First time Sulcata owner in the UK

Yossarian

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5 Year Member
Joined
Nov 21, 2015
Messages
813
Location (City and/or State)
Wales
Thank you Tom. I realise that now but it's going to take me a few days to resolve. We both work full time so it will be the weekend before we can re-design his living area to get through the winter. The heat mat is coming next week, I understand that will help, but not solve the issue. I have a number of good recommendations on radiant heat panels but we need to work out how and where to site them in the shed to maximise the heat. We also need to insulate the inside of the shed better. I should have done all this BEFORE he arrived but I stumbled on this site only very recently, others I would have been better prepared.

My advice, living somewhere colder than you do in the UK, forget trying to further insulate/heat the larger shed any energy you spend there is literally going to be wasted. Focus on the inner box, it should not be too hard to keep that box warm enough, just needs to be heavily insulated, needs to have an insulated door for the nights, you will have to close him in and let him out each day when its really cold though. In the meantime, if you are really worried and cant keep temps up you can try this in a pinch, I use one in a workshop outside and it does a good job keeping it warm while Im working. Uses a lot of electricity though. They produce a constant low level of heat, so no risk of burning, no red elements, just slowly heating a space and they have a built in thermostat which seems to max out about 26-28c.

 

lornaB

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Oct 13, 2020
Messages
10
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EXETER
Hi Emily, I’m in Exeter with my own marginated who is 3 years old. He’s living inside with me but next year I’m building him a outdoor enclosure as he takes up so much space. All these replies you’re getting are so helpful to me too in planning and designing - nice to have a tortoise neighbour close by because it is a lot more complicated than i originally expected...
 

Emmawilly

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Joined
Nov 1, 2020
Messages
161
Location (City and/or State)
Plymouth
My advice, living somewhere colder than you do in the UK, forget trying to further insulate/heat the larger shed any energy you spend there is literally going to be wasted. Focus on the inner box, it should not be too hard to keep that box warm enough, just needs to be heavily insulated, needs to have an insulated door for the nights, you will have to close him in and let him out each day when its really cold though. In the meantime, if you are really worried and cant keep temps up you can try this in a pinch, I use one in a workshop outside and it does a good job keeping it warm while Im working. Uses a lot of electricity though. They produce a constant low level of heat, so no risk of burning, no red elements, just slowly heating a space and they have a built in thermostat which seems to max out about 26-28c.

My advice, living somewhere colder than you do in the UK, forget trying to further insulate/heat the larger shed any energy you spend there is literally going to be wasted. Focus on the inner box, it should not be too hard to keep that box warm enough, just needs to be heavily insulated, needs to have an insulated door for the nights, you will have to close him in and let him out each day when its really cold though. In the meantime, if you are really worried and cant keep temps up you can try this in a pinch, I use one in a workshop outside and it does a good job keeping it warm while Im working. Uses a lot of electricity though. They produce a constant low level of heat, so no risk of burning, no red elements, just slowly heating a space and they have a built in thermostat which seems to max out about 26-28c.

Hello Yossarian, all good advice. Having looked it again, we agree with you, we need to focus on the inner hut.
I spoke to an infrared FAR radiant panel company today who are going to email me details of panels that will fit into the roof of the inner hut. They deliver next day so if I can clarify and decide on the panel tomorrow it will be here in time for weekend. And yes, we need to block the doorway up at night with a shutter of sorts. The outside temps are still very low, but more like 9 degrees now rather than zero. His temp in the hut is still under 20 though so time is of the essence. Heat mat arriving next week.
thank you for the link to the other heater. At 45quid it’s not too expensive so if not solved this weekend, I’ll nip out and get one from b and q.
I’ll post pictures once all sorted.
 

Emmawilly

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Joined
Nov 1, 2020
Messages
161
Location (City and/or State)
Plymouth
Hi Emily, I’m in Exeter with my own marginated who is 3 years old. He’s living inside with me but next year I’m building him a outdoor enclosure as he takes up so much space. All these replies you’re getting are so helpful to me too in planning and designing - nice to have a tortoise neighbour close by because it is a lot more complicated than i originally expected...
Hi Lorna, great to hear from you, how lovely that there’s a few of us down this way. I’m so pleased the responses are helping you, they are helping me too, but it sounds like you are doing it the right way; getting it set up before you move him out.
It’d be lovely to see a picture of the little fella.
Look forward to hearing from you again
 

lornaB

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Oct 13, 2020
Messages
10
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Hi Emily, here he is ?. As you can see his own enclosure is very ramshackle and will prob not last till Xmas, I’m looking for a free book case I can use till I get outdoors sorted. Tell me how you get on with the Kane?
 

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Emmawilly

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Messages
161
Location (City and/or State)
Plymouth
Hi Emily, here he is ?. As you can see his own enclosure is very ramshackle and will prob not last till Xmas, I’m looking for a free book case I can use till I get outdoors sorted. Tell me how you get on with the Kane?
He's very cute Lorna ?
Yes will let you know how I get on.
The radiant panel is arriving tomorrow. Heat mat next week. I've managed to get the temps up in his hut temporarily, mixture of another heater and the weather improving. It's been 25+ today and his hut is currently 23 at 10pm. Rodney came out in the rain today!
 

