FIXTURE INFO

[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ The Rhacodactylus Forum ]

Posted by Raymond Moreno on September 24, 2002 at 23:09:40:

In Reply to: Re: my common sense would tell me..... posted by STARMOM on September 24, 2002 at 22:31:03:

Hey Sue,

in my set-up I am running a "Zoo-Med" combo fixture. (It houses an 18" inch "Reptisun 5.0" tube, and two "Zoo-Med" 40-watt Daylight Blue incandescent bulbs).

The Reptisun 5.0 and two incandescents are set on a timer, and turn on (and off) on their own. And if the temps are pretty hot, I either turn-off one of the 40-watter's...or both of them.

The "Reptisun 5.0's" are not really needed for the cresty's...but it will help him. But since I have "live plants" in his enclosure, they will really need the light.

I also have a red, 40-watt "Zoo-Med" infrared reptile bulb hooked-up to an "A-Life" thermostat. (On sale at LLL.Reptile for $26.00. Which is a really good price, seeing that they are being sold at all my nearby reptile stores for about $52.00).). The thermostat is set to 76 degrees. So if the temperature drops BELOW THAT, it will automatically turn on till the cage reaches the 76 degree mark. (I also chose the RED LIGHT because the temps will usually drop at night, hence the red light will come on giving me the ability to see him WITHOUT disturbing his "night-light-cycle".

Oh yea, since the incandescent lights are MAINLY to produce heat (80% heat, 20% light), I will use a stronger or weaker wattage depending on the temperature of the room. (If it's chilly, I'll swap-out the 40-watt bulbs, and use 60-watt bulbs, etc...).

Hope this helps.

In Christ: Raymond

:that even though what I read and even the breeder I got her from told me that she wouldnt need additional heat, she IS COLD BLOODED, and would need to thermoregulate like any other herp species right?

:Im in upstate NY, and during the day its still a comfortable temp and without anything her thermometer reads 75 and she hangs in her tree......there is alittle sunlite she hides her face but hangs her body into the light (so damm cute) anyway It got cooler tonite so I put on the human heating pad on low and she hung out on it for two to three hours, I think she went back to sleep for awhile.....

:I know as the winter sets in here I will be using more under tank heat.......

:I also notice that she does NOT ever use her hide....but without the under tank heat it would proably be cool........not warm.

:
:I have had her for probably 6 weeks or so and have not noticed a shed yet, I do mist her tank twice a day and usually the humidity level is around 80% or so, she may have shed and I missed it, like with the leopard geckos you will see them look lighter with impending shed and they eat it and its dones...

:it was cool with the mantids when when shed they leave their exoskeleton behind hanging on the top of the cage, I have a totally awesome malaysian orchid mantid she has the most wild and beautiful shape I have ever seen and her molt totally blew me away, it was amazing to me that she would be able to "slide" out of such a complex shape......

:what kind of bulb are you using,and what wattage for your overhead heat?
:anyway thanks for your information....
:sue

::I've got belly heat on one side of the cage floor, and then I have an overhead heat source. The middle of the cage (top to bottom wise) is the coolest and they will range from high to low in the cage depending on what they feel like doing. I tried to keep it like it would be in nature, warm at the ground where the heat of the sun collects on leaf litter and rocks, cooler in the middle where breezes cool the air down and where there's more shadey places, and warm at the top where it's more exposed to the sun. At least this is how I think it would work. I hope hehe. If not they don't seem to mind too much.

::Tegan

Follow Ups: