Urgent and Inexperienced DIY enclosure

[Mortybaby]

Hello everyone!

I am building an enclosure for a young sulcata. I have no experience with reptiles. He is currently in a very tiny plastic tub and needs to be in something larger and healthier immediately. I want to complete this enclosure ASAP. I recently got the tortoise from someone who no longer wanted to care for him. I believe it is a male. The age is also unknown, but he is small, palm size.

The new enclosure size is 5x3ft with high walls, untreated wood, and spray painted on the outside.
This is simply the only thing that has been built. I have the material ready, but I wanted to come on here first and ask for advice before finishing the enclosure.

I have read and learned a lot here and these are my ideas:

Indoor, open, no top: I live in NJ and with a parent so he has to stay in my room
Fully line the inside of the enclosure with a pond liner
Staple the liner from the outside so all wood is covered.

2 2x4s parallel to each other, with space in between, above the enclosure

Raised- not sure about height.​

5 ft. long (length of enclosure)​

Purpose: lighting

2 incandescent flood bulbs

1 for each 2x4​

ceramic base, reflector dome​

not sure about the wattage

UVB: HO T5 lighting kit from Arcadia or Reptisun

I bought a Reptisun terrarium hood with 5.0 T5 HO 24 W/ 22’ from my local reptile store but can return​

Arcadia Jungle Dawn LED

both incandescent lights would be next to each other but not on the same 2x4, warm side effect
LED and UVB on separate 2x4

Timer outlet for all lights- 12 hrs

Zoo Med environmental control center​

Terra cotta clay saucer

humid hide box on the warm side of the enclosure
Another hide on the opposite end

Humidifier

black slate tile from a hardware store for basking.

Something to accurately read the temperature, humidity, and UVB

Substrate: local reptile store recommended compressed coco fiber

The only things bought are the terra cotta saucer, substrate, pond liner, and Reptisun UVB, which can go unused or returned if better options are needed.
Please let me know if the two 2x4’s to hang lights above the enclosure are okay. I would also appreciate any recommendations for a humidifier, timer outlet, and control system.
Enjoy my art.
Any advice and recommendations are greatly appreciated. Thanks for taking the time to read and respond.

 

[wellington]

Post a pic of the tort. He likely needs to be in an enclosed chamber enclosure.

 

[Mortybaby]

Post a pic of the tort. He likely needs to be in an enclosed chamber enclosure.

Okay, I will tomorrow. He is sleeping now. Would an enclosed enclosure be something I could build or covert to from what I already have? Or I would need to buy something already equipped with controls and lighting?

 

[wellington]

You can convert what you have.

 

[Tom]

Hello everyone!

I am building an enclosure for a young sulcata. I have no experience with reptiles. He is currently in a very tiny plastic tub and needs to be in something larger and healthier immediately. I want to complete this enclosure ASAP. I recently got the tortoise from someone who no longer wanted to care for him. I believe it is a male. The age is also unknown, but he is small, palm size.

The new enclosure size is 5x3ft with high walls, untreated wood, and spray painted on the outside.
This is simply the only thing that has been built. I have the material ready, but I wanted to come on here first and ask for advice before finishing the enclosure.

I have read and learned a lot here and these are my ideas:

Indoor, open, no top: I live in NJ and with a parent so he has to stay in my room
Fully line the inside of the enclosure with a pond liner
Staple the liner from the outside so all wood is covered.

2 2x4s parallel to each other, with space in between, above the enclosure

Raised- not sure about height.​

5 ft. long (length of enclosure)​

Purpose: lighting

2 incandescent flood bulbs

1 for each 2x4​

ceramic base, reflector dome​

not sure about the wattage

UVB: HO T5 lighting kit from Arcadia or Reptisun

I bought a Reptisun terrarium hood with 5.0 T5 HO 24 W/ 22’ from my local reptile store but can return​

Arcadia Jungle Dawn LED

both incandescent lights would be next to each other but not on the same 2x4, warm side effect
LED and UVB on separate 2x4

Timer outlet for all lights- 12 hrs

Zoo Med environmental control center​

Terra cotta clay saucer

humid hide box on the warm side of the enclosure
Another hide on the opposite end

Humidifier

black slate tile from a hardware store for basking.

