Feedback on Enclosure

[naldino]

Good day everyone!

Just new to tortoise keeping.

I am in the process of having a closed chamber enclosure made.

I'm from the philippines and live in an apartment, and the enclosure will be placed in an airconditioned room.
- Aircon schedule will only be from around 10:00pm to 7:00am.

I just wanted to ask if this enclosure has too much ventilation, and can make the maintaining humidity difficult?

it will have a total of 4 fixtures inside and will have a automated temp controller
- 3 bulb fixtures (1 for UV-A and 1 for a 100w CHE)
- 1 t5 fixture (will be used for a T5 HO UV-B)

By the way, this is not the exact enclosure, but the maker said it would look similar to this.

Thank you!

Feedback would be much appreciated since i can still do design changes on the enclosure as needed.

 

[naldino]

equipment and substrate to be used for the 36x18x15 enclosure:
1. Zoo med 50w Spot lamp
2. Zoo med Repti sun T5 UVB 24w
3. Zoo med 100w CHE
4. Forest Floor Bedding
5. Automated temp controller

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

What species and how old are you planning on getting?

 

[naldino]

What species and how old are you planning on getting?

Indian star at around 3" to 3.5"

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

equipment and substrate to be used for the 36x18x15 enclosure:
1. Zoo med 50w Spot lamp
2. Zoo med Repti sun T5 UVB 24w
3. Zoo med 100w CHE
4. Forest Floor Bedding
5. Automated temp controller

Hello!
1. Yes, ventilation holes on the opposite sides will create a good overflow. Humidity can be hard to maintain. Yet, you always can use a duct tape (or something more fancy looking) to cover the holes.

2. Enclosure dimensions are too small. Start with 4x2 ft and be ready to expand in a couple of years. Height is the most concerning (4 inches of substrate and lamp fixture height leave distance less than 10 inches between bulb and substrate). "Ideal" enclosure is at least 24" tall (30" is even better).

3. You will need other basking bulb, not a ZooMed spot bulb. Arcadia Solar Basking Floodlight or other flood incandescent bulb are preferred.

4. ZooMed Reptisun T5 10.0 are among recommended lamps but distance from lamp to tortoise should be closer to 18". While 5.0 lamp can be used at lower distance, higher lamp placement is preferred.

 

[Tom]

equipment and substrate to be used for the 36x18x15 enclosure:
1. Zoo med 50w Spot lamp
2. Zoo med Repti sun T5 UVB 24w
3. Zoo med 100w CHE
4. Forest Floor Bedding
5. Automated temp controller

I agree with everything Alex said. No spot bulb. Use a flood bulb. And this enclosure is far too small. You need to at least double all of those dimensions for a 3 inch tortoise. 72x36x30 will work for a while.

How low does the temperature drop when the AC is running from 10pm to 7am?

 

[naldino]

Hello!
1. Yes, ventilation holes on the opposite sides will create a good overflow. Humidity can be hard to maintain. Yet, you always can use a duct tape (or something more fancy looking) to cover the holes.

2. Enclosure dimensions are too small. Start with 4x2 ft and be ready to expand in a couple of years. Height is the most concerning (4 inches of substrate and lamp fixture height leave distance less than 10 inches between bulb and substrate). "Ideal" enclosure is at least 24" tall (30" is even better).

3. You will need other basking bulb, not a ZooMed spot bulb. Arcadia Solar Basking Floodlight or other flood incandescent bulb are preferred.

4. ZooMed Reptisun T5 10.0 are among recommended lamps but distance from lamp to tortoise should be closer to 18". While 5.0 lamp can be used at lower distance, higher lamp placement is preferred.

1. So basically, vents are okay then I would just adjust it close more as needed to maintain humidity?

2. For the size, thanks for the recommendation. I would adjust to the dimensions you mentioned. As for the substrate, is 4" really optimal? Would you care to explain why? I'm actually new to this so open to additional knowledge!

3. Correction on the bulb though, it's apparently a 50w reptizoo halogen spot bulb. Same with this too, are flood lamps really a better choice?

4. If ever I do still get the 5.0 one, what would be the optimal distance for it? I would have to check with the supplier for availability.

As for the design of the enclosure, would you say it's a good closed chamber design? A local hobbyist is designing it.

As for the tortoise, I heard Indian stars especially hatchling may be very sensitive. I actually have options to either get a smaller one, or the 3" one but the breeder suggests me to get the bigger one. What do you think?

 

[naldino]

I agree with everything Alex said. No spot bulb. Use a flood bulb. And this enclosure is far too small. You need to at least double all of those dimensions for a 3 inch tortoise. 72x36x30 will work for a while.

How low does the temperature drop when the AC is running from 10pm to 7am?

Thanks! Will take note of his comments, as for the temp during those times I'd say it would go down to around 23 to 24 (estimate) don't have a thermometer yet as of the moment. Lol

 

[Anastasia 22]

Hello and welcome!
Spot bulbs cause pyramiding. Avoid it, please.

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

1. So basically, vents are okay then I would just adjust it close more as needed to maintain humidity?

2. For the size, thanks for the recommendation. I would adjust to the dimensions you mentioned. As for the substrate, is 4" really optimal? Would you care to explain why? I'm actually new to this so open to additional knowledge!

3. Correction on the bulb though, it's apparently a 50w reptizoo halogen spot bulb. Same with this too, are flood lamps really a better choice?

4. If ever I do still get the 5.0 one, what would be the optimal distance for it? I would have to check with the supplier for availability.

As for the design of the enclosure, would you say it's a good closed chamber design? A local hobbyist is designing it.

As for the tortoise, I heard Indian stars especially hatchling may be very sensitive. I actually have options to either get a smaller one, or the 3" one but the breeder suggests me to get the bigger one. What do you think?

1. Some ventilation is okay, yes. Sometimes you may want to lower humidity or temperatures (e.g. 99% humidity is higher than needed).

2. 4" inches of substrate or more allow tortoise to fully burrow itself for thermoregulation or more moist microclimates. Also, thick substrate helps to maintain humidity without misters and provides some "thermal mass".

3. With tortoises (especially growing ones) you need to prevent shell from drying out (hence, high humidity recommendation) to prevent pyramiding. Any intense heat sources dry out keratin so you want to minimize that effect. Flood bulbs dissipate heat evenly over larger area - this is less desiccating for tortoise shell and allows tortoise to warm up properly. Halogen bulbs output more infrared band A which dries shell even more, comparing to regular incandescent bulbs.

4. For a 5.0 bulb recommended distance is 11". Should be noted, that UVB lamps output significant amount of UVA as well (same percentage for 5.0 and 10.0 lamps) and when you use 5.0 lamp you provide much more UVA to your tortoise than with 10.0 mounted higher. Excess UVA can contribute to pyramiding as well.

The enclosure looks good enough. I would make a few things different:
a. Make vents on one side lower (e.g. in the middle). This increases air flow over substrate and helps to move stale air at tortoise level.
b. Make panel above front latch opaque (this makes lightning and heating less visible from outside, which is easier for your eyes as well).
c. Make side panels and panel under the latch opaque - pure decorative change.
Nothing critical, as you can see.

All hatchlings are more fragile until certain age/size. But very much depends on how breeder starts them (hydration, brooder box after hatching, diet etc.). With a badly started hatchling health problems can arise at any age. But I'll let @Tom comment on that.