Best lighting/heating for tegu

[Starscream]

I don't know anything about tegus, but I've been looking at a lot of UVB bulbs. Arcadia is by far the best, but they're a tad more expensive. Cheapest I can find are on Pangea's website. Reptisun and Repti-glo are the next tier down, but if you can a hold of Arcadia, they last for a year or more UVB-wise. The other ones you have to replace after 6 months because the bulbs atrophy and lose the UVB percentage faster.

[dylan815]

It sounds like Cyprus mulch is what most people use for substrate. Sounds like something I could get at the Home Depot? Thanks!


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[jclaiborne]

Given the chance Tegus will dig and brumate just like a monitor. I suggest you do some research on bio-active substrate for an 8x4 cage (discussed plenty in the links I previously posted). You will go broke replacing cypress mulch in an 8x4x4ft enclosure with the required 2ft substrate depth.

[dylan815]

Okay, was just looking at setups and I saw this picture. Does the heat lamp look too close to you guys?


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[Jhill001]

I don't keep monitors but if the lizard is laying directly under it like this one is then I'd say no it's not too close. Listen to the lizard and not yourself in this instance. I've seen monitor/tegu/bearded dragon basking spot temps recommended up into the 140-160's. I wouldn't worry about it.

[jclaiborne]

No it is not too close as long as the temp is correct (different wattage bulbs will produce different temps at different distances). My basking spot hovers right around 120F. Again do yourself a favor and read on varanustalk about proper heating and thermal gradients. The answers to 99% of your questions will already be there, with pictures.