Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi everyone! My uro's new cage arrived yesterday! Very good. It's a really nice terrarium, and she really needed a bigger one. I got it from a friend who didin't want it anymore. Problem is, it's almost 3' high. I've read that the UVB lighting shouldn't be more than 2' above the animal. So what do I do? Do I get a higher wattage light? Do I somehow put the ramp inside the cage at a lower level? (And in that case, how on earth do I go about that?) Or do I simply arrange a baskingspot high enough for her to get close enough to the lighting at least there?

An other question: What kind of paint can I use for the background (which is already there and made of styrofoam but needs to be painted or something so that she doesn't dig it all out)? One that isn't toxic or harmful in some other way. Any suggestions? Oh, and is putty ok for the edges?

Cheers /Sara

well from my reading and knowledge, the uvb light fixtures should be no more thank 18 inches from the animal to get optimal benefit from the light, 3 feet seems pretty far to get any benefit from it, also what you can try in a high intensity mecury vapor bulb they produce a very good amount of uvb and they can be put farther, provided you get the right wattage, 160 watts or so. i hope this helps good luck fellow uro owner

I agree. Plus, when I started using the "super-bulb" (either T-rex or ZooMed) my uros perked up even more and started eating twice as much. Same with my bearded dragon! The bonus is that they provide heat so the uros will bask. I haven't really noticed a difference between the two different brands of bulbs, but they sure do make a difference.
Allison (and Blazen)