UVB Screen lid problem

[Spencer206]

So I am getting a blue tongue enclosure prepared a 30 gallon. 38x18x12. I want to get a baby to start with and I am wondering how I should mount the UVB light either MVB or Repti sun 10.0. I know screen tops block out the UV. How could I mount one inside without him getting to it?

[Linnea]

Hello and welcome.

*sorry. my mistake, i looked up the sizes in european cm xD

uvb light is not really needed, just dont forget to supplement the food with calcium and D3. uvb light on skin makes it produce the vitamin d3 naturally, making the body bind the calcium. supplementing it works just as good.

problem solved ;D

i really recommend reading the caresheet and looking through the food chart to find available staple food in good time n__n

do know that babies ( around 2 months ) this time of the year are wild captured, or born from a wild captured mother, usually Indonesian species. It is recommended to look up breeders and their schedules here a little before you buy

[Jeff]

I have not checked lately, but as far as I know, there are still not any MVB bulbs that come in low enough wattage to use in a cage that size. The 100 watt bulbs inside a tank that size would probably heat the whole thing up to 120f. the basking spot would be extremely hot. You can't use a dimmer on them, so there is not really a way to make it work unless you have a huge enclosure, lots of air circulation, or an animal that needs extremely high temps.

I have used the tube fluorescent UVB bulbs before, and for them I attached the plastic light fixture directly to the inside of the tank with silicone. The fixtures are not heavy so it is very easy to just glue it on. If you ever want to remove it, the silicone is pretty easy to scrape off with a razor blade.

As Linnea said, UVB is not necessary for BTS as long as you supplement their food with calcium & D3. I don't use it for any of mine, but if you want to, you will probably need to go with the flourescent type for your cage.

[jasjmm27]

Mount a long flourescent tube inside the enclosure...rather easy to do.

You can find really nice long bulbs for UVB. Many don't use them, but it is always nice to try to "lighten up" the enclosures and provide a little of what we think they might make use of (UVB). Personally I think that a higher lux will be more beneificial...but UVB can't hurt as long as it isn't TOO high and there are plenty of hiding spots out of the UVB...