need advice on heating my shed

gjsmithers · 03-12-2010, 11:02 PM

Hello, i was hoping to pick your brains. I have converted a 12ft x 10ft shed into a tortoise enclosure but im having trouble maintaining the temperature.
I have uv lighting and basking lamps but need advice on a heater to maintain a stable heat. I did buy the tubular heater from sw shop but it is not powerfull enough.
What do you all use in your enclosures, or can you recommend something?

Any advice is greatly welcome

Regards
Grahame

NATURALIS · 03-12-2010, 11:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gjsmithers

Hello, i was hoping to pick your brains. I have converted a 12ft x 10ft shed into a tortoise enclosure but im having trouble maintaining the temperature.
I have uv lighting and basking lamps but need advice on a heater to maintain a stable heat. I did buy the tubular heater from sw shop but it is not powerfull enough.
What do you all use in your enclosures, or can you recommend something?

Any advice is greatly welcome

Regards
Grahame

the best advice i can give you is insulation then more insulation . also a shed that size would need 2/3 6 ft tube heaters on a stat.

**16 shells** · 03-12-2010, 11:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gjsmithers

Hello, i was hoping to pick your brains. I have converted a 12ft x 10ft shed into a tortoise enclosure but im having trouble maintaining the temperature.
I have uv lighting and basking lamps but need advice on a heater to maintain a stable heat. I did buy the tubular heater from sw shop but it is not powerfull enough.
What do you all use in your enclosures, or can you recommend something?

Any advice is greatly welcome

Regards
Grahame

Most keeper's insulate there shed's this is wall's, sides, roof and floor, then cover over with board. Mine is 8x6ft and has a 6ft tube for the night and back ground heat on a thermostat. Insulated with 40mm polystrene sheet's. Kingspan is one of the better one's.

joanna · 03-12-2010, 11:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by red foot marg

the best advice i can give you is insulation then more insulation . also a shed that size would need 2/3 6 ft tube heaters on a stat.

Got to ask as we are preparing for a shed, with another cold winter on the way and you being in Scotland Chris

will have experience! How economical do you find it to run? With only having a handful thinking providing more indoor space is my answer over winter

NATURALIS · 03-12-2010, 11:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joanna

Got to ask as we are preparing for a shed, with another cold winter on the way and you being in Scotland Chris

will have experience! How economical do you find it to run? With only having a handful thinking providing more indoor space is my answer over winter

Well as you know electric these days isn't cheap , BUT !!!, if you insulate well from the start you will save lots of money, the only way to keep them inside during the winter is in a large viv, because inside house's the humidity levels are too low for red foots.

Pussygalore · 04-12-2010, 08:00 AM

like its been said insulation is the only way to go, I used polystyrene then bubble wrap followed by boarding (I was on a budget) but loft insulation is so cheap, that included the floor,walls,door and roof and we doubleglazed the window with perspex. After that we found a tubular the length of the shed was sufficient at night with two combined through the day the shed was 6x4. Sheds weren't designed for being warm so you can't have enough insulation it just won't work without it.

jamestaylor18 · 04-12-2010, 05:31 PM

i think as mentioned insulation is the key! Also most heat will be lost thru the roof

Sully Lover · 04-12-2010, 07:19 PM

I was going to get a shed for my Sullys, however I started to think long term. So in the end I have had built a ten foot by five foot, double brick enclosure. The walls were then insulated with three inch Kingspan covered by hardboard then perspex. The floor and ceiling are five inch Kingspan, floor is boarded over but I left the ceiling. I figured the UV would reflect back onto the Tortoises as it's covered in foil type stuff. I covered the floor in tarpaulin to stop the board getting soaked and ruined.

The point is, I was thinking long term, cost so went full out with the Kingspan. We were minus ten last night and I went out first thing this morning to check temps and it was 25 with just a tube heater on. Daytime temps without a Thermostat I could get well over 40! That's pretty amazing (btw i don't have it at 40!) just proving the point that the Kingspan was worth the money. Find a decent builders year. I paid twenty five quid per sheet and in total it cost me around a hundred and fifty quid. The double brick helps as well.

