Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Just wanted you guys to see the website I found for those Iris baby tubs your interested in www.Irisusainc.com. I think I found the perfect size I need to fit 3 tubs to a shelf. The ones I'm thinking about are the green Store-It-All kind. They are not the see through kind, but dark green. The reason why I picked these is because I need tubs less them 16inches wide to be able to keep three to a shelf, because my rack is only 4ft long, and I wanted 12 bins to a rack system. The ones I found, and am thinking of buying are 31 Long x 14-1/2 Wide x 13 High. Think they are a bit to high to get any use from the dual fluorescent UVB fixture with bulbs like Repti-Glo 8.0 or Repti-Sun 5.0 that I will be using? Or do you think I should look for a shorter tub like 10 inches maybe and screen them to increase the UVB rays they get? I really want to stay away from running 12 Powersuns at 100 watt each. Think at 13 inches away it is worth it to run the dual fluorescent uvb bulbs?? I'm sure they will get some UVB at a distance of 13in. from a dual 40watt each fluorescent bulb fixture right? Or should I look for an ideal tub at 10 inches, and make screens if need be as they grow and start jumping up? Thanks for any help your opinions, and ideas mean a lot, and will help big time.
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Mystical Dragons webshots pictures
Mystical-Dragons Website

Hi Mattman, I believe the 13" are good. I would go with them with no screen. Put the fluoro's right on the top of the bins. you can raise up the basking spot about 6" using a half log or some other type of hidey. If you raise them up 5" they are within 8" of the light. That is plenty close. I have read that screen can filter out up to 50% of UVB. The ReptiSuns put out good UVB 12-18" away. So I would say the 13" ones are good crickets can't get out and the dragons won't for 2 months or so.
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Derek Affonce
DeKeAff Exotics
dekeaffexotics.com

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Derek Affonce
DeKeAff Exotics
dekeaffexotics.com

I'm assuming these are for your hatchlings correct? I was using a 10 gallon aquarium with this twisted root from middle earth looking thing I picked up at PetsMart. It is ceramic and green and is really easy to clean and put the dragons within 3" of the UVB. Another added plus is that a 75 watt spot positioned over the shorter end of the middle earth tree root kept a basking area of around 112 to 115. Plus they LOVED running around their middle earth domain. it also let them escape to the back of the cage where the temp was ambiently 85-86. PetsMart had 3 that had a couple little things snapped off and I picked them up for a 15% discount and they ran me I think it was about 20 bucks each. I just sanded the sharp edges off. Also They have an opening from manufactureing that needs to be sealed with like silicone so crickets don't escape into the hollow. That really starts to stink after awhile. Learned that the hard way LOL.
I think that they benefit from being able to climb around and interact with each other that way. I raised my snow hatchlings right underneath the uvb with no climbing stuff and the others before they passed the other way and the snows seemed less content and less sociable. Just my experience. You could also jsut build a type of shelf tho put in the cage to offer a place to climb to and get within required distance of the UVB.

Later,
Robert Wood

I use "I think they are" 45qt. rubbermaid tubs for hatchlings, stepping up as they grow to 65qt. and then when they are around the 10" - 12" size, they get put in a 73qt. bin ( or something like that) Sterilite has one that is cheaper but the bottom floor space isn't as much as a new Rubbermaid (hinge lid). The new Rubbermaid ones cost a little more but I like the little extra space.
Now,, one word of caution on the nontransparent bins (I saw you mention something about them on the forum but I haven't read the entire thread yet)... If you raise them in those and you send them to someone & they put them into a clear aquarium, they are going to stress!!! & not show nowhere near their true colors. (trust me on this) Try to stick with as clear of a bin as you can get.

Here are the rough dimensions
L X W X H
45qt.
22 X 16 1/2 X 9
(the rest are very close to the same except the height)
65qt.
H = 13

73qt.
H = 15

I separated each clutch in half & kept them like that until I could sex them. Then I put them in bins by their sex (for that clutch) Keep extra bins available for nippers. They usually wind up being one or two of the males in each clutch. I have found a way that usually works for finding which one it is. Let me know if you want to hear it. lol

Also, if you are wiring the lighting, wire the florescent separately from the basking bulbs so you can add a dimmer to the basking bulbs. The temps vary greatly on shelf levels & ambient room temp.

I hope that helps.
Later.
Joel
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Joel R

Coming Soon!
www.SpikesAndScales.com

Thanks Joel. Yeah I thought about the solid ones myself being a problem for them adjusting to a new glass tank. I know as much as I stress to new owners to cover the new dragon in glass tanks with paper, some people will not and wonder why it is so stressed, and not the bright happy colors it was when they first got it. I should take it the safe route and get them use to it before their new homes. I'm just having trouble finding the width I need. I went out and bought a 4 ft wide shelf rack, and I had planned to keep three bins to a level so they would have to be 16in wide each. I should have bought the 5ft wide shelf rack, and I would not be having the trouble finding the right bins 16inch wide each. The solid ones I was talking about would have worked, but you make a good point about them stressing in a new home with a glass tank. So I'm on the look out for clear bins 16inch wide. If you happen to come across them let me know. Also I only wanted them to be around 13 high so I can give them a few inch high basking spot, and get them close to the dual fluorescent UVB shop fixtures I bought for each level. As they grow I could put the larger ones in 15inch high bins and just build up the basking site a bit more. I don't know if I can't find the bins I need I'll just take the 4ft down and return it for the 5ft. So how do you find the nippers???? Any trick like that is worth hearing, and learning Thanks for your help Joel.
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Mystical Dragons webshots pictures
Mystical-Dragons Website

Just cutting the end out of the green tubs you wanted to use and replaceing it with plexiglass or screening of some sort? Just a thought.

Robert

I just take one of the babies & dangle it over the bin, moving from side to side & you'll see the nipper using his targeting system. lol
I have had several nippers in several different clutches and I have solved most of the mysterious nipper cases by doing it like that. Then take the ones who were looking the most interested in jumping up & eating the little guy dangling into solitary confinement.

Give it a shot, I think you'll be surprised how easy it is to make the culprit stand out.

Later.
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Joel R

Coming Soon!
www.SpikesAndScales.com

Hehehe good system you got for that LOL. Hope it works for me!!
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Mystical Dragons webshots pictures
Mystical-Dragons Website