Ok - so I have my enclosure - what now?

[newbie1979]

Hi everybody,

So I finally got an enclosure made up for my blue tongue - it's 1200 X 600 X 600 and looks awesome! from what i have read so far i need the following:


1) Fluorotube batten

2) Reptisun5.0 or similar fluoro tube to suit the batten

3) CeramicHeater

4) ESFitting for ceramic heater/heat globe

5) Thermostat

6) Ventsfor airflow through the cabinet

7) Glassdoor track

8) Glassdoors

9) Reptibarksubstrate

Is a 24" fluoro batten and tube the best size and are they normally positioned centrally in theenclosure or more up toward the cool end? Should i get a double batten with a 5.0 & a 2.0 tube? Also, in regard the thermostat, I’vebeen comparing the IMIT Thermostat with something like a microclimatethermostat – I can see cost benefits in the IMIT thermostat but are they asreliable as something like a microclimate thermostat? I don’t envisage runninganything in the enclosure other than the fluoro tube (which I envisage being onits own timer to run a day/night cycle) and the ceramic heater (is a ceramicheater the best for a blue tongue lizard and what wattage for that sizeenclosure?). Also, is the 5.0 the best UV A/B balance for a blue tongue? Is there a setup of light/heater that can allow for a dawn/dusk and wouldit be best to modify the heat of the cabinet to suit a reduced night timetemperature as would happen in nature – if I were to do those things obviouslythe IMIT thermostat wouldn’t cut it? Is there anything else that I might need? and can anyone recommend some good, well priced, suppliers of these items?

Thanks for your help...

 

[saximus]

I can't answer the specific Bluey stuff because I don't own any but for the fluro I'd suggest a second ES fitting and just get the mini spiral globes. They are cheaper from memory and will still give off enough UV if it's set up at the basking spot.
For the heater the wattage is kind of something you need to play around with at first to see what works best in your specific setup.

Also, the brand of thermo doesn't matter so much as the type. For example, if you intend on sticking with the ceramic heater an on/off thermo is ok but if you decide to switch to heat globes then you're much better off going with a dimmer

 

[melluvssnakes]

I work in a pet shop and I can tell you this. UV 5 would be the absolute minimum that I would suggest putting in the enclosure. Any less and it is useless. Also, the long fluro types only emit UV 30cm down, while the compact spiral bulbs emit 60cm down. The compact ones are by far the better option. I don't like using ceramic heat emitters, I prefer using bulbs similar to the repitsun basking lights to mimic the bright hot light of the natural sun.

Oh and I also don't use thermostats with any of my lizards, but like saximus said, it is something that you have to play around with and find the right wattage in your lights.

 

[newbie1979]

Thanks guys, i appreciate your thoughts... so mel - how do you keep your temperatures up at night? also, would the compact globes be sufficient for a 1200 length? or would i need to put a few along the length of the enclosure?

The repti-glo data i have read say the 10.0 is only effective up to 50cms? and the 5.0 is only effective to 30cms?

What about a 2.0 and a NEC T10 black light?

 

[melluvssnakes]

Newbie - I don't heat my lizards at night. But that really depends on where you are located/where the species you keep are local to. My lizards are thriving and have been doing so for years now.
For the size of the enclosure, I would put two compact bulbs. Do you understand what the numbers on the UV boxes mean? a UV 10 bulb emits 10% UV, and 5 emits 5% etc. Therefor, in my opinion, the UV 2 bulbs are pretty useless for the breeds that you are going to be keeping. The more UV you can provide, the better.
If you did want to heat at night, I would maybe put in a CHE, but like I said, I don't use night time heat.

 

[natcunc]

post a pic of the enclosure ? ?

 

[splat868]

newbie,

With the types of bulbs, it really depends on who you speak to; Ive been told that the long fluros are better than the sprials, but as posted earlier, there are different opinions.

You may want to consider the asthetics; I like a nice even light across the enclosure, and so use a 10 uvb fluro the length of the tank. If you choose the spiral type, I would think you would need at least 2 to give a good light balance.


For heat, I use a normal 100 watt globe at one end of the tank for my warm basking spot. I find that you can get the perfect temperature with this just by raising or lowering it slightly, you can then put in a lower wattage in hot weather.

Bluetongues are pretty hardy, so if kept inside, you wouldn't need a thermostat, and also wouldnt need to heat them at night. Just have a thermometer on hand to check the temperature.

The only exception for this could be if you are getting a bluey from warm climates and are living in a cold winter zone. other than that, I find that the general warmth in the house is enough for them overnight. In the wild, they would regularly experience cold nights, so it really isnt a problem.

If you don't have heat at night its better to not feed them too late in the day so that they dont go to bed with a full belly and are unable to digest the food if it gets too cold.

Its also worth while getting calcium and vitamin supplements, the calcium can be dusted every 2nd day or so, and vitamins once a week - particularly with young lizards.

Hope this helps
Mike