Something to accurately read the temperature, humidity, and UVB

Substrate: local reptile store recommended compressed coco fiber

The only things bought are the terra cotta saucer, substrate, pond liner, and Reptisun UVB, which can go unused or returned if better options are needed.
Please let me know if the two 2x4’s to hang lights above the enclosure are okay. I would also appreciate any recommendations for a humidifier, timer outlet, and control system.
Enjoy my art.
Any advice and recommendations are greatly appreciated. Thanks for taking the time to read and respond.

Humidifiers should not be used in tortoise enclosures. Maintain high humidity by reducing ventilation. You need a closed chamber.

5.0 tubes produce very little UV. Get the 10.0 instead.

Coco fiber is not good. That can cause impaction. Coco coir, AKA coco peat, is safe, but much too messy for sulcatas. Get fine grade orchid bark. AKA Repti-Bark. You can order large 24 quart bags from chewy.com cheaper than what a pet store sells it for.

Please Gove this a read all the way through. There is a suclata care sheet at the bottom and a heating and lighting breakdown:

Info For New People. Please Read This First.

Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...

tortoiseforum.org

 

[Mortybaby]

Humidifiers should not be used in tortoise enclosures. Maintain high humidity by reducing ventilation. You need a closed chamber.

5.0 tubes produce very little UV. Get the 10.0 instead.

Coco fiber is not good. That can cause impaction. Coco coir, AKA coco peat, is safe, but much too messy for sulcatas. Get fine grade orchid bark. AKA Repti-Bark. You can order large 24 quart bags from chewy.com cheaper than what a pet store sells it for.

Please Gove this a read all the way through. There is a suclata care sheet at the bottom and a heating and lighting breakdown:

Info For New People. Please Read This First.

Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...

tortoiseforum.org

Thank you !! I will. No humidifier, 10.0 instead of 5.0, and orchid or cypress mulch instead of coco fiber. I also read that the UVB light does not need to be on all day as well, correct?

 

[Tom]

Thank you !! I will. No humidifier, 10.0 instead of 5.0, and orchid or cypress mulch instead of coco fiber. I also read that the UVB light does not need to be on all day as well, correct?

That is correct. 1-2 hours mid day if they are out getting direct sun access on some summer days, and 3-4 hours mid day is a good guideline when they are indoors all day in winter.

 

[Mortybaby]

Post a pic of the tort. He likely needs to be in an enclosed chamber enclosure.

Here is the baby. how old do you think?

 

[Mortybaby]

That is correct. 1-2 hours mid day if they are out getting direct sun access on some summer days, and 3-4 hours mid day is a good guideline when they are indoors all day in winter.

Okay, thank you. can I make a closed chamber enclosure like a greenhouse? or would it have to be like a box? Also, I just posted pictures, does the tort look healthy?

 

[wellington]

He looks good and just a touch of pyramiding started. Get him in a closed chamber with 80F temps all over day and night and 80% humidity all over with a basking temp of 95-100F and he should continue to grow smooth and the bit he has will never be noticed.

 

[wellington]

To have a good closed chamber all lights and heat has to be inside the closed chamber. Yes this can be done with like a greenhouse type enclosure. Many of us have or had used the portable pop up green houses available. They come in many sizes. The ones that are not real tall but rectangular are in my opinion the better ones. They keep the heat and humidity down closer to tort level rather then up at a 5 or 6 foot tall ceiling.

 

[wellington]

This is what I'm talking about. They have many lengths available, just have to search. If your enclosure would fit it one of those.

 

[Mortybaby]

He looks good and just a touch of pyramiding started. Get him in a closed chamber with 80F temps all over day and night and 80% humidity all over with a basking temp of 95-100F and he should continue to grow smooth and the bit he has will never be noticed.

Thank you so much!!! I really appreciate the advice.

I would need a CHE to maintain the temperature, correct?
This could be done using some system that controls the temperature meaning it will shut off and turn on, on its own to maintain the set temperature which would be 80F.

Then a 65w incandescent flood bulb for a basking temp of 95-100F. I’ll get a thermometer to measure the temperature directly underneath the bulb to determine if I need another one or just a higher-watt one.


