Enclosure Lighting

[Jacobhreptiles]

so i bought an 8x4x3 cage that was used for a retic cage, but it wokrs greta for my agrentine! however the lighting. its cut slightly into the cage now from the top but he hits the light or they slip down into the cage. i need a better lighting option and i can't just lay the lights on top.... my dog likes to sit on the cage and look out the window.

 

[Josh]

hmmm can you post a photo so we can see what you're describing?

 

[Jacobhreptiles]

This is how it's set up. It's just a small hole cut out and the light threaded through and held up... not the best but I saw the cage on Craigslist and had to get it. the main problem is I can't just cut bigger holes and let the lights lay on top I have a shepard with anxiety that can be destructive when I leave and that's her favorite spot

 

[Josh]

You may be able to get a different light fixture that's lower profile along with a focused bulb and just put a wire screen around it...

 

[Jacobhreptiles]

Ok. Any lights with bulbs you recommend?

 

[Josh]

Something like this is what I have in mind. You should be able to find the whole set up at Home Depot or Lowe's. This is for a basking spot, not UVB, right?

 

[Jacobhreptiles]

I have one of the powersuns. But its for all of the lighting I have 3 lights in there and all of them are "installed" the same way

 

[Josh]

Could you switch to a low profile fluorescent bulb for the UVB?

 

[Jacobhreptiles]

is that a strip bulb or just one of the bulb style ones? either one wouldn't be a problem

 

[Josh]

Those are the long tubes. I'd personally go with that for UVB and a spot/flood lamp for basking.

 

[Jacobhreptiles]

Ok sweet thank you. I have another question, so my tegu is wild caught from tegusonly and I got him probably 5 or 6 months ago and he brumated until about a week and a half ago. He had ate a little bit but not much he is still not eating much so I was wondering if he is just not ready yet or something else?

 

[Josh]

If all your temps and humidity and other parameters are all correct, then he's probably just not ready yet. What are you feeding?

 

[Jacobhreptiles]

Feeding has been ground turkey, chicken liver and gizzards, shrimp and tilapia, mixes of fruits, tegu and monitor diet, and scrambled, boiled, and in that photo a raw egg. And rodents but he has only eaten the egg. Temps get a little low at night but where he sleeps they stay about 65-70 at night

 

[Josh]

So he's probably still having a slowed metabolism because of the low temps. Are his basking and daytime temps high enough?

 

[Jacobhreptiles]

Daytime the cool side is about 73 and the basking spot is about 105. It ranges in the middle

 

[Josh]

Perfect!

 

[Jackie & Hellboy]

If you want to get him eating sooner the cool side temps could go up a bit maybe for a few hours a day up to 78 degrees should get his metabolism kick started again.