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I am curious to know what you guys with outdoor enclosures use for heat? I am just about finished building this thing but the ceramic heat emitters that I purchased just don't seem to cut it. There are two 6'L x 4'W x 4'H 'shelters' within the enclosure that will need to be heated at night for just a couple months out of the year (I live in AZ). I have thermostats wired and am now just thinking to use halogen bulbs. No heat seems to really get emitted anywhere with the ceramic bulbs except for the bulbs themselves. Thanks for any input.

I use Kane heat mats and lots of hay as a insulator. CHE's provide radiant heat; Radiant heat will not heat the inside of the enclosure, they are used only to provide a basking spot. However, to get them to work in your application, you either need to raise the basking spot closer to the CHEs, or move the CHEs closer to where you need them to be. Usually they need to be within 12 or 16 inches of the basking spot to work, sometimes closer depending on your situation

thanks for the input. those heat mats look like a good choice, but could you explain your setup please? which size(s) do you use for how many torts and do you have them wired up to a thermostat(s)? do you think the thermostat in this attached link would be sufficient? because they are what I have thank you so much.
Link

sorry, one last thing... How do you use your heat mats? Do you run them continuously at a set temp with a rheostat? or only when the outside temps get low? or use a thermostat(along with the rheostat??)? Thank you for the help

I believe the size I use is 16X28 or something similair. Size is going to be dependent on the Tortoises in question. The 16X28s are good for at least 2 medium sized Torts, possibly 3. The Kane heat mats that I have run at about 106 degrees without any controllers, which is perfect for me when the temps are at 30-40 degrees outside. The lowest temps my Redfoots experience are around 50 Degrees at night, anything lower and I turn the pads on. If you live in a cooler climate, you might have to use both a heat/farrowing pad and CHEs to provide both a warm spot and up your ambient Temps. Kane also makes a heat pad that has a rheostat on the cord, so you wouldn't have to mess with Thermostats being exposed to the elements. Hay is probably the best insulator I've found, although you could use aspen, or something similair. Make sure it is deep enough that they can just about cover themselves and you shouldn't have any problems. Just make sure everything is working properly and in good shape. Fire could be a real possibilty, and make sure you don't have any ant piles close by, they will migrate to wherever the heat is and cause problems

thanks so much for your input, I really appreciate it. I went ahead and ordered a couple of the 18" x 28" mats. I will post some pics of the enclosure soon - it has turned out to be quite the project.

a 18"x18" Kane heat mat with a rheostat accompanied by plenty of straw. I also have a 250 watt ceramic heater. Both are tied into a thermostat.

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