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Post by luvmyiggy on Feb 21, 2007 8:26:01 GMT -8
Hello! I just bought a juvenile iguana and since I got Iggy home I have been doing reserch on care feeding etc. This lighting this has got me stumped. I know I need a heat source and a UVB. I have also read that light for nightime is needed. Currently, I have a 150 watt bulb attached to an 8 1/2 inch dome (it is black on the outside and white on the inside) with a dimmer so I regulate the heat with the dimmer. I also have a 10 inch silver dome that I bought for the UVB but the flourescent bulb the guy at the pet store gave me doesn't fit. So I am returning it tomorrow but I am not sure which UVB to get. The people at the pet store are clueless. Is a tube better than a bulb? I have a tank 30x12x12 (I plan on building Iggy a home when this one starts getting too small). I could use some help here. Thanks Kia
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Post by MasterYoda on Feb 21, 2007 8:41:24 GMT -8
First things first igs DO NOT NEED LIGHT AT NIGHT they have to have a dark period in order to keep a night day cycle. Otherwise they will stress out and die.
As far as the bub ? goes. It realy depends on the type of bulb you have. Here is what you need
1. You need a light for heat to start out with it needs to be placed over the basking area, the basking sight needs to be 90-95 degrees. this can be accomplished by using a regular household light bulb. or flood.
2. You need UVB the thing to remember here is that the incandescent bulbs that they sale in stores that claim to produce UVB Don't or produce verry little. You need to supply UVB Via 2 48" reptiglow 5.0 or 10.0 Tubes situated directly above the basking sight. Or You can go to reptileuv.com and purchase the mega ray EB or SB They produce excellent UVB and are concidered one of the best on the market.
3. For night time temps you just need to keep the ambient temps between 70 and 75 degrees. this can be accomplished by a Ceramic Heat Emmitter which is basically a light bulb that dosent produce any light, however these can be dangerous as the iguana can get burned very badly if it is not put in a safe place covered with mesh so that he cannot get to it.
I have a question for you. what Is the size and type of enclosure that you have.
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Post by luvmyiggy on Feb 21, 2007 9:18:20 GMT -8
I started out with a simple tank all glass sides with a mesh top.... 30x12x12. I am using a green felt-like substrate. Iggy is approx. 5 inches svl.... I wound up doing my research after buying Iggy so I am going to use this tank as long as I can and then build an enclosure.... What about using a heat pad during the evening? Since I have a dimmer on the basking lamp, I have been turning it down very low.... The tank temp seems to stay around 80.
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Yungair23
Senior
My Best Friends An Iguana!
Posts: 209
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Post by Yungair23 on Feb 21, 2007 9:28:12 GMT -8
Yes, what type/size of enclosure. If its a glass or enclosed enclosure that doesnt let air out the sides only the top (IE Aqurium) then a lower wattage heat/UVB device is require b.c the heat will build up much more quickly. Ask the shop if they carrry Zoomed Powersun UV or Trex UVB bulbs. Here's pics of some of the common brands sold in petshops..(These supply HEAT and UVB all in one, Be careful and monitor you temps if using one they normally come in 100wats and 160 watts.) I use to use this light its sold in many petshops or can be ordered online. This is another commonly sold in petshops i have heard works good. Again these 2 lights are an all in one Heat/UVB lights. They cost around $45-55 each. And should be replaced every 6months to 1yr.
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Yungair23
Senior
My Best Friends An Iguana!
Posts: 209
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Post by Yungair23 on Feb 21, 2007 9:30:31 GMT -8
Ooops seen you only have a 20 gal tank....These lights will be WAY too hot for the little guy and even set far away from the tank they are then no use for the UVB purpose as they need to be around 18" away from the Iguana.
