Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello,
I am building a cage with the dimensions around 3x3x3. Haven't chose how big for sure. Just bought a 7UVB light and i have a dome light. Does anyone have good ideas for hanging the lights. I was thinking about putting chicken wire or some wire in the top stapling it in then putting the lights on that. Then hiding the lights from the front with building small wall in front of that. Will post pics soon when we are finished but if anyone has a good method let me know. Plus i am gonna put a heat mat in the bottom in it's own little box in the bottom side somewhere to contain the heat in the box while heating the box for the beardeds. I am making the cage out of 3/4 thick Red Oak Wood that is 4FTx8FT, that was $45.00$ bucks for the sheet. Plus the UVB light for $30.00$ bucks then crickets. So together today was a $100.00$ day. And i still have to buy legs for the cage. Plus hinges and trim. It's gonna look nice will surely post pics. And i was wondering if it is ok to paint the cage and if there is anything i can coat the paint with that will be good or safe for the Beardeds? If so let me know ASAP cause im building it now. Thanks for your time, Website soon, R.J.-AH Reptiles

I just finished building a 6'L x 2'H x 2'Deep plywood Beardie cage for my son's dragon. I had to give allot of thought to how I was going to accommodate the florescent light. You need it to be within 12" of the animal to derive any UV effect at all. Closer would be even better.

What I ended up doing was cutting a square access in the top of the cage, though which the mounted florescent light would pass. Then using a square piece of plywood that was larger than the access I mounted the light. The light is then placed through the square access hole, the larger piece of plywood the light is mounted on will cover the access and prevent the light from crashing into the cage. Whenever I need to service the light, I merely remove the panel with the light on it.

I'll post some pictures this evening.

I think a mercury vapor UV bulb is good up to a couple feet...good for large cages, and only large cages (they get quite hot), will provide a basking spot and UV in one.
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-audri
Webpage/Pics

I've never seen any direction on the minimum distance above the substrate you can put those. That is, how close is too close??

This cage is made from 1/2" plywood and is 6'long x 2'deep x 2' high.