So after reading threads about closed chambers and speaking to Tom I decided to build something. It's made out of 2x6 and the top is an old rubber mat where I inserted all the lighting. I use a inkbird thermostat that I set to 82 with an offset of 2 degree so it never goes lower than 80. The thermometer is placed in the middle of the enclosure. I simply used a plastic pot upside down with a hole for the humid hide but I have never seen her use it... The substrate is a mix of organic black dirt and reptibark. The basking is a red light so it doesn't produce much light thats why I added a simple led light with a warm color to contrast the uvb who is colder. Basking is 100 and humidity around 80% as they should be. Oh, also the enclosure has handles! Has I mentionned in my last post it needs to fit in a fiat... It's about 2 1/4' by 3 1/4' almost double what I had. I know this thing wont last forever it will do for a couple of months. Do you have any suggestions for improvements? Also is there a way to get her used to go in that humid hide?
Baby sulcata new enclosure!
- Thread starter Reptilony
- Start date
Can you post some pictures? A light that is red is not suggested. Tortoises associate the color red with food and making everything have a red tint is confusing to them. A good basking bulb is a 65 watt flood bulb. I found them at Walmart.
There’s the pics!
Ok I will change that tomorow then I already got one! Thank you for your comment
Other than the red light, it looks great!
Tank you very much! Yes that red light...Im lucky this forum exist otherwise I would have never thought about it.
I’m the same lol, I had a red light when I first joined [emoji28]
Not too shabby. Good work. 
As usual, I have a few notes:
As usual, I have a few notes:
- I agree about not using the red bulb. Just one more vote on that already decided subject.
- I see a cause for concern. It looks like your lamp fixtures are touching the wood, and it looks like you are using the plastic "Bakelite" type fixtures instead of ceramic based fixtures. Both of these things are quite dangerous and pose a fire risk. I would make some adjustments. I did this in my new night boxes:
- Most sulcatas won't go anywhere near a hole in the ground, or any kind of cave-like hide for a few weeks. My best guess is that this is a survival mechanism that helps wild babies avoid the tortoise eating monster that made the hole in the first place when out in the wild. If you just keep putting the tortoise inside the hide every night after all the lights are out, they usually get over their fear of the hole monster faster. Eventually they realize that it is their hole in the ground, or cave.
Thank you tom, I already put one ceramic heat protection for the basking spot that I stole from my map. The guy at the hardware store said those plastic thing where pretty heat resistant but you're right I wont take a chance I'll go buy two more tomorow. Btw the lights are not touching the wood the pictures are very bad...I'll keep putting her inside the spooky hole... *SEE there's no monsters under your bed!**Not too shabby. Good work.
As usual, I have a few notes:
- I agree about not using the red bulb. Just one more vote on that already decided subject.
- I see a cause for concern. It looks like your lamp fixtures are touching the wood, and it looks like you are using the plastic "Bakelite" type fixtures instead of ceramic based fixtures. Both of these things are quite dangerous and pose a fire risk. I would make some adjustments. I did this in my new night boxes: View attachment 245258View attachment 245259 View attachment 245260
- Most sulcatas won't go anywhere near a hole in the ground, or any kind of cave-like hide for a few weeks. My best guess is that this is a survival mechanism that helps wild babies avoid the tortoise eating monster that made the hole in the first place when out in the wild. If you just keep putting the tortoise inside the hide every night after all the lights are out, they usually get over their fear of the hole monster faster. Eventually they realize that it is their hole in the ground, or cave.
I'm glad that you are receptive to all the help and tips. Some people aren't. I don't aways phrase things well with the typed word and it just rubs some people the wrong way sometimes.
Anyhow, I used to use those bakelite fixtures in years past and they just aren't made to hold up to the kind of heat CHEs and reptile bulbs produce all day long in hot environments. They are fine if used for an hours at a time in someones cold garage, but they aren't meant to be on 12-14 hours a day with a hot CHE burning in them. I've had them short out because their innards just fail. They are cheap and low quality, and you need heavy-duty for a tortoise enclosure application. I use these:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Woods-3...BEgKUkfD_BwE&dclid=CPKrzMuHtNoCFUpxAQodU5gEcQ
Anyhow, I used to use those bakelite fixtures in years past and they just aren't made to hold up to the kind of heat CHEs and reptile bulbs produce all day long in hot environments. They are fine if used for an hours at a time in someones cold garage, but they aren't meant to be on 12-14 hours a day with a hot CHE burning in them. I've had them short out because their innards just fail. They are cheap and low quality, and you need heavy-duty for a tortoise enclosure application. I use these:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Woods-3...BEgKUkfD_BwE&dclid=CPKrzMuHtNoCFUpxAQodU5gEcQ
Ok so I made these, I put the ceramic plug in the reflector to protect from heat. It says it can handle bulbs of 660W. Btw my tort went inside her hide for the first time this morning! Also I want to weigh her soon because I have never done it yet but she hatched at my birthday 9th april so she is about 4 months and it seems that she hasn’t grown at all since I got her. When I see pictures of other sullys of same age they look bigger. I’ll post another picture of her when she comes out of that hide.
Attachments
daniellenc
Well-Known Member
What was her weight when you got her? No growth would beg the question how stable are your temps, what are you feeding, and how much does she eat? However, as hatchlings it's hard to notice growth because you see them everyday so I know I missed growth until I compared pics of day one to pics from a few months after he came.....then it was obvious he was growing! Does she poop daily? That would be another sign eating is happening.
I never see her poop and she rarely poop when I soak her. She does eat a lot. My temps are 100 for basking and it's about 86 in the closed chamber but it might go a little more or less. Temps never go under 80 at night. I unfortunately did not weigh her when I got her. The feeding part is always the most confusing to me but I feed dandelions which I know contains oxalic acid so I try not to feed too much, I usually go outside and pick up a bunch of grass and I grab clover leafs and flowers and a bit of wild strawberry leafs. I also once in a while buy endives which I give a lot when I got some until it's not fresh enough. Btw she is a picky eater it's always gotta be super fresh! When I got her I was feeding kale which also contains acid so I stopped. There should be a list of things that doesn't contain oxalic acid... Right now im trying to grow millet, wheat and turnip for her. Maybe the growth wasn't fast because she wasn't in a closed chamber.
LoonyLovegood
Active Member
Wow nice set up! Is that plexiglass in front? If so could you tell me where you bought it and general cost? Sorry, newbie here
It's sold in pretty much in every hardware store. It's acrylic. They might be hard to see because they are covered in white plastic to protect them. This piece cost me 21$ CAN but this was the smallest and thinest piece, thicker acrylic is much more $, it's very hard to drill without cracking it look on youtube. I rushed it slightly and cracked it at two places...
LoonyLovegood
Active Member
Thank you! I tried looking online but I really didn’t know what I was looking for. So the thinner the better? I have no tools so hopefully my local hardware store could cut it for me.
