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1st beardie -- 1st diy cage(w/pics) -- looking for feedback

ladyknite

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EAGLES said:
I have hit a aggravating wall!
Somehow, my local H.D., Lowes and my other three mom and pop hardware stores all DO NOT carry 3' T8 fixtures anymore.
T12 or T5 only at each place.

So I know I can order the lamp online, but where can I get a fixture(not for $30) for it??

the T12 fixtures will fit our bulbs. no worries.
 

EAGLES

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98
ladyknite said:
EAGLES said:
I have hit a aggravating wall!
Somehow, my local H.D., Lowes and my other three mom and pop hardware stores all DO NOT carry 3' T8 fixtures anymore.
T12 or T5 only at each place.

So I know I can order the lamp online, but where can I get a fixture(not for $30) for it??

the T12 fixtures will fit our bulbs. no worries.

They will fit and fire the ZooMed ReptiSun 10.0 UVB flourescent tube lamps? Positively?
 

ladyknite

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yup, run em all the time. the difference is the space between the top of the bulb and the inside solid "bottom" of the fixure. Instead of you barely being able to fit your finger between the fixture and the bulb, you have some wiggle room. But the connectors are compatible.
 

EAGLES

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ladyknite said:
yup, run em all the time. the difference is the space between the top of the bulb and the inside solid "bottom" of the fixure. Instead of you barely being able to fit your finger between the fixture and the bulb, you have some wiggle room. But the connectors are compatible.

Thank you very much!!

Here's some new pics since Gilligan went in. Right now I just have the old acrylic that cracked all over the place keeping the viv. closed.
And he has been getting natural sunlight in my window all day since I tore down the old stand/viv., it will be nice to not have to worry about anything and have the reptisun 10.0 in there!
He loves his new setup though. I'm not sure I will keep the two rocks on the left in there and the silver reflector is just another daylight bulb until I get my UVB lamp then it will be gone as well.
IMG_1183640x480.jpg

IMG_1184640x480.jpg

IMG_1186640x480.jpg

IMG_1185640x480.jpg
 

ladyknite

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awwwwww....i love the last pic

enclosure looks great.

for reference, the T12 bulbs were fat, the T8 bulbs are skinny. That's why the old fixtures work. Unfortunately the T12 bulb won't fit in the T8 fixture
 

EAGLES

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ladyknite said:
awwwwww....i love the last pic

enclosure looks great.

for reference, the T12 bulbs were fat, the T8 bulbs are skinny. That's why the old fixtures work. Unfortunately the T12 bulb won't fit in the T8 fixture

He doesn't look too happy about the excessive flashing. :)
Right, I understand the sizing of the lamps, just didn't think the pin spacing was the same either....so a smaller T8 fits physically obviously but it also works pin wise.
Again, thank you!
 

ladyknite

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yup. Thank god. Can you imagine me replacing all the ones I have? Somebody would need to file bankruptcy. LOL
 

EAGLES

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Well, ever since I put Gilligan in his new home he decided to poop everywhere.
I had no idea how difficult all the edges, nooks and crannies would make cleaning....has me considering a different interior setup....
 

Craiger

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EAGLES said:
Well, ever since I put Gilligan in his new home he decided to poop everywhere.
I had no idea how difficult all the edges, nooks and crannies would make cleaning....has me considering a different interior setup....

Other than my background, this is the biggest reason I went with real rocks vs. styro. That...and real rocks hold heat better and longer for basking spots.
 

Pogie

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Well, ever since I put Gilligan in his new home he decided to poop everywhere.
I had no idea how difficult all the edges, nooks and crannies would make cleaning....has me considering a different interior setup....

Maybe hes marking his territory or something . . . . IDK, would give it a few days and check if he finds a fav spot before starting over.
 

EAGLES

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98
Pogie said:
Well, ever since I put Gilligan in his new home he decided to poop everywhere.
I had no idea how difficult all the edges, nooks and crannies would make cleaning....has me considering a different interior setup....

Maybe hes marking his territory or something . . . . IDK, would give it a few days and check if he finds a fav spot before starting over.

Thats a good idea...i'll give him one more week to make some rhyme or reason.

Craiger...issue with just removing the basking/hide i built is that he loves the ledges where my four screens are and he also loves the double ledge on the lower part of the righ back wall near his basking/hide piece......he has pooped on all six of those ledges already at least once.
 

Craiger

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EAGLES said:
Craiger...issue with just removing the basking/hide i built is that he loves the ledges where my four screens are and he also loves the double ledge on the lower part of the righ back wall near his basking/hide piece......he has pooped on all six of those ledges already at least once.

Yeah, I would hate for you to have to remove it. I think it looks really good in there. I was just stating that it was the main reason I chose not to use it for anything but the background.

I hope he quits....but a good chance he won't. Frodo and Sam still mess wherever they feel like going just like they always have. I don't think beardies are quite as prone to mess in just one spot like iguanas do. I mean, some do....I just don't know if most do.

Good luck, Matt!
 

EAGLES

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Thanks....any ideas on what was used for this background?
And am I guessing correctly that he used cut tiles for the steps leading up to the tile basking spot?
coolviv1.jpg

coolviv2.jpg

coolviv3.jpg
 

Craiger

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Just looks like concrete or grout covered styro to me. In fact, it greatly resembles backgrounds some make for African Cichlid tanks.
 

EAGLES

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Hmmm....well, some thinking to do I suppose.
I will say there is one other thing I am not wild about, the dark red color of most of the interior makes it dim in there.
 

Craiger

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EAGLES said:
Hmmm....well, some thinking to do I suppose.
I will say there is one other thing I am not wild about, the dark red color of most of the interior makes it dim in there.

Good point!
 

EAGLES

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Ok, asking everyone for a favor now......
....please link or show me your favorite one or two vivariums you've ever seen.(can be yours if you feel that way)

Looking for some inspiration and ideas incase I want to go another route.

TIA!!!
 
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