Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I just converted an outdoor storage shed into a new home for our growing iguana. But I am having trouble figuring out the best way to set up his uv lighting. I read that you shouldn't have the fluorecents more than a foot away from the basking spot, but in such a large enclosure it is hard for me to do this without setting up a dangerous hanging "chandelier" type system. I'm just curious as to how you people with large room-size enclosures set up your lights.

Thanks,
Justin

I think most of the iggy keepers here do the same thing that I do... My igs spend most of their time on their basking spot, so, there´s where my UVb lights are.. So, when they are basking, they are reciving both UVb and UVa rays.
ps. The distance between the igs and the lights is about 8 inches.
Good luck and thake care,
Later,
Dan

Just build a shelf/ladder higher up to the basking light. Like a handicap ramp you see on buildings (so it's not too steep).
Ig's like to be high up anyways...
My ig climbs up to his shelf all the time, he can see the whole world go by from there.

The problem is that the ceiling is very high and I was a little worried about making a basking shelf that high. I'm not at home now so I can't measure it but I am about 6 foot tall and I'd have to jump to touch the ceiling.

I guess I could make a basking area with sides... or maybe an artificial ceiling in part of it?

Just make a ramp up as high as you want to go, then build a shelf and a shelf above the basking shelf. Put the basking light up underneath the shelf. He can be under the shelf in the UVB light and feel secure too. Make sure you don't have a heat/UVB type light. It will get too hot under the shelf for the Ig. Make sure to use some type of outdoor carpet or slim slats of wood so he has some traction to up and down the ramps.
Know what I mean? lol I really stink at explaining things!
How will you keep the temps warm enough for your Ig?

Yeah that makes perfect sense. Sounds like the best way to do it. Thanks for the suggestion.

And keeping it warm enough shouldn't be too hard. The enclosure/shed is outside and I live in Florida so most of the time it is plenty warm. One or two months out of the year it gets cold and I am working on adding insulation and some more ceramic heat lamps before that happens.

Thanks again,
Justin

A tool shed in SUMMER might get too hot, and the ig would have no way to escape the heat, being shut up in a shed. Have you considered letting your ig free roam in your house (or a room)? That way the temperature extremes would be less, and your ig will not be bored. Just a thought. Our 4 year old iguana has free roamed our whole house, for 3 years now.
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Lamar, Debbie, Nathaniel and Iggi :>~