# Lighting Question



## Deafbum (Jan 1, 2009)

I am starting my tegus 8x4x4 cage which hill have about 2 feet of substrate. Could someone with a similar set-up tell me what bulbs(wattage,brand,type) they use to heat their cage?

Also, is it ok to use redwood mulch(AKA gorrila hair) as a substrate? I know some people on this site use it as a substitute for cypress mulch.


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## Deafbum (Jan 1, 2009)

bump


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## VARNYARD (Jan 1, 2009)

I have never used redwood, I think it is a member of the pine family. 

As for the lighting, I would go with a 160 Power sun for the basking spot.


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## Deafbum (Jan 1, 2009)

Thank you


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## PinkPunisher (Jan 1, 2009)

For my heating I have 100W Powersun and 75W Flood light, then a 4' fluorescent fixture just for extra light. Same size cage as you.

I'm not sure about the Redwood either. One thing I found that works GREAT are these blocks of coconut husks and actual chunks. You can buy then at Home Hardware for roughly $6.99 CAN and they expand to 12sq feet. I have 4 blocks of husk and 3 blocks of the chunks in my 8'x4'x4'. It doesn't mold and holds humidity very well. The brand name is Natura, I think. 

Spencer


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## Deafbum (Jan 1, 2009)

I live in california (no home hardware stores here or cypress) so i will try the coconut fiber if i can find it.


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## DaveDragon (Jan 1, 2009)

2 feet of substrate is deep and heavy!! Ours only have enough to submerge, about 8". I've found the cypress compacts and they stop burrowing (lazy?). In order for them to use the whole depth you'd have to occasionally turn the mulch.


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## Deafbum (Jan 1, 2009)

Hmmm, I didnt thing about the compacting issue.... should i make the cage shorter? because if I put less substrate the tegu would be realy far from the light bulbs.

Could i see a picture of your set-up Dave?


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## LouDog760 (Jan 1, 2009)

I'm thinking about putting a 7ft3ft3ft cage in my room. Or should I go bigger? I wanna get an Arg B&W male.


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## PinkPunisher (Jan 1, 2009)

I'd recommend going shorter but thats up to you. My heat fixtures hang from the roof so I don't need a ton of a high wattage bulbs. 

I would go with 2' and 3' at max. Its much better because you won't be wasting extra height unless you plan on crawling in with your tegu, if you do plan on doing that though then I'd recommend going higher like 5'. Having the cage 4' tall is really a pain at times. I plan on making new cages for my tegus that will be 8'x4'x2' because of it.

Spencer


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## DaveDragon (Jan 2, 2009)

Even if you hang the light fixtures down you have to heat that whole space (more wattage). 7ft x 3ft is fine for our Blue's, they're only 3.5ft long. I'd go 8ft x 4ft for a B&W (4ft to 4.5ft long). But it depends on how often you take him out. We take ours out at least once a week, but less lately since they're semi-hibernating. I personally don't like the lights hanging down because the Tegu cough jump at it and break it. Our male Red does that but they're sitting on the screen. He's knocked them out but can't break them.


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## Deafbum (Jan 2, 2009)

Thank you guys for the advice, I am going to put the lights on the inside if the cage, but i will put some galvanised hardwere cloth to seperate him from the lights.


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## mr.tegu (Jan 2, 2009)

my enclosure is 7' by 3' by 3' and i have a 250 watt uva/uvb on one side that hangs down and heats hot side of enclosure to about an average of 88 degrees, basking spot around 105-108 and a 75 watt uva/uvb on the cool side that hangs down and keeps cool side around 75 to 78 as well. i also have a tube uva/uvb in the center of enclosure above his/her cooling spot. heres a pic or two of my set up. i have redecorated but lights are all still the same




e. also the hot rock is in-op!!


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## DaveDragon (Jan 3, 2009)

You've got no substrate to burrow in?


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## AB^ (Jan 3, 2009)

Gorilla Hair (redwood mulch) is what I've been using for about 2 years, no issues at all except it can get a lil dusty once it starts drying out.


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## DaRealJoker (Jan 3, 2009)

Yeah Mr. Tegu, your substrate isn't deep enough, and as for Powersun MV bulbs, I've read they expire in production of UVB in like 3 months, as for the Repti-Sun or Reptie-glo flourescent bulb, they last six. For heat, I use a basking light I bought at the pet store, 75watt, and a red floodlight. Those combined with a large heavy rock completes my heating. My temps are all great. The heavy rocks can hold heat longer and slowly release the heat throughout the night.


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## DaRealJoker (Jan 3, 2009)

aswell my UVB light is the Repti-sun 5.0 at ten inches high and is a 36" The longer the tube light is the more light penetration in your enclosure, ensuring you pet is getting UVB everywhere in the cage and not one lil spot under the basking light. I find that if the UVB source is only available in one spot, in which case, the PowerSun MV or a crappy 18" tube light isn't sufficient. The Powersun is great in the fact that if you have a lazy tegu that always basks, will get plenty of UVB. But my tegu will not sit under his heat light all day. He moves around and with a large, long flourescent I know he gets UVB in all corners. When it comes to their UVB, I will recomend you don't be cheap.


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## mr.tegu (Jan 3, 2009)

this pic was taken when my tegu was only 8 inches long or so. i have around 6 inches of subsrate in a few areas where the tegu burrows. YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER that as long as the tegu can cover it self thats all the substate you need when keeping the tegu in doors


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## DaveDragon (Jan 4, 2009)

mr.tegu said:


> this pic was taken when my tegu was only 8 inches long or so. i have around 6 inches of subsrate in a few areas where the tegu burrows. YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER that as long as the tegu can cover it self thats all the substate you need when keeping the tegu in doors


Exactly. I only use 2X the thickness of the Tegu for the depth of substrate.


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## LouDog760 (Jan 4, 2009)

Great info guys. I don't have tools so I was thinking about buying one. Check out this link, these guys make good cages and they are in my local area. I'm thinking about making an order, What kind of wood should I use?


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