Advice please......Lighting/basking duration??

[Jolio]

So my B&W didnt hibernate par say, although he did slow down some waht and seemed to spend a lot more time in his burrow.

I kept his feeding schedule the same - every other day- and varied as always.
Which he happliy ate when offered, apart from maybe once or twice where he just picked at things.

Instead of cutting off all basking lights and main heat, i just reduced the hours that they were on and kept his ambient at a constant.

He was began to lets say be out a little more now.

is there a recomended photoperiod ie 12hours on 12hours off?

if this isn't followed what are the consequences?

Baring in mind that he certainly doesnt bask for 12 hours a day and will happily spend the majority of it below ground in his burrow. I kind of thought that 12 hours wouldn't really be needed?

his burrow is below his raised basking platform - burrow is soil mix with bark chips and a large cork bark.

NB last weeked i saw him take a load of his substrate from his cool end and move it iver to the warm end to his burrow.

Surely he's not trying to hibernate now is he? (by the way i am in the uk, the seasons are turning, but its now spring, then summer)

 

[Toby_H]

I can't say "what you should do", but this is what I do...

I try to replicate "seasonal rotation" as well as a Ã?¢ââ??¬Ã?â??heat of the dayÃ?¢ââ??¬Ã?Â... meaning les light/heat in the winter and more light/heat in the summer...


I use a fluorescent UVB lamp to offer UVB / Vitamin D... this lamp is also what I rely on to illuminate the cage. it's on about 6 hours in the dead of winter and about 14 hours in the dead of summer...


I then use standard incandescent lamps/bulbs to offer heat in a basking area. I use one bulb in the winter and two bulbs in the summer... In the winter one bulb is on for about 4 hours a day... in the summer one bulb is on for about 8 hours with the second bulb being on (the same spot) for about 4 hours...

The intent here is to replicate the variation of heat/light over the course of the day.


I cannot say with certainty that this approach is 'better' than a standard 12 on / 12 off... but my theory on things is to best replicate what nature offers and then modify based on what the animal seems to prefer...

I would like to add that after keeping my Tegu outdoors for 3~5 months and watching his patterns, this became more important to meÃ?¢ââ??¬Ã?¦

I found he would wake up to the morning sun and baskÃ?¢ââ??¬Ã?¦ then roam/feedÃ?¢ââ??¬Ã?¦ then bask/rest (moving frequently between sun & shade) during the heat of the dayÃ?¢ââ??¬Ã?¦ then become very active in the early evening hoursÃ?¢ââ??¬Ã?¦ then underground to sleep overnight.

 

[draxxium]

i use a similar setup but i use a digital timer that u put in your timezone and gps info and it copies the sun up sundown times for on and off/. i bought it at home deot for like 25.00

to control heat i have a digital thermometer and i have a dimmer wired into a basking bulb. so i can regulate the temps.

 

[Jolio]

I can't say "what you should do", but this is what I do...

I try to replicate "seasonal rotation" as well as a Ã?¢ââ??¬Ã?â??heat of the dayÃ?¢ââ??¬Ã?Â... meaning les light/heat in the winter and more light/heat in the summer...


I use a fluorescent UVB lamp to offer UVB / Vitamin D... this lamp is also what I rely on to illuminate the cage. it's on about 6 hours in the dead of winter and about 14 hours in the dead of summer...


I then use standard incandescent lamps/bulbs to offer heat in a basking area. I use one bulb in the winter and two bulbs in the summer... In the winter one bulb is on for about 4 hours a day... in the summer one bulb is on for about 8 hours with the second bulb being on (the same spot) for about 4 hours...

The intent here is to replicate the variation of heat/light over the course of the day.


I cannot say with certainty that this approach is 'better' than a standard 12 on / 12 off... but my theory on things is to best replicate what nature offers and then modify based on what the animal seems to prefer...

I would like to add that after keeping my Tegu outdoors for 3~5 months and watching his patterns, this became more important to meÃ?¢ââ??¬Ã?¦

I found he would wake up to the morning sun and baskÃ?¢ââ??¬Ã?¦ then roam/feedÃ?¢ââ??¬Ã?¦ then bask/rest (moving frequently between sun & shade) during the heat of the dayÃ?¢ââ??¬Ã?¦ then become very active in the early evening hoursÃ?¢ââ??¬Ã?¦ then underground to sleep overnight.

Thank you, :-D :-D :-D

Sorry its taken so long for me to reply, i've been locked out from using the site at work..... but just found a loop hole!!

Your setup sounds amazing, kudos to you. I shall certainly take on board these ideas.

Wish we lived in a climate that would allow an outdoor cage.

thanks again

 

[carcharios]

To be honest, after reading so much about the requirements of lighting, hours, type of bulbs, etc. , etc., I decided to just do it naturally and put my tegus in outdoor enclosures where they can get natural sun. They spend from mid October to late April in rubbermaid tubs and then when it warms up, I put them in their outdoor rabbit hutches (both hutches have hides in them).

I think this is probably the best option I have in terms of them getting natural lighting and getting on a true cycle that most closely replicates their native environment.