In the process of finishing Mia's Tortoise table. It is 4' x 3', underground hide is large enough for her to triple in size with constant (85% humidity), grass growing shelf underneath. Any thoughts? Any suggestions?
New Tortoise Table - Suggestions
- Thread starter MesaSully
- Start date
With it that open, she will still pyramid. A closed chamber is about all that will keep the humidity up enough to keep pyramiding down or away. A hot humid hide is okay for older ones. I don't see a clay saucer for water, be sure to add that if it's not in there and a place off the dirt for food.'otherwise it looks nice.
It looks really nice and it's obvious you put a lot of work into it.
Since you asked for input...
I'm assuming you have a compact fluorescent in one of those domes to provide UVB for your tortoise. That type bulb puts out very little UVB and at the height you have it, hardly any will reach the tortoise, and because they are such small bulbs, the circle of any effective UVB will be extremely small. Because you have it separated from the basking bulb providing heat, while basking, there is no effective UVB in that area. So when you tortoise goes to bask, it will not have any UVB exposure. Without heat in the UVB area, there is nothing to make it bask there.
I also see no provision for night heat. If indeed you are able to maintain high humidity in the hide, you will have high humidity but low, room temperature (? 68-70f ?) temperature which is a recipe for respiratory problems. Plus with an open table, you will have room temperature throughout the enclosure except directly under the basking light. Not the best for a young sulcata.
You are running into the problems of an open enclosure.
Since you asked for input...
I'm assuming you have a compact fluorescent in one of those domes to provide UVB for your tortoise. That type bulb puts out very little UVB and at the height you have it, hardly any will reach the tortoise, and because they are such small bulbs, the circle of any effective UVB will be extremely small. Because you have it separated from the basking bulb providing heat, while basking, there is no effective UVB in that area. So when you tortoise goes to bask, it will not have any UVB exposure. Without heat in the UVB area, there is nothing to make it bask there.
I also see no provision for night heat. If indeed you are able to maintain high humidity in the hide, you will have high humidity but low, room temperature (? 68-70f ?) temperature which is a recipe for respiratory problems. Plus with an open table, you will have room temperature throughout the enclosure except directly under the basking light. Not the best for a young sulcata.
You are running into the problems of an open enclosure.
id recommend a pop up green house. Search Amazon or eBay for your dimensions. You can hang your mvb inside the cover in the middle.Mark, I will realign the light to be next to the heat. I will check the temperature in the hide tonight to verify and adjust from there. I can easily place a shelter over her underground hide to add additional heat for her while inside.
Bducks16, where would you put the tent? I like the idea but how does she get in and out?
Bducks16, where would you put the tent? I like the idea but how does she get in and out?
It would sit on and cover the entire table. This visual should help you. See all that condensation on the inside? There is no way you will keep humidity with a open top.
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Gotcha, will look them up. Thanks.
Along the lines of constructive criticism:
The coil bulbs should not be used at all. As Mark pointed out they are not effective UV sources and many of us, myself included, have seen them burn tortoise eyes. I would get rid of that entirely and use a long UV tube bulb instead.
You don't need to cover the hide, you need to cover the entire thing. Open tables cannot contain the needed warmth and humidity unless the entire room is the needed 80 degrees and 80% humidity 24/7.
When you warm only the hide area, he will invariable move somewhere else during the night, when you least expect it, and he risks catching a respiratory infection. Open tables just don't work for tropical species in a normal European or North American home. You need a closed chaber to contain all the heat and humidity inside the enclosure with the tortoise.
Its all explained here:
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/
The coil bulbs should not be used at all. As Mark pointed out they are not effective UV sources and many of us, myself included, have seen them burn tortoise eyes. I would get rid of that entirely and use a long UV tube bulb instead.
You don't need to cover the hide, you need to cover the entire thing. Open tables cannot contain the needed warmth and humidity unless the entire room is the needed 80 degrees and 80% humidity 24/7.
When you warm only the hide area, he will invariable move somewhere else during the night, when you least expect it, and he risks catching a respiratory infection. Open tables just don't work for tropical species in a normal European or North American home. You need a closed chaber to contain all the heat and humidity inside the enclosure with the tortoise.
Its all explained here:
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/
TortorellaMom
New Member
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- Apr 3, 2017
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In a pinch, this seemed to work for others until you find a more permanent solution. This is aluminum foil over screen. I have a baby sulcata, so I have him in a 20 gallon (too small) but a friend is building a new enclosure as I type this. I have the double lamp you have with the ceramic heating element (always on, day and night) and the mecury vapor bulb (only on during day). But, I just found this idea for humidity online today as I have to wait until payday for more permanent solution. Good luck! This group has been super helpful (sometimes scary, but mostly helpful).
It's obvious that the time you've put into this table you'll do whatever you can to make sure your tortoise will have a healthy upbringing, keep it up! Warm, humidity and soaks!
She gets a good soak at least every other day. Thanks.
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