Central Netted Dragon

[diamond_python]

I am getting my first juvie Central Netted next weekend and would like to know a bit more about their heating requirements and whether or not they need UV lighting (which I assume they do). All help appreciated

[jimmy_the_kid]

any pics of them from the seller

[Simon_Archibald]

D_P,
Central Netteds like most of the smaller dragon species LOVE heat. I have kept Painted Dragons in the past (which are basically the same requirements) and I gave them a hot spot of 45+ degrees. Cool end is fine around 25. The UV debate is an ongoing one...I'd say they definately need UV.

The best way to heat these guys I found was to use an Oz-Bright combined heat/UV globe...these are available from URS or Animal Attraction.

If you're gonna use those globes, you will need a larger enclosure with good ventilation as they throw out a lot of heat. Also, these can NOT be used with a thermostat.

I highly recommend a top-opening enclosure as these guys are fast and tend to sit and wait for the sliding doors to open, then they dart out of the enclosure before you can even blink.

Simon Archibald

[OuZo]

good stuff paul i was gonna ask the same question lol.

would a 3 x 2 x 2 be big enuf for life? is it best to use one of those globes you're talking about simon and have that on say 12 hours a day without thermostat and then switch to say an infra red globe on stat for night heating? is there a low enuf wattage uv globe that could be kept on without a stat that would keep the general enclosure temp at an ok level?

[Simon_Archibald]

Zoe,
When I get back into these smaller species of dragons, I will be using enclosures that are around 3x2x2. Definately big enough for life.

I'm gonna run the Oz-Brights through the day, and have probably an Oz-Black ceramic globe of small wattage to run overnight...this guarantees the lizards' day/night cycle is not disturbed. In my experience the infra-red light can be seen by the lizards.

Simon Archibald

[OuZo]

would you keep the oz-black on or off thermostat for night? and what wattage could you use that you could keep on all day and not overheat an enclosure of that size?

thanx simon

[Simon_Archibald]

I would probably run a 60 watt Oz-Black Zoe, run on the thermostat all day...I would use one of the new Microclimate Magic Eye thermos, run at an average temperature for the day, then have the night time setting to change when the Oz-Bright turns off.

Simon Archibald

[OuZo]

ok i'm confused lol...what wattage is the oz bright for day? are you saying you'd have both running during the day (oz black on thermo and oz bright constant) and then turn the day one off at night?

also i dont know much about stats really i just had a look at the microclimate website and i dont know the difference between a dimming and a pulse proportional stat lol. would you lower their temps for night?

[Simon_Archibald]

Haha Zoe...I'm a bit confused too :-)

What I would do is run the oz-black on a thermostat set to a low day temperature...the heat put out by the Oz-bright would probably be enough to effectively shut the Oz-black off. I would use a 100watt oz-bright in that size enclosure. For night time, I would set a separate temperature (about 7-10 degrees lower probably) for the Oz-black. With the "magic eye" thermostat, this temperature could be set to change when the Oz-bright goes off...the magic eye thermostats have 2 temperature settings...day and night.

This is probably a complicated way of doing things, but if you rigged the oz-bright to a timer, it would run itself and you would be able to achieve desireable temperatures during winter if you wanted to keep it hot, or if your weather is too cold.

An alternate way to do things is run the Oz-bright on one timer, and the oz-black on a separate timer and thermostat. Set this to heat up about 15 minutes before the oz-bright goes off and set it to a lower temperature than day-time.

Have I confused you?

It's a very complicated way of doing things I guess, but would work.

Simon Archibald

[OuZo]

lol yeah we're hoping for something not too expensive either lol.

maybe if we get an enclosure rigged up with 2 separate globes like you said, 1 with a timer for the day globe and one with a stat and timer for the night globe that would be easier/cheaper? so a 100W globe on all day wouldnt over heat the enclosure? i guess we're going for a 25ish cool end and 30ish warm end with a hot spot of at least 35 in one end? the only reference i have to these guys is the article in the recent reptiles australia cos i didnt get much on a google search! were you saying that the night temps should be down to around 15-18? is that all year?

my last question...for now lol...where do you get these oz-bright globes from or what would be a good substitute from the herp shop? brian is really close to us so its easy to get replacements. maybe the zoo med repti basking spot or the mercury vapour bulb? and any ceramic would be ok for night right? arg my brain is going to explode lol

[Simon_Archibald]

Yeah Zoe you could do it that way. Any ceramic would do for the night time.

Temps you want are about 45+ at the hot end, no lower than about 25 at the cool end. The article in Reptiles Ausralia said "whilst I wouldn't heat up my vivarium to a blistering 40 degrees"...I'm thinking WHAT THE?!?! That's exactly what you should be doing!!! :-)

The Oz-Bright globes can be purchased from URS, Animal Attraction (who are currently having a 10% off sale - check their prices).

Brian will be able to put you onto a Mercury Vapour bulb that would do your enclosure if you'd rather.

If you are going to use a 3x2x2 enclosure, I HIGHLY recommend that aside from 2 vents in the side, a small vent at either end of the enclosure would be beneficial. Also, I wouldn't put the Oz-brights/Mercury Vapours in an enclosure that size without cutting out a small vent in the roof at the cool end.

Simon Archibald

[africancichlidau]

Brians M.V's are the same as the Oz Brite Zo. Talk to Brian about them first and you are aware that there are much cheaper ways of doing the same thing?

[OuZo]

no

i'm coming over lol

[diamond_python]

A tad confusing?? I was hoping to use a heat mat and a UV light. Would that be sufficient?

i don't really think so, though i could be wrong.