basking area/light help

[caymaria]

Hi everyone! I am remodeling the enclosure! Right now, my ibera greek is in a 26-30 gal plastic tote and my boyfriend fabricated the top with hardware cloth, but with the lights, it is becoming a pain-in-the-you-know-what to get in and out of and I keep pricking myself getting in the enclosure (we need a screen top considering we have cats) along with having to turn off the heat emitter to put it down somewhere (I use a lamp stand for the powersun) but the tote is not very wide so I just have the emitter on top of the screen for now. I think I am going to just give in and buy the zoo med tortoise house for now since it is wider and I need a larger area to fit both lights so I can use two lamp stands along with that hinged top. I like that we can add on to it. I know we could build something cheaper, but frustration has set in and we want this done! If anyone else has this set up, I would love to see pics.

My questions are these...I been monitoring the temps in the basking area and it reaches about 95 directly under in the basking area....I know this is decent, but I am using a 100 watt powersun AND a 100 watt heat emitter, both next to eachother to provide this temp. I was under the impression that the powersun could have done the trick in such a small enclosure in one spot! What do you all use to achieve this temperature? Is there another product that gives off more heat/uvb or should I invest in a higher wattage powesun? I don't mind using the heat emitter AND powersun if need be, but wondered if one bulb would do the trick. Both are about 10-11 inches above the substrate.

Thanks so much!

 

[bikerchicspain]

That would be a 360 litre tank.
First of forget the terrariums, they do not enough ventilation for torts.

I have myself do not have the luxury of a garden, so mine are in huge rabbit cages, the biggest on the market,

I am using a 150w full spectrum and a 250 w MCB and that works for me.

Everyone has different things that work for them, as climate and household temps play a big part in the strength you would need.

For example the temps here do not go below 11 degrees Celsius.
It's sort of hit and miss until you find what works for you and your torts..

 

[Aristotle]

Hi Caymaria. I just bought two ZooMed Tortoise Houses. I don't have pics but will take some - it basically looks just like the pics you can find on the internet. It is very roomy, and I'm excited that my little greek will have more room to roam.

The cheapest I found were on LLReptile for $99 each - they also have a discounted price if you buy 3 of them. The houses come in about 8 pieces, and assemby is quite easy. Some things for you to consider before you purchase the Tortoise House (I'm not sure if the issues are unique to LLReptile, but just wanted to mention them) - the hinges on both houses were rusty, so I had to go to Home Depot to replace them (8 in all). Not the end of the world but still kind of a pain. Perhaps the boxes were sitting in a warehouse for awhile, but undoubtedly the boxes were exposed to some type of moisture. The bottom part of the house, the largest and thinnest piece of wood, was a bit warped, again indicating moisture.

Another issue is that the house is definitely NOT air tight nor waterproofed. I didn't waterproof the first house (it's for my son whose Leopard Tort is only with me half the week) - I will put a heavy duty plastic liner in it. When I put it together there were lots of gaps in the pieces. I am not the most handy person, so it may be my less-than-perfect. I had to use a silicone caulk to seal practically the whole house, which was very time-consuming.

If you want to waterproof your house, there is a thread somewhere in this forum that lists various options of doing so. I ended up using Park's Epoxy Resin recommended by one of the posters (very difficult to apply in my experience), and am one day away for the completion of the 72-hour "cure" period and assembly of the house. The poster who suggested this said that any cracks should be sealed with 100% silicone caulk, which I have at the ready. From my experience with the first house I will definitely need it.

I am pleased with the outcome so far, but it's a lot of work. I am still gathering the things I need to make it a tort home. When I move Ari in, I'll take some pics and post them on this thread. Ari is moving out of a glass tank (Thank God - I can hardly wait!), so I need some new lighting and other things. I am used to a glass top over my heat source, so I would be great to hear what works for you (type of lights, wattage, distance from the screen, etc) in a wood enclosure with no "roof".

Good luck with the Tortoise House (if you decide to get one).

Best,
Kristina