let me get this straight

[suzuki4life]

Minimum cage size for an adult would be a 40 gallon breeder ie (36x18=4.5 sq ft)

The suggested cage size for an adult or a pair of adults is a 4x2 (48x24=8 sq ft)


AND a reptisun 10.0 has a range of roughly 12"


So why not build a rack using 3x2(36x24=6 sq ft) with 8 " of head room (thus within the 12" effectiveness of a reptisun bulb)?



http://www.maccourt.com/lowes/mortartubs/st3608.html


tub handled 150 degrees measured with tempgun without warping or melting for about 6 months now.

 

[diamc]

Actually, a Repti-Sun 10.0 strip fluorescent should be within 6 to 8" of the basking spot so that is something to keep in mind.

 

[JeffSimpson]

So why not build a rack using 3x2(36x24=6 sq ft) with 8 " of head room (thus within the 12" effectiveness of a reptisun bulb)?

If you had only 8", you'd be pretty limited as far as decorations in the tank. Would you have a screened top as well, or would such a low height be for stacking them? Don't forget about a basking bulb.

Regarding the mortar tub... is that a suggesting for an enclosure. I would think that would be kind of boring? :?

 

[suzuki4life]

So why not build a rack using 3x2(36x24=6 sq ft) with 8 " of head room (thus within the 12" effectiveness of a reptisun bulb)?

If you had only 8", you'd be pretty limited as far as decorations in the tank. Would you have a screened top as well, or would such a low height be for stacking them? Don't forget about a basking bulb.

Regarding the mortar tub... is that a suggesting for an enclosure. I would think that would be kind of boring? :?

you have the same square footage as you would on a 40 gallon breeder only lacking in height. Are you worried about decorating for your lizard or for yourself?

 

[suzuki4life]

Actually, a Repti-Sun 10.0 strip fluorescent should be within 6 to 8" of the basking spot so that is something to keep in mind.

since the tub is only 8" deep, I don't see that being a problem.

 

[JeffSimpson]

So why not build a rack using 3x2(36x24=6 sq ft) with 8 " of head room (thus within the 12" effectiveness of a reptisun bulb)?

If you had only 8", you'd be pretty limited as far as decorations in the tank. Would you have a screened top as well, or would such a low height be for stacking them? Don't forget about a basking bulb.

Regarding the mortar tub... is that a suggesting for an enclosure. I would think that would be kind of boring? :?

you have the same square footage as you would on a 40 gallon breeder only lacking in height. Are you worried about decorating for your lizard or for yourself?

Absolutely worried about decorating for myself. These enclosures can be so big, if you have a smaller house (like me) they will probably become a focal point in the room. I suspect that the majority of people are the same way, whether they realize it or not. Check out the Viv Pics threads for numerous pictures of elaborately detailed / painted rock structures, walls, logs, castles; Lego structures, statues vines, etc.

Not saying a tub wouldn't work, it just isn't for me.

 

[suzuki4life]

my reptiles are kept in their own room...

I live in the north so maintaining needed temps and humidity takes priority over "pretty".

 

[JeffSimpson]

my reptiles are kept in their own room...

I live in the north so maintaining needed temps and humidity takes priority over "pretty".

Cool, good point. I am curious though, how will a plastic tub will help maintain needed temps and humidity better than, say, a 2 foot high, 3/4" rectangular plywood box with 1/4" tempered glass? I would think with a lower ceiling, it would be more difficult to maintain a temperature gradient to allow a range of temperatures throughout the enclosure.

My enclosure will be kept in the basement, where the temperatures may swing 50 degrees from winter to summer, and the humidity from 25-30% to as much as 65-70%, so I think I have a concern as well. Please don't assume that because, I want my enclosure to look nice, that I don't care about the environmental variables that the BD requires. :? As I mentioned, I'm not saying a "tub" wouldn't work, it's just not for me.

 

[suzuki4life]

my reptiles are kept in their own room...

