Hi! Thanks for all your advice and links. I got the UV lamp today, I got the UVA33%, 8.0% UVB one. I don't know if I overdid it. My ig is young at about 2 feet snout to tail length. I went there and as you guys can tell I'm still a little confused, so out of the 8.0 UVB tubes, I was gonna get the 3 feet 30 Watt one to allow it to grow a bit as the Ig is already 2 feet, but the 4 foot 40 Watt tube was only 20 HKD (about USD 3 bucks) more than the 3 foot and I figured I may as well get that as it can fit into my enclosure and it will eventually grow to that length anyway and I wouldn't have to buy the mount again later.

But the light is sooo strong it hurts my eyes. Its already in the lamp shade with mirrors etc. (2 mirrors, they did not have the 3 mirror ones in ANY shops) Given that my ig is still a juvenile, is it advisable to use this lamp for the full duration of the "daylight" hours? I know that the literature says that I should, as WELL as sunlight, but it just seems so excessive to me. Please advise.

Also, I am a little confused as to how to put the UV lamp so that it shines on the SAME spot as the heat lamp. There is bound to be some plastic on the mount for the UVB tube (I checked EVERY store there are NO ceramic florecent tube mounts) so won't the tube mount melt if I put it ANYWHERE NEAR the heat lamp? If I can pull this off, how far in inches should the heat lamp be away from the UV light mount? Should I sort of angle the UV light so that it is further away from the heat lamp, but not too close? I do have a ceramic heat emitter to keep general temperatures lower. My enclosure is a wood framed cage.

Also, does it really make a difference whether I use a normal household light bulb or a "reptile" heating lamp? The reptile ones come in 60 W, 75 W and 100 W and 150 W. I'm currently using a NORMAL household bulb at 100 W. Should I shel out the big bucks for it?

For a heating light, just to heat up the cage a regular household lightbulb will do the trick. As for leaving your uva/uvb light on all the day the answer is yes you should...they need the vitamins from the uvb to absorb vitamins like calcium, and you dont have to have the uva/uvb lamp shine down in the same place as the light..atleast I dont but I have chinese water dragons..hope I helped

Ok thanks, but since the water dragon is different from Iguanas, anyone else care to chime in? Isn't the most UV light supposed to be on the basking spot where the lizard spends most of his/her time?I thought it was supposed to be on the basking spot, 10 - 14 inches away from the lizard's skin?

If it is as you say, then I can just put the UV light tube on the MIDDLE of the cage top.

Also, now I understand that you should leave the UV light on all day, but it is possible that the light I'm using UVB 8.0 4 foot long tube could prove too much for my baby ig? Or is it actually better?

yes, the UVB light needs to be within 12 inches of the basking spot in order for the ig to get anything out of it. I use a 8.0 uvb for my baby ig and it stays on 12 hours a day...you can keep it on for up to 14 hours a day. Your heat lamp and uvb lamp is the ig's "sun" and needs to totally simulate daylight just like in the wild. All of my lights are on timer, they come on at 6am, and go off a 9pm, but I adjust them according to the season so they come on approximatly when the sun comes up and go off when the sun goes down.

since you are using a very strong uvb light..this means that you do not need to provide any oral vitamin D3 supplements. Doing so could cause hypervitamitosis.

hope this helps,

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-Adam

"Help Protect our Planet from Overcollection, Purchase Aquacultured Livestock and Captive Bred Herps"

Actually iguanas do not utilize dietary D3 well at all and should not be getting supplemented with products like MoonDrops. Some people use RepCal iguana food pellets soaked to increase hydration and this contains a minimal amount of D3 but if the product is used in moderation the amount is ok.

When fluorescents tubes are used 2 tubes should be used with a quality electronic ballast that has a polished reflective backing. They should be placed so that they are about 6-8 inches from the skin of the iguana for optimal UVB exposure. They need to be replaced every 6 months unless you have a UVB meter to measure the UVB coming from them. The UVB can decay while the light still is giving off light so the reason for the 6 months replacement.

If the iguana has the proper heating gradient--basking 92-98, ambient 80-85, cool area 70-75, and nighttime ambient 70-75, then he will self regulate his body temperature by moving from hotter to cooler and cooler to hotter. The same is true about UVB. As long as they have an area they can go to away from the UVB they will self regulate that too. But with fluorescents you need to have it available to them for about 12-14 hours (depending on the time of year).

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Jan. 25, 1963 - Sept. 10, 2006 (R.I.P)

Can you post a picture of your lamp and settup? The fixtures we use over here are 2 tube 48 inch shoplight fixtures from a hardware store. The plastic fixtures here are single tube fixtures available from the pet shops and are overpriced. As you surmised putting the heating element against teh plastic fixture would be a problem.

I have never seen a flourescent tube that put out so much light that it hurt your eyes! And so far as it being too much light. Just remember that there is not a lamp available that is anywhere NEAR the intensity of the sun itself. And wild iguanas lay out in it and soak up rays all day!.

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

Oh man, does this mean I bought the wrong thing again? I need to go to the hardware store and get another shoplight fixture? Or can I use the one I have? It was meant for an aquarium. If so, how can I place the heating elements near it?

Sigh, I seem to be spending all my money on all the wrong things.

You know what? I got an idea.
YOu see, my cage is set up right next to the window, so as far as the lighting is concerned for it's diurnal rhythms, the sun coming up and down will provide it. I have a ceramic heat emmiter that is very powerful. It is so far doing a great job at giving the temperature gradient. Also, it sits on the SIDE of the basking area instead of hanging down, so it can provide the heat there but not be too close to the mount of the UVB tube. So is this a viable option?

At the TOP of the basking area, the UV florescent tube in its current plastic fixture.
At the SIDE of the basking area, the use my ceramic heat emitter.
The window light provides day and night rhythms.

Is this viable? Or do I HAVE to use a heating LAMP?
If so, should I Be getting a 100 watt or 150 Watt one? I know I can't adjust heat from the bulb as I can with the Ceramic emiiter, and I don't want to waste any more money nor do I want to fry my ig by accident.

Also, merlin, if you don't mind, may I please see a photo of your hardware store florescent tube fixture with mirrors? If I DO have to buy it again I want to make sure I buy the right thing.

One more idea. Can I use the current light fixture I have with the plastic on it, and put a heating lamp beside it, but put some form of heat insulating materials over the plastic or between the two lights so it won't melt?

If so, what can I use for this purpose?

I don't even know how I should hang the heat lamp. The tube is long, but the heat lamp is a bulb. Do I put it at one end? Doesn't seem possible for the two to cover the same areas. And is there ANY difference at all between the reptile heat lamps vs. the normal household lightbulbs, other than price?

If your basking area is receiving enough heat from your current heat emitter to be 92-98 degrees and the ambient temp is 80-85 then no you do not need seperate ones.

Normal household bulbs are fine if you need added heat. The reptile ones tend to be just fancy packaged and overpriced.

Also you mentioned currently you take him out. Do you intend to do so and if so how often. The more he gets natural sunlight the less you have to depend on the artificial.

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Jan. 25, 1963 - Sept. 10, 2006 (R.I.P)