Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi again...

My name is Jay by the way...

Does anyone know how many watts (or is it how much wattage) I should be looking for when I buy my incandescent heat bulb (maybe a ceramic?) I'm making my own enclosure, but it's going to be about 20" high. I could make that shorter too you know... if that's too high.

And, can I (should I) use water sealant on the wood so it doesn't get moldy or absorb any moisture? What kind should I get? Does a non-toxic water sealant exist?

And one more...

What non-toxic adhesive should I use to attach the glass to the wood, and to glue tiles together?

I'm making it with a screen top that flips open, kind of like a toy box. The bulbs will be attached to the side walls near the top, and I'll probably cover them with a steel guard. I'm also thinking of putting in a vent closer to the bottom for better intake/exhaust of fresh air.

Any suggestions or comments? I can definitely use it.

PS- for all you math geeks... is there a formula to figure out the wattage/temperature thing?

I won't be much help with the building questions, but as for wattage, it's just a trial and error thing. Whenever I'm setting up a new cage, I gather as many kinds and wattages of lights as I can and try them out. Check your temps with a digital thermometer with the substrate and furniture in place, as that will make a difference.

Things to keep in mind are that regular household bulbs can work fine if your tank retains enough heat. Reptile basking bulbs are similar to that except they usually have a tighter beam, so focus heat in a certain area. Halogen floods (spots can make VERY hot spots) usually burn hotter than incandescents for the wattage. I use a mixture of all three plus fluorescents.

What sort of UVB are you going to use?
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Torey
Eugene, Oregon, USA
1.1 Uromastyx geyri (Joe and Arthur)
3.0 Uromastyx dispar maliensis (Tank, Turtle, and Spike)
1.0 Uromastyx ornata (Scuttlebutt)
2.1 Anolis carolinensis (Bowser, Sprocket, and Leeloo)
0.1 African dwarf frog (Sheila)
1.0 Betta splendens (Mr. Miagi)
1.1 Felis domesticus (Roscolux and Jenny)

I'm using an Arcadia D3 for UVB, I just need a UVA light for more brightness, I'll probably get a sunwave from Deer Fern when I get my uro.

And if anyone is reading this thread, I ended up getting Oak boards, they're real smooth, so I don't think I'll be sealing them at all. I remembered that Pine and Cedar are toxic to reptiles, and whether or not a pine board would be toxic like pine chips, I'm not going to bother taking the chance, and besides, oak is nicer anyway.