My enclosure and Boris in Pjs

[laurynholly]

hello all!
I wanted to share my panthers enclosure. He is in an exoterra screen enclosure that is 36x18x36. He currently has a fiddle leaf fig tree, a umbrella plant, a rubber fig, a Chinese banyan and a recently added (not included in this pic) golden Pothos that I hung by the two branches to the far left that I’m hoping will grow out and wrap around those. His lighting includes aT5 5.0 uvb. A full spectrum led for plant growth and a 60w Arcadia halogen bulb for basking. I also added another stick for him to climb in the back left corner recently that is also not included in this photo. I wanted some feedback on if what I have is any good. I’ve heard mixed opinions on the fiddle leaf figs. Currently at bed time he loved to hang out in the umbrella plant or climbed to the lower part of the Chinese banyan. I’ll also include a photo of him in his pajamas His name is Aurora Boris btw lol

 

[pedrothepanther]

looks like you got a great set up there do you run a 3rd bulb just for the plants? I’ve been struggling to keep live plants alive in my viv for long gets expensive replacing them! Good looking little feller Boris is btw

 

[laurynholly]

looks like you got a great set up there do you run a 3rd bulb just for the plants? I’ve been struggling to keep live plants alive in my viv for long gets expensive replacing them! Good looking little feller Boris is btw

I do run a full spectrum LED for my plants.. I’m by no means a plant expert and I’ve been having a pretty easy time keeping these plants so far. The light is actually made for planted fish tanks and you can find it on Amazon. The brand is called Nicrew.

 

[Beman]

only issue with the fig is the leaves get very large and they do not offer many areas for the cham to walk on them due to how they branch with the big leaves.

Double check your distance from right below the UVB to branches below you need a full 8-9 inches in between to put them in the correct UVI. Not closer and not farther than that with the bulb strength your using.

 

[laurynholly]

only issue with the fig is the leaves get very large and they do not offer many areas for the cham to walk on them due to how they branch with the big leaves.

Double check your distance from right below the UVB to branches below you need a full 8-9 inches in between to put them in the correct UVI. Not closer and not farther than that with the bulb strength your using.

Yes im working no figuring out how to elevate the UVB without weighing down the top of the enclosure. This UVB needs to be replaced soon and i want to figure out raising the bulb befpre that since i know the newer bulb will be stronger. i also bought a new long UVB fixture since this on is on 24" and his enclosure in 36". The new fixture im getting has the little metal legs on the ends so i think thiw will mke it easier for me to raise it.. if anything i can lower that vine. Any other tips?

 

[Beman]

Yes im working no figuring out how to elevate the UVB without weighing down the top of the enclosure. This UVB needs to be replaced soon and i want to figure out raising the bulb befpre that since i know the newer bulb will be stronger. i also bought a new long UVB fixture since this on is on 24" and his enclosure in 36". The new fixture im getting has the little metal legs on the ends so i think thiw will mke it easier for me to raise it.. if anything i can lower that vine. Any other tips?

So you can raise the fixture 4 inches then you would have branches 5 inches from the screen. But you have to then account for how much closer he can get to the basking bulb as well. Not sure if you have seen these but they are a great fix. You would get the TALL Size to get the distance needed. https://www.etsy.com/listing/152356...vTNZTm4oLcQBH28LnMgjeC0-l3NRveRgaArOrEALw_wcB

 

[MzLaurie]

I have found that getting a uvb that is longer then the top is good as the weight of it rests on the frame and not the screen. The plants are great but I would add more bend-a-branches so he can climb with more confidence as live plants tend to bend or sway or break under his weight. As u can see he sleeps on one. Never thought of an aquarium plant light. Looks like it works good. Thank for the tip

 

[laurynholly]

So you can raise the fixture 4 inches then you would have branches 5 inches from the screen. But you have to then account for how much closer he can get to the basking bulb as well. Not sure if you have seen these but they are a great fix. You would get the TALL Size to get the distance needed. https://www.etsy.com/listing/152356...vTNZTm4oLcQBH28LnMgjeC0-l3NRveRgaArOrEALw_wcB

I did see these and I don’t think they are compatible with the new lighting fixture I purchased but if I can’t raise that one then I’ll have to invest in something else which would probably be this handy tool here. Thanks!

 

[Beman]

I did see these and I don’t think they are compatible with the new lighting fixture I purchased but if I can’t raise that one then I’ll have to invest in something else which would probably be this handy tool here. Thanks!

If you purchased a standard T5ho fixture not something like the zoomed reptisun fixture then it should work.

 

[laurynholly]

If you purchased a standard T5ho fixture not something like the zoomed reptisun fixture then it should work.

