Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello,

I currently own a Mali Uromastyx in a 20L enclosure.

I was wondering if these lights were suitable for my uro:

1 150W Exo-Terra Sun-Glo Daylight Bulb
1 26W Exo-Terra Repti-Glo Compact Fluorescent 10.0 UVB Bulb
1 75W Exo-Terra Night-Glo Moonlight Bulb

The temps in the basking spot are about 108-110F and the ambient is probably around 90F.

During the night, the temps are about 80F. (sometimes cooler)

Are these parameters okay?

I was looking at Megaray bulbs, if I am to use one of these, what other lights do I need?

Please respond,
Thanks for your time,

Carl

First of all, I wouldn't use the compact florescent light because of many report that lizards having developed eye problem and in some cases the damage was too great causing blindness. I just stick with the regular florescent tube that you put into the fixture. I have use that for my iguana for 3 years now with no problem.

As for the temperature and wattage of the light bulb. Well, I can't tell you what light bulb to use because the wattage is dependent on where you live. If where you live gets really cold you may need a higher wattage, and if it's warmer, you may need it a little lower. The basking temperature should exceed 120 degree. However the lizard must be able to retreat to the area where the temperature is 90 degree. At night the temperature must be allow to drop into the mid 60's F.

Step one is to find a larger enclosure - the sooner the better. Bare minimum would be 36" x 18". Much larger is better.

You don't need a night time bulb. They need darkness and a cooler period (mid-70s is great). If your house is colder than that at night, a ceramic heat emitter (or a Mega-Ray heat projector) is a great option since these don't put out light.

Your daytime temps are both too low and too high - hence the need for the larger cage. Your basking surface temp must be raised up to at least 120F or he won't be able to digest his food properly, which will lead to health problems. The cool side needs to be mid-80s. A 20L, unfortunately, makes it extremely difficult to get such a wide temperature difference, and impossible to get this difference into a usable gradient. As a side note, make sure you have a quality digital or infrared thermometer. Sometimes people use analog dial or strip thermometers, not realizing how inaccurate they can be.

Mega-Rays are fantastic lamps and well worth the money, IMO, but using one on a cage that size is a very bad idea. You DO need a good UVB lamp, though. For heat only, any old household halogen does very well, and they're fairly inexpensive. When you get a larger cage, the Mega-Ray self ballasted lamp does produce heat, but usually not enough on its own to provide an entire temp gradient. That's where the halogens come in.

But I can't stress enough - you NEED a larger cage.
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Torey
Eugene, Oregon, USA
1.1 Saharan Uros (Joe and Arthur)
3.0 Mali Uros (Spike, Turtle, and Tank)
1.1 Ornate Uros (Scuttlebutt and Shazzbot)
1.1 Collared Lizard (Ripcord and Rorschach)
2.0 Green Anoles (Bowser and Sprocket)
1.1 Chubby Housecats (Roscolux and Jenny)

Hello,

Thanks for the prompt reply,
I do plan on building a 48"L x 24"D x 18"H cage over the summer which should be suitable for my uro.

Ok, so if I change my fluorescent light, I will end up with an empty Exo-Terra Compact Top Lighting Fixture.

What light bulbs are you currently using on your uros during the night and day?

Can you recommend any brands?

Thanks again,

Please respond soon,

Carl

I have one more thing to add,

What UVB bulbs do you recommend?

Thanks again,

Carl

As El_Toro mentioned, enclosure size is key here. Your Uro cannot wait until summer for a larger enclosure. 20L will quickly lead to severe health problems.

Bulbs will vary based on size and type of enclosure. My suggestion is check criagslist in your area for a used 75 gallon fish tank (48"x18"x18" can usually be found for around $100.

As for UVB, MegaRay bulbs produce heat and UV, as do T-Rex MVB's. They are both quality bulbs. For heating the rest of the tank, that will take some moving and changing of various wattage bulbs. Unfortunately you just have to experiment.

Thanks for the reply,

If I am to get a cage that is 18 inches high, how powerful of a Megaray or trex MV bulb would I need?

So, is it okay to have a night time bulb? I have heard that night bulbs may mess with a uro's schedule, is this true?

I will probably then end up using a MegaRay or T-Rex Bulb during the day along with a plain halogen bulb for additional heat.

Thanks again for the help,

Carl

I've always use night bulb for my reptiles. It doesn't seem to disturb my iguana at night. Every time I turned off the florescent light, my iguana goes right to sleep with no problem. I think it's just a matter of opinion on this subject.

Unlike Iguanas, Uro's sleep in a deep dark burrow, any lights at night will mess with their day schedule. If you need additional heat at night, use a ceramic heat emitter.

I would probably say you will need the 160w megaray or t-rex.

Thanks everyone for the help,

The lights that are placed are going to be inside the cage, not sitting on top of the cage, then, are the Megaray or T-Rex MV Bulbs ok?

My cage will only be 18 inches high.

I'm thinking of placing a MVB, an extra halogen, and a CHE during the night.

What do you think?

Thanks all,

Carl

You cannot use an MVB (including Mega Ray) inside a cage only 18" high. The length of the bulb, plus the fixture, would put it too close to any possible basking spot. They should not be used at an angle, either.

You'll need to use a fluorescent UVB source. You can look at UVguide.co.uk to compare various lamps to choose a good one. I know that Reptisun 10.0 is usually a good one. Don't use the coil versions, though - only linear tubes! Some coil fluorescents can cause eye troubles. Information on that is included on the UV website.
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Torey
Eugene, Oregon, USA
1.1 Saharan Uros (Joe and Arthur)
3.0 Mali Uros (Spike, Turtle, and Tank)
1.1 Ornate Uros (Scuttlebutt and Shazzbot)
1.1 Collared Lizard (Ripcord and Rorschach)
2.0 Green Anoles (Bowser and Sprocket)
1.1 Chubby Housecats (Roscolux and Jenny)

Thanks for the reply,

Now, I finally understand.

I will end using a linear fluorescent reptisun 10.0, any basking bulb or halogen flood bulb, and a ceramic heat emitter on the opposite side of the basking bulb for added heat.

On the left, I'll place the basking bulb, through the middle, I'll place the UVB, and on the right, I'll place a the CHE.

How does that sound?

Thanks again,

Carl