Feedback on tortoise enclosure expansion

LeahK

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I just opened up my enclosure for my 5 month old eastern Herman's Tommen (closed top). It's a 6x3, and I am going to add more cover. I got some spider plant, and I have some pothos coming too.

I put in two heat lamps, since the enclosure is longer, but I noticed on here, most enclosures only have 1 heat lamp - is there a reason? Temperature in the middle is 80-85F, and basking spots are 90-95F. Tommen will be in this enclosure until he's an adult, so I want to make sure it's perfect. I am hoping to make some upgrades, and I am always open to thoughts and advice!
 

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Toddrickfl1

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I just opened up my enclosure for my 5 month old eastern Herman's Tommen (closed top). It's a 6x3, and I am going to add more cover. I got some spider plant, and I have some pothos coming too.

I put in two heat lamps, since the enclosure is longer, but I noticed on here, most enclosures only have 1 heat lamp - is there a reason? Temperature in the middle is 80-85F, and basking spots are 90-95F. Tommen will be in this enclosure until he's an adult, so I want to make sure it's perfect. I am hoping to make some upgrades, and I am always open to thoughts and advice!
Definitely add some more plants. Get yourself a potted Pothos plant and let it go wild with vines.
 

Toddrickfl1

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It's super easy to grow, just keep it watered. You can take cuttings and plant them too. I keep them in pots in the enclosure and pots that are above the enclosure. So that the vines hang down into the enclosure. All of this started from one plantIMG_20210918_150534593.jpgIMG_20210918_150506647.jpgIMG_20210918_144056505.jpg
 

Toddrickfl1

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Okay, thanks! Your plants look great!
Thank you. You might have to fertilize them too from time to time but I'm not sure because I never have. I always use the water from my pond and it's got a lot of turtle/fish poop fertilizer ?
 

LeahK

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Thank you. You might have to fertilize them too from time to time but I'm not sure because I never have. I always use the water from my pond and it's got a lot of turtle/fish poop fertilizer ?
I do have some fertilizer that I believe is tortoise safe, so I will probably do that! I also just got a grow light, so I’m hoping that will work well.
 

Krista S

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I just opened up my enclosure for my 5 month old eastern Herman's Tommen (closed top). It's a 6x3, and I am going to add more cover. I got some spider plant, and I have some pothos coming too.

I put in two heat lamps, since the enclosure is longer, but I noticed on here, most enclosures only have 1 heat lamp - is there a reason? Temperature in the middle is 80-85F, and basking spots are 90-95F. Tommen will be in this enclosure until he's an adult, so I want to make sure it's perfect. I am hoping to make some upgrades, and I am always open to thoughts and advice!
I think you’re correct in having 2 heat lamps, especially if it’s an open top enclosure. My enclosure is just slightly larger than yours (7ftx4ft) and I actually have 3 heat sources.

The one on the left is a 65 watt BR30 flood light and the slate under it gets to around 96 degrees. The one on the right is another 65 watt BR30 flood light as well as the T5 HO 10.0 UV fixture. In the middle I have a ceramic heat emitter on a thermostat. I unplugged it for a couple months over summer, but just plugged it back in a couple weeks ago because we are already getting freezing overnight temps. I have one temp set for during the day and another for nighttime. Even with the 3 heat sources there’s still a good temperature gradient throughout the enclosure. You don’t want the entire enclosure to be the same temperature, so your tortoise has the ability to thermo regulate.

772CB47E-9EBF-4954-A87F-5EA90A9A6757.jpeg

Either way, if it’s a closed chamber or a “tortoise table” like mine, you have to let your thermometers guide how many heat lamps you require. I have 3 digital thermometer/humidity gauges throughout the enclosure and use a temperature gun to check out various spots frequently as well.

As for plants, I have pothos and a spider plant in my enclosure and both do really well. Even though the pothos gets trampled at times, it still grows like crazy. I sometimes wonder if it grows like crazy because it feels like its life is constantly threatened by a little tortoise and it feels it needs to grow big and fast lol. I used to have it in the middle of the enclosure, but last weekend I rearranged the enclosure and moved the pothos to the corner of the enclosure because I want to start stringing some the vines around the perimeter of the enclosure.
 

LeahK

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Location (City and/or State)
Berkeley CA
I think you’re correct in having 2 heat lamps, especially if it’s an open top enclosure. My enclosure is just slightly larger than yours (7ftx4ft) and I actually have 3 heat sources.

The one on the left is a 65 watt BR30 flood light and the slate under it gets to around 96 degrees. The one on the right is another 65 watt BR30 flood light as well as the T5 HO 10.0 UV fixture. In the middle I have a ceramic heat emitter on a thermostat. I unplugged it for a couple months over summer, but just plugged it back in a couple weeks ago because we are already getting freezing overnight temps. I have one temp set for during the day and another for nighttime. Even with the 3 heat sources there’s still a good temperature gradient throughout the enclosure. You don’t want the entire enclosure to be the same temperature, so your tortoise has the ability to thermo regulate.

View attachment 333034

Either way, if it’s a closed chamber or a “tortoise table” like mine, you have to let your thermometers guide how many heat lamps you require. I have 3 digital thermometer/humidity gauges throughout the enclosure and use a temperature gun to check out various spots frequently as well.

As for plants, I have pothos and a spider plant in my enclosure and both do really well. Even though the pothos gets trampled at times, it still grows like crazy. I sometimes wonder if it grows like crazy because it feels like its life is constantly threatened by a little tortoise and it feels it needs to grow big and fast lol. I used to have it in the middle of the enclosure, but last weekend I rearranged the enclosure and moved the pothos to the corner of the enclosure because I want to start stringing some the vines around the perimeter of the enclosure.
Thank you, this is super helpful!

I have seen your enclosure before, and I absolutely love the fall decorations! I am sure your tortoise loves the home!

Mine is closed top, so I don’t think I’ll need a third light. I am trying to be careful with the temperatures, and have been adjusting things to get it perfect. One of my thermometer-hygrometers died, so I’ve been moving my single one around the enclosure, but I ordered more.

For your plants, do you do any special lighting or rotations? Or you just leave them in there year round under the tortoise uvb? Yours look healthy!
 

Krista S

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Thank you, this is super helpful!

I have seen your enclosure before, and I absolutely love the fall decorations! I am sure your tortoise loves the home!

Mine is closed top, so I don’t think I’ll need a third light. I am trying to be careful with the temperatures, and have been adjusting things to get it perfect. One of my thermometer-hygrometers died, so I’ve been moving my single one around the enclosure, but I ordered more.

For your plants, do you do any special lighting or rotations? Or you just leave them in there year round under the tortoise uvb? Yours look healthy!
I don’t do anything special with the plants at all. I just water them. They’re in really heavy cement pots so that Dozer can’t move them or knock them over. The plants are in fertilized soil, but I have never added any additional fertilizers. I put water in the watering container and set it aside for watering day. That way the water is it at room temperature and the chlorine in the water can dissipate. I don’t have any fancy plant lights or anything. This enclosure was just put together in February, and the plants have done nothing but thrive. Once the plants were moved into Dozer’s enclosure it was amazing how they perked up and started growing like crazy.
 

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