Custom enclosure. Help with lights would be awesome!

[Jonnyb]

Hey guys first post but been watching this forum for a long time! So I recently acquired a tegu. Iv had a bearded dragon for 7 years and have been looking into getting a tegu for a year or so. My girlfriend wants to get into lizards and had me buy her a tegu at a reptile convention for our 4 th anniversary. (Sper of the moment I was originally going to get her a purse but I'm not complaining) anyways I'm making a bigger tank for him. We have had him for a couple weeks. I'm almost done but need help with lighting how should I do it. I was thinking a power sun bulb on the hot side and putting A 18 inch uv bulb on the cool side. What do you guys recommend I do? The cage is 6x3x3. They way I'm doing it I will be able to make a second box and attack them in the future for a bigger tank. I'm almost done Im dryloking and putting in vents then it's the lights. any helps appreciated.

 

[RickyNo]

I would have put the 2x4's on the top of enclosure flat to utilize more space inside the cage, they would make good mounting points for things unless you boarded up the enclosure on both sides like i did to ensure complete smooth surface no visible framing. I would not have uvb on just one side, my personal opinion is you should have it stretched all the way across because he needs to be able to absorb that artificial sunlight on whatever side of the tank he is on. You also have to remember you need to keep an ambient temp inside the cage as well so I hope you mounted a ceramic light fixture inside for a heat emitter. I bought my 150 watt black heat emitter from big apple pet supplies, it isnt expensive and is also super thick and lasts for years and years. Your also going to have to mount up a thermostat. Now I dont know what your budget entails but if you want to create a perfect environment for your new family member I would highly suggest picking one up. I bought mine from spyder electronics. The herpstat 2 is top notch quality and controls both humidity and ambient temps. It will lower and raise the voltage to the heat emitter to ensure your temps stay exactly where you want them to be. Once the humidity levels drop the herpstat 2 will turn on your fogger till levels are where they need to be. Herpstat 2 has some pretty cool freakin menu options as well I would consider it best on the market. Dont go and buy one of those retarded reptifoggers they are trash. Just go to good ol wal mart and get a humidifier for 50 bucks and attach nozzles to the top so you can connect one or two hoses to flood the cage. I also dont think you have enough burrowing space. Should have been a foot minimum for that little dood. I think this cage you built will be good for a year or so then I would definitely consider upping the cage size to a 4x8 with close to 2 feet of burrow space. When I started to build my cage I had read some more things about burrowing and changed my mind on burrow depth, unfortunately it was too late the base was already built so I could only squeeze another 5 inches out of the lower half which brought me to a 1.5 ft of burrow space. I have the tendency of over doing things but I believe go big or go home

 

[SnakeCharmr728]

Personally, I would do a cluster of basking lights, low wattage outdoor flood halogen bulbs & then a 3 or 4ft uv florescent starting all the way on the hot side and stretching into the middle as I do believe they need to be able to get away from the uv if they want.

 

[SnakeCharmr728]

Is that enclosure really 3ft wide? It looks more like a 6long x2widex3tall

 

[Johnnyb91]

Hey guys this is JonnyB. Some how i locked myself out of my other account i cant remember my password. But for the Lights im wiring them in today. Im doing 3 light fixtures and a UV fixture. 1 will have a ceramic heat one will be a heat bulb and the other will be a MVB bulb. So i plan on having the MVB on the hot side witch gives off both heat and UV. So there should be plenty of UV coverage. As far as the frame on the outside i thought about that but im putting a Bearded Dragon Enclosure on top of it and he has 12 inches for substrate in this tank. All the electronics i have. I have a hand held temp gun, Gauges a fogger and all that fun stuff im just a little curious of the lights. Ill post pictures when i get them all mounted. And SnakeCharmr it is actually just under 3 feet it will barely fit through my door. Thanks guys!!

 

[LonelyBlackWolf]

Personally, I would do a cluster of basking lights, low wattage outdoor flood halogen bulbs & then a 3 or 4ft uv florescent starting all the way on the hot side and stretching into the middle as I do believe they need to be able to get away from the uv if they want.

can I use a regular high wattage bulb in stead of a halogen flood one?