# am i doing okay?



## nessanicolle (Apr 25, 2012)

hey everyone, i'm new here and I just had a couple questions. so i have had my black and white colombian for about two and a half weeks now. "he" has been eating every day around the same time and pooping right after. I'm not sure how old it is i'm guessing a couple of months. it's about 8 1/2 inches long not including a couple of inches of its tail that somehow went missing before i even got him. hes pretty friendly and enjoys being held for the most part, i usually feed him in my hand (which is why he bit me). he has a diet of crickets, meal worms, raw beef, turkey, and maybe a bit of egg as I've heard it shouldn't be a staple. hes in a 55 gallon tank with a (cat) dish which is pretty big. i have cypress mulch as substrate and a large branch which he surprisingly climbs on everyday. i have a 5.0 uvb bulb in his enclosure attached to the top and and a 150w reptisun bulb on the side because it melted the top wire screen when it was on top. he seems pretty content. also, i wanted to try to feed him silversides (i have plenty from my freshwater moray who doesnt like them anymore), would those be okay? any replies would be much appreciated!


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## m3s4 (Apr 25, 2012)

That's a good looking little Colombian. 

Sounds like you're doing everything just fine. Just remember, aside from the norm (proper caging, lighting, feeding along with vits/calcium, humidity levels etc) anything else you do with your tegu is totally between you and him. 

The 5.0 uvb bulb is probably fine for now but I would recommend upping to a zoomed 150w uvb within a few months as it will be much more effective at proving more uvb then what you have now. 

Chances are, in a few months that little guy will be much larger and thus, require more uvb. 

Anytime he can get natural sunlight even better. 

Good luck with that little guy.


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## nessanicolle (Apr 25, 2012)

i take him out whenever possible, do you know how big it might get in a matter of few months? thanks!


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## laurarfl (Apr 25, 2012)

I love those little Colombians and yours is quite a cutie! I have some suggestions, but didn't want to sound like I was just picking on you too much. 

Personally, I wouldn't get in the habit of hand feeding so that your little guy doesn't begin to associate your fingers as food.  But I do like to feed a few of my tegus (who have nice table manners) with tongs or a fork/spoon.

All the foods he is eating are low in calcium and high in phosphorous. The bugs can be gutloaded with high calcium foods like collards (my favorite), cricket quencher type concoctions, and even reptile food pellets. The higher the quality of food that the crickets and mealworms eat, the better it is for the tegu. And crickets should always be fed once you buy them before you feed, since most pet stores don't really pay attention to this aspect of feeder insect care. You can also dust the crickets with calcium powder. I like to put calcium powder on all the meat at a rate of 1/2-1 tablespoon per pound; you can cut it down to match the amt of meat you have. As he gets bigger, offer a frozen/thawed rodent a couple times a week so he gets a natural source of minerals in the proper proportion.

Lights....Hmmm. I would go with a 100 watt mercury vapor bulb like Power Sun. It provides heat and UVB. Depending on the basking temps (Colombians are ok at 105, but need the cool side to be warm, too 78-80), you may need to build a sort of platform to get the lizard closer to the bulb. Colombians like to climb, so having a platform or big stick will also give them some exercise and take up some of the empty space in the 55 gal. The 5.0 isn't quite strong enough, and not effective at the distance from the substrate to the top of the screen with a screen barrier. At the least, upgrade to a 10.0 and find a way to put the UVB inside the enclosure. I use kitchen fixtures from Home Depot, use wire hangers to make hooks, and hang them over the side of the tank. It seems that they also make good climbing spots because my ameiva sleeps on top of his, or between the fixture and the glass.

As for the silversides, it depends on whether they are true silversides. Some species of feeder fish (like red rosies and goldfish) contain amounts of thiaminase that are considered unhealthy if fed regularly. Too much thiaminase can cause a vit B deficiency. True silversides are supposed to be safe, but I've heard that sometimes other types of baitfish are sometimes labelled as silversides. Some baitfish are higher in thaiminase. Otherwise, silversides are good to go. 

I think m3s4 and I were posting at the same time.


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## nessanicolle (Apr 25, 2012)

right now, he does have a large branch which he climbs on and the uvb bulb is inside of the enclosure. and yes, true silversides are what i have. and for the heat/basking bulb it's a 150w repti-sun which makes the warm side of the enclosure about 95-100 degrees and the cool side about 80. at night i use a 75 watt red colored bulb that makes the enclosure about 75-80 degrees. i also mist the tank multiple times a day to keep the tank at 70+ humidity. thanks for your reply!