It’s a reptizoo fixture from Amazon

 

[Beman]

It’s a reptizoo fixture from Amazon

Ok so with that one the fixture is fine and we have proven it works well with the Arcadia and reptisun bulbs but their UVB bulb that comes with it is inadequate and does not produce the UVI at the same distances or even the same area of concentration. So you would actually have to replace the bulb.

I would honestly just return this all together. It is not the best you can get. Replace with prot5 with a 6% or even a regular T5HO with either arcadia 6% or reptisun 5.0

 

[Beman]

And this is where I have bought all my lights https://www.reptilebasics.com/t5-light-fixtures-kits/ they have stands as well.
let me know if you have questions.

 

[laurynholly]

Ok so with that one the fixture is fine and we have proven it works well with the Arcadia and reptisun bulbs but their UVB bulb that comes with it is inadequate and does not produce the UVI at the same distances or even the same area of concentration. So you would actually have to replace the bulb.

I would honestly just return this all together. It is not the best you can get. Replace with prot5 with a 6% or even a regular T5HO with either arcadia 6% or reptisun 5.0

Okay I was actually gonna say I just ordered it today so I can cancel it if you recommend something else. I will now consult the forum before all purchases lol .. thank you again!

 

[laurynholly]

And this is where I have bought all my lights https://www.reptilebasics.com/t5-light-fixtures-kits/ they have stands as well.
let me know if you have questions.

Wow thanks for the link that just made it ten times easier!!

 

[Beman]

Okay I was actually gonna say I just ordered it today so I can cancel it if you recommend something else. I will now consult the forum before all purchases lol .. thank you again!

Yeah cancel it...
Either buy this with 6% bulb... https://www.reptilebasics.com/t5-light-fixtures-kits/arcadia-prot5-uvb-kit-36-with-bulb/
Or
This fixture... https://www.reptilebasics.com/t5-light-fixtures-kits/t5-ho-single-bulb-light-strip-36/
and this bulb... https://www.reptilebasics.com/arcadia-forest-6-uvb/arcadia-d3-6-uvb-t5-bulb-34/

 

[laurynholly]

Yeah cancel it...
Either buy this with 6% bulb... https://www.reptilebasics.com/t5-light-fixtures-kits/arcadia-prot5-uvb-kit-36-with-bulb/
Or
This fixture... https://www.reptilebasics.com/t5-light-fixtures-kits/t5-ho-single-bulb-light-strip-36/
and this bulb... https://www.reptilebasics.com/arcadia-forest-6-uvb/arcadia-d3-6-uvb-t5-bulb-34/

Okay I ordered the kit with the 6% bulb.. just to confirm, you recommend I get the tall risers in addition to this fixture?

 

[Beman]

Okay I ordered the kit with the 6% bulb.. just to confirm, you recommend I get the tall risers in addition to this fixture?

Because your cage is only 36inches high you want to gain as much space as possible on the top of the cage. So to do this it would mean raising uvb off the top 4 inches then lifting basking branches to 5 inch distance away from the top screen. This creates a 9 inch distance and 3UVI level for the cham. While giving you 4 more inches in the cage for height.

If you choose not to lift then this cage is going to end up being very small for him. As is it is on the edge of too small the only thing that saves it is the wider layout. But you lack height so if you are setting the fixture on the top you now have to drop your branches 8-9 inches from the screen. Your now restricting the space the cham has to move around as the top 8-9 inches are not usable. Because you still want to have it set up properly to get the 3 UVI which would be an 8-9 inch distance from the bottom of the fixture sitting on the cage top.


Hope that makes sense lol.

 

[laurynholly]

Because your cage is only 36inches high you want to gain as much space as possible on the top of the cage. So to do this it would mean raising uvb off the top 4 inches then lifting basking branches to 5 inch distance away from the top screen. This creates a 9 inch distance and 3UVI level for the cham. While giving you 4 more inches in the cage for height.

If you choose not to lift then this cage is going to end up being very small for him. As is it is on the edge of too small the only thing that saves it is the wider layout. But you lack height so if you are setting the fixture on the top you now have to drop your branches 8-9 inches from the screen. Your now restricting the space the cham has to move around as the top 8-9 inches are not usable. Because you still want to have it set up properly to get the 3 UVI which would be an 8-9 inch distance from the bottom of the fixture sitting on the cage top.


Hope that makes sense lol.

It makes complete sense and I ordered the risers last night as well so those will be in soon and I’ll have a safer and healthier home for my cham. Thanks so much!

 

[Beman]

It makes complete sense and I ordered the risers last night as well so those will be in soon and I’ll have a safer and healthier home for my cham. Thanks so much!

My pleasure.