New Enclosure

archerkid

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May 24, 2015
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Corvallis, OR
Hi everyone, wanted to get a little feedback on my set up.
I'm going to be getting a baby marginated tortoise, and am setting up an indoor enclosure. I've got a flower pot as a humid hide, a large food dish and a small water dish, though those can be switched. They're both flush with the coconut husk substrate. Humidity stays between 60 and 70% although I haven't watered it in a few days, and it was at 85-90% after watering. My basking temperature is 93+-2F. The cool side floats around 70-75. My night temps are 80-83 degrees under the CHE and around 68-70 on the cool side at night. The CHE is controlled by a thermostat so that it won't get too hot. I'll try to attach a couple photos too.

Additionally, the humid hide has about a 3.5 inch tall gap at the entrance, and I will be getting a sponge to put on top this weekend.

Thanks!
-Alex

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Yvonne G

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I see a lot of ingenuity working there, but I'd like to make two suggestions: ditch the flower pot hiding place and buy a small dish pan or plastic tub like this:

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invert it and cut out a door, just like you did with the flower pot. You can pack this with moist sphagnum moss, wetting it occasionally to keep it moist. Get the smallest one you can find, so it doesn't take up too much room in your enclosure. I actually use a piece of 8" PVC cut in half lengthwise with the back end up against the side of the bin.

Next, get a longer piece of wood and go lengthwise for the lights, instead of across the end like you have it. Lengthwise means you can have your night time heat down at the sleeping end and the daytime light at the other end. With babies I don't like to have a hot side/cool side. I keep my whole baby enclosure between 80 and 85F degrees. The night time temp you've proposed is too cool with a moist substrate. Moving the stick holding the fixtures will help get that up warmer.

Then you can drape a piece of plastic sheeting over the whole thing to keep the cool house air out and the warm/moist air in.
 

Yvonne G

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This is my PVC hiding place. I have since packed it with moist sphagnum moss.
 

archerkid

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Joined
May 24, 2015
Messages
32
Location (City and/or State)
Corvallis, OR
Thanks for the feedback Yvonne.
I'll try to find a smaller plastic tub for the humid hide.

If I'm understanding you correctly, it would be best for me to move the CHE to the middle of the enclosure?

I've had trouble finding a piece of wood to stretch the full length of the enclosure but I can certainly get a second one like I have now and use that to move the CHE.
 

Yvonne G

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I like to have one fixture on each end. I sometimes keep the night time fixture on during the day too, and having the light on one end and the night heat on the other end warms up the whole enclosure, not just one end of it.
 

archerkid

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Joined
May 24, 2015
Messages
32
Location (City and/or State)
Corvallis, OR
Got the CHE moved. I'll take some measurements tonight, hopefully temps will be a little more consistent thought the enclosure.

I'll try to get a tub to replace the flower pot. I'd seen on a different thread that a pot with a sponge on top would be a good humid hide. Was that incorrect? Just looking for a little clarity on the issue.

Thanks.

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