You might be interested in having a look at my enclosure pics here, I'm always open to suggestions for improvement.

http://s250.photobucket.com/albums/gg265/Ozric_01/enclosure%202008%20June/?action=view&current=June08enclosure016.jpg

I checked and the link doesn't work, but if you copy the address into your http:// bar at the top of the screen its OK.

Jonathan

Hi Jonathan

I shortened the link and hopefully it is a live one now:  http://preview.tinyurl.com/6kc6dh

You look to have done some interesting things in your enclosures.  There's lots of different textures of substrate and hidey corners etc.  they look quite good.  I understand what you mean about your coldframe now too.  I have a couple of hermanns in quarantine at present and during the day they are in a similar coldframe.  Geoff added and extra board around the bottom to make it higher so we could hang a basking lamp in there too but I haven't any UVB transmitting material for the roof.  May I ask where you ended up buying yours from?

Here's a picture of my quarantine set up but not as many hidey places as yours for these two.

Helen 

Hi Helen, after much searching about I found two suppliers in the UK of UV trasmitting acrylic:

http://www.casupply.co.uk/acatalog/solidsheets.html

This one, C and A plastics do UVT acrylic in 2,3,4, and 6 mm thicknesses, they also have some very flexible 1mm clear pvc which they also say transmits UV.  I think this 1mm stuff must have some useful tortoise applications but I haven't tried it yet.  The only thing about C and A was that there was quite a hefty basic delivery charge wiht me being in Scotland and them in London.  They also have a massive range of products that would be useful to anyone wanitng to build their own tortoise housing.

http://www.bayplastics.co.uk/index.htm

Bayplastics was the one I bought from, they are in Newcastle and were very helpful.  They sold me an offcut which saved buying a sheet.  I think it cost me about £30 including the delivery and I've got some left over after doing my coldframe lid.

Is it worth bothering?  I think it is.  It definitely lets through useful amounts of UV.  I've now got a 6.2 UVB meter and alhtough I haven't done systematic tests, the UV acrylic seems to let through about 60% of what is available from th sky.  I can also confirm that 'standard' acrylic lets through none at all and normal glass none at all. On a sunny morning when my torts are basking in the coldframe getting warmed up, I can be content that they are getting some UV. Also when the sun isn't out and they are sitting in there at 20C, they are getting some UV; if they went outside they would be getting more UV of course but would be below temp.

The UVT acrylic does have to be replaced from time to time and I don't yet know how long it lasts, as for some reason it looses this property over time.  Again the meter will come in handy here.

I've fogotten the name of the very best UV transmitting material now, it's very expensive and quite fragile as well.  A couple of firms showed interest in supplying, but only on purchase of a pallet load as they don't normally stock it.  A tort keeper in Germany (Editha) has a greenhouse made of this which is really somehting to aim for - deep pockets required.

Jonathan

Thanks for the links to the outlets Jonathan.  You were very lucky to get an off cut. Is the stuff plexiglass that you were thinking of?  I have a UV solar meter too and I am shocked at how little UVB from the sun reaches the tortoises in my greenhouse when they are basking in there with all 4 window vents open and the double doors wide open.

I have Editha's picture on my PC and if you like I can write to her and ask her for permission to post it on here.

Helen

Hi Helen, yes that was it, plexiglass. I expect people would be interested in Edtha's greenhouse.

Today I got the hardware to install a 60W bulb in the coldframe.  I think it would have be set up so the torts do not get too near, can you tell me roughly how far away you have it? I don't have a lot of height in there but I could hold the beasts back from it laterally with something. 

Jonathan

Hi,

That stuff sounds great and as I am in the process of planning a new tortoise enclosure it adds to my wants list I have been led to believe that most greenhouses do not let much UV in and have decided against using one. Knowing me I'd crash my wheelchair through the glass Will have to look into plexiglass though, but if its really dear may have to use something else. Will have a good look at the links later.

Keep smilin, Elly

Hi Jonathan

I have the bulb about 12" off the top of the tortoise's shell.  to make enough room for the lamp to hang down we added another layer of boarding all around then base of the cold frame with the exception that we left a gap at the front for the entrance.

Before we raised the cold frame to allow more room for a hanging lamp we used a 60 watt reflector in a ceiling spot lamp shade, you know one of those plastic ones that have a base.  The base we screwed into the side of the coldframe and then the shade could be directed to whatever angle we liked to deliver the heat.

The only thing to remember is that, if yours is like mine, the coldframe will not be water tight and of course water and electrics don't mix.  You will need to ensure that water definitely cannot get in and have one of those RCD circuit breakers fitted.

Helen

Helen thanks for that info about the basking lamp.  I think there would be 12" room there but I'm check everyhting carefuly.  I had thought about the water problem, my coldframe is not watertight but the amount of ingress is very small.  The bulbs I got have a fuse in them (surprisingly) also the plug is fused and the electricity supply is on a circuit breaker at the point where it joins the householld supply.  I;ll check out that RCD as well.

Today the weather was baking hot making all this discussion feel silly.  My smallest tort was out of the coldframe before 10 a.m. foraging in the outside area and by lunchtime all three were sitting pretty in dappled shade.  Temeratures in the coldframe exceeded 40C in the afternoon (of course the torts were not in there). If it was like this even three days a week I don't thnk there would be any problem.

Jonathan