Enclosure temperature help!!

[Sjporter]

We are almost finished building our baby's adult enclosure and need help with heating. It is a 8x3x3. How many / what kind of lights do we need to get the proper temps? And what is the best way to attach the lights?

 

[thatoneguy]

I'm a big fan of the mercury vapor bulbs, they give you uva and uvb. I also run a uvb flourescent tub down the cage to ensure he gets uvb even when he is not in his basking spot. For a large cage and depending on your house temerature might be worth looking into a ceramic heater as well.


As far as attatching screws with eyelets screwed onto the top of the cage is what I used, but there are lots of options.

 

[Justin]

My house thermostat is set at 78 and using a 100 watt mvb bulb inside the ensure is plenty. The temp at the far end of my 8x4x3 is 80 I have 2 vents to help control humidity.

 

[thatoneguy]

In my tank the cool side sits at about 82 during the day. From what I understand that's warmer then what is recommended, but he doesn't seem to mind, rarely is he on the cool side, and he chooses to burrow in the warm side.


Your cage looks really well made, good job

 

[Walter1]

Thatoneguy- What's the hot side temp of you set-up? I wonder because my Argies BAKE, then gradually move to cooler temps. Varies but options available. Warmer if fed that day.

 

[Walter1]

Basically, they should be offered the choice through a gradient as they want.

 

[thatoneguy]

Ambient hot temp is around 92 with basking spot close to 110, he will occasionally lay center of the cage at about 85 degrees only occasionally do I see him laying next to his water dish.

Normally he is either in the warm half or underground

 

[skydivegrl77]

View attachment 9780

We are almost finished building our baby's adult enclosure and need help with heating. It is a 8x3x3. How many / what kind of lights do we need to get the proper temps? And what is the best way to attach the lights?

I think they know the temps they need, they just want to know what type/wattage of MVB etc. and how many of them would be required to achieve the proper temps in a large enclosure.
Smaller housing is easier to regulate. We're getting ready to build our lil Cookie a large adult enclosure as well, and I've been wondering about this very question myself.

 

[Justin]

I would go with 2 mega ray 160 watt mercury vapor bulbs for an adult animal suspended at the required height to achieve appropriate basking temps. I would be sure to enclose them in such a way so that they can't be climbed on or touched directly.

Edit: Explanation
You want more than one bulb so that you do not create a small area of focused heat as you need to be able to heat the animals entire body.
Those bulbs put off a fair amount of heat so you shouldn't need additional heating.

 

[skydivegrl77]

I would go with 2 mega ray 160 watt mercury vapor bulbs for an adult animal suspended at the required height to achieve appropriate basking temps. I would be sure to enclose them in such a way so that they can't be climbed on or touched directly.

That's awesome! Thank you Justin, I know that is helpful for me!