have a small body mass and dehydrate rapidly. Under the circumstances of the above they are in a constant battle to remain adequately hydrated. When not well hydrated they often don't eat well and spend much more time in hiding in a moist area. 
A better light/heat set up for very young tortoises is a simply standard 40 or 60 watt incandescent bulb that can be adjusted closer to or farther from the substrate to obtain the desired heat needed for basking. Along with this a tube flurorescent that is at least 2/3 the length of the entire enclosure. This will not only provide much more light in general but will disperse UV throughout more of the enclosure so that the tortoise does not need to constantly sit under the basking light (in the case of MVB's) to obtain it.


----------



## jonahbassjazz (May 4, 2012)

GBTortoises, thanks for the advice. I purchased an infrared thermometer. My apartment is on the 5th floor. In the summer it can get hot up here but in the winter before the heaters turn on it can get pretty chilly in here. Since I have two 10 inch brooder lighting fixtures. I have read that the power sun will work up to 6 feet away from the surface of the substrate. Perhaps since you mentioned that I may not need the ceramic during the summer I will put a separate incandescent bulb in that so as to provide two separate basking areas. I have read that florescent bulbs are not good because they cause blindness in young tortoises.


----------



## Akronic (May 4, 2012)

they are referring to the curly CFL lights that cause eye irritation, the newer Zoo Med Reptisun 10.0 UVB CFL should be used in a deep dome hood or mounted horizontally. and you still need to read the instructions because there is a burn-in time where they need to be mounted further away initially then moved closer after like the tube style ones are the best option if using Florescent lighting, but they are harder to find in the 48" tubes

CFL have a burn-in period when the light and uvb output is greatest. for a new reptisun 10.0 CFL this period lasts about 2 weeks when the lamp is used to provide a normal photoperiod of 10-12 hrs/day (150 hrs of use)
when used w/ a deep dome lamp fuxture w/o a screen during burn-in 13-18" away after burn-in 9-13"

i have my Reptisun CFL mounted in a dual deep dome hood. so the ends of the bulb aren't sticking out the end, the pic w/ the RT in the tubs, the fixture on the right(larger dual dome) has the CFL in them, they put out alot of light so you can mount them high up. but i like the tube style for covering more of the table


----------



## jonahbassjazz (May 12, 2012)

My enclosure is finally all set up and ready for my baby Western Hermann's tortoise to arrive this upcoming Tuesday!


----------



## oakly24 (Aug 28, 2012)

How did you make the screen top? I'm thinking of using this type of enclosure but I would like to know how to make a screen top. Thanks!


----------

