keeping the heat in help...

[DonaTello's-Mom]

I'm still struggling with trying to keep the heat in my tort table. The table I built last year, is 3ft wide and 4ft long and I've included a picture below. I did read a post about covering the top with some type of plexi glass? If I use that, how do I arrange my lights and CHE? Would those things sit right on top of it and would it melt?? I'm worried if I lower my CHE anymore it will melt his hide. Someone said to cover the top with alum-foil, thats ok for a small enclosure but mines 4ft long......and the worst part is now my tort 'Donny' has a runny nose because 'UPS' took 4 days to ship him to my house when it was supposed to be 'overnight air!', he was cold as a popsickle and upside down....
I should clarify my daytime temps are ok but it's the night temps that are an issue. My house is older and not very well insulated. How do I keep the heat inside? How to other keepers cover their tables? Pics would be GREAT!! Any thoughts would be really appreciated....

MVB on the left, CHE in the middle and 'house bulb on the right. The substrate dries faster on the left from the heat,
thats why the colors looks so different from left to right.
The left side is the 'hot' side.

 

[coreyc]

I have a 3' x 6' table half is covered with Plexiglas I have a 80 watt heat panel mounted under also there is a cut out where I mounted a reptile screen the ones for an aquarium an put a Che it the other half is where my MVB & CHE are heres a pic I will take a better one an post it later

[/img]

 

[moswen]

hey jilly, i have that same plant that's in the middle of donny's enclosure... just thought i'd throw that in there lol.

on especially cold nights i use a human heat blanket that is under my tort's enclosures, but i tested it every night for almost a week before i got my torties... anyway it keeps the temps right at 72degrees, if i remember correctly. it's been last winter since i used it. whatever it is it's in the low 70's.

if you don't feel comfortable with that you could lay a heated blanket over half his enclosure, that would make heat and keep it in there.

 

[Edna]

I have a cold, drafty old house, too, so I rely on reducing heat loss from my tory enclosures to keep them warm at night. In Torty's enclosure, he has a heat pad directly under his hide/sleeping area. With nighttime temps, even the heat pad isn't enough unless I cover the entrance to the hide. I place some large leaves over the entrace, then pile up bedding against the leaves. He could easily dig out if he chose, but he never does.
For Maggie and Molly, I have their enclosure mostly covered all day, and at night I cover the light hole in the cover, leave the CHE on, and cover as much of the lid as I can with a thick towel.
Your table is wide enough that plex would sag unless you support it underneath. There are a variety of metal strips at the hardware store that can be cut to length, just choose what will work best for support in your table. The lights can't go on top of the plex. Your nighttime cover arrangement may have to be different from your day cover.
Scattered, but I hope it helps.

 

[zoogrl]

My old house was very drafty so I would keep a big blanket on my ball python's cage to keep heat in. Also with Betty, my russian, I will keep a blanket over the top of her enclosure at night when the lamp is off. It helps keep her temps right where I want them.

Coryc - that table is beautiful! I'll bet those are some happy torts

 

[coreyc]

My old house was very drafty so I would keep a big blanket on my ball python's cage to keep heat in. Also with Betty, my russian, I will keep a blanket over the top of her enclosure at night when the lamp is off. It helps keep her temps right where I want them.

Coryc - that table is beautiful! I'll bet those are some happy torts

Thank's but they are not in there yet I hope they will like it when I move them in it

 

[Yvonne G]

Well, its not pretty, but here's what I do:

 

[DonaTello's-Mom]

" I have a 80 watt heat panel mounted under "

Is that the tube light I see in there Corey? And wow your table is awesome to say the least!...

 

[Torty Mom]

What about putting him in a smaller enclosure for sleeping? Once my little ones go to bed they do not get up again. I can protect them from temp changes and drafts much easier. But they are small, how big is you little guy?

 

[Maggie Cummings]

Jilly...you don't have to cover the whole thing just half of it. I use aluminum foil over half of a couple of large habitats. The half with the CHE and the foil holds the heat in good...

But if I were you I would make a lid to cover the whole thing. I have one tort table that is 8 feet long and 2 feet wide and my son made 2 lids for it. So I can open or close each half as I want/need to...

 

[DonaTello's-Mom]

hey jilly, i have that same plant that's in the middle of donny's enclosure... just thought i'd throw that in there lol.

Too funny, that plant was from my daughter fer my birthday..

I really like the blanket idea..........sounds much easier than 'building' something. Thanks so much..

 

[coreyc]

" I have a 80 watt heat panel mounted under "

Is that the tube light I see in there Corey? And wow your table is awesome to say the least!...

The heat panel is the black thing in between the two lights

 

[DonaTello's-Mom]

You guys have some great ideas! Lately I've been maybe too 'anal' about my night temps, it's just been so cold at night here. I can't figure how to reply to everyone at once here so sorry if they're scattered.

Edna & zoogirl-- I'm really liking the heat pad and blanket idea. Thanks!
Tortymom--My sully is almost 6-inches long. This is his nite-time bed and he's outside mostly but it's been too cold the last few days here.
Yvonne & Maggie--I think between the blanket and foil ideas I have a plan!! Thanks so much!

 

[Torty Mom]

Yep he is MUCH bigger. Smaller would be impossible! Sorry, I didn't have a better idea!! We had freezing temps the last 2 nights! What city are you in?

 

[Neal]

I didn't see an answer to this so I'll ask (sorry to hijack the thread but it's related). Will plexiglass melt? I'm having the same issue.

 

[RianSeeking]

Corey,

That is a lovely table. Did you make it and stain it yourself?

 

[DonaTello's-Mom]

Yep he is MUCH bigger. Smaller would be impossible! Sorry, I didn't have a better idea!! We had freezing temps the last 2 nights! What city are you in?

I'm in lompoc, ca. Really chilly the last few days an the nights....bbrrrrr!.

---

I didn't see an answer to this so I'll ask (sorry to hijack the thread but it's related). Will plexiglass melt? I'm having the same issue.

Hijack away because I wanted to know too....can anyone answer??

 

[-ryan-]

The smart person builds a small fire and sits close to it.

I keep all my enclosures covered, and I keep the heat lamps inside the enclosure and mounted (securely) so that they are only just out of reach of the tortoises. I can heat a 4'x2'x2' wood enclosure with a single 45 watt incandescent flood bulb on a dimmer (turned up about 3/4's of the way). My large enclosures (6'x30"x18") are heated with two 45 watt halogen flood bulbs, and I really only use these because they spread the heat out more to cover a larger basking spot for multiple tortoises and larger tortoises. Those enclosures are in a basement that goes into the 50's in the winter, and they heat well.

When you use an open top enclosure with high wattage light bulbs you are always fighting a losing battle when it comes to temperature and humidity. Realistically, an open top enclosure does not make a habitat. The majority of the enclosure will be the same temperature and humidity of the room, and you're going to over extend your electric bill trying to create a small spot that is the right temperature. Humidity is basically never going to be right, unless you want your room to get moldy and mildewy.

 

[coreyc]

Corey,

That is a lovely table. Did you make it and stain it yourself?

Yes Yes

 

[Yvonne G]

Depending upon how close the light is to the plexiglass, yes, it will melt.