Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Mark: I couldn't help but laugh when I saw your post on 102 degrees. It would be nice to only have 102 degrees! I've had cyclura out doors year round for almost 20 years, including when temps hit 122 degree in Phoenix. They often get temps over 110 degrees and over 100 days per year above 100 degrees.

They have mosquite trees which provide some shade plus their shelters. The heat has never been a problem for any of the iguana species: cyclura, ctenosaura or greens. It is the winters that are the challange . . . heat lights, etc.

Bye the way it's only 107 today! The chucks & iguanas will be laying soon! Love the heat!

Jerry

During those extreme heat days, have you ever used a temp gun on your iguanas? I remember reading somewhere that temps of 115 are lethal to iguanas so Im curious if that was bogus information.

Also, we had two years ago some days that got over 110-115F and one pectinata and two 2 year old lewisi's died in the shade while I was away on vacation. My wife was home and hosed down the lizards but it may have been too late.

By the looks of your cages Mark the lizards have very little room to thermoregulate with all the concrete and no shade I bet the temps do get lethal. I think that Jerry's cages are somewhat more like Bob Blome's or Kelly Paul's cages in AZ. The cages are probably rather large compared to yours and planted so that areas are shaded and the lizards can better regulate their temps.

Good thing my set up is in the cool SF Bay Area and not Arizona!-lol

Mark,

You got me curious about the temps. Though our high temps are over 110 most of this week, I really don't get too concerned for any of the iguanas. Though my cages are not as well planted as Kelly's & Bob's (they eat everything that grows)the cages are shaded by mosquite trees which allow lizards plenty of access to shade or sun.

I took my PocketTemp gun outside when temp in the shade was 106. The ground temp was typically about 110-115 in shade areas for cyclura & ctenosauras per my PocketTemp gun/pen. My chuck pen the ground temp ranged from 150-160 degrees (this is in the sun as shade is only under rocks or burrows. I'm sure when temps get higher these temps will exceed 200 on the ground. I did my best to check iguana temps, the pectinata were about 114 degrees and the melanosterna about the same. I don't know how accurate my readings are, but I'm sure they are close. None of the lizards are out basking in these temps, though with food they came out quickly.

One quinquecarinata was out in the shade as were rhino iguanas, but everything else was in hide boxes, under rocks or in burrows. If there was a moist area (potted plant or area soaked with the hose (in the shade) the lizards prefer these areas.

I may try and go out in the heat of the day when temps are over 110 and check temps again.

I TEMP GUN MY LIZARDS A LOT AND THEY ROUTINELY ARE BASKING WITH BODY TEMPS IN EXCESS OF 110 DEGREES. ONE RHINO I TEMP GUNNED AT 119 DEGREES AND IT HAD JUST MOVED INTO THE SHADE. WHEN THEY GET OVER ABOUT 112 DEGREES THEY BASK WITH THEIR MOUTH OPEN. THE GREEN IGUANAS RARELY GET ABOVE 112 DEGREES BEFORE MOVING INTO THE SHADE. I CHECKED MY TEMP GUN TO SEE IF IT WAS ACCURATE WITH THE 119 DEGREE READING AND IT WAS. SOMEWHERE I REMEMBER READING THAT TEMPS LIKE THAT ARE LETHAL BUT I CAN AFFIRM MINE ARE ALIVE AND WELL. SOMETIMES I WONDER WHAT THESE LIZARDS ARE CAPABLE OF WITHSTANDING AS ALL MY TEMP INFO IS BASED ON LIZARDS BASKING BY CHOICE AS THEY ALWAYS CAN THERMOREGULATE AS THEY CHOOSE....
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Tom Crutchfield
www.tomcrutchfield.com

I do notice, that my rhino's can take higher temps than any other cyclura or cteno I keep, so that 119 doesn't surprise me.

Just thought I share that I got rhino eggs (17) today, she laid when the temp was about 104 degrees with a projected high today of 116.

I thought I would also provide some data on the effect of water on cooling temps. At one of our synthetic soccer fields they took field temps in June when the outdoor temp was 109 degrees & 10% humidity. The field temps ranged from 173 degrees to 192 degrees. Following a brief sprinkler cycle the field temps drop as much as 70 degrees (depending on the sprinkler coverage). With our high temps and low humidity, watering down a cage can drastically cool temps & lizards.

"watering down a cage can drastically cool temps & lizards."
Agreed, and my thermostically controlled misting system is one of the best investments I have added to my enclosures.

This thread reminded me of a conversation I had a while back with Fred Burton. I checked to see if I remembered right before I posted. Fred did a core temp study on 3 lewisi, 3 yr olds in the Saleena. He measured body core temps hourly. He found that their optimal body temp is 104-105 degrees. Based on that, maybe that is why jerry and mark have seen their cyclura handle what we think are such high temps. I would bet most dont keep their igs hot enough. Do older, bigger cyclura try to keep that same temp? just a thought

jf

What I use in mine are many shelves in each enclosure on different levels to satisfy dominance and provide shade. Additionally lg wooden boxes are provided as refuges that sit on the ground and rarely on the hottest day get above 82 degrees. This seems to work out very well for me. In the Green Iguana enclosures for both albino's and hets slow running water is flowing in from the top 24 hours a day into lg tanks big enough for them to get into. Water temps here are 76 degrees year round...Thanks

If you look at our pimary section of the large caes [15' x 12'] you can see the doulble tiers of shelves and the refuge boxes are on the back side on the outside of the enclosure with an entrance inside each cage.....
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Tom Crutchfield
www.tomcrutchfield.com