Pyg Pen - Please critique

[hallenhe]

At long last, I've pretty much got my pygmy terrarium set up. It's a 24x18x24 EcoTerra, set up following the Chameleon News article; light is a ReptiSun 5.0 - not "used" but it will have been in use for a month or so by the time I get the lizards. Plants are mostly orchids and ferns, with a "dwarf" Ficus (compact growth form; won't take off and outgrow its home immediately). Got a couple of the smallest diameter ZooMed bendy vines. I'll be adding a bit more Spanish moss (should keep up the humidity), mainly across the back wall.

Temperatures at the floor of the tank are pretty much ambient - 60-70F, with 70 being the highest - even with the ReptiSun; temps immediately under the Reptisun are 80, but that's higher than the pygmies will be able to get. The highest they can get on the Ficus is ~70-72 degrees when the light is on. Is this warm enough, or should I be supplementing it? - I know from the tank's previous incarnation as a White's treefrog habitat that I can get 70 at the bottom, 80 at the highest perch with a 75 watt ceramic bulb, and can go higher with higher ceramics, but I know pygs don't want the high temps. I'll be getting brevs, by the way.

Any comments or suggestions are appreciated. I'm looking to get my pygmelions within the next couple weeks, and if I should be doing anything more/different, now is definitely the time I'd like to know.

Much thanks.

 

[Ep3Drew]

Looks nice..The temps seem fine to me.. i have the same lighting and my pygmy is pretty active but never basks although i do have a higher perch for her.. Moss holds humidity pretty well in my screen enclosure so it will work wonders in the exo terra.. And pay close attention to the mini ficus, mine dropped all its leaves within a month of getting it and ive been trying to nurse it back to health but it looks like charlie browns christmas tree right now

 

[sageghost]

Looks like your Pygmeleons will be very happy!!!!

 

[Brad Ramsey]

Fantastic!
Tom says he has used new 5.0 tubes with pygs with no problems.
I wish he was still around on the forums.

-Brad

 

[hallenhe]

One of the (very knowledgeable) gentlemen at the local pet store is something of a kidder - he suggested that I modify my set-up picture in Photoshop to show cedar chips as the substrate, then post and wait for the screams of horror. I told him I didn't want to give up my hard-earned reputation points.

 

[OntarioLizardman]

looks great! ive always used 2.0, except for one time i used 5.0 but im afriad it might have led to eyes problems... day time temps in the terrarium should be inbetween 72f and 77f dropping slightly at dusk.- Stump-tailed chameleons: dragons of the rainforest.

by the way that book is amazing!

 

[Ryan Jarosek]

looks great! ive always used 2.0, except for one time i used 5.0 but im afriad it might have led to eyes problems... day time temps in the terrarium should be inbetween 72f and 77f dropping slightly at dusk.- Stump-tailed chameleons: dragons of the rainforest.

by the way that book is amazing!

I use the 2.0 as well.

Very nice setup !!!!!!

 

[JamesD]

It's looking very nice indeed! Which species are you planning on keeping?

Personally, I would add some leaf litter on top of the substrate. I have found that mine are much happier walking around the floor if the have some leaves to hide amongst.
I'd also add a whole load of branches with very small diameters. These are where they'll hunt from and spend most of their time, moving into the taller plants to sleep.

Good luck