Couple of setup questions....

[mmdragons]

Hi,
I am working on a new setup, and I am having some caging questions, I have always kept my breeders and babies in tanks and two costume cages. Know I am building a new setup. I was thinking 48x24x18 for females, you know so they can be bred and what not. Also I was thinking 36x24x18 for male??? I didn't know if that was appropiate for a male?? Also What do you guys think of combact uva/uvb lights? Do they work or are the "tube" lights better and which kind do you recomend.

Thanks Max

 

[pgwdragons]

Those measurements are about the standard generally. A couple of different inches.. but its really whatever works best for you. If you're talking about the mercury vapor style bulbs.. the only huge difference is that you have to keep track of the distance from the animal that the bulb is.. or there can be health problems. I personally use tube style.. Zoomed Reptisun 10.0 bulbs

 

[mmdragons]

I have alwaysed used them... i just didn not know... what about make cages?

 

[bliss]

The cages are the right size.

Compact bulbs, in particular the ReptiGlo 10.0 compacts, can cause eye problems. I'd use the long fluorescent bulbs, Reptisun 10.0.
Here's a good cage design. (click)

 

[shinezilla]

Are you planning on using sliding glass doors?

 

[mmdragons]

Now no I have a tanks and my custom cage has cool removeable

 

[bliss]

Are you planning on using sliding glass doors?

That was a good question

I thought about building a cage, and using sliding glass doors, but i had a lot of difficulty finding the U-shaped tracks for the glass to set in. Also, if using sliding glass doors you might need to get a lock for the doors so the dragon can't wedge the door(s) open and escape. Or, my idea for my cage was to put some thin wooden moulding behind the U-shaped tracks so the dragons couldn't wedge the doors.

 

[mmdragons]

Doors wow

 

[shinezilla]

The tracks you would have to order online, been there done that... I really wish they were at Menards or Home Depot.

Sliding doors look way nicer, I don't think you really need to put much of a lock.

 

[BADragons]

Here's a link to some tracks
http://www.outwatercatalogs.com/lg_...=0&cust_id=0&dist_dm=www.outwatercatalogs.com

 

[shinezilla]

Here's a link to some tracks
http://www.outwatercatalogs.com/lg_...=0&cust_id=0&dist_dm=www.outwatercatalogs.com

omg... i effin lubb you!!!!

 

[gottabsleeved]

Being 18 tall.Id go 28 wide females and big males will kiss you for it!

 

[sedecatur]

You can also find the sliding glass door tracks at places like
Rockler Woodworking and Hardware, and other woodworking supply stores, ebay has them, and some glass companies carry them also (usually in the back room). as for the door locks, The same places above carry these also, there 6 or 7 bucks each, However, I can tell you from experience none of the dragons will be able to open the doors if your using glass, its just to heavy. Snakes and larger reptiles like monitors, and iguanas, maybe, If you use plexi glass that might be different, its allot lighter. On the locks, I have them and keep the hardware on the glass, but ive never used them. I would use them if they were brumating, or breeding, or in quarentine, or something along those lines, and that would only be for keeping people out and from bothering them. Hope this helps.

 

[gottabsleeved]

28' deep .

 

[mmdragons]

28' deep .

All of my dimensions were in inches I think his were too.
THanks everyone, can I use normal "tube" fixures and uv bulbs, because those fixtures are evpensive...
Max

 

[sedecatur]

I bought my T8 36" single florescent bulb fixtures from lowes they have the electronic ballast so they dont get as hot as a normal one would, I found these in the lighting section with the under cabinet lighting, I tried the fixtures with the regular ballast but they thru off to much heat for my liking, and bought the T8 36" repti sun 10.0 bulbs to put in them .. Works great

 

[BADragons]

omg... i effin lubb you!!!!

No problem, i had the same issue when I was building our Juvie / sub-adult enclosures. The company is really helpful and dont charge an arm and a leg for shipping, they even cut the 12' lenght's for you for free. they have a distribution center on the west and east coast. I'm about to place another order for 16 adult cages im building.

 

[mmdragons]

I bought my T8 36" single florescent bulb fixtures from lowes they have the electronic ballast so they dont get as hot as a normal one would, I found these in the lighting section with the under cabinet lighting, I tried the fixtures with the regular ballast but they thru off to much heat for my liking, and bought the T8 36" repti sun 10.0 bulbs to put in them .. Works great

If you don't mind me asking how much did those lights cost at lowes??
If they are cheaper then I would buy the lights their, those "special lights" are extremly expensive...
Max.....

 

[sedecatur]

Just dug out my reciept they were 29.98 ea, They are called direct wire but all i did was buy a power tool replacement cord, you could probally get away with a 2 wire but i opted for a 3wire, Guess i just feel safer with the ground wire. Oh The fixtures come with a bulb (non uvb) and a plastic light cover just leave the cover off so you dont block the uvb from whatever bulb you use.

 

[crazycoolpaul]

Removable track Vs. Stationary Track

I also have the sliding glass doors in my cages that are roughly 4'x2'x2', now there is an inexpensive way for glass tracking i have on some of my cages to cut cost down. Home depot sells a 1/2'' J Bead in the concrete section for $1.19 for 10' not bad compared to the other types of glass tracking. Now i have both types the only downfall to the inexpensive track is its not removable.

Picture 1 is the bottom of the removable glass track
picture 2 is the top of the removable glass track
picture 3 is the inexpensive 1/2'' J bead bottom track also used for the top
picture 3 just some of my cages