first large enclosure

[nhills93]

Here's my 55 gallon set up on a homemade stand. 55 gallons, reptile carpet on one side and play sand mixed with fine black sand as a filler between the rocks on the other. I've got more powerful lights on the way but with the UTH's and lamps the temperatures are spot on as is. The little guy seems to like the larger space moving from his 20 gallon.

 

[nhills93]

The hot side, 92 degrees constant 110 basking, 79-82 cool side.

 

[Canicke]

looks good ! sand can sometimes lead to impaction - i typically dont recommend sand for beardies. please make sure that you feed him out of the tank and away from the sand !!

 

[Hdrydr31]

Very nice! I agree with Canicke they can eat the sand and that leads to impaction they often "taste" their environment to learn it..Not to mention when they poo/pee it's going to be kinda difficult to get it out along with the odor...Repticarpet to no substrate is usually the best option. the cool side can come down to 70-80 if below 68 then you need a CHE unit...No red/black lights for heat at night as it interrupts their sleep.

 

[PatsyB]

I like the use of both substrates and how it comes together, it looks nice. I agree about the sand too so make sure your beardie stays well hydrated to help things pass.

 

[nhills93]

Sand wasn't my first choice but he's very finiky and in the smaller enclosure would only go on ground level with a grainy substrate. I know the issues associated with sand, and I take precautions to make sure he isn't ingesting any and isnt showing signs of ingestion (sand in stool, or irregularities in frequency). Its very fine grain, and its one of the only substrates he will readily walk on (the repticarpet is slowly being introduced as he will torerate). I feel its my responsibility as his upbringer to give him the happiest and most comfortable life I can rather than try to keep him alive longer in a less happy environment as he's already being depraved of his wide open varied landscaped deserts and living in a tank, sand makes him happy and so long as I keep an eye on it and make sure he stays safe I feel comfortable with that. I've got a 160 watt mercury vapor lamp and fixture on the way, all the lights shown are shut off at night and the temperatures stay in safe range (the sand makes for a great heat conductor across the landscape) so his sleep pattern won't be interrupted. I've got him feeding on medium super worms and small roaches, both he likes to chase and pin down before grabbing them. He's a very good hunter so it makes me more comfortable with the sand. I'm planning on making him more hammocks at verging levels around the tank, he spends more time in the air than on the ground. Shelf liner (the foam kind with holes) works wonderfully, lots of grip and its plenty sturdy. I'm hoping to pick up a piece of drift wood this weekend and a backing for the tank. Any have good experiences with the 3D rock kind? I like the look, I just don't want Maximus getting right under the lights.

 

[Hdrydr31]

I agree with your comment and I think we all here love our BD and will pretty much anything to keep them happy so we're all good here. I also will do the utmost I can to make the environment as natural as possible given that they are in captivity.Sometimes I wish more people were like you/us.. love your enclosure and hope for the best your BD!

 

[nhills93]

Playtime

 

[PatsyB]

Mine LOVE their hammocks. As they got heavier and longer I've had to up the size of them. Right now we are at the Extra Large ones. I used to have large magnetic ledges I loved the look of them but Luci kept knocking his down and Dexter liked to sit underneath hers a lot but they did like to sit on them. I had it under their UVB light I wasn't too worried about them getting too much especially with Dexter sitting underneath hers most of the time.

 

[MetalicPheonix]

Wait it can't be 68 or lower for the cool side...dam it can be 68 or lower at night in California

 

[PatsyB]

Wait it can't be 68 or lower for the cool side...dam it can be 68 or lower at night in California

During the day it should be 75-80. At night it should be no lower than 65 degrees

 

[MetalicPheonix]

Oh ok um is 68 good enough or no

 

[Hdrydr31]

Wait it can't be 68 or lower for the cool side...dam it can be 68 or lower at night in California

But what is your nside home temp set at during the night? They can safely go down to 65 as PatsyB said.

 

[MetalicPheonix]

Well I live in California and it can get hot 70 80 or 90 at day rarely 100 and at night it can be 68 or lower but never on the 50 at night

 

[Hdrydr31]

Well I live in California and it can get hot 70 80 or 90 at day rarely 100 and at night it can be 68 or lower but never on the 50 at night

But what do you have you home thermostat set at? So when it's below 65 outside what is the temp inside your house??

 

[MetalicPheonix]

Well inside my home at night it very cold. I don't have a tempterature Meter yet.

 

[nhills93]

I live in a basement room and with the lack of sunlight coming in the room holds at a steady 64-68 day and night so the tank temps drop big time, the UTH give my little guy some belly warmth 80ish surface temps that he can lie on if he gets to cold. I'd recommend at least having one UTH in a corner to give your beardie a warm spot at night just in case. They don't mind the low temps at night but its always good to give them somewhere warm if they want it. Try sticking a hide box over the heater, it'll stay a lot warmer and if he uses it every night I'd say you might want to look into a ceramic heat emitter to boost the night temps.

 

[nhills93]

Another thing that helps is putting a blanket over the screen top to hold heat in, always boosts my temps a few degrees (just leave enough uncovered for ventilation)

 

[PatsyB]

Beardies can't feel heat like we do so an UTH can actually burn them if they lay on it too long or it gets too hot. You want to get a ceramic heat emitter that goes over them to heat the tank at night.

 

[Hdrydr31]

PatsyB beat me to that comment Yes they can't feel heat that way... CHE is the safe/better way to heat