Savannah Monitor enclosure build (pics)

[bowdenmx]

Originally Posted by murrindindi

Hi again, or you could just use a normal household fluorescent tube for supplementary lighting, they`re even cheaper!
It`s been proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that properly supported captive Varanids can lead long, healthy and productive lives without exposure to real or artificial UVB. Though there absolutely no evidence it`s harmful (or if the artificial is used, it`s according to the manufacturers instructions).

hi mate. yea i have read many an article on this topic. there is allready a normal tube in the fitting allready. if the uv is to no harm the the lizard then i would use it any how for the sake of 20 quid it would do no harm. much debate as you say on the topic. anyone elses opinions on this would be great to.

[jarich]

The only problem with just putting a UVB in that present fixture is that you would have to raise a basking platform to within 12-15 inches of the bulb to get any usable UVB. Not that it would be difficult to do that, you could simply just put a big log going up close to it is all. You can get the HO fixture, which gives you an extra foot or so of exposure (24 inches or thereabouts) but again, thats an extra fixture to buy. The MVB gives the same exposure as the HOs with no need for an extra fixture.

As for whether they need it, experience seems to say no. The studies that have looked at blood serum levels in monitors have shown that the UVB does increase their Vit D3 metabolites. However, as so many generations have thrived and bred without it, the necessity of these levels is uncertain. Like you both said, I cant see how its any harm, and since it allows them to raise their metabolite levels to those of the wild relatively easily (it doesnt take much UVB exposure to get them back to normal levels) I dont see any reason not to provide it.

[infernalis]

a popup from my web site... I agree and I have several 6500K lights and a 4 foot UV 5.0 tube overhead.

[jarich]

Cool, how did you get in contact with him Wayne? Does he keep his outside at all?

[murrindindi]

Hi Wayne, I think that piece by the South African vet is rather misleading in the sense he is NOT stating that he`s seen many cases of MBD in Varanids, neither does he give info on the conditions the animals he has treated were kept under (especially temps, humidity and diet). Looking at the photos you`ve shown of your enclosure, the UVB tube seems to be quite high and of no benefit as far as any UVB is concerned. It looks to be fixed on/near the ceiling, or have you since adjusted it to within 10 inches or less of the animals surfaces?
The most efficient UVB emitting bulbs are the metal halides, very close to natural sunlight, but quite expensive, and need an external ballast. I haven`t seen too many keepers in the private sector using them for their monitors.

[Vegasarah]

Leave the tube how it is and use it just to bring viewing light into the enclosure and pop out the middle halogen bulb and put an MVB bulb in it. It will help raise your basking temp, and it will encourage your monitor to bask with added UV! And you already have it on a chain so you can adjust the height as needed to maintain the correct basking temps! I've been thinking of a way to do this on my own build and that is actually what I plan to do. Dr. Bahoola said it well; it can't do any harm and it might do some good.

[bowdenmx]

sunk the hygrometers into the top of the enclosure. one at each end of the viv, looks neater and stops them slipping around and being knocked off ect.

[Mark Taylor]

This build gets better every time I look next you will have the lights activated by voice control (lights on. lights off) lol

[Mark Taylor]

What is it the rub?

[bowdenmx]

lol thanks dude. just a couple of corns in a rack sat on top mate.

[murrindindi]

Originally Posted by Vegasarah

Leave the tube how it is and use it just to bring viewing light into the enclosure and pop out the middle halogen bulb and put an MVB bulb in it. It will help raise your basking temp, and it will encourage your monitor to bask with added UV! And you already have it on a chain so you can adjust the height as needed to maintain the correct basking temps! I've been thinking of a way to do this on my own build and that is actually what I plan to do. Dr. Bahoola said it well; it can't do any harm and it might do some good.

The problem is that the self ballasted MVB`s start at 100w, they need to be at least 30cm (12inches) from the surface of the animal when basking, that means the part of the animal closest to the face of the bulb, (the head/neck when raised). That being the case, if low wattage halogens are being used (40 or 50w) they would be too far away to get a decent surface temp, I would think?
I`ve used UVB emitting bulbs for many years, but not these days (at least not for the UVB, just the heat at times), and I`ve not noticed the slightest difference in behaviour.
There are many, many keepers who repeatedly breed them successfully and for many years without the use of UVB irradiation. Like many things, this type of lighting/heating is a huge industry, so the more "they" can convince keepers their products are needed, the confusion and debate will continue!

[Vegasarah]

Originally Posted by murrindindi

The problem is that the self ballasted MVB`s start at 100w, they need to be at least 30cm (12inches) from the surface of the animal when basking, that means the part of the animal closest to the face of the bulb, (the head/neck when raised). That being the case, if low wattage halogens are being used (40 or 50w) they would be too far away to get a decent surface temp, I would think?
I`ve used UVB emitting bulbs for many years, but not these days (at least not for the UVB, just the heat at times), and I`ve not noticed the slightest difference in behaviour.
There are many, many keepers who repeatedly breed them successfully and for many years without the use of UVB irradiation. Like many things, this type of lighting/heating is a huge industry, so the more "they" can convince keepers their products are needed, the confusion and debate will continue!

I thought that the 3 sockets were on a chain so they could me lowered down to 12 inches away from the basking point if it was needed? But the MVB are high wattage so maybe having it that close would also make the basking temp too hot. Then again, if it were me, I wouldn't even bother with UV lights.

[bowdenmx]

lil update.









nearly there now.

[jarich]

Originally Posted by murrindindi

The problem is that the self ballasted MVB`s start at 100w, they need to be at least 30cm (12inches) from the surface of the animal when basking, that means the part of the animal closest to the face of the bulb, (the head/neck when raised). That being the case, if low wattage halogens are being used (40 or 50w) they would be too far away to get a decent surface temp, I would think?
I`ve used UVB emitting bulbs for many years, but not these days (at least not for the UVB, just the heat at times), and I`ve not noticed the slightest difference in behaviour.
There are many, many keepers who repeatedly breed them successfully and for many years without the use of UVB irradiation. Like many things, this type of lighting/heating is a huge industry, so the more "they" can convince keepers their products are needed, the confusion and debate will continue!

MVBs dont have to be that close to be effective, Ive got one of mine almost two feet from the basking site and it still gives off significant UVB at that distance. It does not require that much UVB to make a difference to the animal's metabolite levels. However, in this particular case, I think you could take out the bulb closest to the wall (the bulb furthest to the left in the picture) and have that be the MVB bulb. It would mean that the basking spot would get progressively hotter the closer to the wall it got, giving a gradient even within the basking platform. With a 100 watt at that height, I would think it would get up to around 160-170, which is still reasonable. The UVB would be significant at that distance too.

As for if they need it or not, youre absolutely right in saying that there are multiple generations bred already without UVB. There are also studies that show it does have a positive effect, though it may not be something visually seen. Blood serum levels of vitamin D metabolites are shown to be very low in captive animals without UVB irradiation and return to normal levels with minimal amounts of exposure to UVB. They can still breed and live without it, but its still the case that they are not as healthy as wild animals in that regard. As to what specific effect that has on them, I cant say. I still have a UVB bulb in mine though.

[bowdenmx]

basking temp is slowly rising nicely