Help me build a new lizard setup and choose a lizard

[Lizardz]

I'm going to be getting a 18"x18"x36" Wire screen cage



Next step is I need to find a lizard that I like?

The reason I ask this is because allot of people here have more experience about what types of lizards are available that I might not even seen or heard about? I just wanna make sure I get the right lizard the first time because I do not expect it to die on me for a very long time, so I want to make sure I'm happy with what I get.

I was thinking about getting 5 or 6 Anoles.

But, is there any other lizards that stay under 8" that you think I might like that would work in a cage like this?

Searching around today I found the coolest lizard I have ever seen in my life, the Strophurus taenicauda
Amazing looking lizard. But I heard the price range is up to $1,000 which is far out of my price range.
I would like to stay under $100 for my lizard stock and would like to have 2 to 6 lizards.

The style I like is the reptile Dinosaur look of the anoles, Basilisk and Chinese water dragon.
Does anyone know of a type of lizard that I might like? Maybe something I haven't mentioned?
I would really like a lizard that can not lose his tail, or at least be able to grow it back quickly if it does

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

After I find the lizard I want, I will then start to build the cage setup and fill it with real plants.

I am changing hobby's
I'm just now getting out of the high tech planted fish tank hobby and selling everything I own and buying lizard stuff
I been keeping fish for many years and it's now time to move on.

[Morgan Freeman]

You have good tastes in lizards!

Well, Anoles could certainly fit in there, crested geckos, very popular and easy to keep but can lose their tales. Only problem is you may have trouble keeping humidity up with the mesh.

You could try a day gecko.

[Lizardz]

Day Gecko just might have to be a option I will have to consider.
I'm not into the other types of Gecko's, but these smaller tail Day Geckos are looking pretty cool.
I heard they are more for show and not to be handled much?
Also, do they lose their tails?

[Fence Up]

Have a look at dwarf yellow headed geckos. Quite active, very small. Not too good as something to handle, because of their speed. Anoles are a lot of fun, good price and easy to breed. again very fast.

[Lizardz]

I been reading up on the lizards mentioned above, I ran across a lizard I think I will have to get.
The Gargoyle Gecko (Rhacodactylus auriculatus)

The look of this lizard and the requirements that are needed seem to match up with what I'm interested in more than the others, along with being able to handle these lizards more easily than the jumpy Day and House Gecko's that I was looking into.

A question I was wondering about is should I get a mercury vapor UVA or UVB light?
I read that they do not need any special lighting, but would the Gecko benefit from this light or would I just be wasting my money on a expensive bulb I don't need? I plan on keeping many live plants in this enclosure.

I was also planing on getting a Red bulb for viewing at night.
In the cage I mention above, how many Watts would I need to have in a 8" dome light sitting on the top of the cage?

[spend_day]

A MVB could possibly put the temps through the roof (as they tend to come in quite high wattages). garg's which (like other rhacodactylus species) can die if the temps goes over 85F. if you want to provide UVB/UVA lighting i would go fro a full spectrum strip/tube light

to me you seem to be going at this the wrong way round u seem to be picking equipment before you've fully chosen what species u want. work out what species u want to keep first them look at getting the correct equipment.

u seem to be looking at alot of high humidity species, you could have serious issues keeping humidity up in a completly screen enclosure.

[Lizardz]

That's way I'm choosing which species I want first, then asking what equipment will work best.. I passed on the other lizard because of not being able to handle them as much and the higher humidity requirements.

Gargoyle Gecko's require lower heat and humidity levels then the other lizards I was looking at. That's way I said I passed on those..

Not sure how asking first is going about this all the wrong way? Only thing I have picked out was the screen cage.
The temp in my house stays the correct temp without any heat lights, but the essential UVB rays I asked if the lizard would have any health benefits from it and benefit the live plants. Also, they project UVB up to 6 feet.
Strip lights only penetrate at about a foot and is more suited for aquariums and not cages that are 3+ feet tall.
With that, I would have the option to hang the light from the ceiling and keep the benefits of the UV

Zoo Med UVB bulbs go as low as 100 watts from what I have seen so far.

[Morgan Freeman]

It's UVA plants need right? I use a strip bulb for my 2ft tall viv and it works fine.

You're obviously going to struggle with humidity with the mesh, what humidity level is your room at already?

[Lizardz]

Originally Posted by Morgan Freeman

It's UVA plants need right? I use a strip bulb for my 2ft tall viv and it works fine.

You're obviously going to struggle with humidity with the mesh, what humidity level is your room at already?

Not sure what plants really need, I tried checking online, but it seems like the plants only need regular light or fluorescent lighting to grow well. So if the lizard will not benefit from UVB lighting at all, I could just go with regular light.
I haven't checked the humidity levels in my room, after I sell the fish I have, I will be taking the next step and buy the humidity gauges.

I still need to sell these fish and the rest of my equipment before I start buying what is needed. I want to build on paper first to see what is needed so I will be ready when it's time to buy. Also, I will be doing mist testing so see what is needed to keep the proper levels of heat and humidity.
Does anyone know how much plants add to the humidity levels in screen cages?

[Morgan Freeman]

What size is your fish tank? You could always use that as a viv, even if it means turning it length ways and amending a few things. Just an idea.