Glass broke!

[Yelloweyed]

original setup

No pic of broken glass. Too freaked out and in a mad rush to clean all pieces up. Fortunately tempered glass is pretty easy to clean up and to be safe I replaced the top layer of substrate.

New setup. Replaced broken glass with two pieces of plywood. It's covered and insulated and a hinge in-between makes it much easier for access.

Opened

(NOTE: the CHE is only switched on at night after they have gone into their hide which is at the other end to maintain ambient heat during evenings that go below 50. It is hanging off the pole and can be slid around for easier access.)

Closed

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Most glass will explode if it gets too hot. Another issue you have is that UV and UVB can NOT pass through glass. All your tort will get is light and some heat.
Most folks have a raised roof and have the lighting enclosed and under the glass, or have the glass/Plexiglass cut out for the lights.

 

[Heather H]

wow,
are your lights in ceramic fixtures? The plastic ones can melt. I love the setup and all the plants. I can't wait to grow more plants.

 

[Yvonne G]

Were the bulbs sitting right on the glass? No wonder it broke. You have to cut out circles so the glass isn't under the lights. I'm really surprised the glass on the bulbs didn't break.

 

[naturalman91]

wait how did you cut holes in tempered glass.....

dont feel bad i had a 3x5 piece of glass that was the front of my enclosure i was moving it and it basically exploded in my hands it wasn't hot tho i must have barely hit it on something but i had about 50-60 pounds of glass ALL over my floor and neighbor's knocking thinking i was going crazy and breaking windows and stuff lol

 

[Yelloweyed]

I have incandescent lights in the enclosure for basking. For UV-B, the tortoises go outside about every other day. The above lights are LED and just for lighting.

It broke because I'm a lot heavier than the glass was made to withstand! I was leaning on it to grab something - I don't even remember now.

Also, all light and CHE fixtures are ceramic fixtures.