Okay as closed chamber?

[leigti]

Hello, I decided to try to make my indoor enclosures a type of closed chamber. It is just a cheap shower curtain over the top. it is not airtight.with this suffice as a close chamber for an adult tortoise? If so I would also do it for my adult Boxturtle. any suggestions are greatly appreciated, thank you.sorry for the blurry pictures.but you get the general idea.

 

[G-stars]

It will help retain some humidity. The heat and humidity will still escape so it won't be as efficient. Also the shower curtain could start melting because it's making contact with the light fixtures.

 

[Tom]

In theory it should work. I would worry about it melting from contact with the lamps, and the fumes from that type of plastic in general.

I can't see where the ends go, but you will likely have streams of condensation running down the top and sides of it and collecting at the bottom.

 

[leigti]

Thanks guys for the input. It says it is PVC free. The plastic actually isn't touching the lamps but it is very close. if I put tinfoil on the lamps would that make it better, or I can just figure out another way to keep it up higher so it doesn't touch them at all. I didn't think about it condensing and running down the sides, that could be a problem but I could figure out how to fix it. i'm a little hesitant to try to make it completely airtight, sort of worries me. I will keep working on it. I already notice that just for the brief. I had it on there to take the pictures the temperature increased dramatically so I will have to get much smaller wattage lightbulbs.

 

[leigti]

Any easy, tool free ideas to keep the plastic off the lights?

 

[Delilah1623]

Any easy, tool free ideas to keep the plastic off the lights?

Could you attach it to the ceiling somehow?

 

[mike taylor]

Build you a pcv pipe a-frame out of 90's and tee's . Then you can cut the plastic and rap it around the frame . No fire hazard.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Build you a pcv pipe a-frame out of 90's and tee's . Then you can cut the plastic and rap it around the frame . No fire hazard.

Exactly what I was going to suggest. These parts are super cheap and possibly free if you ask around.

Maybe you could just make a frame around the light domes with a wire hanger. A little ghetto but its free (if you have the hangers).

Even "as is" it should work. Watch for condensation dripping onto your floor and yes, lower wattage bulbs will be needed.

 

[leigti]

I think a trip to Home Depot was in my future. i'll look in the PVC I'll. I don't have any wire hangers but I do have the wire "cage" that goes with those light fixtures. I'm not sure what watt lightbulb to get, 100 at the most I'm guessing. I have 40s I will have to check tomorrow and see if that will be enough. I also have 60 W floodlights and they may work. I'm just going to have to check the temperatures. The condensation running down the sides may be a little harder to solve. i'll have to somehow put the plastic just inside the enclosure or just along the top so it doesn't run on into the carpet. I just got this wild hair tonight so I haven't played around with it very much yet. Thanks for all the suggestions, keep them coming. And I will see what I can do.

 

[leopard777]

if you have anything (something like the lamp fixture) to put up at the other ends , you could lift up the whole plastic sheet sort of like a sleeping tent

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Start with the 60watt...maybe maybe 75.. I doubt you'll need anything more than that.

 

[leigti]

if you have anything (something like the lamp fixture) to put up at the other ends , you could lift up the whole plastic sheet sort of like a sleeping tent

Yeah, I was thinking about that too. The lampstands hold it up pretty well just needs a little more at the other end. One of my freaking cats has suddenly decided that she likes to go into the tortoise pan and land the lamp. This is another reason I'm thinking it may be time to make them closed-ish Chambers.

 

[leigti]

Start with the 60watt...maybe maybe 75.. I doubt you'll need anything more than that.

I think 60s would probably be good. For a 10 second solution I thought it was relatively good as is also. A few details to work out. I was truly shocked how quickly it got extremely warm in there. I don't not want to broil my tortoise and Boxturtle so I am going to have to monitor the temperatures quite a lot.

 

[leigti]

Any good humidity measurement devices available at Home Depot?

 

[leopard777]

i went for acurite

 

[leigti]

i went for acurite

I will look for it.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

I also bought the acurite one. $10, digital, records the temperature, humidity and 24 hour highs and lows for both.

 

[leigti]

I also bought the acurite one. $10, digital, records the temperature, humidity and 24 hour highs and lows for both.

I looked it up on Amazon, I like it. The numbers are big enough that I can read. So if I can't find it locally I will just order it.

 

[Delilah1623]

I looked it up on Amazon, I like it. The numbers are big enough that I can read. So if I can't find it locally I will just order it.

That's what I have. I believe they carry them at Walmart and Home Depot.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

That's what I have. I believe they carry them at Walmart and Home Depot.

Yep, Walmart sells it $9!