Building a new enclosure…

[KatJ]

Hello, I know there are many threads on this topic already, but a lot of them have lost their images and I’m a very visual person.

We are moving a few hours north, and will have a shed with electricity in our yard. I was hoping to build a new enclosure inside of that for our ~100 llb Sulcata boy, Wilbur.

The floor is concrete. My thought was cinder block, insulation, wood panels with an insulated lid. I would like a smaller area to heat and an adjacent area for him to move to if he so decides.

We have a Kane heat pad, radiator, CHE, and a misting system (is that necessary? It does get quite dry in the winter without it in his current enclosure).

I guess I’m just looking for plans and ideas for this. Is it smart to build it within an existing shed? Should we just build it at the side of the house? Should the Kane pad be mounted on the wall?

We aren’t taking his currently enclosure, as it’s incredibly heavy and was also kind of a prototype that my husband built several years ago.

 

[wellington]

I think it's smart to build a night box inside the shed. The night box can be the warmer area which is smaller and easier to heat and the shed can be room for him to move around if it's too cold outside. I wouldn't use the mister except for summer if needed outside to cool things down and to add humidity. Make the night box the humid hide with adding a bucket or jug of water.
The pig blanket can go on the floor as long as there is a heat source above it and there is room for him to be in the night box without having to be on the pig blanket.
A 4x8 night box like Tom has threads on would work for him.

 

[KatJ]

I think it's smart to build a night box inside the shed. The night box can be the warmer area which is smaller and easier to heat and the shed can be room for him to move around if it's too cold outside. I wouldn't use the mister except for summer if needed outside to cool things down and to add humidity. Make the night box the humid hide with adding a bucket or jug of water.
The pig blanket can go on the floor as long as there is a heat source above it and there is room for him to be in the night box without having to be on the pig blanket.
A 4x8 night box like Tom has threads on would work for him.

Thank you. It’s a pretty big shed. So we’ll probably run a heater in there and insulate it a bit, but leave the night box for most of the heat.

 

[Yvonne G]

I put rubber horse stall mats on the floor of my sheds:

Dudley's Rebuild

I have a guy that comes to take care of spiders, roaches, ants, etc. and he has sulcatas of his own, so he understands about not poisoning my animals. He called my attention to what he referred to as "salt and pepper" around Dudley's night house. He said it was termite 'leavings.' Since...

tortoiseforum.org

I prefer sheds to night boxes because, being an old person, it's easier for me to get in there to administer to the tortoise.

 

[wellington]

Yes I would not leave the floor cement. Put the horse mats like Yvonne mentioned or I had a wood insulated floor place over the cement of my shed and then laid pvc liner over it.

 

[Rlvickers1]

We use both an igloo and a rock house to give her a choice of accommodations.
70 degrees and she’s a Roman the yard.