lighting??

[cove61]

I have bought a large rabbit cage for my tort (when ever i get it) i bought it because i couldnt trust youngest dog (he is only a year and a half) and a bit on the hyper side, my hubbie made a tort table but after i found the dog lying in (think he rather liked it) i decided it just wouldnt be fair on him or anything else, so after looking around and getting tips i got a large rabbit cage but what i wantd to know can i still use a t rex light in it or do you think it would get too hot, would i be better with a uv tube and a seperate light, it is quite tall and i can attach a light from the bars thanks jen

[clairekentuk]

How high is it exactly?
A t-rex or powersun uv lamp of 100w is recommended to be placed 30cm away by the manufacturers.
To allow for the fittings, another 15cm is required so if it is 50+cm then you would probably be best with a powersun t-rex or similar as it is cheaper in the long run because they are longer lasting as uv tubes decline the uv emission with time and are useful only for a few months.
Personally if it is possible then id recommend a powesun lamp. One lamp would also be easier to remove for fine days when you put the cage outside.

Claire

[sandy]

If you are getting a tortoise and have a dog, please please please make sure they never come
in contact. Make sure the enclosure you have for the tortoise is dog proof.
We have just had a member on Tortoisefriends who has two dogs, maul and chew his leopard
tortoise, which is now dead. He ONLY left the dog for a couple of minutes, as before they had
been perfectly safe with them.
Its not the dogs fault, they see tortoises as dog chews not animals.
This has happened so many times before.
So please be very careful.

[cove61]

that why i got the rabbit cage, i love my dog but would not trust him as far as i could throw him, he a nice dog, really friendly but even on walks he has caught wee mice and happily dropped them at my feet (he is so proud of himself) my hubby is also building an extra stong outdoor cage which should be ok, as i said he a good dog , just does what comes natural he just a stupid spaniel) but i wont be taking any risks, would never forgive my self., thing is even with my other dog who has shown no interest in anything other than food i wouldnt take the risk you just never know it might only take seconds but by then the damage is done.

[nina]

Originally Posted by cove61

i got a large rabbit cage but what i wantd to know can i still use a t rex light in it or do you think it would get too hot, would i be better with a uv tube and a seperate light, it is quite tall and i can attach a light from the bars thanks jen

Hi,
I've got a large rabbit cage and I love it (well my tort does). I've also built a second level in it with a ramp leading up to it to give him more exercise. I know I'm in a minority here, but I prefer the striplight UVB and a separate basking light, because there is the flexibility to move the basking bulb further away if it's too hot without moving the UVB source further away. I use the ReptiSun 10.0 which says that it lasts for a year (as opposed to the others which last for only six months), but I do plan to change it after about nine months, just in case.

Nina
Here's the cage from the outside:


Here's Boris coming down the ramp from his penthouse:


And here's the other end, showing his little stonehenge that breaks up the sightlines:



The UVB light doesn't show in these photos, but it's an 18" long Reptisun 10.

Nina