Sacramento Area new member

[Calaveras]

We have kept a Desert Tortoise for years when we lived in the Central Valley. We have bred Spotted Turtles for 20+ years. I have a dozen at this time.
I am a biologist, my wife is an arborist with a degree in horticulture and an interest in succulents and cacti.

We are looking to buy a Radiata or a Burmese Star tortoise this year.

We have a spot set up for a young tortoise in the yard that gets good sun exposure. It is fenced with heavy gauge wire fence on 4 sides and the top to prevent raccoons and deer who like to eat my wife's cacti. You would think the spines would stop them but it does not when they get really hungry. It is more than 100 square feet.

For the winter I am going to build a tortoise table setup. We have UVB fluorescent bulbs, ceramic heat bulbs, under-tank heat heat and Mercury Vapor bulbs. I have a thermostat to control heat. timers for the lights. an incubator etc. because I have water turtles.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi, and welcome!

I have an extensive cactus collection too. I have posted springtime pictures in the past here on the Forum.

 

[Markw84]

We have kept a Desert Tortoise for years when we lived in the Central Valley. We have bred Spotted Turtles for 20+ years. I have a dozen at this time.
I am a biologist, my wife is an arborist with a degree in horticulture and an interest in succulents and cacti.

We are looking to buy a Radiata or a Burmese Star tortoise this year.

We have a spot set up for a young tortoise in the yard that gets good sun exposure. It is fenced with heavy gauge wire fence on 4 sides and the top to prevent raccoons and deer who like to eat my wife's cacti. You would think the spines would stop them but it does not when they get really hungry. It is more than 100 square feet.

For the winter I am going to build a tortoise table setup. We have UVB fluorescent bulbs, ceramic heat bulbs, under-tank heat heat and Mercury Vapor bulbs. I have a thermostat to control heat. timers for the lights. an incubator etc. because I have water turtles.

Welcome! I too am in the Sacramento area. And I also breed spotted turtles. I currently have a colony of about 30 of them. I also breed Burmese Stars.

 

[kanalomele]

Hello and welcome to TFO! I grew up in the Sacramento area. I now live in the Bay area but have lots of family still around there and visit often. It is a great area to have tortoises.

 

[Calaveras]

I have been doing a bit of research and found a couple other tortoises I am adding to the list of candidates: Hermann’s and Egyptian. The price on the Egyptians are at the limit of what I was considering.

perhaps I should be focusing on building or buying an enclosure first anyway.

With the species I am considering, I may need a closed enclosure in order to retain enough humidity for a young tortoise. California is not like Florida, I would need to add moisture for much of the year.

 

[NorCal tortoise guy]

Hello and welcome I’m
Not too far north of Sacramento myself

 

[Markw84]

I have been doing a bit of research and found a couple other tortoises I am adding to the list of candidates: Hermann’s and Egyptian. The price on the Egyptians are at the limit of what I was considering.

perhaps I should be focusing on building or buying an enclosure first anyway.

With the species I am considering, I may need a closed enclosure in order to retain enough humidity for a young tortoise. California is not like Florida, I would need to add moisture for much of the year.

All tortoise species benefit from a closed chamber their first few years - to really dial in the appropriate temps and humidity. Certainly here in Central California. But no matter where you are that holds true. Even in a tortoises native range, the humidity in an enclosure indoors or outdoors is different than the microclimate young tortoise find.

Look at this large group of young that are being raised at the Minsontaung Wildlife Sactuary. This is the larges group of Burmese Stars in the world and in the heart of their home range. However, the climate they are forced to endure is much different in an enclosure! Notice all are pyramided moderately.



A closed chamber can change all that. It really allows the temps and humidity to be dialed in perfectly. Here are some shots from my "tortoise room"-

 

[Calaveras]

That looks nice. Those Burmese Stars are great looking.

 

[Calaveras]

We still cannot decide on which species will be best for us; we may have to wait until summer for availability anyway. The requirements for many of the hatchlings we are considering are similar enough that I feel we can get started building an enclosure. Maybe the choices we make will dictate what we decide to keep in it?

Dimensions are 60" X 40". Over 16 square feet should be enough for several years anyway depending on size.
The height will be adjustable from 14-18" by adjusting the floor height if needed. I prefer the lights to be 12 inches from the top of the shell.

I wanted a door to be in the side, but I was overruled. Coffin shape is the result. The top will be completely removable, but daily access will be from two hinged acrylic/ Plexiglass/Lexan lids. one on each end. Glass is too heavy for the size. A 36" or 48" Reptisun UV tube will be mounted under to the center portion of the lid.
I will have a heat source on a thermostat with probe on one end maybe ~16 inches from the end to maintain a basking heat spot. I have CHE, and MV bulbs and like them, but was considering one of the radiant heat panels for this. The panels are more diffuse heat covering ~12"x20" which seems better than the spot heat I was trying to get for water turtles on a defined basking area.

I am making it out of wood with a liner made from FRP fiber reinforced plastic. it is used for showers and such so is waterproof and can be calked with 100% rubber silicone.
I could put a 1/2 inch section of insulation under that if needed to maintain temps in winter. The room stays 72 daytime and 60 nights on a thermostat even when the power goes out.

I would appreciate any advice or tips.

 

[NorCal tortoise guy]

Sounds like you’re headed in a great direction ceramic heat emitters thermostatically controlled would work great for your purposes. I’m sure radiant heat panels will as well though I have no experience with them myself. For a tube light for uvb I would look in to Acadia bulbs they are great bulbs. I would insulate if I were you. A mv basking bulb will most likely be too hot for your closed chamber. I would go with a lower wattage incandescent flood type of bulb. Be sure to post pictures of your build we would all love to see!