My Best Night Box Design Yet

Tom

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SenjiSandy said:
I've used one before, but how do they compare to electric heat as far as energy efficiency?


This will depend largely on how well insulated and drafty your house is, or isn't.
 

theresal

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I love this post! Hopefully, it will help my husband build one similar for my red foots.
 

tmbarta

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Hi Tom,

I love your design and plan on replicating it in the next few months for my 2 year old sully. I'm going to be making it 4'w x 4'd x 2'h. I'm trying to decide how big to make the door. She's currently 6 1/2" wide and 4 1/2" high. I would like this night box to last for many years, so I know the door needs to be much bigger than that, but since she's my first sully, I have no idea how big I should make it.

My thought was to make the door bigger, based on feedback I get here, then fill it in with 2x4s, that can be removed as she grows.

So any advice would be much appreciated :)

Thanks!!

Tammie
 

Tom

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I like your idea of closing the excess gap with removable 2x4s.

When I make a box for adult sulcatas, I make the door 26x16". One of those unusually giant males might need it a little bigger, but the vast majority of adult sulcatas will fit through a door that size.
 

Dizisdalife

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I too like the idea of using removable 2x4's. A couple of years ago I built my first night box for my 2 year old sulcata. He was about 6" wide so I made the doorway 12" wide and 10" high. A year later I needed to widen the doorway. Luckily I had framed the door in such a way that it could be enlarged without too much trouble. Not that I had planned it that way at all. Even so, enlarging it to 15" wide only got me a few more months use out of that box. My new box, built using Tom's design (and his consultation) is 4' x 6' x 2' high. But that is the subject for another thread. Fun project.
 

tmbarta

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Thanks Tom and Joe :)

I'll post some pics when I get it done. I appreciate the input.



Tom said:
I like your idea of closing the excess gap with removable 2x4s.

When I make a box for adult sulcatas, I make the door 26x16". One of those unusually giant males might need it a little bigger, but the vast majority of adult sulcatas will fit through a door that size.
 

hunterk997

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This gave me some great ideas for my russian's night box for next year. Thanks for sharing it with us.
 

Tom

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hunterk997 said:
This gave me some great ideas for my russian's night box for next year. Thanks for sharing it with us.

I too will be building some russian boxes soon. I will share what I come up with.
 

argus333

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i have the same heater in my box but im having a hard time getting the fflor to heat, what temps are u getting at floor level. i have heater set on the 4? i have same set up as u. heater has 2x 12 around it.
 

Tom

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argus333 said:
i have the same heater in my box but im having a hard time getting the fflor to heat, what temps are u getting at floor level. i have heater set on the 4? i have same set up as u. heater has 2x 12 around it.

I have never checked the floor temp. I have my temp probe on one of the shelves.

I run my heater thermostat all the way up, but set the heater on the low setting, and then I plug it into a reptile thermostat like this one: http://www.tortoisesupply.com/zilla-temperature-controller-thermostat/ , and set the temp where I want it.
 

boris'mommy

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Tom said:
boris said:
Soooo freaking grateful for this thread!

Cool! You've got a year or so to get it all figured out. :)

How long did it take you to put yours entirely together? And thanks again for the reply on my other post I really appreciate it, I can only hope to make you proud with my next enclosure!
 

Tom

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Because of my erratic work schedule, I only work on these sort of projects sporadically. An hour here, two hours there, etc. Each of these boxes takes me about two weeks to finish, but probably only 12-14 hours total, including painting time.

For a single tortoise you can just make a 4x4' instead of a 4x8'.

Another tip: Make the door big enough for an adult so you won't have to make it again. I make my doors 26x16".
 

boris'mommy

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Tom said:
Because of my erratic work schedule, I only work on these sort of projects sporadically. An hour here, two hours there, etc. Each of these boxes takes me about two weeks to finish, but probably only 12-14 hours total, including painting time.

For a single tortoise you can just make a 4x4' instead of a 4x8'.

Another tip: Make the door big enough for an adult so you won't have to make it again. I make my doors 26x16".

Good to know thanks so much!
 

Tom

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Another tip: When its time for him to move outside, leave him out until just after dark for a few nights to see where he wants to sleep. Then put your new tortoise box where the tortoise wants to be. Much easier than trying to make him go where you want him to be.
 

boris'mommy

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Tom said:
Another tip: When its time for him to move outside, leave him out until just after dark for a few nights to see where he wants to sleep. Then put your new tortoise box where the tortoise wants to be. Much easier than trying to make him go where you want him to be.

If it's okay with you I'll be coming to you specifically with all of my questions once he is big enough to be outside ( and even before )
 
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