# Is My Lighting Too Much/Ideal?



## 2railsx94 (Apr 3, 2021)

Hello guys I am a new tegu owner and have had my girl Diamond for a week now. I would like to know how my lighting set up is. And:
A) Is this too much UVB?
B) Are the heat lamps in the middle reflecting too much of the UVB also do you think the reflectors are absorbing it? 
C) Should I have one of the UVB bulbs length wise in the enclosure instead in addition to the one on the basking platform? 
I have 2 Repti Sun 10.0 bulbs at 18 inches above her. I have 3 90w floodlights at 12 in above her. Someone in the reptile lighting FB group told me that 12-13 inches for the UVB is correct, however that’s without a source. I am using the following source for my lighting heights: 








Tegu Humidity, Lighting & Heating Requirements


Tegus need hot temperatures, medium-high humidity, and regular exposure to UVB. Get the exact numbers for tegu humidity, temps, and lighting at ReptiFiles.




reptifiles.com




I know it’s hard to say exactly how much UVB she is getting without a solar meter. Planning to order one soon. Also I would like to add (since people want to comment on what they think the enclosure is instead of looking to answer my question)... the enclosure is well ventilated with ports in the ceiling and the humidity is 85%. Basking temps have a gradient from 110-135 (average is in the 120’s though).
Thank you for your time to answer my questions.


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## LizardStudent (Apr 3, 2021)

18 inches should be okay especially with two of them, I have heard 12 to 15 inches before, never 12 to 13. If you can afford the solar meter you should go for one when you can, the peace of mind it'll bring is great and you'll probably keep your UV bulbs a lot longer as a result instead of replacing them at set periods just to be safe, saving money in the long run

One comment about basking temps- they really shouldn't need to be higher than 125 for an adult tegu, 125 is the high end of the spectrum that seems to generally be accepted in tegu care. You could save yourself some money off your heating bill by cooling down the basking spot a bit


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## 2railsx94 (Apr 3, 2021)

LizardStudent said:


> 18 inches should be okay especially with two of them, I have heard 12 to 15 inches before, never 12 to 13. If you can afford the solar meter you should go for one when you can, the peace of mind it'll bring is great and you'll probably keep your UV bulbs a lot longer as a result instead of replacing them at set periods just to be safe, saving money in the long run
> 
> One comment about basking temps- they really shouldn't need to be higher than 125 for an adult tegu, 125 is the high end of the spectrum that seems to generally be accepted in tegu care. You could save yourself some money off your heating bill by cooling down the basking spot a bit


Ok cool I can dim down the bulbs to help out with the basking temp. Re arranged the bulbs since someone on the Reptile Lighting FB page said that the UVB can be additive and that the two 10.0 bulbs could be too much. So without a solar meter I don’t want to fry the little girl with UVB. Chose to be on the safe side and reduced my UVB bulbs to one 10.0 at 13 inches in her basking spot. Switched my 2nd fluorescent to a grow light bulb that I have and raised it up high enough to give day light. 
Thank you for your input though, I am super paranoid about having everything just right for her. I really don’t want to see her get MBD.


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