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Emmawilly

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Joined
Nov 1, 2020
Messages
161
Location (City and/or State)
Plymouth
My advice, living somewhere colder than you do in the UK, forget trying to further insulate/heat the larger shed any energy you spend there is literally going to be wasted. Focus on the inner box, it should not be too hard to keep that box warm enough, just needs to be heavily insulated, needs to have an insulated door for the nights, you will have to close him in and let him out each day when its really cold though. In the meantime, if you are really worried and cant keep temps up you can try this in a pinch, I use one in a workshop outside and it does a good job keeping it warm while Im working. Uses a lot of electricity though. They produce a constant low level of heat, so no risk of burning, no red elements, just slowly heating a space and they have a built in thermostat which seems to max out about 26-28c.

Hi there, further to your advice we've put an inside door in, sealed all gaps in the shed and got another heater in the outer shed and changed the uv bulb to 160w. As a result, the heat is 28 to 32 inside (35+ under the basking bulb) and 22+ in the outer shed. I think we've had milder weather the last 3 days as well which has helped. The infrared radiant panel arrived but needs an electrician to fit (one booked for Thursday). I'm still waiting on the heat pad. The difference in the tortoise is amazing. He is so active now! Lies splatted under the lamp, recharges himself then bulldozes his way around again. He's eating more and is venturing outside once or twice in the rain. I'm an very thankful for the advice given. Will post pictures once the other bits installed. Thank you ?
 

Sarah2020

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Hi there, further to your advice we've put an inside door in, sealed all gaps in the shed and got another heater in the outer shed and changed the uv bulb to 160w. As a result, the heat is 28 to 32 inside (35+ under the basking bulb) and 22+ in the outer shed. I think we've had milder weather the last 3 days as well which has helped. The infrared radiant panel arrived but needs an electrician to fit (one booked for Thursday). I'm still waiting on the heat pad. The difference in the tortoise is amazing. He is so active now! Lies splatted under the lamp, recharges himself then bulldozes his way around again. He's eating more and is venturing outside once or twice in the rain. I'm an very thankful for the advice given. Will post pictures once the other bits installed. Thank you ?
Lovely to read and well done you for turning this around. Keep us posted on activities and future months.
 

Emmawilly

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Joined
Nov 1, 2020
Messages
161
Location (City and/or State)
Plymouth
Hi there, further to your advice we've put an inside door in, sealed all gaps in the shed and got another heater in the outer shed and changed the uv bulb to 160w. As a result, the heat is 28 to 32 inside (35+ under the basking bulb) and 22+ in the outer shed. I think we've had milder weather the last 3 days as well which has helped. The infrared radiant panel arrived but needs an electrician to fit (one booked for Thursday). I'm still waiting on the heat pad. The difference in the tortoise is amazing. He is so active now! Lies splatted under the lamp, recharges himself then bulldozes his way around again. He's eating more and is venturing outside once or twice in the rain. I'm an very thankful for the advice given. Will post pictures once the other bits installed. Thank you ?
To follow on from the above, we now have the radiant panel installed and the heavy duty heat mat in, both on a thermostat. We've set the panel at 26 degrees. Should the heat mat also be set at this temp or higher?
He seems much, much happier.
We've started spraying his enclosure with water twice a day because it can take the humidity now. Plus bathing him every Friday.

He is out in the garden 3 to 4 hours on and off throughout the day and tops himself up on heat and then we check on him before going to bed and lock him in (after reading about that poor women and her frozen sulcata, so terrible). He is eating lots of grass still, it's a bit warmer this week so not frozen.
Very grateful for the advice dispensed by the knowledgeable folk on here. Thank you!
 

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Yossarian

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5 Year Member
Joined
Nov 21, 2015
Messages
813
Location (City and/or State)
Wales
Really nice to see you make that effort and be rewarded by seeing the difference it makes for your Tort. Well done. Now that youe done the work you should be set for the long haul with this guy.
 

Emmawilly

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Joined
Nov 1, 2020
Messages
161
Location (City and/or State)
Plymouth
Really nice to see you make that effort and be rewarded by seeing the difference it makes for your Tort. Well done. Now that youe done the work you should be set for the long haul with this guy.
Thank you Yossarian for your help and knowledge ?
 

zolasmum

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May 19, 2015
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Congratulations on all that work you've done - Rodney is going to be very happy with you and your family, I am sure. I hope you have a lovely Christmas with him.
Best wishes from Angie ( and Zola) x
 

Sarah2020

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1,604
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London, UK
To follow on from the above, we now have the radiant panel installed and the heavy duty heat mat in, both on a thermostat. We've set the panel at 26 degrees. Should the heat mat also be set at this temp or higher?
He seems much, much happier.
We've started spraying his enclosure with water twice a day because it can take the humidity now. Plus bathing him every Friday.

He is out in the garden 3 to 4 hours on and off throughout the day and tops himself up on heat and then we check on him before going to bed and lock him in (after reading about that poor women and her frozen sulcata, so terrible). He is eating lots of grass still, it's a bit warmer this week so not frozen.
Very grateful for the advice dispensed by the knowledgeable folk on here. Thank you!
Well done looks good and great you have happy tort.
 
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