Night heater...

[maxlean]

Hey my first ( but not last) question/s

I've read up on the heating and lighting for an iggy, what i'd like to know is..

1) For day time i'll need an UV light and a basking lamp, how do you work out what size (wattage ) bulbs to use?

2) What do you recommend for night heat? I've read that heater mats are a no no. Choices i've seen so far are ceramic heaters and the red night spots..

[ChamZilla]

Hey there Maxlean and Welcome again,

Question 1) as far as wattage on a UV bulb there are a few brands and things like that. The MEGARAY (information at http://www.reptileuv.com) is a wonderful choice for UV requirements. Iguana's need high UV requirements and these are the best lights available. Zoo's even use these. They must be placed 12 inches from the iguana's back so they get the full benefit of the UV rays. Uv rays do not travel through glass either. As for a heat sourse, it varies on the enclosure you have, if its insulated. Its more of a trial and error thing of installing them BEFORE you get the iguana and monitoring the temperatures. I wouldn't get anything more than 100W but BE sure to follow the instructions it came with on the box to be sure you've set the bulb up properly. Some recomend having a surge protector and things like that.

Question 2) For CHE (ceramic heat emmitors) I wouldn't go more than 100watts. These things get VERY hot to the touch so they DEFFINATLY need a gaurd on them. They do quite a long time though. So to me they are a good investment.

Red Night spots, these I find are a waste of money. I have no real use for them, unless you have nocturnal animals and they need a heat source and the red light is a way of seeing them.

If you are going to build an enclosure big enough for you to walk in you can use a small microfurnice. You need to be VERY careful that you secure it down to the floor or ceiling so the animal can't knock it over durning the night or day hours. And that it can't touch the furnce its self. They can get burnt doing that. This option has to be used with extreme caution as the temperature has to be monitored BEFORE getting the animal in there to. This way if you set it to high at first you don't accidently kill your lizard and it can be turned down and moderated easier. A low on and off setting through the night should keep the temperature at a toasty 70F. If you keep your whole house at a moderate temperature (our house is kept at 68 in the winter) you may not need a night time heat source. I have large iguana's so at 68 at night they will be fine. A baby iguana however is a different story and needs the temperature to stay above 70 ALL the time. Plus the daytime increase temperatures.

Also you can get a radient heat panel. These are large or small heat panels you can screw to the ceiling in the enclosure and set them to a thermostat to radiate heat down from above. These panels work like the suns ray's would with heat. They do not give off ANY UV or any light. Just heat.

Here are some options for you, if you have any questions feel free to ask us Thanks for being curious

[prismwolf]

Another option for night heat is a Mega Ray HP (heat projector). These things are much less dangerous than a CHE...although CHEs have been used quite successfully for many years as long as the right safety precautions are put in place. I believe Drs. Foster and Smith are another that sells the heat projector type of deal. I'd have to check on that for sure.

To get an idea of what the heat projector looks like you can go here:
www.reptileuv.com

[maxlean]

Very use full info thanks guys/girls..

Next question (Grins cheekily)

Shopping list so far

1 x vivarium , ( got it)
1 x uv light
1 x basking lamp
bulb holders
dimmer thermostat
sun switch
2 x thermometers.

This is what we are going to get at the weekend and set up to test night and day temps etc.
Thats why there is no night heater stuff on the list.
Its summer here at the moment and the room this will be set up in is really warm at night.

Where do you place your temperature sensor in the viv?
I'm guessing its got to be as near to the basking spot as possible..
correct me if i'm wrong..


thanks..

jon

[prismwolf]

You must be across the pond? Viv is definitely a UK thing I love. It sounds so much more...carefully planned?

Anyway...

• How big is the viv?
  
• What brand is the UV bulb you plan on getting?
  
• I hope you plan on using a lamp bulb for a heat bulb. Much cheaper and does the same thing as the ones in pet stores.
  
• Ceramic socketed lamp holders!
  
• Instead of a thermostat, get a rheostat. They're more accurate. You want to use this more on a lightless heat source since during the day the heat bulb is also what's needed for proper basking. Hook up something to the "sun" and they lose needed bright light. UV light is not enough.
  
• What is a "sun switch"?
  
• Make that a digital indoor/outdoor thermometer with hygrometer.
  

The probe end of the thermometer is usually very easy to secure in the basking area...which is where you want it. The other probe can go on the cool end.

NEXT QUESTION PLEASE!

[twiggie]

yes we are from the UK lol does it show?

i will have a search for a "rheostat", ive not seen them listed anywhere yet. there is a downside to living in the UK, its REALLY hard to get iggy stuff! if you want a snake, dragon or gecko your fine lol.

ok... answers....

1) viv is 30" wide x 24" deep x 48" high (this is only his first one while he is young, a bigger one will be home built when he gets bigger)
2) Reptiglo UV bulb
3) sun swicth is a light sensitive switch to replicate daylight hours

erm... think i remembered everything?

[prismwolf]

twiggie said:

yes we are from the UK lol does it show?

*giggles*...you type with an accent... .

It sounds as if you are thinking of buying one bulb. With the tubes you need at least two...and you may as well get the 48" ones. Cuts on cost later, and hanging over the edge may look tacky...it actually does more good than not. The middle is strongest for UVB and weakens at the edges.

Everything else sounds pretty good... :-)

[twiggie]

i aint got no accent, me mum tawt me 'ow to speak proper she did lol

thanks for that, will go for more lighting

[ChamZilla]

LOL this is hilarious! Do you happen to be of geordie English? Or something else? My friend lives in Lemington upon tine and he speaks with that accent, he also says ERM a lot in his emails

But welcome aboard, it seems you are set into the right direction

[twiggie]

LOL no it was supposed to be a london one - maybe i should have put "innit" at the end hehe