Heating outdoor house

[Mandysaur]

I have a fully insulated 4x3x3 house with no floor only dirt. I live in Austin Texas so it’s pretty warm but we do get a few below freezing days. I am thinking of a RHP on the wall. Do you think that would be enough? I will probably put some sort of heat bulb also. I am scared of fires of course.

 

[Yvonne G]

It probably would be a good idea to cover the dirt floor. The earth is only as warm as the surrounding earth, and while it may not get too cold, it may not be warm enough for the tortoise sitting directly on it. One RHP might not be enough. I have three of them and the rheostat (??) keeps the temperature inside the night box right where the dial is set (which is 78F degrees right now). Maybe one large RHP would be enough, you just have to try it and see, but be sure to also get the temperature controller. You dial in the temperature you want and the RHPs don't turn on unless the temperature inside the night house gets down below the setting.

The floors in my sheds are covered with a 1/2" thick rubber mat (made to put inside horse stalls), and the night box referred to above has an insulated wood floor with a rubber stall mat that's been cut to fit.

 

[Mandysaur]

Should I fully enclose and insulate the floor or just set the stall mat inside?
When using the oil filled heaters how far away from the heater should the barrier be?
Should he have substrate inside the night box?

Thank you for being so nice. There is a lot of conflicting info. We built his house open bottomed because it was suggested the dirt will radiate heat for longer than an artificial bottom

 

[Yvonne G]

You can probably just place the mat in the corner where he sleeps, however, they come in a 3x6' size, so you have plenty to cover the whole floor. I don't use substrate because it's easier to clean out poop and pee off a bare floor. I also don't use the radiator heater, but @Tom does.

 

[Tom]

I have a fully insulated 4x3x3 house with no floor only dirt. I live in Austin Texas so it’s pretty warm but we do get a few below freezing days. I am thinking of a RHP on the wall. Do you think that would be enough? I will probably put some sort of heat bulb also. I am scared of fires of course.

RHPs need to be mounted above the tortoise, not on a wall. You don't want them touching or rubbing on it.

No bulbs over large tortoises. It will burn their carapace. No CHE's either.

I like a combo of RHP over head and a Kane mat on the floor. More explanation here:
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/another-night-box-thread.88966/

 

[Mandysaur]

When using a oil filled heater how far away from the heater do you install the barrier?