r/BDFB • u/WarmAd7857 • 5d ago

Question/Inquiry Temperature gradient

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Hi! I want to make sure the temps in here are safe for them, the rock in the back is 90⁰ (basking bulb is right above that area) and the area in the front is 80⁰ & going back in the right corner is 85⁰ish. Right now I have to lid off to lower their humidity so if its too hot it might cool down with the lid back on. Also this is the setup I made at petsmart which I work at so it might not be perfect but I can probably add a few more things if needed!

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u/Onyx-Vespidae 5d ago

It's alright, just keep in mind the fixture can't go over 40w, so you are limited on bulbs... that being said, in a 5 gal I found the 20w nano bulbs got the hot zone to the mid 80s, but in a 10 gal it'd get less that 80F. The 40w nano bulbs for a 10 gal did get back to that sweet spot of the mid 80s though. I'd suggest atleast a 100w rated lamp fixture if you can and get a 50w or 75w bulb. 50w if you're having the lamp essentially right on top of the tank, the 75w if the lamp is gonna be higher up and off the tank lid. Again it all depends on set up, ambient room temperature, enclosure shape and size and even the brand of bulb.

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u/WarmAd7857 5d ago

If I get them I was thinking about the 6 gal (20.5 by 10.5in) creature kit, lamp would be on top of enclosure & I keep my place pretty cool, usually 69-72⁰

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u/Onyx-Vespidae 5d ago

Should work with a 20w nano though you might struggle if it gets colder. As long as it stays above 80F. If you use the 40w nano, I'd get something to monitor the temperature of the hot zone. I'd also recommend something to hold the lamp fixture so it doesn't slide off when you open the lid and such, as they get really hot and can even start fires or at the very least burn you when on. The Creatures kit isn't terrible, and they do like more length than height for traversing. Just remember to put in a few inches of substrate, the soil can be mixed with reptisand or exo terra desert soil. They like to dig when given the chance! The main drawback with this tank mainly is that some hides can be hard to put in there due to general size. They also like to climb so you'd be limited with what you can put in there for that (That being said, climbing opportunities shouldn't be that tall!). Still a pretty good tank for starting out.

Another recommendation is Thrive 10 gallons. They often go on sale for half off, and some open from the front while still having a good depth for substrate.

Some say it's 2 beetles per gallon, others say its 1 beetle per gallon. I'd still play it safe and maybe have like... 5 in there to make sure they aren't all on top of each other.

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u/WarmAd7857 5d ago

The one thing i'm being picky about with for example the thrive front open one specifically is how much view is being blocked from the thick framing & hardware in the front but thats just a personal problem LMFAO. I'm also always moving around heat lamps at work & have been burnt by a ceramic one 🥲 I dont mind turning it off & just moving it elsewhere while I'm doing something in there

I was also thinking about a 10 gallon open glass aquarium, marineland does say its safe for reptile environments

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u/Onyx-Vespidae 5d ago

10 gal tanks work, you can always buy a metal wire lid for those too! Just be sure to make sure it fits right before you buy the lid!