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## laurarfl (Apr 25, 2012)

Sure, no prblem. I wasn't sure what you had set-up now, so i just kind of threw a bunch of stuff out there. Another thing...I can't see it, so I'll ask. If the bulb is on the side, is it high enough to not shine on the side of his head? Their eyes have those little eye ledges to shade them from bright light coming from above, but side light may be harsh.


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## nessanicolle (Apr 25, 2012)

he's a picture of the side, its pretty high up there


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## dragonmetalhead (Apr 25, 2012)

Kodo has been eating silversides for as long as I've had him, and I prefer them to fish fillets because they have all the organs and bones in them. Just to let you know, 5.0 bulbs only emit UV 12 inches from the bulb; if the tank is taller than that you should get a 10.0. Zoo Med Powersun bulbs are great, too, as they provide heat and UV in one convenient package. You asked about growth rate; when i got Kodo he was two feet long and has put on about an inch a month and is now just under three feet nose-to-tail.


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## nessanicolle (Apr 25, 2012)

thats impressive, fasa is crawling up my arm as i'm typing right now! lol thanks, ill have to make sure to check out a higher uvb output bulb!


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## laurarfl (Apr 26, 2012)

I would get the basking light above and ditch the coiled/compact bulb. I was thinking you had a linear. The 10.0 coil especially has been shown over and over to cause eye issues. They are just really intense and focused in one area.

You have to watch lighting information from manufacturers. They will say the UVB is emitted at a farther distance (listing the maximum), but it isn't the most effective distance since UVB dissipates quickly from fluorescent bulbs. However, if they list a minimum distance, then definitely heed that warning!

About tube lights:
"Tubes supply a diffuse "glow" with low intensity visible light, very little heat, and a fairly uniform UVB gradient, resembling natural UVB "in the shade" on a sunny day."

"Since they are not particularly bright light sources, fluorescent tubes can be situated directly above a reptile at fairly close range without, apparently, causing distressing glare. However, some do emit high UVB at close range and traces of UVC (1-3 uW/cm²) can be detected at the surface of all tubes tested, hence a safe minimum distance of maybe 3 - 4 inches would seem advisable.

The diffuse glow from a fluorescent tube is not focused into a beam, and hence does not project a great distance from the lamp. To achieve UVB coverage over a wide area, it is advisable to use the longest tube which will comfortably fit inside the vivarium. Reflectors may be used to direct the beam further into the vivarium and increase the effective output, for species with higher UVB requirements."

About compact/coiled:
"UVB compact fluorescent lamps also produce diffuse, low levels of UVB at basking distances. However, at close range and/or if reflectors are used, the light and UVB may be intense, making good positioning difficult. These lamps decay more rapidly than tubes and may need replacement after six months.

A few brands of fluorescent lamps for reptiles, both compact and tube types, have been found to emit hazardous shortwave UVB. These have caused eye problems such as photokeratoconjunctivitis. Some manufacturers that experienced the problem say they have addressed the issue, while others are still addressing it. However, if your reptile develops swollen eyes or refuses to open them shortly after a new lamp is installed, see your herp veterinarian immediately. You may wish to refer him or her to this article. Lamp placement, the lamp itself and/or other factors could be responsible."

About Mercury Vapor:
"Mercury vapor lamps vary in quality and UVB output. These lamps also produce significant heat, and they cannot be thermostatically controlled, so they are most suitable for large enclosures. Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s guidelines and instructions for proper lamp placement and distances. Several mercury-vapor-lamp types are available. Inexpensive spot lamps with clear-glass faces may produce extremely narrow, hazardous beams of intense UV light and are best avoided. Flood lamps have much wider beams, and they are ideal for reptiles that naturally bask in the sun. They create directly below the lamp a zone of bright light and UVB resembling a small patch of sunlight. Brands vary in their UV Index. Recordings range from about 2.0 (full tropical sun before 8:30 a.m.) to 7.0 (full tropical sun between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m.) within the basking area"

Quotes From:
"FRANCES M. BAINES, M.A., VetMB, MRCVS, is a veterinarian researching the requirements of reptiles for visible and ultraviolet light. She writes on uvguide.co.uk and, with colleague Andrew Beveridge, independently assesses reptile lamps worldwide. She is currently an advisor to the Reptile and Amphibian Working Group of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums."


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