Sunlight vs Reptisun 5

[mar]

I bought a new 24" reptisun 5 in early November so I think I still have a month of good use in it. But being a college student strapped for cash -- but one that just moved to the south (Southern Indiana and St Louis MO) -- I am wondering how long I should take Bob outside into the sun such that I don't have to buy a new bulb come May?

He and I went outside for about 45 minutes today but it was still a little too cool, high sixties (F). He had a lot of fun once he discovered the dandelion caps though.

So far I have only taken him outside while wearing his harness but I plan on building (sewing) an outdoor cage for him. I think that I will be in St Louis this summer and I am scared of cooking him outside -- I moved down from Northern Michigan and never had this type of heat problem, ha it never even occured to me. What are some signs that he may be getting too hot and should be moved? Does it have to be in the direct sun to get the UV benefit or can I set it up in the shade of a tree or house (sheet of cloth over the cage) and still get enough UV?

Any experience passed on with having an ig cage outside would be appreciated.

thanks Mark

[dominick]

Hi Mark

YOU can never give an Ig too much sunlight, short of leaving him confined to an area exposed to full sun.

When you build him the cage, 1/2 should be exposed to full sun, 1/2 should be well protected and shaded from the sun. This is the Iguanas retreat and he'll use it to thermo-regulate when he gets too hot.

Signs of too hot? Gaping mouth. If you see this for longer than a few minutes, time to cool down. Also, leave plenty of water, preferably enough to submerge in. this will also provide a nice get away from the heat.

1/2 hour in the real sun=hours under even the best UVB light. Much more beneficial.

Rex will bask for 6-8 hours in his tree in the summertime and only come in when it gets too hot for him. Or the birds start dive-bombing him. He hates that!

Use a leash or harness to go to and from the cage. Once Iggy decides he likes the outdoors he'll take every opportunity to escape. They are nearly impossible to catch when they are little.

Trick: If he escapes, try not to chase him. You have a window of a few minutes where he's too scared to move much. Get the garden hose and hose him with cold water to slow his movements. Then a towel to throw over him and secure him.

Please everyone, be careful with Igs outdoors in the spring and summer. So many are lost each year to escapes. be prepared at all times.

[mar]

I have to work around the full exposure issue. I will be living with my mom in her condo. It is a new complex with no mature trees and the back of her place is south facing. I will probably leave only a third of the cage mesh (the rest fabric) as I just remembered that there is a hawk that frequents the bird feeders of that complex -- man that just threw a wrench in my plans guess I can't leave him unattended.

Bob is nine years old and about 15" SVL and I have had him the whole time so I know his body language rather well -- as he knows mine. I have caught him trying to go somewhere before he started just by him looking at me, then the door, then me again -- just like a three year old kid.

Mark

[Tesa]

Mark,
I'm in Missouri near Kansas City.
Ditto everything Dom said, but let me add that sometimes it gets just too hot for the half shaded cage to be enough. Thrasher seems to overheat easier than igs are "supposed" to. Anything past 85 outside is too much for her. And then we have those days (that seem to drag on forever) when the temp is around 102.
During that kind of weather I take her outside in the morning or evening, and avoid the hottest part of the day. I also take a spray bottle with me. (not that we lack humidity or anything, but it helps cool us ...note the "US") ;D
I have to say I wouldn't recommend leaving Bob outside completely unattended.

[mar]

Well I have come up with a great cage idea for outside at my moms. I can use her deck as the structure and offer a tented area out from under the deck. The bottom of the joists are 4 feet off the ground. High enough that I can move underneath the deck without too much difficulty but low enough to be un used space. Should have great thermal range under there -- from the direct sun to over to next the foundation which never gets sun.

I was surfing and found that UV does pass through most fabrics. The one fairly standard number I found was 50% of UV energy passes through a tee shirt -- it did not state whether this was both UVA and UVB or if some wavelengths just did not pass.

Mark

[Tesa]

Someone correct me if Im wrong, but isn't it the UVB that tans us?? If so, I wouldnt think they pass thru fabric very well.
Quit makin me learn stuff ;D

Sounds like you found a great place Mark..(at least from the mntal image I got) lol
gonna be perfect weather here later this week **grin**

[mar]

No, if you are going to read my posts you will learn stuff because I relay what I learn. Ha, stuck learnin' stuff then.

I was in St Louis Saturday night into Sunday and it was getting chilly. I hope Terre Haute warms up again Bob is getting antsey.

