New enclosure/heating

[unknownsoulox]

Hi all!

I've been pondering different layouts for a custom enclosure for my little guy for a few months now. He is an avid climber of stairs, my coffee table, curtains..pretty well anything that he can climb! I want to make him an enclosure that he will have a good amount of climbing space. But I'm unsure of exactly how tall I can make his new enclosure before his heat lamp is unable to keep his temperatures up to par.

He is currently housed in a 30 gallon tank with a uvb tube light (reptisun 10.0) and basking light. The temperature of the hot side is 102 dropping to 95 at night, and the cool side is at 80 dropping to 75 at night. I want to keep the length and width of the new enclosure the same as his 30 gallon tank, I really just want to increase the height.

Any ideas? I would love to hear your opinions!

 

[Taterbug]

You can really build as big as you want, and add more lights if it's too big. Just be thoughtful in the planning, but you could easily provide 2 basking spots, one hotter and one cooler and have a pretty good thermal gradient. You don't need the whom raise of the tank hot, just a toasty place to sit and bask. I wouldn't build so tall that falling or jumping down would be a risk of injury though.

One thought too, A standard 30g foot print (36x12) may be cramped for an adult, even a 30breeder (36z18) is narrow in my opinion.

 

[jarich]

I have mine in a 4 foot high enclosure, and just have the lights suspended down into the enclosure for the basking area. If you go with a taller enclosure you would likely need to change to higher powered UV lights, but they arent too expensive.

 

[unknownsoulox]

Thank you both for your help!
I think I will go 3 feet high, 4 feet long and 2 feet wide. He's still on the smaller side so I want to see how he will do in that large of an enclosure. If it's too big/small I could always adjust the dimensions.

 

[jarich]

That sounds like a great size! I'm sure your dragon will love it and make use of all the room you give it.