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Heating/Lighting Questions

MaeganV

New Member
Messages
20
My family and I have always loved all reptiles, including tegus. Lately we have decided we have the space for a large reptile enclosure, so after a few months of research, we are getting a tegu!

He is a very friendly 3 foot adult in near perfect condition.

We are building him a 6 x 2.5 x 2.5 ft enclosure with a misting system, basking area, large water dish, and a lot of substrate for burrowing.

I was just wondering if this would be alright for heating? We were thinking of using a UV Bar across the top, with a 75w heat glo bulb on the cool side, and a basking light of about 150w on the hot side.

We aren't too sure if this will be too much or too little heating for such a large tank. We are experienced with many reptiles but our current reptiles are smaller-ish and their tanks aren't over 4 ft wide and a couple feet tall.

Any personal experience would be welcome!
 

Rhetoric

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If possible, I'd try to go a little deeper. Maybe even a little taller if you guys plan on putting the lights inside the enclosure. One of my tegus climbs on everything he can and has been known to knock lights off hooks in the past (they're more secure now). Once you put in a few inches of substrate and then the lights there isn't a ton of room between the tegu and the lights. It could help with heating but it could also possibly harm the tegu if he's close enough to get burned.
I don't have a need for a 75w on cooler ends of enclosures. One of mine is a 7.5x3.5x3.5, I use a 150w powersun on the hot side and then tube style uvb lights for the rest of the enclosure. The other enclosure is a 7.5x5x3.5 and that has a 150w powersun and a 100w halogen bulb on the hot end and just a uvb tube on the cooler end. The temps are fine. In the larger enclosure I sometimes have to turn off the 100w because its getting too toasty as summer approaches.
 

james.w

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I would also recommend more depth and height as well as more length. If he is already 3' 6x2.5x2.5 is too small. I would recommend 8x4x3-4, if you plan on putting the lights inside, if you put them outside you can go not as tall. I also don't use any heat bulbs on the cool side, I have a 160W MVB for the basking spot and a 4' UVB tube on the cool side.
 

MaeganV

New Member
Messages
20
Thank you both for the reply! The way the tank is set up the lights are going to be on top of the enclosure in a sealed box to keep the humidity in, and so he can't get to close to the lights to burn himself. I feel this will give him enough height, and we want him to be able to roam around as well and not be confined to his enclosure at all times.
 

james.w

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The height should be fine than if the lights are going to be on the outside, just be sure you UVB is close enough to him. I would go bigger on the length and depth though.
 

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