Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi, I have some 3x 4 foot boa cages made by BoaMasters. I am getting out of snakes and want to know if I can use them for beardies, mainly Hatchlings or juvys. How do I hook up a lighting system and heat bulbs without too much work? Also because it isn't very tall how dangerous is it for the heat lamp? I want to do this correctly. Do I just use a lower wattage. And please explain the types you use and why, including the UVB/UVA. Pictures would be nice. I want to make the best caging system for them as possible. I use Aquariums right now and man they take up a lot of room for over 20 dragons. Any suggestions would be appreciated and pictures would be super. Thanks so much. Deb
Link

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Beardies: 8.13

Pyro-Red Flaming Tiger x Orange German Giant Male
Kai-GG x Orange GG Male
Skyla-GG x GG Pastel Female
Voodoo-Yellow Red Desert Male
Banshee-Orange Sandfire Female
Puff-Citrus x Red/Orange Sandfire Male
Cera-Citrus x Sunburst Female
Moon-Hypo x Snow Female
Jewel-Yellow Sandfire x Orange Sandfire- Female
Ace-Sundial Coral x Snow Male
Sundra-Sunrise x Red/Gold Sandfire Female
Nitro(Stubbs)-GG x GG Pastel- Male Juvy
Rainbow-GG x GG Pastel Female Juvy
Ember-GG Orange x GG Pastel Male Juvy
Wicket-Sundial Coral x Snow Male
Sedona-Blood x Red/Orange Sandfire Female
Seven-GG Orange x GG Pastel Female Juvy
Flame-GG Orange x GG Pastel Female Juvy
Cinder-GG Orange x GG Pastel Female Juvy
Kiowa-GG Orange x GG Pastel Female Juvy
Echo-GG Orange x GG Pastel Female Juvy

Leopard Geckos 6.13

Bonzai-High yellow Jungle Leo Male Juvy(Bruckman's Reptiles)
Basil-High Yellow Jungle Leo Female Juvy(Bruckman's)
Chaos-HQ Red Stripe Leo Male
Swayze-HQ Red Stripe Bold Jungle Leo Female(Hot Geckos)
Rayna-HQ Red Stripe Bold Jungle Leo Female(Hot Geckos)
Ayesha-Outcross JMG x HQ Red Stripe Female(Hot Geckos)
Chaz-High Yellow Leo Male
Asia-High Yellow Leo Female Juvy( Bruckman's Reptiles)
Cyrano-Super Hypo Tang Carrot Tail Baldy Male (Hot Geckos)
Cajun-Super Hypo Tang Baldy Leo Female(Hot Geckos)
Calypso-Super Hypo Leo Female
Bijou- Super Hypo Tang Carrot Tail Female( Pro Geckos)
Inca- Super Hypo Tang Female (Pro Geckos)
India- Super Hypo Tang Female(Pro Geckos)
Arwen-Rainwater( LV)Jungle Albino Leo Male (Hot Geckos)
Aries-Rainwater(LV) Banded Albino Leo Female (Hot Geckos)
Ice-Blizzard Leo Female Juvy (Bruckman's Reptiles)
Blondie-Blizzard Leo Female Juvy (Bruckman's Reptiles
Kashmere-Banana Blizzard Leo Male Juvy (Bruckman's Reptiles)

Tortoises 2.3

Velvet-Leopard Tortoise baby poss male
Marley-Sulcata Baby poss female
Sammy-Red Foot Female
Isis-Red Foot Female
Jade-Red Foot probable male

4.3 Ball Pythons

Stripe Male 05
Black Back Female 05
Het Pied Male 05
Axanthic Female 03
Reduced with Blushing Female 03
Chocolate Reduced Male 04
Banded Male 04

Tarantula's

1.0 Chaco Golden Knee Tarantula(my husband's)Baby
1.2 Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula(my husband's)Babies
1.0 Curly Hair Tarantula(my husband's)Baby

Other Pets:

11.13 Manx Cats
Too many to name here (Adults and Kittens)
2.1 German Shepherds
Danzig(Red Sable)male Search and Rescue Tracking
Sakotah(Black Sable)Male Pup ( Dan/Onyx Pup)
Onyx( Black) Female SAR Air/Ground Scent retired
1.0 Hedgehog-White Wicca
0.1 Giant White New Zealand Rescue Rabbit- Callie
2.2 Chinchilla's-Breezy, Stormy Nights, Myst, Black Velvet
0.1 Eastern Gray Squrriel-Paws (Squrrielee-o)
0.1 Ferret-Jumanji
Mice, Hammies and Rats

Well the picture didn't work so I will explain them Mde out of wood, there is rope belly heat but thats not important. plexi-glass front with latch. 6 air holes on the side. Thanks Deb
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Beardies: 8.13

Pyro-Red Flaming Tiger x Orange German Giant Male
Kai-GG x Orange GG Male
Skyla-GG x GG Pastel Female
Voodoo-Yellow Red Desert Male
Banshee-Orange Sandfire Female
Puff-Citrus x Red/Orange Sandfire Male
Cera-Citrus x Sunburst Female
Moon-Hypo x Snow Female
Jewel-Yellow Sandfire x Orange Sandfire- Female
Ace-Sundial Coral x Snow Male
Sundra-Sunrise x Red/Gold Sandfire Female
Nitro(Stubbs)-GG x GG Pastel- Male Juvy
Rainbow-GG x GG Pastel Female Juvy
Ember-GG Orange x GG Pastel Male Juvy
Wicket-Sundial Coral x Snow Male
Sedona-Blood x Red/Orange Sandfire Female
Seven-GG Orange x GG Pastel Female Juvy
Flame-GG Orange x GG Pastel Female Juvy
Cinder-GG Orange x GG Pastel Female Juvy
Kiowa-GG Orange x GG Pastel Female Juvy
Echo-GG Orange x GG Pastel Female Juvy

