Heated Hide For An Outdoor Tort Table?

[BaywoodKids]

Hi all, my family and I are constructing our first ever tort table for our baby CDT hatchling, Little Liam. Though Liam is small (only two weeks old) the table is big - about 4' x 8'. And (I feel) it's coming along nicely! The challenge will be moving it out of the garage and into the yard when it's ready.

We live in the central coast of California, and it is very foggy and cool most of the time (temps stay mainly in the 60's.) For this reason I was concerned about putting Liam outside on foggy days, because I was afraid he would get too cold. Someone at the pet store suggested constructing a heated hide, so that he can go in there and get warm, then cruise outside and get some UV. From what I was told the UV outside on a foggy day, though filtered, is still stronger than that provided by artificial lights indoors.

Has anyone ever made a heated hide? Or even heard of someone making one? I'm thinking it would need to be on the covered side, would require weather proofing, and may involve a radiant heat source from above, such as a light. Would it be best to use a night light? I'm not sure where to start, but feel this may be an important step to getting Liam more outside time.

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...ooops, just saw mercurysmom's post from last week, very similar! Sorry, I'm new here...

 

[wellington]

Get yourself a CHE (ceramic heat emitter) and put it on a thermostat and place in hide, where he can't touch it. The screen you have attached. If it is regular screen, the UVB from the sun will be greatly diminished, chicken wire or landscaping fabric is better.

 

[BaywoodKids]

Hi there, and thank you! I've been trying to wrap my head around a housing for the heat source that won't pose a fire risk... It will need to be enclosed to be weather proof, but enclosed with what? First thought was a wooden box, but that doesn't seem safe. The screen is a smaller gauge wire mesh or hardware cloth...

 

[BaywoodKids]

Has anyone used the ZooMed Repti Heated Cave?

 

[expo tort]

I have a friend who did burned his sulcata bad

 

[BaywoodKids]

Oh dear! Poor tortie!!