Input on my sulcatas enclosure

[Bobbyott]

I just built this for my 4 month old sulcata. It's 4ft long x 2ft wide x 1ft high. It has 2 hides, water and food, cypress mulch floor and uvb bulb 10.0 desert, 100 watt heat bulb. What am I missing

 

[Turtleneck123]

Looks great!

 

[BrianWI]

It will be hard to hold humidity.

 

[Turtleneck123]

It will be hard to hold humidity.

Good point. Coconut coir that is kept moist should be fine.

 

[BrianWI]

Good point. Coconut coir that is kept moist should be fine.

I have moist coco coir. If I unseal my tank, the humidity dives. From 80% to 50%

 

[Bobbyott]

I have moist coco coir. If I unseal my tank, the humidity dives. From 80% to 50%

I'm going out tomorrow to get heat emitter and plexiglass to cover the opening

 

[Turtleneck123]

I'm going out tomorrow to get heat emitter and plexiglass to cover the opening

I don't think glass will let air into the enclosure I recommend something like a wire fence

 

[Jodie]

I don't think glass will let air into the enclosure I recommend something like a wire fence

You don't want to let air out for this species. It needs to be closed chamber to hold heat and humidity in.

 

[Jodie]

How deep is your substrate? The deeper you make it, the easier it will be to keep enough moisture in to keep the humidity up.

 

[Tom]

...and uvb bulb 10.0 desert

I wouldn't use the coil type UV bulbs. They sometimes burn their eyes. Use a long tube type instead. There is another member here who keeps arguing about this because he has not yet personally experienced a problem with these bulbs YET. Ignore his ignorance. Better to use something safer and more effective.

Also, for your next rebuild which will come in a few months, don't use OSB. It comes apart when it damp. Plywood is only a few bucks more and will last a lot longer.

Have you read through these yet:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/

 

[Bobbyott]

How deep is your substrate? The deeper you make it, the easier it will be to keep enough moisture in to keep the humidity up.

If I keep the whole enclosure covered how will this little guy breathe?

 

[Jodie]

It will not end up completely air right and when you open it there is an oxygen exchange. Many of us have been using closed chamber enclosures for years. I promise will not suffocate.

 

[Bobbyott]

It will not end up completely air right and when you open it there is an oxygen exchange. Many of us have been using closed chamber enclosures for years. I promise will not suffocate.

Thank you so much , you have been very helpful. I will get this heat and humidity down I promise lol. I have a old storm window covering it now until I get the plexiglass and have to get a heat emitter. Happy tortoise happy life.

 

[Fredkas]

Here i am adding your confidence about closed enclosure. I do not have much experience. I am newbie. I had same question like you last time in my mind. It took my several days read a lot of prove that closed enclosure will be good. And last i search tortoise that die in closed chamber or maybe dying. Came out nothing. I did this research, you should be fine. I forget which one, but a member said, "Your tort is small, the oxygen will be enough for them until another feeding time when you open the enclosure and let the air circulate."

So? The only things that make your tort dying in closed chamber is if you apply paint or glue or anything that harmfull for them, avoid that and you are good to go.. and i mean really good. Lets gooo... make a closed one . Anyway, you will not be able to make it full 100% closed, it will get too humid, you should make a tiny several holes, make the humidity hover around 85 to 95, then you are good.

Sorry i type too much