Leopard Geckos 6.13

Bonzai-High yellow Jungle Leo Male Juvy(Bruckman's Reptiles)
Basil-High Yellow Jungle Leo Female Juvy(Bruckman's)
Chaos-HQ Red Stripe Leo Male
Swayze-HQ Red Stripe Bold Jungle Leo Female(Hot Geckos)
Rayna-HQ Red Stripe Bold Jungle Leo Female(Hot Geckos)
Ayesha-Outcross JMG x HQ Red Stripe Female(Hot Geckos)
Chaz-High Yellow Leo Male
Asia-High Yellow Leo Female Juvy( Bruckman's Reptiles)
Cyrano-Super Hypo Tang Carrot Tail Baldy Male (Hot Geckos)
Cajun-Super Hypo Tang Baldy Leo Female(Hot Geckos)
Calypso-Super Hypo Leo Female
Bijou- Super Hypo Tang Carrot Tail Female( Pro Geckos)
Inca- Super Hypo Tang Female (Pro Geckos)
India- Super Hypo Tang Female(Pro Geckos)
Arwen-Rainwater( LV)Jungle Albino Leo Male (Hot Geckos)
Aries-Rainwater(LV) Banded Albino Leo Female (Hot Geckos)
Ice-Blizzard Leo Female Juvy (Bruckman's Reptiles)
Blondie-Blizzard Leo Female Juvy (Bruckman's Reptiles
Kashmere-Banana Blizzard Leo Male Juvy (Bruckman's Reptiles)

Tortoises 2.3

Velvet-Leopard Tortoise baby poss male
Marley-Sulcata Baby poss female
Sammy-Red Foot Female
Isis-Red Foot Female
Jade-Red Foot probable male

4.3 Ball Pythons

Stripe Male 05
Black Back Female 05
Het Pied Male 05
Axanthic Female 03
Reduced with Blushing Female 03
Chocolate Reduced Male 04
Banded Male 04

Tarantula's

1.0 Chaco Golden Knee Tarantula(my husband's)Baby
1.2 Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula(my husband's)Babies
1.0 Curly Hair Tarantula(my husband's)Baby

Other Pets:

11.13 Manx Cats
Too many to name here (Adults and Kittens)
2.1 German Shepherds
Danzig(Red Sable)male Search and Rescue Tracking
Sakotah(Black Sable)Male Pup ( Dan/Onyx Pup)
Onyx( Black) Female SAR Air/Ground Scent retired
1.0 Hedgehog-White Wicca
0.1 Giant White New Zealand Rescue Rabbit- Callie
2.2 Chinchilla's-Breezy, Stormy Nights, Myst, Black Velvet
0.1 Eastern Gray Squrriel-Paws (Squrrielee-o)
0.1 Ferret-Jumanji
Mice, Hammies and Rats

The floor space is large enough for adult dragons (3'x4' is plenty big for a single adult or two adult females. You certainly can get babies in there but they do better in smaller containers in groups of no more than 5).

What is the height of the cage? If it's 16" or more and made out of wood, you should be able to mount light fixtures right to the underside of the top of the cage. A 3 or 4' long single or double florescent tube fixture found at any hardware/lighting store with plug will work fine. For the basking spot, attach a single household fixture (rated for at least 100W, with 125 W better (don't need to use these actual wattage in the bulbs put into but it's better to have the fixtured rated for higher than the actual bulbs you use, less fire hazard).

If the height of the cage is less than 16" but not less than a foot, you will have to mount your lights outside the cage. Cut openings into the roof of the cage, either a large rectangular opening covered with hardware cloth (1/4" wire mesh) then you can lay your lights directly on the mesh or suspend just above it.

Brandnames for UVB producing bulbs that are considered the best to get are Repti-sun by Zoo Med or Repti-glo by Exo Terra (or the other way around, I get them mixed up all the time). The Mercury Vapour bulbs could be used as well but I wouldn't recommend using them in these snake cages if they are less than 2' high, unless you suspend them above the cage. MVB put out alot of UVB and the intensity seems to be harmful if the dragon is less than 18" from the bulb itself.
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PHLdyPayne

I am currently using the old style boamaster cages for my some of my beardies. I prefer taller cages but these will work. The ceiling height is about 15 inches. On one side of the tank mounted to the ceiling but by the back wall I mounted a 24 inch florecent fixture. To the right of that, again by the back wall,I mounted a the ceramic screw-in type fixture. On the side with the florecent fixture I built a cave using two bricks and a piece of natural slate (Home Depot)for the top. For the ceramic fixture I use a 40 watt natural light spot bulb. Under that laying flat on the floor of the cage I use another full size piece of slate to create a nice warming area. Even though the florecent fixture can be used for your UVB I find that the dragons won't bask close enough to it so I mounted one more ceramic fixture on the same side as the spot bulb, closer to the front of the cage, but instead of it coming out of the ceiling it is mounted sideways attached to the wall but close to the ceiling. I put a compact florecent UVB bulb in that. While the dragons are basking they absorb the UVB from the compact bulb. Currently I use the UVB MYstic bulb from big Apple Herps but it only stays on for two, one hour periods because it is VERY strong.

The only other thig you will need to do is cover the vent holes with screening. The crickets can climb the walls and get out before they ae eaten.