Lighting question

[Infidel_03]

Hey all...New enclosure is almost complete! 6x3.5x3.5....Going to run a Powersun160w on warm/basking end but what should I use on the cool side to provide UVA/UVB without the heat?? Roof is too high for a florescent to be effective so are there any bulbs that anyone recommends for an enclosure this size?


Thanks all and I will post pics of the completed enclosure just after Christmas!

 

[Jason]

you can get a 60 watt megaray (external ballast) from reptileuv.com. The external ballast version doesn't put out much heat, but puts out plenty of UVB. But also UV on the cool side is unnesessary. In the wild the don't get much UV unless they're basking in the sun also taking in heat.

 

[mr.tegu]

i agree with you jason. in the wild lets say when the tegu is at a perfect temperature he/she will retreat into the shade of a bush or shelter of some sort to thermo regulate. i think to much u.v is just as bad as not enough. my enclosure sounds a lot like yours and i have just a plain old 90 watt house hold light hanging for just light purposes on the cool side of my enclosure. on the basking side it took a 160watt powersun and a 170watt basking light to acheive ambient temps of around 90 with a basking spot of around 100-110

 

[Infidel_03]

Thanks fellas. I'll go with the house bulb on the cool side. I know I am reading way too deep into this stuff but I appreciate the help. This is the most rewarding pet I have ever lived with and I get pretty carried away with what he/she needs...You think a good piece of flagstone will be good for a basking spot or will it get to hot? Also (I know, I know) any suggestions for hides when she's full grown?

 

[mr.tegu]

you bet.. any kind of simi flat rock, brick, or tile works great for a warming platform. if you have a temp-gun you can shoot the basking platform and raise or lower the light for a perfect basking temp. you can get a temp-gun at LLL reptile for 20 bucks. as with hides i dont have a hide in my enclosure, i put a massive amount of straw and hay for them to burrow in. that way when the tegus are out and about they have that much more room to roam in the enclosure.

 

[Infidel_03]

Thanks bro. I'll definately grab a heat gun next time I'm in O-Side at LLL. I may do the hay thing as well. Again thanks for the help man.

 

[mr.tegu]

camp pendleton? did you get your tegu at LLLreptile

 

[Infidel_03]

Ya, the one in Oceanside. Hope it gets as big as there's...

 

[mr.tegu]

''as big as theres'' refering to the one lll reptile has in the window you mean.? are they still asking 170 dollars for the tegus?

 

[Infidel_03]

ya..I paid 170 for a "3 month old" red in October. I think they are all gone now with the exception of Jeffy that red they have out front.

 

[mr.tegu]

i got both of my tegus from LLL REPTILE. back when i got mine they were asking 99 dollars and i noticed like 3 weeks ago when i went for feeders they were selling blk n whts for 170 now.

 

[Infidel_03]

Did your Tegus seem small for their age when you got them? They said "Beast" was 3mos old but she was only like 10inches and still had that bright green head going on... getting huge now, just started off pretty small I guess. You see these people with Bobby's Tegus and they are like 3' lond at 6 mos

 

[mr.tegu]

well i got my female in october of 2008, to the best of my knowledge she wasnt even green in color, so she had to of had a few sheds before i got her. her lenght was about 10 or 12 inches i guess when i got her. she grew super fast, but she didnt break any records growing either you know. i will say this... at just over a year old now SHES HUGE!!!! for a female. she is i think 42 inches long and about 6 inches wide i guess. and she still is growing long and wide so she will be a big female.. most of lll reptile tegus come from ogama, but there are some back yard breeders in san diego that sell to lll reptile. the bummer is lll reptile buys baby tegus at 50 bucks a head and turns around and sells um for now 170. thats a huge profit for them. as for your tegus size...it just depends on the tegu. some grow fast some grow slow, but in the end each will be very close in size. and in my opinon 3 feet long at 6 months seems a little odd. i would say most dont know how to read a tape measure bro!

 

[Infidel_03]

lol..I cant wait till mine is that big to really let free roam the house. New enclosure should be ready right after Christmas. The door is such that if I leave it open she can come and go as she pleases. Powersuns came in the mail today and saved me a ton of cash, pretty stoked about that.