A Tee Shirt only has a SPF value of 5 and "[T]he looser the weave and lighter the color, the less protection." (source: www.deepcreekyachtclub.com/WebPage/SkinProtection.htm) Of the three sites I hit varrifying that fact all mentioned the difference between UVA and UVB but none quantified the protection from them. It is UVB that igs need for D3 right?

It will take some thinking but I am going to sew another cloth bag as a cage, this time out of muslin and nylon mesh to hang under the deck and peg into the lawn. I want to keep Bob away from the joists and footings (wholmanized lumber) and under the deck is crushed rock like driveway stone.

I am thinking about giving him a small kiddie pool as a water tub. Does filling it to 2.5 or 3 inches sound right, he is 15" SVL? He has never really liked the water and bath time is a lot like Tesa makes Thrasher outside sound.

[SurvivorSteph]

A water level that covers his hips when he's laying is enough.

[Tesa]

Yep, it's the UVB needed for D3...

and OMG at giving him a bath if he acts like Thrasher does when she is outside.

I guess it's not so bad learning stuff when someone else does the research.
My problem is, I get stuck and spend hours and hours trying to find "all" the facts and I don't stop until my kids are sitting at my feet looking emaciated and begging for food. ;D

[joseph2]

Hey Mark, what's up homeboy? Where abouts in northern Michigan are you from? I live in the Flint area (YUCK) and am originally from Port Huron. I know what you mean about the freakin weather in this piece-of-crap state. There seems to be only two seasons...3 months summer and 9 months of cold, cold winter. In one year from now, I'll be getting my degree in veterinary technology and I'm out of this crappy, God-forsaken state. I can't wait!! Next stop is Florida (U of F Gainesville) and I will be finishing my education with a masters in Zoology. When I reach Fla., Michigan will never have to worry about seeing me again. The only thing I will dearly miss is those awesome Red Wings!! But, I can follow them anywhere in the USA. Anyway, what school do you attend and what is your major?? Good luck to you in whatever it is.


Joe

[mar]

Bob does not get regular baths because my arms got hurt too much. I could get him in the tub with a fight, then I get about five minutes where he just glares at me until he takes off. I hope that he takes to it better when in a larger pool in his area. He loves to go outside though. Very good on my shoulders. I use a leash on him but only as a runoff safty. I normally put him on my shoulder and he crawls around until he gets comfortable as I walk down the street. Why is it that the first question that most people ask when they see an iguana is "Does it bite" of corse it will bite why would you expect any animal not to. The dumbest question I have gotten, twice actually and both form adults, is "How big is he?" He is in plain view, do you not expect me to answer with a smartassed response -- 'about this big'. Indiana rednecks, too ignorent to realize that Hoosier is a derogitory term.

I spent last summer on the southern edge of Flint but commuting to the Metro area (10mile and Dequindre or I 75 and I 696) for work -- that was fun. Summer before that I was in St Clair Shores, again the Metro area. For 11 years previous to that I was in Traverse City -- 45th parallel and Grand Traverse Bay -- North West Lower, Red Wings Training Camp for the last few years. My brother is giong to school in the Soo, what a frozen fool.

I am an Electrical Engineering Major at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. Think again about being able to get wings games without a computer across the country. Indiana sucks I can't even get standings out of either paper we get here (Terre Haute and the Indy Star).


Mark

[mar]

OK I am dragging this topic back to the top briefly.

Dominick said:

1/2 hour in the real sun=hours under even the best UVB light. Much more beneficial.

New ig owners stop reading here, UVB is important and I don't want to confuse you.

I take Bob out into the sun for at least an hour a day so I am going to forego replacement of my reptisun until September (when it is about 10 months old), even with the great LLLreptile sale. Does any one see anything wrong with this?

If there is anyone who has a meter:

How much of a difference is there between overcast and clear skies? Is there also a significant difference between say local noon and about 6pm?

thanks
Mark

[joseph2]

I don't have a meter Mark, but I do know that UV (bothUVA and UVB) rays penetrate clouds. So having your iguana out on a cloudy day is just as beneficial as a clear day. I've also read that the UV exposure between noon and three is at its highest peak.

[mar]

Thought so, that is why you see so many people from downstate skiing at places like Boyne and Crystal get so badly sunburned. Thinking that because it is cloudy and winter they are safe without sunscreen -- also you get the reflection off the snow like you do off the water when sailing.

Mark

[Tesa]

I have never been able to find any research stating how much REAL sun exposure is necessary to keep them healthy.
That being said,
I don't see anything wrong with it Mark.
I won't be using a UVB tube at all once the weather stays good enough that I can have Thrasher outside every day.