Reptile & Amphibian Forums

...I will be posting pictures of a rescue. If all goes well I will get the 3 foot female. I have read care sheets and articles but there is no better knowledge that what you keepers have. So I am going to ask a newbe question (been a long time since I have asked a newbe question about a reptile, haha).

For temps my set up has basking: 95 to 100, another shelf at 85 under the UVB, bottom of the cage is 85 to 75 depending on which side and time of day. The cage may get to 70 degrees at night. I have had the lights on for a week to check the temps. Is this ok, or do I need to fine tune the temperatures before it gets here?

I will be working on cage designed for her after I get her and learn from her. This is a converted warer dragon/monitor cage.

Thanks everyone, my wife and I are excited.
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I want to die just like my uncle, asleep at the wheel, not yelling and screaming like the passengers in his car!

Ed

I think the temps are fine. Just a question, is there a UVB light on the basking area? You said there is one on the shelf where the temp is 85º, but she will probably spend most of her time on the warmer area (95º/100º). Just make sure she gets UVB rays from where she basks. Remember, they should be exposed to UVB rays 10 to 12 hours per day.
Good luck with your new girl.
Hope to see some pics of her soon..
Take care,
Dan

The UVB is over a shelf that is a little lower and to the side of the basking shelf. Light from the UVB reaches the high temperature basking spot but not strait down and it is with in 12 to 15 inches of the UVB. I can add a second UVB light over the main basking spot. Sound ok for a few weeks to a couple of months?

I know it is not ideal, but I am sure it is better than she has now. I will have a different, better suited enclosure in the near future.
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I want to die just like my uncle, asleep at the wheel, not yelling and screaming like the passengers in his car!

Ed

If the distance between her and the UVB is just 12/15 inches it´s fine.
I thought she would be far from the UVB while basking, but 15 inches is fine.
Good luck with her! One of my females is the sweetest thing on earth... Don´t know why, but I prefer females other than males.
Anyway, good luck and take care!