Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I posted recently about getting a pair (male/female) of desert collareds. I decided to get the pair. They are paid for, but are still housed at the pet store for now. I will post pictures as soon I as bring them home. Onto the questions

Okay, so I know I need a basking light for high temperatures to aid in digestion for the day. I also need a light that emits UVB, and then I need a light for the night. Is this all correct? I know they sell heat/uvb lights.. I have one for my tortoise. They are expensive though (to buy, and eventually replace 2 every year). I have an old hood light from a fish tank... would that be of any use? Recomendations?

Other notes on my set up: They will be housed in a 30 gallon tank. I'm using playsand as a substrate, have drift wood for them to climb on, and am hunting for some good rocks tonight. I plan on getting some plants eventually too. A water dish as well. Anything I'm missing?

Thanks!

I don't use any lights at night. I use the Reptisun 10.0 bulb, a tube like a fluorescent that should work in your hood fixture. The Reptisun 10.0 is supposed to almost double how far down from the light the UV rays penetrate over the Reptisun 5.0 bulb. 20 inches as opposed to 12. I actually use 2 of them, but my tank is pretty big. For basking lights I bought UV reptile lights, but I am hearing here on the forum that probably isn't necessary and you can use incandescent lighting. Have heard flood light bulbs mentioned for that. I'm going to try that when my present basking bulbs burn out.
Oh, and mine seem to like rough rocks over smooth ones. It seems like you have a nice place ready for them. I'm really glad you were able to get them!
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Valerie

We may have all come on different ships, but we're in the same boat now.
--Martin Luther King, Jr.--

God bless the USA

vrk.photosite.com

Ah yes, I've seen the Reptisun strip bulbs. So this would be for UV(A/B?) and daytime lighting? Then you use a clamp light with a basking bulb and sit that at one end of the enclosure? This emits UV rays as well?

These lights will heat my tank up to the recommended 80-90 degrees, with the basking area exceeding 100?

Yes, the ReptiSun bulbs are for the UV (A/B). My enclosure is 4 feet long x2 x2 and I use two 4 foot ReptiSun 10.0 bulbs. Plus I have 3 clamp lights for basking (for 4 collareds) and they are reptile UV bulbs also. From what I have been reading here, I think a regular light bulb would be fine. Someone here said they used floodlights for basking. One end of my enclosure stays about 80 degrees and the end with the basking lights stays in the 90's on the floor and up to 103 on top of the basking areas near the lights. Make sure you get ceramic bases on your clamp lights if you use high wattage bulbs. I think the plastic base clamp lights can only handle up to 60 watts.
Try to put your rocks down first, before the sand so that they cannot shift when your lizards dig around and under them. As always, Eve's website is a great resource while you are waiting for answers on the forum. http://suncharmers.tripod.com/id7.html
I'm so glad you bought the pair, I know you'll love them. I think that is such a pretty species.
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Valerie

We may have all come on different ships, but we're in the same boat now.
--Martin Luther King, Jr.--

God bless the USA

vrk.photosite.com

Also, The rock hunt went good. In my town there are two resevoirs, a small one that is probably 1 mile in circumfrence, and a large one that is probably 2 miles. The rocks I found here were perfect. Plenty of flat stackable rocks for the basking area, and a couple that connect nice to make a little nook for them. Hopefully they enjoy their home. I will have pictures up of my enclosure soon too. They should be home tomorrow night. I'll pick up the lights and make sure the set up is complete, then bring them home after work. How convenient to work at a pet store!

I'm excited for you. I know your new pair will make you happy. My collareds make me smile every time I look at them.

By the way, don't forget a couple of thermometers so you can carefully monitor the temps on both sides of the cage.

Enjoy,

élan
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0.3.0 Collareds
1.0.0 Mali Uromastix
0.0.1 Colombian Tegu
2.1.0 Green Anole
1.0.0 Chinese Dwarf Newt
1.1.0 California Newts
1.0.0 White's Treefrog
0.0.1 Green Tree Frog
1.0.0 Fire bellied toad
2.1.0 Felines
1.2.0 Canines
1.0.0 Equine

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