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Post by prism_wolf on Feb 21, 2007 17:39:34 GMT -8
Hi Kia~ Been meaning to get back to this post all afternoon. It was going to be too lengthy to sneak in at work...;-) You definitely need a new tank now. Your baby may fit it ok, but there is no way to get the temps right in the basking area and the cool end. If you have the basking area right...the cool end will be too high...the cool end is right and the basking area will be too low. You need no less than a 50-55 gallon tank. This will last your baby through the first year...and in the meantime you can start planning the permanent one! :-) A dimmer is not what you need to regulate the temps. If you use something to regulate heat it needs to be set on a thermostat. This will kick on and off on it's own when the temps are right...and come on when it gets too cold. The temps need to stay between 92-96 (I think I said 98 in another post). The others have given you some good UVB info. Here's my personal favorite list of UVB sources in the U.S.: Not all UVB lights are created equal. Some decay very quickly. You need no less than two 4' flourescent UVB tubes. Short version - UVB helps the ig to process the calcium in their diet. Without the UVB...the calcium does not get absorbed and the result is Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD) and renal failure. The brands to go with: Reptisun 5.0 or 10.0 Iguana Light 5.0 Exoterra 8.0 Arcadia 5.0 (UK) ...or: Mega Ray EB (external ballast)(Very little heat emits from these and IMHO...the best thing PERIOD) www.reptileuv.comOf the two Youngair provided...the one I would promote would be the second one. It is the same bulb as the Mega Ray SB, just sold by T-Rex now. I would stick with purchasing from the guy who designed them and uses the money he makes off of his design to rehabilitate reptiles. Many of the other bulbs can be purchased at www.reptiledirect.com for a more reasonable price than the pet stores. Stay away from anything that is a spiral. Once you provide these lights for your ig...set them in the 6" - 8" range from their back for the florescent tubes and 12-18" on the Mega Rays. Any farther and the UVB drops of so much that they don't do any good. Iguanas do best with no kind of light at night, not even black lights, red lights and the so-called "moon lights". Even in the wild igs have the leaves to hide under to get away from the moon shine which on full moons especially can be very bright. If you need a supplemental heat source at night, you can use a heat-less source such as a CHE, Mega Ray HE (heat emitter), or a human heating pad w/out the safety shut-off feature. I hope we didn't confuse you any further!
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Post by luvmyiggy on Feb 21, 2007 18:47:55 GMT -8
Thank you for the information. I'm not confused at all. Your message is much more clarifying than "you need a UVB light"... ;D Someone on another forum said I would be able to get away with my tank for a little while but I should start thinking quickly about a permanent home. Its crappy that good information is hard to come by. Had I known when I got Iggy (trust I asked), I would have made proper housing arrangements. I will head to the pet store tomorrow and pick up a UVB light though. I am paranoid because Iggy currently does not have one and I was sold something that was not usable.... Thanks for the help! I'm sure I'll be posting alot more....
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Post by prism_wolf on Feb 21, 2007 19:18:45 GMT -8
I'm not sure who would suggest that your cage would be fine for a little while...but anyone who knows proper ig care would not say that. I have a friend in ig rescue who tested the sizes herself and what the minimum was for proper heat gradient managing. The 55 gal. was it.
Don't worry about another couple of days without UVB...;-) MBD does not show up over night, but you do want is as soon as you can get one.
POST AWAY!!
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Post by MasterYoda on Feb 21, 2007 20:28:17 GMT -8
Will someone please tell me why I keep saying reptiglow 5.0 comeon someone beat it in my head REPTISUN 5.0
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Post by prism_wolf on Feb 22, 2007 4:49:43 GMT -8
Will someone please tell me why I keep saying reptiglow 5.0 comeon someone beat it in my head REPTISUN 5.0 !!BAAAAAAAM!! ;D Think - "reptile + sun = Reptisun"
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Post by luvmyiggy on Feb 22, 2007 6:02:59 GMT -8
Thanks again! This makes me want to make a minimun requirements list and give it to all my local pet stores that sell igs so people dont waste money on the wrong items.... UUGGHH!!!!
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Post by Merlin on Feb 22, 2007 6:25:17 GMT -8
But most stores won't pass it out. I have tried! Pet stores WANT to sell iguanas! An if most people knew what they were getting into ahead of time they would decide not to get an iguana! It sounds much better when they tell the unsuspecting customer that "you get a 10 gal tank and a heat rock and feed it lettuce!"
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Post by MasterYoda on Feb 22, 2007 8:02:30 GMT -8
Oh yeah Merlin and dont forget the best pet store one liner of them all "They will only grow as big as the tank you keep them in." NOT!!!
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Post by stylin on Feb 28, 2007 16:11:35 GMT -8
my ig seems to like his night light.gets nice and close to it.
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Post by Merlin on Feb 28, 2007 16:52:34 GMT -8
my ig seems to like his night light.gets nice and close to it. It may be telling you that it is too cool at night and needs a touch more heat.
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