Ambient light: I was thinking about buying an

Arcadia jungle dawn LED bar

or a

Zoo med ReptiSun LED Terrarium Hood

But from reading other posts, they don’t need to be this expensive or a pet brand?​

UV: I was looking to buy either a

Zoo Med ReptiSun 10.0 UVB T5 HO Reptile Terrarium Lamp

24w, 22”L or 39w, 34”L?​

Or

Arcadia reptile ProT5 UVB Kit 12%

24w, 39w, or 54w?​

I would need a timer-controlled outlet that has the ambient light and basking bulb on a 12-hour cycle.
Is there something that can control the UVB and turn it on for a few hours or is that something that must be done manually?

Sorry for all the questions. Everything online is not direct and hard to figure it out when you have no prior experience or knowledge. I seriously appreciate all of the help.

 

[wellington]

Thank you so much!!! I really appreciate the advice.

I would need a CHE to maintain the temperature, correct?
This could be done using some system that controls the temperature meaning it will shut off and turn on, on its own to maintain the set temperature which would be 80F.

Then a 65w incandescent flood bulb for a basking temp of 95-100F. I’ll get a thermometer to measure the temperature directly underneath the bulb to determine if I need another one or just a higher-watt one.


Ambient light: I was thinking about buying an

Arcadia jungle dawn LED bar

or a

Zoo med ReptiSun LED Terrarium Hood

But from reading other posts, they don’t need to be this expensive or a pet brand?​

UV: I was looking to buy either a

Zoo Med ReptiSun 10.0 UVB T5 HO Reptile Terrarium Lamp

24w, 22”L or 39w, 34”L?​

Or

Arcadia reptile ProT5 UVB Kit 12%

24w, 39w, or 54w?​

I would need a timer-controlled outlet that has the ambient light and basking bulb on a 12-hour cycle.
Is there something that can control the UVB and turn it on for a few hours or is that something that must be done manually?

Sorry for all the questions. Everything online is not direct and hard to figure it out when you have no prior experience or knowledge. I seriously appreciate all of the help.

Yes, sounds like you got it. Either the zoomed or arcadia, either one.

 

[Mortybaby]

Hello Again, I want to thank you two for answering me so quickly. I have the enclosure up and running and it is almost ready for move-in day! But before that, I was hoping you can check the enclosure set-up in case I need to change anything around. I also have a few questions.
I have the CHE in the middle on a thermostat set to 80F. The probe is against the wall close to the surface in the back right corner away from all heat sources. Is against the wall okay or should it be laying on the ground?
The 65w incandescent is on a 12 hr. timer and on the left side of the enclosure. I have a temp gauge in there reading 100F directly under but I still need a temp gun to be sure.
I have an LED in the back that is also on a 12 hr. timer. I can customize the lighting, however I have no idea what percentages are best. Should I change them or keep it?
The UVB bar will go in front of the incandescent light which will be on a 2 hr. timer once a day. I am waiting for the solarmeter 6.5 before I put that up.
The humidity gauge is reading 80-95 depending on where I place it.
Any recommendations for what else to put inside? I need to create more shaded areas and something to bask on.

 

[Pák]

Looking really cool ☺

 

[Mortybaby]

Looking really cool ☺

Thank you so much!!

 

[Pák]

I am going with a wood one out of pine board. I treated it with 3 layers of a glaze, to resist moisture. It has one window on each side, but it turned out too much of ventillation, so i covered the one where the hide is.
Now the 100W CHE can maintain the ambient 26-27C, I also added a 7W heating pad ot the top of the hide, so there is ~28C all the time.
It is still in test operation, to see if everything works smooth before the little one arrive.

 

[Mortybaby]

It looks so good! Did you build that? That sounds like a great idea to add 3 layers of glaze. I was worried about moisture damage as well so stapled a pond liner all around the enclosure. I also bought a small and large terracotta dish, one for food and the other for water Is that cuttlebone in the corner?

 

[zolasmum]

He is lovely, and looks very alert and intelligent. You have done so well to get everything prepared in advance. He will be very happy with his new home, I'm sure, and you will have a lot of fun with him.
What is his name ?
Angie (UK)