Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I just built a cage for my waterdragon... and im installing the reptile slider hood... i wanted suggestions on the type of lighting i should use...

the cage measures 26X26 with 24 inches deep.

Reptiglo 8.0
Reptisun 10.0

or what?

I hope this is for the first months of a baby after hatching.
You may use one of these fluorescents...but thats everythingbut bright. I would strongly recommend to add a metal halide of 70 W for that enclosure.

Ci@o

Ingo

No, of course i have a heat lamp and everything for the cwd, but i've been using a reptisun 2.0 since i got him in October 28, 2005, he's now 4.0 inches SVL, 14.00 STL.

You need sth to produce light.
In the wild, they find basking spots at 100 000 Lux and more. With your reptisund you can provide a maximum of like 1000 lux and with a standard incandescent basking spot bulb like 3000 Lux...exact values of course depending on wattage and distrance.
With a metal halide its easy to reach 20 000 lux and possible to have 100 000 lux.
Brightness is important for the regulation of menay metabolic processes and most lizards are kept under way too dim lights.
Do not trust your eye. Our optical system, consisting of eyes and brain provides us with a very subjective view by striongly enhanciong contrasts and overexaggerating lightintensities. Buy a luxmeter if you do not believe me.
...and still, your tank is by far to small to house any Physignathus even though your animal is pretty small for its age, you shoud upgrade to an anclosure of at least 6 x 3 x 6 ft.

Ci@o

Ingo