**16 shells** · 04-12-2010, 07:49 PM

Sounds a good job built, 25c is a good night time temp, my Leo's are in 21c at night, but they are wanting to go out, after a warm up during the day. They don't know there's a good 2-3 foot of snow surrounding them.

Sully Lover · 04-12-2010, 08:11 PM

Yeh, I'm pleased with it. I worry like hell when I'm in bed that they'll be okay in this weather! Their enclosure is hotter than our house! LOL

I opened their enclosure today it wasn't AS cold outside, they actually ventured out into the snow! My big Sully even ate some snow. They're not stupid though, they knew when they were cold and after ten minutes off they went back in and I locked them back up. I was just glad to see them out and stretching their legs.

03-12-2010, 11:02 PM	#1
gjsmithers Junior Member Egg Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: kent Posts: 19	need advice on heating my shed Hello, i was hoping to pick your brains. I have converted a 12ft x 10ft shed into a tortoise enclosure but im having trouble maintaining the temperature. I have uv lighting and basking lamps but need advice on a heater to maintain a stable heat. I did buy the tubular heater from sw shop but it is not powerfull enough. What do you all use in your enclosures, or can you recommend something? Any advice is greatly welcome Regards Grahame

04-12-2010, 05:31 PM	#7
jamestaylor18 Member Hatched Join Date: May 2010 Location: Manchester Posts: 335	i think as mentioned insulation is the key! Also most heat will be lost thru the roof __________________ James x2 Beautiful Horsefield's (Fred & Ted) x3 Bearded Dragon's (Billy, Betty & Sandy) x1 Tree Frog (Freddie) x1 Corn Snake (Nessie)

04-12-2010, 07:49 PM	#9
16 shells Super Moderator Adult Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Hull Posts: 7,286	Sounds a good job built, 25c is a good night time temp, my Leo's are in 21c at night, but they are wanting to go out, after a warm up during the day. They don't know there's a good 2-3 foot of snow surrounding them. __________________ Paul.

04-12-2010, 08:00 AM	#6
Pussygalore Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Cambridge Posts: 6,479	like its been said insulation is the only way to go, I used polystyrene then bubble wrap followed by boarding (I was on a budget) but loft insulation is so cheap, that included the floor,walls,door and roof and we doubleglazed the window with perspex. After that we found a tubular the length of the shed was sufficient at night with two combined through the day the shed was 6x4. Sheds weren't designed for being warm so you can't have enough insulation it just won't work without it.

04-12-2010, 07:19 PM	#8
Sully Lover Junior Member Egg Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 47	I was going to get a shed for my Sullys, however I started to think long term. So in the end I have had built a ten foot by five foot, double brick enclosure. The walls were then insulated with three inch Kingspan covered by hardboard then perspex. The floor and ceiling are five inch Kingspan, floor is boarded over but I left the ceiling. I figured the UV would reflect back onto the Tortoises as it's covered in foil type stuff. I covered the floor in tarpaulin to stop the board getting soaked and ruined. The point is, I was thinking long term, cost so went full out with the Kingspan. We were minus ten last night and I went out first thing this morning to check temps and it was 25 with just a tube heater on. Daytime temps without a Thermostat I could get well over 40! That's pretty amazing (btw i don't have it at 40!) just proving the point that the Kingspan was worth the money. Find a decent builders year. I paid twenty five quid per sheet and in total it cost me around a hundred and fifty quid. The double brick helps as well.

04-12-2010, 08:11 PM	#10
Sully Lover Junior Member Egg Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 47	Yeh, I'm pleased with it. I worry like hell when I'm in bed that they'll be okay in this weather! Their enclosure is hotter than our house! LOL I opened their enclosure today it wasn't AS cold outside, they actually ventured out into the snow! My big Sully even ate some snow. They're not stupid though, they knew when they were cold and after ten minutes off they went back in and I locked them back up. I was just glad to see them out and stretching their legs.

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