Another Winter enclosure post...

Blakem

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Hello all, I haven't had a post I'm some time now. As fall and winter are just around the corner, I've been putting my two tortoise (ezek, 6 year old Russian tortoise, and Dexter, 1.5 year old sulcata tortoise) inside their separate tanks.

Dexter is too big for my 5 foot by 2 foot enclosure. At 1.5 years of age, dexter is just over 8 inches and is 4.25 pounds. Ezek is a very small 6 year old at a whopping 4.5 inches and 400 grams. My first question is, what do you guys think about, based on their size and weight, if I put an oil heater inside the housing unit that is controlled by a thermostat? I also am trying to figure out where to put a UVB lamp.

My greenhouse enclosure has a problem, it no longer receives sun...this is a really bad problem. Even thought it is warm when I walk in (80 degrees), I know it's only 70-75 at ground level. It is covered completely, but it has wood on one side which receives a very slight air flow, one too cold for my guys at night. You'll see pictures just ahead. I cannot move the enclosure into the sun. I still live at Home and I am privileged that my parents have allowed me to take up a 25 feet by 5 feet area in their yard.

I hope I covered the information that you guys need to figure out what my options are. Thank you for taking the time to read this. I look forward to hearing responses, criticism, adjustments needed to provide my guys with a comfortable winter area.

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I did not mention what the weather is like in central California, whoops. During the day, it ranges from 75-85 Fahrenheit lately. At night it will reach 45-50 Fahrenheit.

Sorry, also did not mention that I have never brumated my russian in the two years he has been in my ownership.
 
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Levi the Leopard

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Is the sulcata house insulated? Heated?
My thoughts are you can keep the sulcata in this greenhouse (day and night) if his house is heated. Keep it controlled at 80F and lock him in there at night. During the day he can come in to warm up and go out to graze as he pleases.
 

Dizisdalife

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I agree with Heather. Although Dexter might be a bit small for be outside 24/7, if he has been living outside all summer he should be okay. Not having any sunshine is an issue. I like your idea of setting up an outdoor basking light (one that is not inside his house) that can also provide UVB. If I am understanding the situation, this is all inside a greenhouse that is protected from the weather, so operating a lamp outside should be doable. Inside the tortoise house could be the backup plan for the UVB. How cold does the green house get at night? If it drops into the 40-50 range you will need to insulate and seal the tortoise house to keep the temps where you want them.
 

Tom

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Heather and Joe hit all the points I was going to make.

I use mini-oil filled radiant heaters from Walmart inside my night boxes. I run them on 1000 watt reptile thermostats.
 

wellington

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One thing I did in my shed to get the warm temps of the upper ceiling area down to the lower floor/tort area is to run a fan up by the ceiling on low. Mine is pointed at the oil filled heater. It not only blows on the heater and distributes the heat around to the floor level first but it is also pulling the heat that rises to the ceiling down and blowing that to the tort level too.
 

Blakem

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Great, easy adjustments! Glad that was easier than I thought. The housing is insulated all the way around. Thanks for the input and advice.
 

Len B

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Propagation pads on a small section of the floor, leaving room to get off of the heat, and some of the walls and maybe the ceiling covered with the same type of pads may be all the extra heat you need. your house looks pretty air tight.
 

Blakem

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Thanks for another idea, Len. It is not completely sealed. I need to put some sort of door on the front to close at night time. Right now, its just flaps. Also, the top can be completely half removed, so it's easier to get my tortoise out. I can put the top piece back on when I need to. Because of the flaps as the door, it does not retain heat at night time. It will warm up when its heated by the sun, but not too hot.
 

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