What reserve equipment should always be kept on hand for emergencies
Unfortunately, equipment problems tend to crop up on public holidays or Sundays, so it makes sense to keep every essential component in duplicate. Keepers who currently only warm their sleeping houses with lid heaters should arrange a second heating option to safeguard the base temperature throughout the whole cold frame, day and night. We recommend that these keepers invest in a greenhouse heater, to safely bring the cold frame up to habitat temperature and to hold it at 5–6 °C without difficulty during winter brumation.
Reserve equipment should ideally include a greenhouse heater, spare lamp fittings and UV lamps, a powerful smart thermometer, a thermostat, and cabling suitable for outdoor use.
If you brumate your tortoises under controlled conditions in the refrigerator, you should also keep a spare emergency cut-off thermostat on hand for this.
