Golden Tegu

[Nos]

So i recently bought a golden tegu and he is in a 5' by 2' by 3' high cage that i made out of wood a while ago. i have a pond liner under Exo Terra Plantation soil (Exo Terra : Plantation Soil / Tropical Terrarium Substrate (http://www.exo-terra.com/en/products/plantation_soil.php)).

only problem is the basking spot is about 100F and it should be 120F i think its a 100W light about 24 inches away or less and i also have a UVB bulb which dose not provide heat. was wondering if i should get a large bulb like 150W or higher or a ceramic heating element that runs all night. what would be better and any suggestions would be great. we got him sunday.

[stephanbakir]

Can you move the lamp closer?

[Lankyrob]

For our lizards we use MVB's (Mercury Vapour Bulb) - they provide a LOT of heat and also all the UV that is required - just need to experiment with how far from the basking spot you place the lamp.

[ilovemypets1988]

you could do a raised platform using some branches to allow the tegu to raise himself closer to the bulb and there fore reach the heat that he/she wants, but still beable to go lower to get a cooler temp

[Max713]

you could do a raised platform using some branches to allow the tegu to raise himself closer to the bulb and there fore reach the heat that he/she wants, but still beable to go lower to get a cooler temp

This is definitely the best way to go about this, especially if you already have the ambient temps set up to your liking.

You must be very careful with ceramic bulbs, any contact with them, even for a split second can cause instant and nasty burns.

What type of UVB do you have? If its the 10.0 UVB tube, it HAS to be within 20" of your animal to work. I had a MBD scare with my Tegu a while back as I was not aware of this. The 5.0 has to be even closer at 12".

Is your enclosure sealed, and what kind of wood is it made from? Even with your pond liner in place, if the rest of the wood isn't sealed, it will rot eventually due to the high humidity required for your Tegu (70-80%).

One last thing, how large is your golden? A 2' wide enclosure will be very cramped for a full size Tegu of any species. With a golden you can get away with a 5x3, although a 6x3 or 6x4 would be much better.

[Coffee Black]

I've been wanting to experiment with these types of hides for a while. looks like a great idea. allows your animal to be closer or further away from the basking spot while providing a gradient based on level. Its called a Retes Stack. pretty neat and simple idea. Just thought it might be something you would consider looking into. Pro Exotics Reptiles, the Nation's finest captive bred Snakes and Monitors, your source for Infrared Thermometer, Temp Gun. (http://www.proexotics.com/FAQ2.html#50)

[Max713]

I've been wanting to experiment with these types of hides for a while. looks like a great idea. allows your animal to be closer or further away from the basking spot while providing a gradient based on level. Its called a Retes Stack. pretty neat and simple idea. Just thought it might be something you would consider looking into. Pro Exotics Reptiles, the Nation's finest captive bred Snakes and Monitors, your source for Infrared Thermometer, Temp Gun. (http://www.proexotics.com/FAQ2.html#50)

Yep, this is a fantastic way to offer a good basking gradient that offers the animal plenty of cover to help make them feel more secure.

[Dehlida]

Retes stack are amazing, very good for any small monitor or tegu.

[Nos]

Is your enclosure sealed, and what kind of wood is it made from? Even with your pond liner in place, if the rest of the wood isn't sealed, it will rot eventually due to the high humidity required for your Tegu (70-80%).

One last thing, how large is your golden? A 2' wide enclosure will be very cramped for a full size Tegu of any species. With a golden you can get away with a 5x3, although a 6x3 or 6x4 would be much better.

Yes i definitely know about rotting, and its unavoidable with the cage he is in now, it is sealed with a mold control paint. how ever the tank is made out of MDF and was built for bearded dragons so at the time i was not worried about it rotting. i will be building him a new enclosure that opens from the front because i want him to be able to walk out openly and i will be able to put my other tanks on the top of it. not sure yet what im going to build it out of but have lots of plans and knowledge with that.

[Nos]

I've been wanting to experiment with these types of hides for a while. looks like a great idea. allows your animal to be closer or further away from the basking spot while providing a gradient based on level. Its called a Retes Stack. pretty neat and simple idea. Just thought it might be something you would consider looking into. Pro Exotics Reptiles, the Nation's finest captive bred Snakes and Monitors, your source for Infrared Thermometer, Temp Gun. (http://www.proexotics.com/FAQ2.html#50)

thats looks like it would be awesome but Im kind of a naturalist.

[Nos]

A quick Photo update
http://img823.imageshack.us/img823/658/nospet.jpg

[stephanbakir]

He looks great! :P

[ilovemypets1988]

beauty nos

[NennaMeerkat]

My goodness look at that chunky monkey <3 Not saying he is fat...just that he looks good and healthy. Nice work on keeping him well fed!!