Seeking thoughts/criticism on plans for new enclosure

[CorwinD]

First and foremost, the enclosure is for a ~7 month old sulcata. My plan is to build it out of wood with the dimensions being 3'x4', with 1' walls. I was planning on using 1"x12" boards for the walls and plywood for the base. I've read a few things about utilizing tiling and waterproof sealants for the flooring of the enclosure, so any additional information or tips on this would be appreciated. I've already looked into Drylok as a sealant, and will probably use that as I've heard its very good and non toxic. I plan on making a ramp and an upper deck over a covered portion of the enclosure. The covered area will probably be about 1'x3' with a hole cut into a wall so he has a doorway to it. On top of the covered area (accessible via the ramp) I'll put up 12" walls and a small 3-5" railing at the edge of the upper deck so he doesn't go base jumping while I'm away. I'll probably put some railing on his ramp as well just to be extra safe. So to summarize: he'll have his foundation level of 3x4 feet, 1x3 feet of that being his covered cave-like area (hot and humid hiding spot), and on top of that another 1x3 feet upper deck area.
I'll probably use two mercury vapor bulbs on the upper and lower exposed areas, and night lights/CHE for ambient/nighttime temps. The only thing I'm not certain about is ambient temps in his covered portion. I was considering looking into a heating pad or maybe something else if anyone has any recommendations. Of course since he's still young and needs all that humidity, I'll have the reptifogger (or whatever its called) going into his lower level probably almost constantly, while also keeping his substrate (~60% coco coir and ~40% organic soil) nice and moist. Various enclosure furniture will be decided when the actual foundation is built but I plan on planting a few things like some grass and dandelions in a few areas for him to graze on or hide in.
Any advice or criticisms are welcome, as I want this enclosure to be a good home for him for a good while. At the growing rates I've seen both with him and others, I've ballparked this enclosure lasting him probably a good year or two (Right now he's about 3.25" long and weighs about 6 ounces.

 

[Yvonne G]

I think you'll be wasting your time building 3'x4' for a sulcata. At 7 months he's already too big for a pen of those dimensions.

Also, while a 12" board LOOKS tall enough that your little guy can't climb over, once you add about 4" of substrate, the walls aren't that tall anymore.

Your design sounds great, only the dimensions aren't big enough.

You really only need one mercury vapor bulb. If more heat is needed you can use either a regular incandescent bulb or a ceramic heat emitter.

 

[Tom]

If the room where you intend to keep this enclosure is always 80 degrees and 80% humidity, then this will work fine if you follow Yvonne's suggestions.

If the room is cooler or drier than that, you will have a very tough time maintaining temps and humidity and will end up needing a lot of desiccating electric heat to keep it warm enough.

Here is what I suggest:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/closed-chambers.32333/
This design works, is very efficient, makes your life easy and makes the best growing conditions for your baby tortoise. If you make it this big it will also last until your tortoise is ready to live outside full time, climate permitting, of course.

Here is all the sulcata info:
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/

 

[CorwinD]

Okay well I'm definitely going to rework my design. Honestly the box design seems much more cost efficient than what I was planning. Seems so simple now that I think about it.

So would plywood walls would work fine? I especially liked the open wall for viewing, would I just use a hinged plexiglass wall for that? I live in an apartment, so my dimensions might have to be a little smaller than the 4'x8' I could definitely pull off a 3'x6' maybe even 7' in length. Would that still be sufficient? How tall should I be aiming for? Like 3 feet so I can hang and adjust his lights/CHE accordingly? Does one light and CHE provide enough ambient heat? So far I've had him strapped with lights/humidity to achieve the 85°-100° Temps and 75-85% humidity. So the prospect of less lighting and humidifiers running is attractive.

I've poured over those other threads numerous times and revisit them frequently. I feel confident that I comprehend what it is he requires as far as care, I just need the most frugal and accommodating setting for all of this. So I'm thinking the box design Tom had the link to.

Hell, feel free to just tell me what to do outright. My feelings won't be hurt. I just want my little dude to thrive.

 

[Yvonne G]

I use plywood on all my enclosure builds. I line them with either pond liner or plastic sheeting. The hard part is figuring out how to cover them, but if you use a light stand or framework, it solves the covering problem.

 

[CorwinD]

So an update on my enclosure: the walls are still off as of now. But as soon as the trim on the front facade finishes drying I'll put in the plexiglass (held by the trim and will be insulated after installation) over the holes in the front. The top is three lids that I'm going to bore holes into in which to hang the lights. A light in each lid or maybe just two, a che 150 watt and a 90 watt mvb and another Che if necessary.

Lemme know what you guys think.

 

[Tom]

So an update on my enclosure: the walls are still off as of now. But as soon as the trim on the front facade finishes drying I'll put in the plexiglass (held by the trim and will be insulated after installation) over the holes in the front. The top is three lids that I'm going to bore holes into in which to hang the lights. A light in each lid or maybe just two, a che 150 watt and a 90 watt mvb and another Che if necessary.

Lemme know what you guys think.

This whole concept will work much better if all the heating and lighting is inside the enclosure. You will use a fraction of the electricity, conditions will be much more stable, and you won't be fighting the chimney effect.

 

[CorwinD]

Oh that's what I meant. The lights will come inside of the enclosure and I'll insulate the holes bored into the top that will only be used to thread the plugin through. But yeah the heat and lights will reside within the enclosure.

 

[CorwinD]

All finished. Lemme know what you think.

 

[Bducks16]

No colored bulbs. Tortoises see color much more vividly than we do.

 

[CorwinD]

Not even the nighttime red light? The green looking light isn't green it's just looking that way in the picture. It's an mvb with white light.

 

[Bducks16]

Yes the red light. If you need to have a night light. A black light would be better.

 

[CorwinD]

Understood. I'll get to correcting that immediately. Other than that though, everything look good?

 

[Bducks16]

I like it. Don't be surprised if by this time next year your tortoise is pushing a foot long. They grow really fast the first several several years. I hope you didn't plan to keep him in there long. He will out grow it quicker than you think.