BLUE TONGUE SKINKS

I'm a newbie, just got my three month old baby Northern BTS and I have severe new mom syndrome! lol I just wanna make sure it will be ok if I use a 100 watt uvb in a 36"L x18"W x15"T.. or is that total over kill and could be contributing to the rapid drying of my tank or other future problems and bump it down a notch? I would greatly appreciate the feedback thank you!

a 100w neodymium UVA basking will only provide LIGHT + SOME HEAT + UVA , IT PRODUCES ZERO UVB.

NOTE the mesh lid will cut the UV BY ABOUT 40% !!! see this for why https://www.beardeddragon.org/forums/vi ... 0#p1809330

I think northerns require 10 -12 % UVB , therefore your baby northern needs either :

a 26W UVB200 in a NANOHOOD mounted UNDER THE LID , about 8 inches from the basking spot
or
a T8 10-12 %UVB tube in a reflector hood mounted UNDER THE LID , about 8 inches from the basking spot , about 2/3 the length of the viv
or
a T5HO 10-12 %UVB tube in a reflector hood mounted UNDER THE LID , about 12 inches from the basking spot , about 2/3 the length of the viv BEST !!

Could I get a different lid and just replace my light with a 26w uvb200? Or does it absolutley have to be inside the enclosure? Nanohood?

Could I use something like this?

Another kind of on topic off topic question.. Does anyone have a pereference between ceramic heat emmiting bulbs, infrared heating bulbs? And why?

What type of light fixtures are there that mount under the lid? I have a dual light fixture, I just got the 26w uvb200 light, fits in the fixture I already have, it's not a nano though. Dang so much trial and error.. if u get the nano dual light fixture will this be able to mount under the lid without being too close ??

Hannahsammeli wrote:Could I get a different lid and just replace my light with a 26w uvb200? Or does it absolutley have to be inside the enclosure? Nanohood?

Yes. The mesh will reduce the UV by 40% for starts .
And it also means the UV will be too far away to be effective unless you provide an elevated basking spot that permits the skink to climb to a zone where the UVA & UVB are sufficient.

It's about getting the right amount of UVB (and also UVA) at the basking spot, too far to the source ==> UV (A & B) is too low.

This will show you the relationships for intensity of UVB (in microW UVB/sq.cm verse distance) for some good 5%, 6%, 10% and 12% compacts and T8 and T5HO tubes , with and without reflector hoods.https://www.beardeddragon.org/forums/vi ... 4&t=235611 data based is on UK UV REPORT & specs on the boxes.

BTW avoid Zilla UV source (globes and tubes , made in china).

Hannahsammeli wrote:Could I use something like this?

That hood should work .... just make sure you install a 26W 10%UVb Exo Terra or Zoo Med or Arcadia compact in it and not a Zilla.

Hannahsammeli wrote:What type of light fixtures are there that mount under the lid? I have a dual light fixture, I just got the 26w uvb200 light, fits in the fixture I already have, it's not a nano though. Dang so much trial and error.. if u get the nano dual light fixture will this be able to mount under the lid without being too close ??

Yes . I operate 26W UVB150s in nano hoods for my Easterns , and 26W UVB200s in nano hoods for my beardies.

See graphs I provided in another post above , no trial and error involved , If your skink require 180 microW UVB/sq.cm simply read off the distance and arrange the light fitting & basking spot accordingly.

Cable ties poked through the mesh and around the hood will fasten it nicely under mesh lid. A 2 minute job.

Hannahsammeli wrote:Another kind of on topic off topic question.. Does anyone have a pereference between ceramic heat emmiting bulbs, infrared heating bulbs? And why?

I take it this is for overnight heating - Ceramic heat emitter is way to go, the red infrareds are a bad idea and will disturb their sleep.

During the day - MVB or par38 incandescent COLOURLESS spotglobe or equiv in a halogen spotglobe is the way to go for light and heat.

Thank you all of this is very helpful