Closed "Chambers"

kobe629

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Aug 16, 2015
Messages
7
I was wondering at what age do you stop using the closed chamber setup for less humidity?
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,265
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
I was wondering at what age do you stop using the closed chamber setup for less humidity?

Pyramiding is caused by growth in conditions that are too dry. So as long as the tortoise is growing, you need that humidity. The best looking sulcatas are grown in FL, Louisiana and SE TX here in the USA.

In a practical sense, I try to raise them mostly indoors until they are too big to live in a 4x8' closed chamber. When they are around 10", I move them outside full time. My climate is very dry and this transition slows their growth and ruins the smooth and symmetrical growth that I get with them indoors. I use tubs of water inside their heated night boxes to offer some humidity some of the time, but the dry climate really takes a toll. They have a few years of some pretty rough looking growth, and then at about 40-50 pounds, things begin to smooth out and look good again.
 

Ramsey

Active Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2016
Messages
284
Location (City and/or State)
San Diego California
Pyramiding is caused by growth in conditions that are too dry. So as long as the tortoise is growing, you need that humidity. The best looking sulcatas are grown in FL, Louisiana and SE TX here in the USA.

In a practical sense, I try to raise them mostly indoors until they are too big to live in a 4x8' closed chamber. When they are around 10", I move them outside full time. My climate is very dry and this transition slows their growth and ruins the smooth and symmetrical growth that I get with them indoors. I use tubs of water inside their heated night boxes to offer some humidity some of the time, but the dry climate really takes a toll. They have a few years of some pretty rough looking growth, and then at about 40-50 pounds, things begin to smooth out and look good again.

Interesting. My climate is very similar down here. I was wondering how effective keeping the outdoor night-boxes humid via controlled methods like a humidifier are.

Do you know?

So once they move outside, will the 8+ hrs a day they spend in the night boxes have a large positive impact if they are kept high humidity during this time?
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,265
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
Interesting. My climate is very similar down here. I was wondering how effective keeping the outdoor night-boxes humid via controlled methods like a humidifier are.

Do you know?

So once they move outside, will the 8+ hrs a day they spend in the night boxes have a large positive impact if they are kept high humidity during this time?

I don't use humidifiers. I just use tubs or buckets of water and that does it well enough for my tortoises. Humidification of the night boxes does seem to help smooth out the growth on my tortoises.
 

chemprentice

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Oct 25, 2017
Messages
253
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California (OC)
@Tom @Yvonne G what top would you recommend for this enclosure setup to maintain heat and humidity better?

Currently we have an open topped cement mixing bin with coco coir substrate and the heat lamp is affixed to the side of the bin to vertically hang over it. We bring our baby Greek outside for 1 hr each day for UV exposure and natural sunlight. Temps on the cooler side have been kept at mid 70s and humidity between 60-70% (read from digital hygrometer). Basking area is 95-100 and warmer is high 80s.

Suggestions for changes?
 

Attachments

  • IMG_8748.JPG
    IMG_8748.JPG
    779.2 KB · Views: 114
  • IMG_8817.JPG
    IMG_8817.JPG
    1.8 MB · Views: 115
  • IMG_8819.JPG
    IMG_8819.JPG
    731 KB · Views: 108
  • IMG_8820.JPG
    IMG_8820.JPG
    1.6 MB · Views: 108
  • IMG_8821.JPG
    IMG_8821.JPG
    1.6 MB · Views: 111

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,265
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
@Tom @Yvonne G what top would you recommend for this enclosure setup to maintain heat and humidity better?

Currently we have an open topped cement mixing bin with coco coir substrate and the heat lamp is affixed to the side of the bin to vertically hang over it. We bring our baby Greek outside for 1 hr each day for UV exposure and natural sunlight. Temps on the cooler side have been kept at mid 70s and humidity between 60-70% (read from digital hygrometer). Basking area is 95-100 and warmer is high 80s.

Suggestions for changes?

I'd recommend a different enclosure that is a closed chamber instead of an open tub.
 

chemprentice

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Oct 25, 2017
Messages
253
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California (OC)
I'd recommend a different enclosure that is a closed chamber instead of an open tub.

Should it be an entirely closed chamber or can it be partially closed? If partially closed, should the closed portion be on the cooler side or warmer side (where the heat lamp is)? And this would help with maintaining humidity and temperatures, correct?
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,265
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
Should it be an entirely closed chamber or can it be partially closed? If partially closed, should the closed portion be on the cooler side or warmer side (where the heat lamp is)? And this would help with maintaining humidity and temperatures, correct?

Any opening is going to let all your warm humid air out. It does not need to be air tight, but openings and air vents will completely defeat the purpose of making it a "closed" chamber. They get plenty of air from all the leaks around the doors and the rest of the enclosure, and whenever you open the doors for daily maintenance like feeding, cleaning, changing the waters, and soaking the tortoise.
 

Chizbad

Active Member
Joined
Oct 27, 2017
Messages
103
Location (City and/or State)
Wilmington, NC
Question... Should I make the basking spot available for 12 hours a day? I have a uvb tube as well along the back left wall and a ceramic bulb for when the uvb/heat bulb isn’t on. The little one seems to want to stay under the spot potentially a little more than it should
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,265
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
Question... Should I make the basking spot available for 12 hours a day? I have a uvb tube as well along the back left wall and a ceramic bulb for when the uvb/heat bulb isn’t on. The little one seems to want to stay under the spot potentially a little more than it should

  • Basking lamp should be on for 12-13 hours everyday.
  • You should be using a flood bulb, not a spot bulb.
  • basking area will work better if there is a flat rock or piece of sandstone or slate directly under the bulb.
  • If the tortoise is staying under the basking area too much, it is usually a sign that the ambient, or the basking area is too cool. What is the ambient temp, and what is the basking area temp directly under the heat lamp?
  • CHEs should be set on a thermostat so that they keep ambient high enough 24/7, regardless of what the other bulbs are doing. If the other bulbs are keeping things warm enough during the day, the thermostat will keep the CHE off all day until it is needed.
 

