tortoise table Heating arrangement

[Theo2002]

Could anybody help me out with the position to which I should place the ceramic heater in my tortoise table to provide heat for my leopard at night?

Should it be nearer to the basking area or nearer to the my tortoises hide? (on the opposite end of the table)

as the majority of the table is open topped, I feel as if any heat from the ceramic heater will be lost if it is by the basking area and the hide.

 

[Blackdog1714]

An open top is no bueno for a baby leopard. A closed chamber is best to help prevent pyramiding. Check this out

The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...

www.tortoiseforum.org

 

[Theo2002]

Okay thankyou, that’s really helpful. My leopard is 6 years old but obviously I want to keep the conditions as best I can.

 

[Blackdog1714]

Oh wow how big is he? Maybe a mini pool setup then

 

[Theo2002]

I’m not sure exactly. I’d say around 7 inches. I’ve only just made this tortoise table so it will have to do for now lol?. Do you have any suggestions to what it could use to cover the table to keep heat in?

 

[Blackdog1714]

I’m not sure exactly. I’d say around 7 inches. I’ve only just made this tortoise table so it will have to do for now lol?. Do you have any suggestions to what it could use to cover the table to keep heat in?

A small mini greenhouse would work

 

[Theo2002]

Never thought of that, Thankyou

 

[Tom]

Could anybody help me out with the position to which I should place the ceramic heater in my tortoise table to provide heat for my leopard at night?

Should it be nearer to the basking area or nearer to the my tortoises hide? (on the opposite end of the table)

as the majority of the table is open topped, I feel as if any heat from the ceramic heater will be lost if it is by the basking area and the hide.

CHEs are meant to raise ambient temp, so they should be over the middle.

However, an open topped table is not suitable fo a leopard tortoise because there is no way to maintain the correct heat and humidity. Trying to heat an open topped table is like trying to heat your house in winter with no roof and no ceilings. There is nothing to keep the heat where you want it and it just floats up and away.

Here is the correct care sheet for you. The previous one was for temperate species.

The Best Way To Raise A Sulcata, Leopard, Or Star Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. Babies hatch during the...

tortoiseforum.org

 

[Theo2002]

Thankyou for the response
Do you think some sort of plexi glass would perhaps help to keep some heat and humidity in, or is it completely unsuitable? If not is there any other recommendations to how I could turn it into more of an enclosed table rather then open?

 

[Tom]

Thankyou for the response
Do you think some sort of plexi glass would perhaps help to keep some heat and humidity in, or is it completely unsuitable? If not is there any other recommendations to how I could turn it into more of an enclosed table rather then open?

The greenhouse tent suggested by Blackdog might do it, but only your thermometer will be able to answer that question.

 

[Theo2002]

Okay thankyou. Are there any species of tortoise that are able to tolerate an open enclosure?

 

[Theo2002]

I have covered the top of my tortoise table with aluminium foil in an attempt to trap heat and humidity so it isn’t lost in my room. My room is generally pretty warm anyway but I want to ensure my temperatures are as accurate as I can currently make them until I can upgrade to a closed chamber.
Can anyone give me an insight to how effective this might be or do I need to cover more with of the enclosure with foil?
Also I’m aware that beech chips aren’t suitable as a substrate and am currently in the process of swapping it with coco coir

 

[Yossarian]

Not effective for humidity, will probably trap some extra heat. Much better to use a plastic sheet and fashion it as an "A" frame roof containing your lights as well. that way it is fully enclosed.

 

[Theo2002]

Okay thankyou, it has seemed to been trapping more heat. I was going to use plastic but was worried it would melt. Is there any particular type you’d recommend?

 

[Yossarian]

Okay thankyou, it has seemed to been trapping more heat. I was going to use plastic but was worried it would melt. Is there any particular type you’d recommend?

Any durable plastic sheeting will work, something like this.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08K8PW8CD/?tag=

Or you could just upgrade the whole habitat to a grow tent.

 

[Maro2Bear]

Not sure if you are also having trouble with maintaining your ambient heat temps, but your CHE has to be the absolute smallest ive seen. What wattage are u using? Is it on a thermostat? If thats your only source of heat, i would get a much larger CHE, and then have it connected via a thermostat with the temperature probe far left. I’m guessing your temps far left and far right are pretty cool. Prob too cool.

Ps - what kind of tortoise, size and how long have you had it?

 

[Yvonne G]

instead of going from side wall to side wall, put up stancheons at either end with a cross piece across the whole thing, stancheon to stancheon and drape the plastic across that.

an example:

 

[Theo2002]

I’m unsure on the wattage of the CHE, it looks smaller in the photo than it actually is. It seems to keep my ambient temp at 25°C which is what it is set to on the thermostat. My tortoise does seem to like sleeping under my basking lamp at night rather than going to the cool end, perhaps it’s too cold. She is a leopard and is 6 years old, I’m unsure exactly on length but she’s 3kg and I’d say around 7inches.
I’m moving to university in the next few months and she will have a way bigger enclosure, I’m aware it’s very small for her size but it is temporary.

 

[Theo2002]

instead of going from side wall to side wall, put up stancheons at either end with a cross piece across the whole thing, stancheon to stancheon and drape the plastic across that.

an example:

View attachment 311153View attachment 311154

Okay Thankyou, I’ll definitely try this

 

[Yossarian]

instead of going from side wall to side wall, put up stancheons at either end with a cross piece across the whole thing, stancheon to stancheon and drape the plastic across that.

an example:

Thanks, this is a much better explanation than my "A" frame description.