I live in the north so maintaining needed temps and humidity takes priority over "pretty".

Cool, good point. I am curious though, how will a plastic tub will help maintain needed temps and humidity better than, say, a 2 foot high, 3/4" rectangular plywood box with 1/4" tempered glass? I would think with a lower ceiling, it would be more difficult to maintain a temperature gradient to allow a range of temperatures throughout the enclosure.

My enclosure will be kept in the basement, where the temperatures may swing 50 degrees from winter to summer, and the humidity from 25-30% to as much as 65-70%, so I think I have a concern as well. Please don't assume that because, I want my enclosure to look nice, that I don't care about the environmental variables that the BD requires. :? As I mentioned, I'm not saying a "tub" wouldn't work, it's just not for me.

gradient on a level surface would be easier to maintain a gradient. Height would create an issue since heat rises. Plastic tub is easier to clean :wink:

 

[apbgv]

Decorations in a tank(enclosure) is not just for aesthetic purposes, it gives the dragons something to climb on , environment enrichment is what is it called.

 

[suzuki4life]

ever see anything for a dog to climb on in a dog kennel? They can climb too.

Does anyone ever get their poor dragons out of their cages? :?

 

[JeffSimpson]

ever see anything for a dog to climb on in a dog kennel? They can climb too.
Does anyone ever get their poor dragons out of their cages? :?

It's kind of funny to me, in that in your OP you asked:

So why not build a rack using 3x2(36x24=6 sq ft) with 8 " of head room (thus within the 12" effectiveness of a reptisun bulb)?

We've given several reasons why not, and that's about all we can do. You are of course free to build / design the enclosure anyway you want, but I kind of get the impression from the posts that because some people want to include decorations or things to climb on, that in your mind it means they don't care about their BDs. Obviously, that is not the case.

Please understand we aren't trying to argue, but you asked a question why *we* wouldn't do something a certain way. I think you've received some good responses. Hopefully it helps you out!

 

[suzuki4life]

ever see anything for a dog to climb on in a dog kennel? They can climb too.
Does anyone ever get their poor dragons out of their cages? :?

It's kind of funny to me, in that in your OP you asked:

So why not build a rack using 3x2(36x24=6 sq ft) with 8 " of head room (thus within the 12" effectiveness of a reptisun bulb)?

We've given several reasons why not, and that's about all we can do. You are of course free to build / design the enclosure anyway you want, but I kind of get the impression from the posts that because some people want to include decorations or things to climb on, that in your mind it means they don't care about their BDs. Obviously, that is not the case.

Please understand we aren't trying to argue, but you asked a question why *we* wouldn't do something a certain way. I think you've received some good responses. Hopefully it helps you out!

please point me to where I said " that in your mind it means they don't care about their BDs".

I am curious why people went the routes they went and if actual reasons existed that the setup mentioned was detrimental to the health of a BD. If they give me answers, I still should have the right to question them in proper discussion if I feel the answer is lacking concrete basis.

So far the only answer I got was that people want to decorate cages to make them (the person) happy, and they think BD must have climbing points to survive.

 

[beardie parents]

Just for your information, my girl Rosie likes to climb. There isn't much in her viv for her to climb on but when we take her outside and she's in the mood to, she jumps up about 20 inches to the ash tree we have by our bedroom window and then climbs up more than 5 feet, my husband just told me he lets her go up closer to 7 feet. On our camping trip in September both of our girls climbed up into the trees near our tent.

Basically, what I'm saying is that there are beardies that do need to climb to be happy. I remember reading somewhere that beardies do like to climb. There are beardies that like to swim, our Miss O was the first one we noticed that liked to swim. Rosie is more of a climber than Goldie is, tho.

 

[suzuki4life]

an·thro·po·mor·phism (?n'thr?-p?-môr'f?z'?m)
n. Attribution of human motivation, characteristics, or behavior to inanimate objects, animals, or natural phenomena.


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