Sulcata shed conversion

[DarkerGraphic]

Can they reach that insulation at all? If they can scratch at it they will eat the pieces.
Also, keep an eye on that foil backed tape. Some types stick like crazy and you can never peel it off. Other types will loosen up after a few weeks and just fall right off. I have had it happen on the poly iso type insulation on several occasions now.

Not at all, they’re blocked by 5/4 boards (4-5 high depending on the spot. On the foil tape, I’ve had both, this one was awesome and sticks wonderfully

 

[DarkerGraphic]

Just curious - how do the doors "work"? They look like they are nailed shut?

Sorry, I must have missed this question. I haven’t cut the exterior doors yet to access the enclosure from the shed. Since this wasn’t originally a part of their enclosure, I’m moving cinder blocks to connect it to them and will then be working on the doors for them to let themselves out. Based on the threads I’ve read I’m planning to do these on a slide system similar to the main door setup, but haven’t worked through the details of it yet. We’ve entered the “too cold” point for most daily outings with temps expected in the high 20’s for lows in the next week or so. Should be a good test of the mini oil heaters (I installed 2) and insulation.

 

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Where sulcatas come from there is no winter. Daily highs are usually near 100 all the time, and they spend 95% of their lives underground where the temperature is consistently 80-85. This is how we should maintain them. This is what works best.

When days are sunny and warm the thermostat should be set at 80, because they can come out and bask to get warmer if they want. During winter cold spells, I bump it up to 86 since its cold and overcast and they can't get warm any other way. Your Kane mats will give them a way to warm up their core temp when the sun isn't shining, instead of the heat lamps.

70 is too low. 60 is WAY too low. It kills off certain flora and fauna in the gut biome when temps drop too low. They can usually survive that, but its not "good" for them to be that cold. In your humid climate, temps that low are likely to result in sickness.

Tom,
I’ve installed 2 of the mini oil heaters on thermostats and am now getting ready to install the Kane mats. We have a few days in the next week which will be 28L/42H exterior temperatures, so I’m working to get it set up and tested ahead of that. What beddings have you tried that work well? I know you mentioned none or soil, and I might be willing to go the soil route, but would like something a little more absorbent. Would cypress mulch be too much of a risk with the mats? I’ll separate the mats from any bedding with a 2x4 about 1/3 way down the runs, but it’s inevitable they’ll toss some over during their digging.

Appreciate any thoughts.

One other thing I wanted to share in that in-line duct controller I posted has some awesome temperature/humidity high/low/avg. trending data via the app. Wish I’d gotten that years ago now that I’ve used it for a week.

 

[dd33]

How many watts are the oil filled radiators that you have? Are you running both of them on one circuit and plan to add the kane mats as well?

 

[DarkerGraphic]

How many watts are the oil filled radiators that you have? Are you running both of them on one circuit and plan to add the kane mats as well?

They’re 700 watts each but set on low and on thermostats. I have each on a separate circuit. Planning to split the Kane mats on the two circuits when I install them. I’m on an electrician waiting list for a few additional GFIs to be installed on their own breaker just for the tortoises. When that happens I’ll move everything over to that.

 

[dd33]

Thats perfect.

 

[Tom]

Tom,
I’ve installed 2 of the mini oil heaters on thermostats and am now getting ready to install the Kane mats. We have a few days in the next week which will be 28L/42H exterior temperatures, so I’m working to get it set up and tested ahead of that. What beddings have you tried that work well? I know you mentioned none or soil, and I might be willing to go the soil route, but would like something a little more absorbent. Would cypress mulch be too much of a risk with the mats? I’ll separate the mats from any bedding with a 2x4 about 1/3 way down the runs, but it’s inevitable they’ll toss some over during their digging.

Appreciate any thoughts.

One other thing I wanted to share in that in-line duct controller I posted has some awesome temperature/humidity high/low/avg. trending data via the app. Wish I’d gotten that years ago now that I’ve used it for a week.

I would never use bought-in-a-bag soil for tortoise substrate. I use regular ranch dirt from their pens to line the inside of my night boxes. It makes clean up easy. I scoop out the poopy mud with a flat head shovel and fling it over the wall. Then I replace it with fresh dry dirt from somewhere nearby.

Cypress should work, and a small amount of debris or tortoise poop on the Kane mat is not a big deal, but you don't want it buried in something flammable. Raising the mats off the floor with a flat 2x4 base goes a long way to keeping stuff off the mats.

 

[Ray--Opo]

Tom,
I’ve installed 2 of the mini oil heaters on thermostats and am now getting ready to install the Kane mats. We have a few days in the next week which will be 28L/42H exterior temperatures, so I’m working to get it set up and tested ahead of that. What beddings have you tried that work well? I know you mentioned none or soil, and I might be willing to go the soil route, but would like something a little more absorbent. Would cypress mulch be too much of a risk with the mats? I’ll separate the mats from any bedding with a 2x4 about 1/3 way down the runs, but it’s inevitable they’ll toss some over during their digging.

