Comments and advice

Newtobeardies91 · Apr 20, 2015

I got Leo almost a month ago. We got his viv all setup before we got him and let it get warm enough for him. Here's what he's in at the moment. This setup is temporary until he's 6 months old. He's almost 3 months old now [

any comments or suggestions? I'm using Exo terra reptile UVB 150 13w and a zoo med repti basking spot lamp which is 75w.

CooperDragon · Apr 20, 2015

Your hides/furniture look very good. They provide plenty of places to climb/bask and places to get some shade. I do have a couple of suggestions. I would replace the UVB light with a tube style light using a reflective fixture. This will allow a much more even distribution of UVB across the tank rather than the intense, narrow beam produced by the coil. I would also get a temp gun or a digital thermometer with a probe so you can more accurately determine the temperatures around the enclosure. The dial thermometers don't provide basking surface temperatures and can be fairly inaccurate. Since temperature gradient is so critical, it's worth investing in an accurate measuring device and proper lighting. I use the same basking light you have (the 150w version) and it works very well.

Newtobeardies91 · Apr 20, 2015

I appreciate it and thank you. I've been debating on the probe or temp gun. I have a temp gun at work. As far as lighting I was thinking the dual coil style with 2 UVB bulbs and one basking bulb. How do you think that would work?

CooperDragon · Apr 20, 2015

I'd still go with a tube style UVB light to provide a nice even distribution. The two coils would produce two intense spikes with a dropoff to the sides. You'll want sufficient UVB exposure in an area at least as large as your dragon which the coil bulbs don't produce based on my testing. If you want to use a dome style fixture rather than a tube, I'd go with a high quality mercury vapor bulb such as the MegaRay which produces a wider and more even exposure area and can double as your basking bulb.

Newtobeardies91 · Apr 20, 2015

I'll look into that. And I plan on building a custom viv this summer so hopefully it'll work out

Newtobeardies91 · Apr 20, 2015

Can I find that bulb in a store? Little weary of online purchases lol

CooperDragon · Apr 21, 2015

Some pet stores will carry a T8 ReptiSun 10.0 tube and a slimline reflective fixture for it. I haven't seen the higher output T5s in a store. I also haven't seen the MegaRay bulbs in stores. You may have to search around a bit. If you're concerned with security of online shopping, you could use Paypal which is fairly secure, or you could purchase an American Express or Visa gift card that can be used like a pre-paid credit card for online purchases. The T8 fixtures should be mounted inside the tank about 6-8'' above the basking spot with no plastic covering or mesh between the bulb and the basking spot (those intercept UVB). The T5 tube and the MegaRay MVB can be mounted above the tank at around 12-18'' above the basking spot as they are quite a bit more powerful.

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Newtobeardies91

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CooperDragon

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Newtobeardies91

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CooperDragon

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Newtobeardies91

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Newtobeardies91

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CooperDragon

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