Last minute Ackie enclosure help

Hello, I'm new to the site and to owning reptiles in general. My Ackie hatchling should arrive on Wednesday, and I'm just hoping to get some input on my enclosure setup. It's a 5'x3'x2.5' (HxWxL) cabinet style enclosure made of 3/4" cabinet grade plywood. I have 8-10" of 60% sifted top soil, 30% playsand, 10% vermiculite. Heating/lighting it with 2 60 watt flood lights (one left, one right), 1 100 watt ceramic heat emitter (center), and 1 24" UVB bulb. Ambient temps range from 74-98F, the basking spot on the left is around 120-130F, and the basking spot on the right is 135-168F. I'm using the pro exotics temp gun 2, but the basking spots seem to fluctuate every time I temp them. I've read that 130-150F+ is ideal. People always seem to worry that their basking temps are too low, but is 165F+ too hot? My other concern is that my cooler ambient temps are too low. If you look in the pictures, some places underneath the elevated wood areas are only 74-80F. Most of the enclosure is 80F+, but are those places under 75F going to be harmful? I plan on leaving the lights on 24/7 since my temps would fall even more drastically at night if I turned them off, and I've read that it shouldn't interrupt their sleep patterns. Humidity is around 50-55%.

I think that's it. If anyone has any help or comments about my enclosure, they'd be greatly appreciated. I'm really excited, but I want to make sure everything is the way it should be. Thanks everyone!

Dave

Just noticed on the homepage that there's a thread warning people about a "David Huffman of Virginia" just for clarity sake, I'm David Hoffman from Pennsylvania. Hoping that hasn't deterred anyone from posting replies Thanks!

Wow! I don't know much about Ackies in specific, but I love the cage! I own a tegu and some beardies and I wish my homemade enclosures were that nice. I love the little step thing holding up the platform. I wish I could answer some of your questions, but like I said, I don't know much about Ackies. But I know all my lizards love that sort of stuff for enrichment, loved running around the platforms and steps and whatnot. Good luck, thanks for sharing!

Thanks! Glad you like it. I had it made from G & M Terrariums in Maine. Idk if you're allowed to promote on here, I know some sites frown upon it, but they were phenomenal craftsmen and very nice helpful people. Late night / early morning texts with any customer service you could think of, updated me with pictures of the progress a few times a week, customized it to EXACTLY how I wanted everything. I can't say enough good about them, honestly. check them out, small little D.I.Y. family/friends business and top quality results.

http://www.facebook.com/gmterrariums

http://gmterrariums.webs.com/

Did you mean 2.5 high x 3' width (front to back) x 5' long ?

Yeah.

Nice cage size, Looks like you did some homework,

I have found the best way is to create a useable temperature gradiant within the cage, and give the monitor the option to choose were he wants to be.(thermoregulation)
Something around 75 deg on the cool side, to 150 deg on the hot side, (under the basking lights), will work.

I never liked lights on 24/7, nature doesnt work that way. I also like to give there metabolism a break with cooler night time temps, just my theory.
If you leave the lights on, make sure the animal can get out of the light with plenty of dark hide spots. I didnt see any in your cage. Bob

Thanks for the input. I just realized now that I labeled the dimensions wrong in the original post haha >.< I was a little confused why you were asking, sorry about that.

Is a basking spot of 165 too hot?

I have a little cave type thing in the back left corner away from all the lights, it's definitely not as bright back there since the wood platforms are above it. Maybe I could just turn a few lights off at night and leave one flood and the heat emitter on to make sure the temps don't drop too much, because some spots under the wood platforms are already 74-80 with all the lights on now. What would you suggest?

They can work around the outsides of the flood light beam, and not in the direct center, were its hottest. Just be carefull you dont burn the animal, and he can retreat to cooler temps,

but being your new to this, just drop your stacks an inch or so, or raise up your basking lights, and shoot for 140 to 150 degs, less to worry about.



I would shut the lights off at night, and maybe keep the CHE on if your worried about temps getting to low, I leave a small ultratherm heat mat in the cage (6" x 18") and shut all the above lights off, at night
They will find the heat mat if they need it. Bob

Okay, thank you very much for the help! Really appreciate it.