New outdoor all year enclosure HELP!

[stu]

So as you can see proper building started today. I've decided to lower the roof of the tortoises section which will give me a nice area to store tortoise supplies and make it easier to keep warm hopefully.

 

[vladimir]

That will definitely help in keeping the lower section warm

 

[stu]

That's me pretty much finished for now.
All that's left to do is move over the electrics from their current home and then add the substrate and make it all homely. Before i do that I'm going to spend one or two days making sure the oil filled radiator is on the right setting to keep the temprature correct inside overnight.
In addition to the radiator there will be a basking light and a CHE for added warmth during the day. At the moment I've put the CHE in the middle this may end up going further to the hot side if the cool side doesn't get too cold.

When the weather gets nice again I will look at the entry/exit system for them. Any suggestions welcome! At the moment I'm thinking a smaller door inside one of the main ones and then a ramp. The issue with it being so well insulated is the extra bulk of the sides and doors which doesn't make things easy.

 

[vladimir]

Looks good! Is the radiator secured at all? I have mine screwed down using some plant hanging chains to make sure it won't tip.

 

[stu]

Looks good! Is the radiator secured at all? I have mine screwed down using some plant hanging chains to make sure it won't tip.

Not yet. It will be screwed down but wanted to make sure it does it's job first

 

[Yvonne G]

I think you'll be sorry you didn't make a tortoise door.

 

[stu]

I think you'll be sorry you didn't make a tortoise door.

One will be put in. I'm just in the unfortunate position of being in a rush, so as it won't be used until the spring, I decides to wait until then and come up with the best design I can. Any suggestions would be great.
At the moment ideas are:
1 Smaller door cut into the main door with some type of removable ramp.
2 small door/ramp cut in to the right side which will fold down and become a ramp.

 

[Yvonne G]

I know a lot of folks have the ramp type door, but I like a lift up door better. The ramp door hinges get packed with dirt. Dudley's door lifts up and I hook it with a chain to hold it up. My ramp door:

My lift door (the handle's screws pulled out, that's why it looks catty whompus):

 

[Tom]

What I am tempted to do is create a false roof inside. Effectively making the heating space smaller and then allowing me to keep all the electronics above in a storage area.

I think this is a brilliant idea if you can execute it well.

 

[Tom]

I know a lot of folks have the ramp type door, but I like a lift up door better. The ramp door hinges get packed with dirt. Dudley's door lifts up and I hook it with a chain to hold it up. My ramp door:

My lift door (the handle's screws pulled out, that's why it looks catty whompus):

I LOVE this idea. I have to clear junk out of the way on every door every night. I can't tell you how many splinters I've received using my fingers to brush away the debris. Replacing rusted out hinges has become a new pastime of mine... I will be incorporating this idea into my next build. Thank you!

And bonus points for using the phrase catty whompus!!!

 

[stu]

I think this is a brilliant idea if you can execute it well.

Thanks Tom. It's in and at the moment seems to maintaining the heat very well. I will see how much the temperatures change overnight as that will be the real test but at the moment it seems to be doing very well.

 

[stu]

At the moment it's maintaining a temprature of 17 in the hot end and 16 in the cool. I think a 1 degree drop in an enclosure almost 6foot wide is pretty good. Considering it's around 4 outside at the moment.

 

[stu]

So over night test done and it maintained a temprature of 20°C in the hot end and 17°C in the cooler all night. This is warmer than they are used to overnight so I may turn it down slightly. Although having read a number of topics on here people seem to suggest these probably wouldn't be bad night time temps to keep. I'm just worried the massive change will upset them.

The coldest temprature measured was the one I took before shutting it up and the warmest is what it is at now so it's clearly not dropping through the night.

 

[stu]

And they are in! With a little help from my son.

 

[stu]

Final photo for now.

It seems to be keeping to around 27 in the hot end and down at 20 in the cool. But I will monitor this as I'm not convinced it's stabilised.

Left to do is:
Door to outside
Create a good two birth burrow for them
Add some stuff to keep them interested
Add a WiFi camera to keep an eye on them as I no longer have a window

 

[Karenp]

And they are in! With a little help from my son. View attachment 258856

Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to document and share this transformation with us. Not only were you able to receive tips from experienced tortoise keepers, but by taking pictures & narrating your project's progression, you will also be helping out many new tortoise owners along their own journey!

 

[stu]

One of them seems to be enjoying themselves. I've ordered a good flood light for the enclosure as I think it's too dark and as they aren't that active at the moment.

 

[stu]

So I've been a bit busy with a new human member of the family arriving but as you can see both tortoises are loving life in their new enclosure. I've added the flood light which seems to keep them both up and active.

 

[Karenp]

So I've been a bit busy with a new human member of the family arriving but as you can see both tortoises are loving life in their new enclosure. I've added the flood light which seems to keep them both up and active. View attachment 262132

Thank you for the update & congratulations on the new little one!!

 

[stu]

I've got a friend looking at having one of my tortoises and she was asking how much it all came to I didn't count it all up as I did it and some stuff I got for free through friends but I thought someone in the future may be interested so I will post the list of items used and costs below with some links to where I got stuff.
ELECTRICALS
Outdoor electricity supply 1 socket will do.
1 x 4 socket extension lead £5
2 x Ceramic Bulb Lamp Heater Holder ES (E27 1" 25mm) https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0025Y8TA2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_tDmrCb5ACKKCP
£25
Vivarium Professional Digital Day / Night Thermostat + with Timer Reptile Vivarium Professional Digital Day / Night Thermostat + with Timer https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01MD1Q8LV/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_4MmrCbG4NM3S1
£48

DAY LIGHT
30w led flood light plus a plug Viugreum 30W LED Outdoor Floodlight, Thinner and Lighter Design, Waterproof IP65, 3600LM, Daylight White(6000-6500K), Super Bright Security Lights, for Garden, Yard, Warehouse, Square, Billboard https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01M14COSE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_2EmrCbF82GZVC
£12 + £2

BASKING SPOT / HEAT
100w basking bulb Exo Terra PT2133 Daylight Basking Spot, 100 Watt https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0002AR3O4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_dMmrCb1YSGR84
£7

DAY HEAT FOR WINTER
100 or 150w ceramic heat emitter (CHE) around £6
NIGHT HEAT
650w oil filled radiator around £20
Or you could use another CHE but this would use more power I would think and cost the same amount to source.

BULIDING MATERIAL
Wooden bike shed I used the billyoh one from https://www.gardenbuildingsdirect.co.uk/wooden-storage/master-pent-storage around £165 you can find cheaper but it was a good quality
3 x packs of loft board around £24
2/3 lengths of 2x4 around £20
3 insulation boards 50mm £100
Insulation board tape £3
Checker plate rubber garage flooring 1.5 by 2m 3mm thick £24 EBay item number 361479118824
Clear rubber for a tortoise door curtain 1m clear flat pvc door strip 400mm wide 1m long 4mm thick eBay for around £12

SUBSTRATE / Floor covering
Coco coir bricks
COCO&COIR 6 X 650g (9L) | ORGANIC | COCONUT FIBRE | 100% NATURAL | REPTILE FRIENDLY | GROWING MEDIA | PLANTING COCO SOIL | COCONUT COIR BRICK https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07FW653X2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_sXmrCbG7TNZFD
£15 for 6 bricks which will last you a long time.

TOTAL £488