Zoo med heating pad on wood?

[Tom]

I spent months building her table before I got her and I don't want to give up quite yet... If I lined the entire inside with glass and glass top would that be considered closed?

Many people face this dilemma. I did. Your life will just be so much easier when you realize that starting from scratch and just buying or building the right style of enclosure will make everything so much better, especially for your tortoise.

 

[Yvonne G]

I spent months building her table before I got her and I don't want to give up quite yet... If I lined the entire inside with glass and glass top would that be considered closed?

Tom's 'closed chamber' approach is the easy way to provide what your baby needs to grow smoothly and healthy, but it's not the only way. You can try to modify your table. A couple of our members have purchased little greenhouse-type affairs to put over their tables and all I do is simply cover my table. What you're shooting for is a closed system that keeps the warm, moist air inside the habitat, and keeps the cooler air from your room out.

Build some sort of framework over the top that you can hang your lights and heat emitter from, and simply drape plastic sheeting or aluminum foil over the framework. Stuff your tortoise's hiding place with moistened sphagnum moss.

I'll try to find a couple links to the greenhouse tort tables for you to look at.

 

[Yvonne G]

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/mini-greenhouse-as-a-closed-chamber.94895/#post-883868

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread...from-this-winter-pic-heavy.94380/#post-886869

 

[Alaskamike]

I would love to see these links. I am in the process of converting my sulcata's outdoor room. This is the first winter we plan to keep her out night through winter (she just turned 4 and is 3.5 lbs.). I am so nervous about it! We live in Phoenix, but it can get down into the 40's, sometimes even the 30's at night. She has an entrance into the back of our garden shed that leads to her area of 2' by 3'. I'm not sure its warm enough :/ What should our goal temps be? I thought it was just to keep it at 60 or above for a low, but have noticed higher temps mentioned since I have joined the forum (newby).

I live in South Florida. It can get cold here too at night for several months. 60f is too low for their heated hide area.
I keep my hide boxes ( outside ) at 80-85f. All winter ( it's just 3 months here ). They can still come out and sun / graze in the heat of the day.

Depending on size / insulation you can do this in several ways. A ceramic heat emitter might do it in a small box , I have a " Hound Heater " in one it does the trick but high on electricity. My next one will have an oil heater instead. My largest Sulcata is 40 lbs, smallest 9 lbs. they both need 80f in their box.

I've seen people use a pig blanket , right on the plywood floor with success. But I have not tried it.

IMO 60f is asking for sickness. Especially with a young one.

 

[Prairie Mom]

I would love to see these links. I am in the process of converting my sulcata's outdoor room. This is the first winter we plan to keep her out night through winter (she just turned 4 and is 3.5 lbs.). I am so nervous about it! We live in Phoenix, but it can get down into the 40's, sometimes even the 30's at night. She has an entrance into the back of our garden shed that leads to her area of 2' by 3'. I'm not sure its warm enough :/ What should our goal temps be? I thought it was just to keep it at 60 or above for a low, but have noticed higher temps mentioned since I have joined the forum (newby).

Hi Agintz, I'm so glad you joined the forum It looks like Alaskamike did a great job responding to your post. He gives great advice. I agree 60'F is too low. I shoot for around 80 degrees at night with my tortoise. I really noticed that my sulcata's health and level of activity really improved once I was able to get her temps warmer and provide her with a humid environment. Yvonne G already posted a photo of a ceramic heat emitter which is a good basic source of heat and I know other members have good alternatives too.

Is the tortoise you're concerned about the same adorable one in your avatar picture? If it's that sweet young little beastie, I'm questioning whether it should be outside this winter and may be better served in a closed chamber. You may want to start your own thread in the Sulcata section in "African Tortoises" or even in the Enclosure section and ask for some help housing your tortoise this winter. I bet you could get some really great advice on how to proceed this winter from fabulous forum members I'll keep an eye out for you!

 

[Amyjoe09]

I have a couple questions about the heat emitter how many inches from the bottom of the enclosure does it need to be? Also can I set it right on a screen till I make a diff top...

 

[Alaskamike]

Distance has everything to do with output and your enclosure. Do you have a lazer heat gun ? You can test heat on any spot with one.

A ceramic heat bulb can set on the screen. It will make that screen very hot however.

 

[agintz]

Hi Agintz, I'm so glad you joined the forum It looks like Alaskamike did a great job responding to your post. He gives great advice. I agree 60'F is too low. I shoot for around 80 degrees at night with my tortoise. I really noticed that my sulcata's health and level of activity really improved once I was able to get her temps warmer and provide her with a humid environment. Yvonne G already posted a photo of a ceramic heat emitter which is a good basic source of heat and I know other members have good alternatives too.

Is the tortoise you're concerned about the same adorable one in your avatar picture? If it's that sweet young little beastie, I'm questioning whether it should be outside this winter and may be better served in a closed chamber. You may want to start your own thread in the Sulcata section in "African Tortoises" or even in the Enclosure section and ask for some help housing your tortoise this winter. I bet you could get some really great advice on how to proceed this winter from fabulous forum members I'll keep an eye out for you!

That is her in the picture, but it was four years ago She is now 1600 g (i belive only 34g in that photo..so cute!)

 

[Amyjoe09]

Hey Tom or anyone I just got my CHE in the mail and was wondering is there a link on the safest most effective way to use it?