6x2x3 enclosure build progression

[WrongPython]

Gotta say, that enclosure looks very nice and this thread is super helpful!

There's a very good chance I'll be buying/building Kuzco an enclosure of this size (or a 6'x3'x3') when the time comes and outfitting it with halogen lights like you are. I've done a decent bit of reading into the different types of infrared radiation provided different heating elements lately, and it looks like good ol' fashioned tungsten/halogen lights are the only elements that provide good amounts of the IR-A radiation that really gets deep into muscle tissue. I'm interested in seeing what your thermal gradient looks like with the amount of internally-mounted halogen lights you have there. Good luck getting that enclosure finished up, and keep us posted!

[Starscream]

Gotta say, that enclosure looks very nice and this thread is super helpful!

There's a very good chance I'll be buying/building Kuzco an enclosure of this size (or a 6'x3'x3') when the time comes and outfitting it with halogen lights like you are. I've done a decent bit of reading into the different types of infrared radiation provided different heating elements lately, and it looks like good ol' fashioned tungsten/halogen lights are the only elements that provide good amounts of the IR-A radiation that really gets deep into muscle tissue. I'm interested in seeing what your thermal gradient looks like with the amount of internally-mounted halogen lights you have there. Good luck getting that enclosure finished up, and keep us posted!

Thank you! The deep-penetrating IR-A is the exact reason I intend on using halogens. Since this a taller enclosure, I'm anticipating the thermal gradient being top to bottom rather than side to side. There will be a deep substrate layer for plant growth and burrows, and since dirt holds heat/temps pretty well when deep I'm not too worried about those getting cold.

I have both 50 watt and 75 watt halogens, so we'll just have to see which do better in something this size. I keep debating back and forth, so I'll have to do a few tests before Maze gets introduced.

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[WrongPython]

Ah, you're going planted, too! That's quite the project you have going there, good luck!

For what it's worth, if it can inform your testing:

The rough plan in my head right now for my future 6' enclosure has two externally mounted halogen lights (ie. sitting on/shining through a screen on the ceiling), a 36" UV-B lamp (still debating on an external vs. internal mount for this), and an RHP (for radiant night heat and to guarantee ambients). In theory, externally mounting the lamps will keep them away from trouble-seeking boas, protect the bulbs and electronics from excess humidity, preserve some safe climbing height, keep the lamps from influencing ambient temperatures too much, and provide a ready-made ventilation port (the ceiling screens). Depending on how many bulbs you need to make a Mazikeen-sized basking spot and how much ventilation you have, there's a non-zero chance the bulbs may heat up the enclosure too much.

If you're interested, I can draw up a quick sketch of what I have planned and either post it here or PM it to you. I think I may be able to explain my thoughts more clearly if I draw things out.

[Starscream]

Moved into my own place so now I can really get things going. All I need is the thermostat, but it looks like Spyder Robotics is out of the Herpstat 6s right now.

The scape needs some work, but the last pic is the general gist right now.

[jmcrook]

You can get Herpstat 6 from Pangea reptile right now. Had to do the same for my Herpstat 4 recently.


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[Starscream]

You can get Herpstat 6 from Pangea reptile right now. Had to do the same for my Herpstat 4 recently.


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Thanks for the tip! Unfortunately it looks like they're also out of stock. I don't mind waiting a couple weeks -- gives the plants a chance to grow in some before I add the heat elements, and the plant wrecker in question.

[Starscream]

Slightly updated the scape.

[Starscream]

Still have a few minor tweaks left to do, but it's done enough that Mazikeen spent her first night inside her new enclosure! She spent the time I was awake exploring, and I woke up to her doing a quick bask under a heat lamp. She's hiding now, but I think she's hoping for food, the gluton.

I have a few things still left to do, like hot-glue the probes in place (need to find my hot glue gun first) but the thermostat arrived and I'd already tested two of the lamps so thought 'might as well'. May mess with some placement things as well but for now it's pretty decent.

There are 5 hides, 6 if you count a little recess under a ledge.

[Rodop]

This looks fantastic!

It looks like you have 3 lights in there (noticed the one behind the top lip of the enclosure)- what lights did you use, if I may ask.

The ledges look really good too: did you make those yourself? :o

[Starscream]

This looks fantastic!

It looks like you have 3 lights in there (noticed the one behind the top lip of the enclosure)- what lights did you use, if I may ask.

The ledges look really good too: did you make those yourself? :o

Thank you!

I have a 4ft LED shop light for plants, two 65w halogen bulbs for day heat, a tiny 15w ceramic bulb for night heat, and two 2ft T5 6% UVb bulbs at opposite ends of the enclosure. Halogens turn on first, then LED, then the UVb, and the reverse at night. The ceramic is in case it dips below 75F at night, and it very rarely does.

I bought the ledges from Universal Rocks. I do like them a lot, and Maze seems to as well.

I also added a sky hide recently -- don't remember if I posted about that here. I know I did in her progression thread.