Appreciate any thoughts.

One other thing I wanted to share in that in-line duct controller I posted has some awesome temperature/humidity high/low/avg. trending data via the app. Wish I’d gotten that years ago now that I’ve used it for a week.

I am using reptibark and am happy with it.

 

[DarkerGraphic]

I would never use bought-in-a-bag soil for tortoise substrate. I use regular ranch dirt from their pens to line the inside of my night boxes. It makes clean up easy. I scoop out the poopy mud with a flat head shovel and fling it over the wall. Then I replace it with fresh dry dirt from somewhere nearby.

Cypress should work, and a small amount of debris or tortoise poop on the Kane mat is not a big deal, but you don't want it buried in something flammable. Raising the mats off the floor with a flat 2x4 base goes a long way to keeping stuff off the mats.

I wouldn’t use store bought soil either. I’ll raise the mats when I install them.

 

[DarkerGraphic]

Down low, just out of tortoise reach and far from any heat source. If the air temp in the shed is below the set point, I want the heat mats to be on so that they can get warmer than ambient.

I don't want the surface temp of the mats to be near the set point temperature. I want them to be significantly warmer than the air temp so the tortoises can get warmer.

What temperature point would you set the thermostat to for the Kane mats? (Using the thermostat linked earlier in the thread)

 

[Tom]

What temperature point would you set the thermostat to for the Kane mats? (Using the thermostat linked earlier in the thread)

I don't use the thermostat to control the temperature of the Kane mat. I set the thermostat to where I want the air temp to be and it turns the mat on or off accordingly. If the air temp in the space is below the set point, I want the mat to be on. It should heat up well above the set point of the thermostat and stay on so the tortoise can warm itself. If the air temp in the box (or shed) is warmer than the set point, the mat will stay off.

 

[DarkerGraphic]

I don't use the thermostat to control the temperature of the Kane mat. I set the thermostat to where I want the air temp to be and it turns the mat on or off accordingly. If the air temp in the space is below the set point, I want the mat to be on. It should heat up well above the set point of the thermostat and stay on so the tortoise can warm itself. If the air temp in the box (or shed) is warmer than the set point, the mat will stay off.

Thanks Tom, so if my shed has a baseline of 80 degrees, at what air temperature would you have the mats thermostat set to in order to come on? Again, using the self regulating mats and the thermostat we discussed before. Temperature probe will be far away from them and not near a heat source.

 

[Tom]

Thanks Tom, so if my shed has a baseline of 80 degrees, at what air temperature would you have the mats thermostat set to in order to come on? Again, using the self regulating mats and the thermostat we discussed before. Temperature probe will be far away from them and not near a heat source.

I'd set the mat thermostat at 80 and have the probe far from any heat source.

 

[DarkerGraphic]

Built 3 raised platforms for the Kane mats, testing them before the install. 2x4s underneath, 5/4 for top, extra 2x4 pieces to protect the plug connections

 

[DarkerGraphic]

All installed. I added 2x4’s with a piece of deck board on top as an extra lip to block the cypress from getting in.

Tonight will be the first night with just the heaters and mats

 

[DarkerGraphic]

I'd set the mat thermostat at 80 and have the probe far from any heat source.

Hey Tom, do you have any tricks for incentivizing the tortoises to use the Kane mats, or does it just take time for them to realize they’re a heat source? So far they’re all avoiding them.

 

[Tom]

Hey Tom, do you have any tricks for incentivizing the tortoises to use the Kane mats, or does it just take time for them to realize they’re a heat source? So far they’re all avoiding them.

That's a new one for me. Mine have always taken to them without me putting in any effort. Maybe just put them on the mats when they are sleeping in the dark or first thing in the morning.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hey Tom, do you have any tricks for incentivizing the tortoises to use the Kane mats, or does it just take time for them to realize they’re a heat source? So far they’re all avoiding them.

I've always placed it in the same corner the tortoise has previously claimed as his spot.

 

[DarkerGraphic]

I've always placed it in the same corner the tortoise has previously claimed as his spot.

Since it’s a new set up they don’t really have a spot yet. I might try and position a lower watt light above them to see if that incentives them to move

 

[Maggie3fan]

I use a Kane mat with a resistor thing...with numbers 1 to 10...so my sister had done this work years before I was involved...so when I needed a base she says"7" so #7 turns out to be 80 to abt 85. Every Sulcata has used them naturally. I think because it's a larger shed with a sleeping box and the mat. All my bigger torts use them. I also use an oil filled radiator heater and the shed stays above 80...
The sleeping box

with the mat in a corner