new thread becasue to many follow ups

Question
QUESTION: Sorry i had to start a new thread it said i had used to many follow ups.  We jsut got the new tank a couple weeks ago so your saying for a 9 to 10 inch lizard a 24 gallon tank is to small?  The basking light is not bright light but is is a bit yellowish like the sun so i dont think its to bad.  So i will try to get new lighitng if i can.  The repti glo light say compact and they look coile.  The full spectrom is coile also.  I also still have half a bottle of the calcium left so i could give him a lot more.  Ya wev already gone through about 6 lights becasue at first i didnt even have a full spectrum or UVB just a basking light.  SO i should take out the 10 UVb and leave the basking light and the full spectrum?  He  still eats about 10 crickets every night very well that are coated with repto cal calcium.

ANSWER: Hello Josh,

That is fine, they may only allow so many follow ups.  :-)
A 24 gallon is too small for a 9-10 inch lizard.  They need at least 4 times their length in the length of the tank.  So, a 40 inch lizard needs at least  35-40 inch long tank, by at least a 24 inches in width for turn around space.  If they are too cramped they can't properly turn around without stressing their spine.  
The full spectrum coil is fine.  You do need to have bright light, a yellowish tint may not be bright enough to protect the eyes.  You should get a natural daylight bulb with the bluish tint on it, & there are spot or flood lights.  
The Reptiglo 10 compact just is not a good bulb.  It doesn't put out very good quality of UVB & can be very hard on the eyes.  The compact lights do not have the proper phototherapy phosphor blend on them & they release low wavelength UVB emissions which can be harmful to the eyes.
I highly recommend getting a Reptisun 10 flourescent tube bulb.  That is the best flourescent on the market & is very safe.  A bright white light should be used in conjunction with the bulb.  
So yes, take the Reptiglo 10 compact light out order a Reptisun 10 flourescent tube light from:
www.reptilesupply.com  
www.bigappleherp.com
www.petmountain.com

They should be decent prices online, better than in the petstores.  
The calcium needs to be given 4-5 times weekly.

Tracie


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Ok i though the tank was righ tbecasue when i went to a herp vet they said that the tank had to be 2 to 3 times bigger so i thought 30 inches was jsut right but ill look into a good tank.  Any suggestions where i can find a bright white basking light.  Also last night i tried to give him calcium but i simply coudnt cacth him he is so fast.  Any tricks or suggestion i could use to cacth him?

ANSWER: Hello Josh,

Do you have a home depot or walmart or lowes nearby?  If so, go to their lighting area.  They should have the natural daylight spot or flood type lamps.  Reveal is a good brand to look for.  The bulbs have a bluish tint to the bulb, but when you turn it on the light is a very bright white.  
Is he eating any live feeders right now?  If so, just dust the feeders once daily or twice if he doesn't eat much in one feeding.  That is an easy way for them to get their calcium.
Yes, they are very fast little critters aren't they?  LOL
Good you are going to look into upgrading his tank.  Try looking on craigslist.com  they have some good deals.  Sometimes Ebay will have something, or check the newspaper's classifieds ads, they may have something local.

Tracie



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Ok do the ones at home depot give off heat becasue i need the baskign light.  He eats 10 crikets every night dusted with calcium.  I have a light canopy that takes up almsot all of the width of my tank so i cant fit the flouresent repti sun bulb and the Repti glo bulbs dont have seperate fixtures.  So i think i need a new full spectrum light.  Any suggestion as to what i should get.  So as i said i cant give him calcium casue i cant cacth him anything i can do to help him stay still long enough or come to me?

Answer
Hello Josha,

What kind of canopy do you have like a hammock?  If you only have room for one light, then you can get a Mercury Vapor bulb, but you do need to have at least a 30-40 gallon though so he doesn't get over heated.
No, the basking lights do not have UVB but they do give off heat.  If you would rather get full spectrum lighting & UVB all in one get a mercury vapor bulb.  
Get either a T-rex active UV heat or a Megaray.  They are the best lights you can get.  You can get a T-rex from:  www.reptilesupply.com
You can get the Megaray from:  www.reptileuv.com

If he eats crickets with calcium dust on them, then that will be plenty of calcium.  Do you feed him in the morning?  He is young, so he needs to be fed 2 times at least, per day with feeders, as well as veggies & greens, as well.  

He will eventually calm down for you.  It just takes time.


Tracie