# How to heat a big cage?



## Aardbark (Oct 18, 2011)

I just finished my Tegus new home, but after testing the temps, the heat on the basking side isnt nearly high enough.

Any ideas on how to heat the cage, espesualy the basking spot?

The cage has about 2 feet between the substrace and the celing. Here is a pic.


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## james.w (Oct 18, 2011)

What size/type bulb are you using?

If the temps are fine in the rest of the cage, just raise the basking spot. Add more substrate, use retes stacks or use bricks of some sort. What ever you decide to use make sure it is stable and can't fall on your tegu.


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## Aardbark (Oct 18, 2011)

The entire cage stays at about 75


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## james.w (Oct 18, 2011)

What size/type of bulb are you using for heat?


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## Aardbark (Oct 18, 2011)

Its one of those, sunglow or something bulbs. I honestly dont remember what size or power rateing is for it. I just know that it gets really hot, and it gives off uvb.


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## james.w (Oct 18, 2011)

It is hard to help if you don't even know what you have. What are you using to measure temps?


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## Aardbark (Oct 18, 2011)

Lol, I was just asking for good ideas. Like should I add side mounted lights, or do they make tube heating lamps, or heating rocks, heating pads, maybe a tiny space heater or something. Things I can add to the cage to make it warmer. Good proven ideas to heat it up.


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## james.w (Oct 18, 2011)

All you need is one basking bulb. For example, my tegus cage is 8x3.5x3 and on one end I have a 160w SolarGlo MVB and 2 48" Repti-Sun 10.0s on the opposite side. The temps are 110 basking, and ambients range from 78-90. 

So if you can figure out what size/type of bulb you have or go buy a new one, you should be able to get the temps right.


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## numarix (Nov 12, 2011)

Man that housing is awesome, great job.


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## Kebechet (Nov 12, 2011)

Please don't use any heating pads or heating rocks- they can develop hot spots and burn your animal. You just want to use lights to heat the cage like james.w suggested.


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## omgtaylorg (Nov 12, 2011)

my 8x4x3 is heated by a 160w powersun on the hot side and a reptisun 10.0 tube light on the cool side, works great. You can either lower your light or raise your basking spot, those are your options besides getting a new light depending on the type of light that you already have. Most of them say what they are on the base of the bulb...try for a 160w if you dont already have one. And like kebechet said, stay away from heat rocks, one they arent needed and two they are potentially dangerous


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## Thumper (Nov 17, 2011)

What are u checking your temps with? Probes are good for ambient temps you need a temp gun for surface temps like the basking sight. Like James said you can just raise the basking sight if your ambient temps are ok. But it sounds like you need to invest in some quality thermometers.


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