Hi Jared,
Looks like a great cage! I doubt the lighting will bother the
geckos, it may even be good for them.
If you use large plants and branches for climbing, they will be
able to find shaded spots if they
need them. On a vivarium of that size, I'd be thinking of three
48" florescent tubes or
equivalent amount of light. Strong UVB lights aren't necessary if
using good Ca/D3 supplements.
I've used weak UVB (vitalites) and some of the commercial reptile
bulbs and plain daylight tubes,
without seeing much difference. If the geckos rest halfway down,
they'll get little UV anyhow.
Neil
So, blessed with a little extra income, I've got the go-ahead to finally build the Uroplatus henkeli cage of my dreams. It's being built out of oak plywood, and is a 7' hide x 2' deep x 4' wide unit, with the actual cage measuring about 4' high x 2' deep, x 4' wide. An incorporated cabinet underneath gives me room for a waterfall sump, drainage bucket, and an ultrasonic humidifier, while the fan ventilated canopy, sealed off from the cage by UV transmitting acrylic, gives me plenty of room for whatever lighting I need without worrying about heat. The plans are attached so you can get a better idea of what I'm talking about.
Now for the questions.
Has anyone used Dracenea (corn plants/dragon trees) in their vivariums? I plan to use Dracenea marginata as a key plant because it has such sturdy trunks for the gex to hop around on.
Also, what are everyone's experiences with bright lighting and Uroplatus? I know some people say bright light will stress them, but with enough plant cover, It seem like they would be fine. I'd like to use just two 55 watt compact fluorescents to achieve good plant growth (all low light plants: pothos, Dracenea, Schefflera (umbrella tree), lady palm, and some liverworts), but may need to add a couple more 40 watt standard fluorescents or another two 55 watt cf to achieve the desired growth. So, do you think this will be too much light in such a large uroplatus viv?
Thanks all,
Jared
"With great power, Comes great responsibility"
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cordylus/
Attachment converted: Kreister 3000:gex cage plan.JPG (JPEG/ogle) (0004620D)
--
Neil Meister
Semaphor Design Company Inc.
6450 Young Street, Suite 4
Halifax, NS B3L 2A3
Canada
902.455.0133 ext 4
Semaphor Design Company Inc.
6450 Young Street, Suite 4
Halifax, NS B3L 2A3
Canada
902.455.0133 ext 4