Chizbad

Active Member
Joined
Oct 27, 2017
Messages
103
Location (City and/or State)
Wilmington, NC
-Using a SolarGlo 80w for 12-13hrs a day
- the tube light is a repti-glo 10.0(on with the solarglo)
-Ambient temp is around 86-90degrees
-basking spot about 95 degrees
-humidity about 85%, a little less under the lights
-I will eventually go to a thermostat set up but haven’t yet, for now just turning the solarglo off in the afternoon and the ceramic on at night seems to keep everything in the correct parameters.
- maybe I should have started by asking, how much is too much? I’d say yesterday my little one spent a total of 5-6hrs under it and was also very active for much of the day moving and eating elsewhere in the tank
 

JoesMum

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Oct 26, 2011
Messages
21,610
Location (City and/or State)
Kent, South East England
-Using a SolarGlo 80w for 12-13hrs a day
- the tube light is a repti-glo 10.0(on with the solarglo)
-Ambient temp is around 86-90degrees
-basking spot about 95 degrees
-humidity about 85%, a little less under the lights
-I will eventually go to a thermostat set up but haven’t yet, for now just turning the solarglo off in the afternoon and the ceramic on at night seems to keep everything in the correct parameters.
- maybe I should have started by asking, how much is too much? I’d say yesterday my little one spent a total of 5-6hrs under it and was also very active for much of the day moving and eating elsewhere in the tank

The basking lamp needs to be on all day. Your tortoise will move into and out of the heat as it needs it. The 95-100F under it must be available on demand. Your tortoise cannot thermoregulate by sweating like you can; it moves to the right position in the enclosure for its needs at any moment. Without being able to bask, it cannot digest food or be active.

When the ‘sun’ goes down you have to ensure your tortoise stays warm enough to remain healthy and so it can move into the basking spot to start the next day.
 

Chizbad

Active Member
Joined
Oct 27, 2017
Messages
103
Location (City and/or State)
Wilmington, NC
The basking lamp needs to be on all day. Your tortoise will move into and out of the heat as it needs it. The 95-100F under it must be available on demand. Your tortoise cannot thermoregulate by sweating like you can; it moves to the right position in the enclosure for its needs at any moment. Without being able to bask, it cannot digest food or be active.

When the ‘sun’ goes down you have to ensure your tortoise stays warm enough to remain healthy and so it can move into the basking spot to start the next day.
I think I’m just being a little too OCD about it then... everything I’m doing seems to be correct. For what it’s worth, the little one seems active happy and gaining about a gram a day :)
 

JoesMum

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Oct 26, 2011
Messages
21,610
Location (City and/or State)
Kent, South East England
I think I’m just being a little too OCD about it then... everything I’m doing seems to be correct. For what it’s worth, the little one seems active happy and gaining about a gram a day :)

You sound like most of us. You never stop worrying completely... and quite rapidly you tell your tort’s weight to the nearest gramme just by picking it up :rolleyes: :D
 

ohiohomestead

New Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2018
Messages
29
Location (City and/or State)
Northern Ohio
Read this thread a bit too many times. Was hoping not to get babies but it is looking to be the only way to get what I am ultimately wanting.

Have a 2'5" X 5'4" closed chamber 'basically copying Toms style'. With 7 Babies planned, how big should the next enclosure be?
Have a hold over or jail I use for the large toe bitters now that is 6.5'x6.5'. The heat is easily controlled and the humidity can be achieved as it is a corner of my office I studded off/insulated and added a insulate 2x6 subfloor. Would this work for the move up and out of the first nursery?
Thanks

Still wishing the UVB debate had some solid numbers to go off of. Being in Ohio and limited days out and ambient sun during those times. I have just instituted any lights be with UVB. With Tom pointing me to the UV meter, will see if my cost into lighting was fruitful. Arcadia loves me.......
 

ohiohomestead

New Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2018
Messages
29
Location (City and/or State)
Northern Ohio
Not sure if any of the original posters are around still but running into some designs issues.
Tom mentioned turning a window inside out which is perfect for locking reasons, but left local building supply with doubts as to which window.
Can't get anything over 48" that doesn't have a fixed panel. basically cant get window that both sides operate over 48". Even ordering a window 24" wide and 78" tall, turning side ways the large size on all major windows manufacturers fixes the upper window. What would any one recommend on this to make a good sealed entry on the front?
 

lukarw

New Member
Joined
Mar 14, 2018
Messages
5
Location (City and/or State)
barcelona
Hi !

I built closed chamber as by your advised and now I can keep not only right temperature but also humidity around 70-75% with no special effort. My hatchling is behaving much better : its very energized, walks about from basking area to humid box , to cooler area of the enclosure.

I have a question regarding ventilation of the enclosure , I could not find any info on this in your post "How To Raise A Healthy Sulcata Or Leopard, Version 2.0"
. So How do I go about it? is there any ventilation needed? do I need to make few holes here and there in the plastic cover?

Best

Luka
 

New Posts

Top