Stupid Question, Must Learn!

[Dizisdalife]

Moral of the story is that even after all the caulking and weather stripping, it probably only elevated the temps by about 5-7F.

That 5° can make a huge difference to the tortoise.

I don't know what else to do. I do have my suspicions that the CHE is kinda set too low from the roof so it's only maybe 6-7 inches from the substrate and it only seems to be hitting one spot. Under the CHE, the substrate temp is like 120-130F which is fine and dandy but other areas are 55-65F substrate temp.

The CHE is set much too low. With a tortoise under it there will be only a few inches from the heat source to the top of the shell. It will have a very drying effect on the shell and possibly dehydrate your tortoise as well, causing additional health problems.

The 55°- 65° substrate in other areas away from the CHE indicate that you are losing heat through the floor. Insulating the floor, or placing the box on an insulated pad of some sort might be an easy fix for this.

Tomorrow is when the oil heater comes in the mail and they radiate heat as opposed to a single spot, so I *THINK* it will fix the issue.

A radiated heat source is definitely better for the overall health of your tortoise. It may not resolve the problem of heat loss due to lack of insulation in the bottom and top of your box. In a well sealed and insulated box of this size (not perfectly sealed) as little as 150 watts should be able to maintain 85° inside while it is 30° outside.

If you continue to have problems with temperatures after installing the new oil filled heater, perhaps you can ask the person that built the box for you what it might take to insulate the top and bottom.

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

This poor Leo, lived in a situation where the heat source was suspended too close creating a terrible heat spot. You can see the damage done. Yes that is exposed bone in that the keratin itself was basically cooked off.

 

[thegame2388]

That 5° can make a huge difference to the tortoise.


The CHE is set much too low. With a tortoise under it there will be only a few inches from the heat source to the top of the shell. It will have a very drying effect on the shell and possibly dehydrate your tortoise as well, causing additional health problems.

The 55°- 65° substrate in other areas away from the CHE indicate that you are losing heat through the floor. Insulating the floor, or placing the box on an insulated pad of some sort might be an easy fix for this.


A radiated heat source is definitely better for the overall health of your tortoise. It may not resolve the problem of heat loss due to lack of insulation in the bottom and top of your box. In a well sealed and insulated box of this size (not perfectly sealed) as little as 150 watts should be able to maintain 85° inside while it is 30° outside.

If you continue to have problems with temperatures after installing the new oil filled heater, perhaps you can ask the person that built the box for you what it might take to insulate the top and bottom.

I can ask the guy to insulate the top and bottom again but boy that is going to be a pain in the ***. I calculated the extra cost per month of having the heaters run nearly 12 hours a day (overestimate) and it's only about 35 bucks more which isn't bad.

I'm still jealous of you guys who have 85F enclosure temps while the outside is 25F....there is no way in hell 150w would do that for me. We'll see how the 500 oil heater will do tonight.

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

My thermometer and thermostat are both about 3" off the floor. Protected from the smashing effects of tortoises mind you.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

It'll cost you more than $35 a month to heat an inefficient tort house... Oh, it might cost just 35 dollars but it'll cost your tort some serious hydration.

Look, you're doing better than most. Too many leave a tort in the backyard with an empty dogloo. Too many don't offer heat at all. So I'm really glad to see you trying and working towards doing it better. That is really great. I only point out those "seemingly small details" because when you're trying soo hard and getting soo close to prefect, it seems like the small final details (that really make a huge difference) are just too easy to fix to NOT do.
You'll take our advice/input/opinions and do what you want with them. I'd just hate for you to look back a year, 5 years from now and have regrets that you didn't do the few extra things after all.

 

[thegame2388]

It'll cost you more than $35 a month to heat an inefficient tort house... Oh, it might cost just 35 dollars but it'll cost your tort some serious hydration.

Look, you're doing better than most. Too many leave a tort in the backyard with an empty dogloo. Too many don't offer heat at all. So I'm really glad to see you trying and working towards doing it better. That is really great. I only point out those "seemingly small details" because when you're trying soo hard and getting soo close to prefect, it seems like the small final details (that really make a huge difference) are just too easy to fix to NOT do.
You'll take our advice/input/opinions and do what you want with them. I'd just hate for you to look back a year, 5 years from now and have regrets that you didn't do the few extra things after all.

The heater has arrived....and unless I'm doing something wrong, the lights are on, but I don't feel any heating coming out of it. This is the model I bought:

http://www.delonghi.com/Global/InstructionManuals/EN/TRN0812T ENGLISH.pdf

 

[mike taylor]

Thats an oil filled heater it takes a few minutes to heat up .

 

[thegame2388]

I'll check back in 20 minutes. If it's not heating...I'm concerned. The lights are on and the "reset" button has been pushed. We'll see.

 

[Tom]

I'll say it again with different wording...

Trying to bail out the boat with ever larger pails is not the answer. Plug the leak my friend. Simply plug the leak.

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

On a side note, if cost is a concern for the insulation needed, do a, “Redneckery" fix with it and use corrugated cardboard on the ceiling. Use duct tape over the gaps, seems and anywhere else an air exchange may take place. This is just a stopgap measure, not a permanent fix.

 

[thegame2388]

I'll say it again with different wording...

Trying to bail out the boat with ever larger pails is not the answer. Plug the leak my friend. Simply plug the leak.

I have "plugged" all that I can. Double caulked, double weather stripped. Only thing remaining is insulating the floor and ground, and that is not possible at this moment. I'm striving for perfection but I'm okay where I am.

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

Well? How'd the temps do?

 

[Len B]

Insulating the top and bottom can be done from the outside using 1/2 inch thick foil face rigid urithane insulation. It comes in 4 x 8 ft sheets and can be cut to fit with a razor knife. Around me each sheet cost about $12, at Lowes or Home Depot. There is also a foil tape that matches the foil on the insulation to seal the ends and tape pieces together to reduce waste, I get the tape free so not sure of it's cost, but some can be pricey. Any type of tape (duct) that repels water will work outside. After you get the insulation on top installed you could paint it to match the color of the house. It really is a simple fix and if you can't transport 4 x 8 sheets cut it down and tape it back together after you get home. You can stack the 1/2 thick to get the thickness you want.

 

[thegame2388]

Well? How'd the temps do?

I set the temp at 84F during the day, and 77F nightdrop temp and both were maintained.

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

I set the temp at 84F during the day, and 77F nightdrop temp and both were maintained.

Most excellent. Now, where abouts were you taking the readings? 12" off the floor or what?

 

[thegame2388]

Most excellent. Now, where abouts were you taking the readings? 12" off the floor or what?

I have 4 thermometers, and they're about 3-4 inches from the substrate.

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

I have 4 thermometers, and they're about 3-4 inches from the substrate.

Again, most excellent.

 

[thegame2388]

Again, most excellent.

Thank you. My biggest fear is that the oil heater somehow will malfunction and my sulcata will die in 35F weather.

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

Thank you. My biggest fear is that the oil heater somehow will malfunction and my sulcata will die in 35F weather.

My wireless remote base unit has an alarm setting for high and low. I set these up to be 20°f low,(65°) and 25°f high,(125°). With this I don't need to worry with constant checking. I still always check though.

 

[thegame2388]

My wireless remote base unit has an alarm setting for high and low. I set these up to be 20°f low,(65°) and 25°f high,(125°). With this I don't need to worry with constant checking. I still always check though.

I have that exact same model...though I think sometimes BOTH units will malfunction. I set the "low alarm" for 60F and the high for 104F.