# Water dragon custom enclosure help



## Lostindespair (Mar 27, 2011)

I am currently housing my chinese water dragon in a custom made 4' ,melamine enclosure, the back drop is made from Styrofoam thats been carved and covered in grout, then sealed with a non toxic latex based paint. I was wondering if i could use flexwatt heat tape on the back to heat the inside, would it penetrate the foam?


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## J Morningstar (Mar 27, 2011)

Since styrofoam is an insulator, I would say no. if you were to put it on another side or something it would probably work better.


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## Lostindespair (Mar 27, 2011)

J Morningstar said:


> Since styrofoam is an insulator, I would say no. if you were to put it on another side or something it would probably work better.


weeeeeeeeell the entire inside has a foam lining :x i was trying to insulate and water proof lol, ugggghhhh, through my calculations its between 90 and a hundred gallons, you think a 100w ceramic heat emitter might work to warm it?


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## the toe cutter (Mar 27, 2011)

Well that is going to depend on the height of the caging and how far you would like the heat to penetrate down. Now with the cage having foam in it, a 100W heat emitter would keep it relatively warm. But you may also wish to use a small desert heat mat for when the little Physignathus goes to the bottom for soaking, digging and whatever else it may wish to do. I'm sure you know that you need a heat gradient of mid to upper 80' daytime and mid to upper 70s' night time. Plus a UVB bulb of some kind. I know the Aussie's like to soak so a good deep water dish that it could get about 50% of itself in would be great. Just make sure that however you affix your heating elements that the animal cannot come in contact with them.


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## Dyn (Mar 27, 2011)

You could look into a radiant heat panel to the top


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## J Morningstar (Mar 27, 2011)

heat from above is the smart and natural way to go. The ceramic emmiter would be good as well as some needed UVB Bulb as I have heard they give very nesasarry light waves needed to synthasize minerals and vitimins. A heat rock placed somewhere may be helpful as well, but avoid the high temp ones.


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## Alejandro45 (Mar 27, 2011)

you don't need any of that stuff. A 25-35 watt bulb at the top of the cage would be fine.

Try to make a gradient from 130-75 degrees. 

the best lizard breeders will tell you all the same. Frank Retes, Steve Blain and Robin at Pro exotics.  

make sure your enclosure is a close top cage with little ventilation.

Best to you.


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## Lostindespair (Mar 28, 2011)

thanks everyone for the repllies, is helpful, i think the ceramic heat emitter is what im going to try, its already about 70 in there constantly so im not too far off, i figured i could also show you guys the tank, he has a uvb bulb, a basking bulb a waterfall and a pool heh, the pool gets rather chilly, but i figure if it cools him down too much, his basking shelf is 90 degrees rather constantly.


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## the toe cutter (Mar 28, 2011)

You will need a flourescent UVB bulb at minimum for the Dragon to produce D3 in order to increase calcium uptake sufficiently. This is quite common for any non-vertebrate eating lizards. And other than the Gobi desert, there are not too many places in or around SE Asia/China that get up to 130F? 90F is ok during daytime hours, but as I stated before needs to be about 10F cooler at night. It is not necessary but recommended for health and longevity.





Alejandro45 said:


> you don't need any of that stuff. A 25-35 watt bulb at the top of the cage would be fine.
> 
> Try to make a gradient from 130-75 degrees.
> 
> ...


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## Alejandro45 (Mar 29, 2011)

Go outside with a temp gun in mid day and check the temp of where a lizard is basking it will surprise you. 

130 is the max but given the choice they will move between ranges for different periods of activity.  

Field biologists have internally checked temperatures of lizards during many different times of the day and at peak hours. agamids, varanids, crocodiles, uromastyx, teiids, cyclura, Basiliscus and Ctenosaurae.
All have been internally temped above 125 degrees.

Humans could not survive with a core body temperature above 110.

People feel that it would be too hot for the animal, but it’s just the opposite reptiles are ectotherms and rely on outside sources of heat and cool. Just provide them that and everything should go well. 

Lizards need two things: high humidity and a wide temperature gradient. 

UVB is a band aid to a range of temperature a weak band aid. 

A lizard needs heat to metabolize food and minerals.

Funny story. Three alligator’s five bearded dragons and three iguanas were kept for six months indoors. 

The alligators grew three feet longer then the control group kept outside in Florida.

 The iguanas kept indoors had only four 45 watt halogen light bulbs yet grew markedly larger than the outdoor control. Blood cultures were processed and there were no deficiencies in any minerals.  

The five bearded dragons were kept the same as the iguanas except for humidity. They reached sexual maturity much faster than there outdoor control.

I am certain there are many tests being done with many different lizards.


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## Lor&Chris (Mar 30, 2011)

For calcium, I used to "shake and bake" crickets. (Roll them in calcium powder before feeding) lol.


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## Lostindespair (Mar 30, 2011)

Lor&Chris said:


> For calcium, I used to "shake and bake" crickets. (Roll them in calcium powder before feeding) lol.


lol yeah me 2, gotta stave off that mbd


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