How to make a closed-chamber baby habitat out of a 55gal Sterilite bin

[biochemnerd808]

Since several folks have asked about how to make a closed chamber baby enclosure out of a 55gal Sterilite tote, here are some pics and description of how I do.​

This is not the most beautiful option, but since the babies will only be in here for 9-12 months, I'm okay with that. My own Russian tortoise babies move outside full-time at about 9 months old.​

​

I buy these 55gal (200 quart) Sterilite bins from Target or Home Depot, whichever is cheapest at the time. They cost between $25 -$40, depending on where you buy them and the time of year.

After trying several different kinds of bins, I've found these to work best.


















Cutting:
I use an oscillating cutter with a T blade. A Dremmel with a cutting wheel will work too. Or in a pinch, a wood burner or even just an old knife you repeatedly hold into a hot flame… but whatever you do, use eye protection. Hot plastic bits do fly. Practice on a piece of similar material that you don’t care about.






First, draw a rectangle with sharpie. It should be about 6" or more up from the bottom, to leave enough room for the substrate.

Before you cut out the rectangle, drill 4 holes for the zip tie hinges. (2 holes near the left edge of the rectangle, 2 holes to the left of the line)









Cut out the rectangle.




















Use zip ties to create the hinges. Optionally, you can also drill 2 small holes on the right side of the door flap to make a 'handle' out of a zip tie.












Cut holes for the basking lamp and the CHE (or drill holes to mount the radiant heat panel). Line the edges of the holes with aluminum foil.

I mount a 24" Arcadia T8 UVB Tube light fixture in the back of the lid, which I run for 4 hrs in the afternoon during the winter. During the warm months, my baby tortoises spend 30mins - 1hr outside every day for UV, so I don't use artificial UV light during this time.

This photo shows a door hole on top, too, but I ended up closing it off with tape because I just lost humidity out of it, and I never used it.

You can add additional insulation (though not attractiveness) by taping either silver bubble insulation, or styrofoam insulation boards around 3 sides. I also always set the bin onto a piece of styrofoam. The less heat you lose, the lower wattage bulb you can use.

For information on HEAT and LIGHTS, please refer to the other articles posted here in the forum.

I hope this helps you as you get set up for your baby tortoise!

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

This should be pinned on enclosures! So many struggle with setting up a cheap closed chamber.

 

[biochemnerd808]

This should be pinned on enclosures! So many struggle with setting up a cheap closed chamber.

Thanks.

@Yvonne G or another admin/mod can probably do that.

 

[Tom]

Since several folks have asked about how to make a closed chamber baby enclosure out of a 55gal Sterilite tote, here are some pics and description of how I do.​

This is not the most beautiful option, but since the babies will only be in here for 9-12 months, I'm okay with that. My own Russian tortoise babies move outside full-time at about 9 months old.​

View attachment 375362​

I buy these 55gal (200 quart) Sterilite bins from Target or Home Depot, whichever is cheapest at the time. They cost between $25 -$40, depending on where you buy them and the time of year.

After trying several different kinds of bins, I've found these to work best.


















Cutting:
View attachment 375356I use an oscillating cutter with a T blade. A Dremmel with a cutting wheel will work too. Or in a pinch, a wood burner or even just an old knife you repeatedly hold into a hot flame… but whatever you do, use eye protection. Hot plastic bits do fly. Practice on a piece of similar material that you don’t care about.




View attachment 375357

First, draw a rectangle with sharpie. It should be about 6" or more up from the bottom, to leave enough room for the substrate.

Before you cut out the rectangle, drill 4 holes for the zip tie hinges. (2 holes near the left edge of the rectangle, 2 holes to the left of the line)







View attachment 375358

Cut out the rectangle.

















View attachment 375360


Use zip ties to create the hinges. Optionally, you can also drill 2 small holes on the right side of the door flap to make a 'handle' out of a zip tie.










View attachment 375361

Cut holes for the basking lamp and the CHE (or drill holes to mount the radiant heat panel). Line the edges of the holes with aluminum foil.

I mount a 24" Arcadia T8 UVB Tube light fixture in the back of the lid, which I run for 4 hrs in the afternoon during the winter. During the warm months, my baby tortoises spend 30mins - 1hr outside every day for UV, so I don't use artificial UV light during this time.

This photo shows a door hole on top, too, but I ended up closing it off with tape because I just lost humidity out of it, and I never used it.

You can add additional insulation (though not attractiveness) by taping either silver bubble insulation, or styrofoam insulation boards around 3 sides. I also always set the bin onto a piece of styrofoam. The less heat you lose, the lower wattage bulb you can use.

For information on HEAT and LIGHTS, please refer to the other articles posted here in the forum.

I hope this helps you as you get set up for your baby tortoise!

This is fantastic. Every detail engineered for maximum tortoise health. Every potential problem addressed and solved. Yet this is cheap and relatively easy for anyone to do.

One of the problems I've always had with the whole tote thing is that all the heating and lighting interferes with taking the lid on and off every day. What a royal pain. Your little door idea solves that major obstacle.

Can you show us the underside of the top and how you mount the florescent tube?

Great ideas and a great thread. Thanks for sharing this.

 

[biochemnerd808]

This is fantastic. Every detail engineered for maximum tortoise health. Every potential problem addressed and solved. Yet this is cheap and relatively easy for anyone to do.

One of the problems I've always had with the whole tote thing is that all the heating and lighting interferes with taking the lid on and off every day. What a royal pain. Your little door idea solves that major obstacle.

Can you show us the underside of the top and how you mount the florescent tube?

Great ideas and a great thread. Thanks for sharing this.

Sure, I'll take some photos of the lid's underside view and post them in the next days.

 

[Tom]

Sure, I'll take some photos of the lid's underside view and post them in the next days.

I've got some incoming baby lizards and this would make a fantastic easy-to-build grow out chamber to get them to a larger size. I made something similar years ago with radiant heat panels and a thermostat, but I couldn't figure a good way to add the lights, and access was a pain in the arse, because I had to remove the whole top with the cords attached several times a day.