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Post by WillemsMom on Dec 7, 2004 6:25:34 GMT -8
Whoa.. is 12 inches too close for the EB MR? Willie is about 12" from his and the meter reading is in the low 200s
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Post by iamslotman on Dec 7, 2004 9:15:17 GMT -8
I am the last person qualified to give advice. I am just repeating what Bob Mac told me by phone. OK I guess its debate time again. Any recommendations on basking shelf height when using the mega ray EB before I take this new cage apart? I was told 12" is only for florescent and 16"-18" is required for MR EB.
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Post by WillemsMom on Dec 7, 2004 9:50:44 GMT -8
This is the way we learn, Slotman. I want to adjust Will's distance from his bulb if he's too close. I hope you don't have to take anything apart. Do you have a meter? It's helpful in determining the strength of the rays at different distances.
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Post by dominick on Dec 7, 2004 10:00:22 GMT -8
Correct! 12" is too close for normal use. Not that it would harm the Ig, so don't go getting all crazy, but it is uneccessarily high UVB. Outside normal use, say during a rehab for an iguana who is stricken with MBD, not eating or has a broken bone, it's fine. For normal use, move the EB to 16-18" from the basking spot. An ideal UVB reading on the meter will be 100-150 mW/cm2.
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Post by IguanaKing on Dec 7, 2004 10:17:45 GMT -8
Well...I'm glad we don't have to get crazy, otherwise I'd have to get really crazy. I'm finding that the 12" distance I have my EB set at is having a remarkable therapeutic impact on the nerve damage that Audrey has suffered in her left arm. Hercules, on the other hand, is undamaged so he doesn't need as much UVB. But, I guess since they are being rotated daily in the cage, they're receiving the correct amount. Most of the time when I come home, I find the cage-bound one sitting on top of the cage anyway. Heh...Audrey figured out how to get up there, then she taught Hercules how. I REALLY wish she hadn't taught him how because Audrey is easy to get down from there, but Hercules...its amazing how strong he is, I have quite a hard time getting him down from there.
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Post by mar on Dec 7, 2004 14:34:14 GMT -8
Reminds me that I have to add the warning: Never touch a hot lamp, it can burn you. Did some surfing and was looking at bulbs in the 30 to 50 W range, even they have a label titled technical information" followed by "Warning: Do not touch lamp while operating. Heat is generated by this lamp. Keep away from combustible materials. Position and shield fixture so reptiles are unable to touch lamp. Adjust height for proper temperature." Come on Dominick, you'r behind the times here. Everyone else is doing it.
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Post by dominick on Dec 7, 2004 14:59:20 GMT -8
LOL Yes, need to protect the innocent.
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Post by WillemsMom on Dec 7, 2004 15:10:46 GMT -8
I am so glad the 12" question came up! Thanks for clarifying, Dom. It will be easy for me to create more distance Will.
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Post by iamslotman on Dec 7, 2004 15:40:55 GMT -8
I think I will leave the basking shelf at 12" for a while for 2 reasons.... These 2 rescues came with a 60w reptile bulb each that looks very old so I imagine it hasn't been doing much in the way of uvb output in the 2 years the previous owner had them.... Also until I find a home for the second one (Lilly), I plan on swapping the mega ray EB 2 days on and 2 days off so each get some good rays.... BobMac said the Eb has the external ballast and the all in one bulb has an internal filament ballast which would surely break switching the bulb back and forth.... To raise the temp in buddys basking area while awaiting the delivery of the bulb and the heat rays I stole the infared 150W bulb from the pigs house out back (its pretty warm still here in NY) and bought some 300W ceramic fixtures to hold it.... It holds the bulb only a half inch above the cages metal screening.... as soon as I plugged it in, buddy walked under it and opened his mouth with a big smile(Do iguanas smile?).... after an hour the temp was up to 85*(I am using a digital thermometer with a wire probe that is actually 6" from the center of his basking shelf because I fear he may chew it)so it may be slightly higher directly underneath.... he no longer walks like godzilla, I watched him climb down to the lowewr shelf to eat heartily afterwards.... I guess he liked the heat bulb too much cause I notice a small brown spot on his nose.... I guess he stuck it thru the 1/2" screening and touched the bulb....As he was stretched facing me hanging from the mesh door all spread out like a full body search, I thought it might be a good time to lightly mist him with water.... he loves when i spray his back but I guess spraying his belly as it faced me was a different story... without looking behind him at all, he did this flying leap backwards spinning mid air and attached himself to his climbing pole as if he has been practicing this forever....it was quite a site seeing a big iguana flying midair....once my heart slowed down I congradulated him
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Post by dominick on Dec 7, 2004 15:48:38 GMT -8
Sounds like he is enjoying the heat!
Wait until you get some good UVB on him. The change will be remarkable.
Pigs in NY? You MUST mean upstate. LOL
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Post by iamslotman on Dec 7, 2004 16:30:07 GMT -8
these girls are Long Island pot bellied pigs.... Ok back to iguanas.... now that buddy has warmed up under the heatlamp, I thought that brown burn on his snout might bother him so I offerred him a piece of cold grape to sooth it.... he spit at me!!! spit about 3'... the neighbor just came to see the new cage and she got spit on too.... did I get an iguana or a llama?
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Post by IguanaKing on Dec 7, 2004 17:18:36 GMT -8
LOL...he's sneezing...and they can hit you from a lot further away than 3'.
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Post by dominick on Dec 7, 2004 17:30:13 GMT -8
More like "Snalting" a mixture of...well, sneezing and salt.
Great when you get it in the face!
It's how they expell excess salt from their bodies.
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Post by iamslotman on Dec 16, 2004 17:11:50 GMT -8
OK friends... it's me again... the mega-ray EB and the ballast came today along with the 2 heat ray bulbs.... now I realize new snags.... the iguana on the lower half of the 6Wx7H can only get the benefit of the bulb if its placed outside his section meaning the light would be entering through the screening at a 90* angle.... same with the heat ray bulb.... is this ok or would the iguana think i moved him to antartica with such a low horizon? My only other option is to cut a circular hole in the upper iguanas floor and mount the fixtures there but that would mean buying another mega ray bulb and switching ballast cords daily?
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Post by dominick on Dec 16, 2004 18:25:16 GMT -8
Slotman-
Can you post a picture of the enclosure? It would help us to determine the best placement of the Mega-Ray.
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