Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi,

I'm trying to figure out the optimal size for one to two beardies. If one were to compromise, should it be in favor of square footage or height? As an example, consider these two choices:

a. 72"l x 24"d x 24"h 41472 cubic" 1728 sq"

b. 48"l x 24"d x 48"h 55296 cubic" 1152 sq"

The first one has quite a bit more floor space, but the second one has more volume space and is twice the height.

Any opinions/experiences?

Thx,
Frank

I'd go for the square footage, beardies aren't much of climbers.

Sean
Heart Mountain Herps

Although I would also go for the more floorspace, I don't agree with the statement that they aren't much for climbing. I have my beardies in large cages outside. Two of the cages are 4'x4'x2' and two are much, much taller with less "floorspace." In both configurations, my beardies spend a great deal of time climbing the wire sides and perching. Most nights they are "roosted" at the top most point they can reach in the cage.

Kameron

>>I'd go for the square footage, beardies aren't much of climbers.
>>
>>Sean
>>Heart Mountain Herps
-----
Fat, Flat Lizard Ranch

I replied to you over on the caging forum but thought I'd post over here so this would come up in future searches.

The inverse square law shows how light intensity dimishes as a light source is moved farther away.

With your two cage choices one light source would be twice as far away in the taller cage. Well actually it would not be exactly twice as the dimension of the light fixture would be constant between the two, but I'll keep it simple (I don't have a calculator anyways).

So in the taller cage the light would be 2 times farther away.

The inverse of 2 is 1/2.

1/2 squared is 1/4.

So in the taller cage a Bearded Dragon on the floor would receive 1/4 of the light as in the shorter cage.

This intensity would be applicable to wavelengths in the visible spectra as well as the UVA and UVB spectra. The degree to which Bearded Dragons benefit from light in the UV wavelengths is debatable, but they probably do benefit to some degree. But with certainty we can say they do benefit from visible light and that the taller cage will provide 4 times less of it, especially if your dragon(s) spend a lot of time on the floor of their cage.

Chris,

Yes, that was one of my concerns as well, but another poster replied that mercury-vapor bulbs could make up for that. Also, attached is a pic showing that at least some beardies do like to climb (or maybe they just "had" to in order to get close enough to the heat/UV source?).

Maybe either size will work since the overall volume is similar, as long as the taller one provides opportunity to climb?

Frank

Hi Frank,

Sorry about that. After reading all of your posts I now recognize that you had already considered this. Honestly the only post of yours I had read was the one I responded to on the caging forum. I had not even read that one your started with.

But at least the information is there for general interest.

Regarding the MV bulbs, it's simply marketing strategy to say it's a non-issue regarding height. Better yet, it's an issue of semantics be capitalized upon by marketers. The light produced by MV bulbs is subject to the ISL just as any other light.

But due to their high intensity there certainly is still more available light at greater heights than when compared to other reptile bulb types. Regarding UV, it's not they are still producing the same "amounts" of UV at great heights, it's just that certain wavelengths of UV are still measurable at greater heights. In these cases the UV is still greater closer to the bulbs.

So there is an issue of UV "intensity" and an issue of "measureability". Just because a certain wavelength is measurable at a greater distance does not mean it's as intense or that the animal still receives the same benefit.

I could continue if you like, but the issue remains the same. No buld produces visible and UV light at the intensity produced by the sun. The closer your animals are to the bulbs the more of this light they will be subjected to.

Now regarding opportunities to climb. I still prefer for significant amounts of visible light to be available to the dragons where they "naturally" spend most of their time and forage for food - on the ground.

But this does not rule out a tall cage. It would be relatively easy to build perches close to the floor that have lights underneath and still have lights available near the top of the cage.

But if you only want lights at the top of any given cage I still think shorter is better for Bearded Dragons. At least to a point. I don't think I'd want my dragon in a 10" tall cage...