# Central Netted Dragon



## diamond_python (Nov 6, 2004)

I am getting my first juvie Central Netted next weekend and would like to know a bit more about their heating requirements and whether or not they need UV lighting (which I assume they do). All help appreciated


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## jimmy_the_kid (Nov 6, 2004)

any pics of them from the seller


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## Simon_Archibald (Nov 6, 2004)

D_P,
Central Netteds like most of the smaller dragon species LOVE heat. I have kept Painted Dragons in the past (which are basically the same requirements) and I gave them a hot spot of 45+ degrees. Cool end is fine around 25. The UV debate is an ongoing one...I'd say they definately need UV.

The best way to heat these guys I found was to use an Oz-Bright combined heat/UV globe...these are available from URS or Animal Attraction.

If you're gonna use those globes, you will need a larger enclosure with good ventilation as they throw out a lot of heat. Also, these can NOT be used with a thermostat.

I highly recommend a top-opening enclosure as these guys are fast and tend to sit and wait for the sliding doors to open, then they dart out of the enclosure before you can even blink.

Simon Archibald


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## OuZo (Nov 6, 2004)

good stuff paul i was gonna ask the same question lol.

would a 3 x 2 x 2 be big enuf for life? is it best to use one of those globes you're talking about simon and have that on say 12 hours a day without thermostat and then switch to say an infra red globe on stat for night heating? is there a low enuf wattage uv globe that could be kept on without a stat that would keep the general enclosure temp at an ok level?


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## Simon_Archibald (Nov 6, 2004)

Zoe,
When I get back into these smaller species of dragons, I will be using enclosures that are around 3x2x2. Definately big enough for life.

I'm gonna run the Oz-Brights through the day, and have probably an Oz-Black ceramic globe of small wattage to run overnight...this guarantees the lizards' day/night cycle is not disturbed. In my experience the infra-red light can be seen by the lizards.

Simon Archibald


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## OuZo (Nov 6, 2004)

would you keep the oz-black on or off thermostat for night? and what wattage could you use that you could keep on all day and not overheat an enclosure of that size?

thanx simon


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## Simon_Archibald (Nov 6, 2004)

I would probably run a 60 watt Oz-Black Zoe, run on the thermostat all day...I would use one of the new Microclimate Magic Eye thermos, run at an average temperature for the day, then have the night time setting to change when the Oz-Bright turns off.

Simon Archibald


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## OuZo (Nov 6, 2004)

ok i'm confused lol...what wattage is the oz bright for day? are you saying you'd have both running during the day (oz black on thermo and oz bright constant) and then turn the day one off at night?

also i dont know much about stats really :? i just had a look at the microclimate website and i dont know the difference between a dimming and a pulse proportional stat lol. would you lower their temps for night?


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## Simon_Archibald (Nov 6, 2004)

Haha Zoe...I'm a bit confused too 

What I would do is run the oz-black on a thermostat set to a low day temperature...the heat put out by the Oz-bright would probably be enough to effectively shut the Oz-black off. I would use a 100watt oz-bright in that size enclosure. For night time, I would set a separate temperature (about 7-10 degrees lower probably) for the Oz-black. With the "magic eye" thermostat, this temperature could be set to change when the Oz-bright goes off...the magic eye thermostats have 2 temperature settings...day and night.

This is probably a complicated way of doing things, but if you rigged the oz-bright to a timer, it would run itself and you would be able to achieve desireable temperatures during winter if you wanted to keep it hot, or if your weather is too cold.

An alternate way to do things is run the Oz-bright on one timer, and the oz-black on a separate timer and thermostat. Set this to heat up about 15 minutes before the oz-bright goes off and set it to a lower temperature than day-time.

Have I confused you?

It's a very complicated way of doing things I guess, but would work.

Simon Archibald


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## OuZo (Nov 6, 2004)

lol yeah we're hoping for something not too expensive either lol.

maybe if we get an enclosure rigged up with 2 separate globes like you said, 1 with a timer for the day globe and one with a stat and timer for the night globe that would be easier/cheaper? so a 100W globe on all day wouldnt over heat the enclosure? i guess we're going for a 25ish cool end and 30ish warm end with a hot spot of at least 35 in one end? the only reference i have to these guys is the article in the recent reptiles australia cos i didnt get much on a google search! were you saying that the night temps should be down to around 15-18? is that all year?

my last question...for now lol...where do you get these oz-bright globes from or what would be a good substitute from the herp shop? brian is really close to us so its easy to get replacements. maybe the zoo med repti basking spot or the mercury vapour bulb? and any ceramic would be ok for night right? arg my brain is going to explode lol


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## Simon_Archibald (Nov 6, 2004)

Yeah Zoe you could do it that way. Any ceramic would do for the night time.

Temps you want are about 45+ at the hot end, no lower than about 25 at the cool end. The article in Reptiles Ausralia said "whilst I wouldn't heat up my vivarium to a blistering 40 degrees"...I'm thinking WHAT THE?!?! That's exactly what you should be doing!!! 

The Oz-Bright globes can be purchased from URS, Animal Attraction (who are currently having a 10% off sale - check their prices).

Brian will be able to put you onto a Mercury Vapour bulb that would do your enclosure if you'd rather.

If you are going to use a 3x2x2 enclosure, I HIGHLY recommend that aside from 2 vents in the side, a small vent at either end of the enclosure would be beneficial. Also, I wouldn't put the Oz-brights/Mercury Vapours in an enclosure that size without cutting out a small vent in the roof at the cool end.

Simon Archibald


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## africancichlidau (Nov 6, 2004)

Brians M.V's are the same as the Oz Brite Zo. Talk to Brian about them first and you are aware that there are much cheaper ways of doing the same thing?


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## OuZo (Nov 7, 2004)

no 

i'm coming over lol


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## diamond_python (Nov 7, 2004)

A tad confusing?? I was hoping to use a heat mat and a UV light. Would that be sufficient?


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## Guest (Nov 7, 2004)

i don't really think so, though i could be wrong.


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## diamond_python (Nov 7, 2004)

Anyone else keep them and can let me know how this would go? It is urgent as I need to set this up this week. Cheers


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## Nephrurus (Nov 7, 2004)

A heat mat and a U.V tube wont be any good. Small Dragons need to be able to bask so they can elevate their body temp. Just splurge and get one of those Murcury vapour globes. 
-H


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## hugsta (Nov 7, 2004)

What Simon has said is pretty spot on. I have my setup pretty much the same but am waiting to get a couple more oz brights. The only difference is I have the oz brights setup on a timer and I have a heat mat under the hot end which stays on all the time. I don't run any thermostats on the setup at all. But I did make sure the temps were going to be ok before letting the animals go in the enclosure.

Speaking about substrate I use brickies sand. These little guys live in burrows under bushes and rocks so it is important that you have a something they can bask on and also bury under. This is why I use this sand cause if you put it in damp it will go very hard and make it easy for them to make their burrows.



> I highly recommend a top-opening enclosure as these guys are fast and tend to sit and wait for the sliding doors to open, then they dart out of the enclosure before you can even blink.


I found with my central netteds that they will tame down very easy and will quite happily hop on to your arm and sit there. Although very similar to painteds they may be a bit more friendly. But as I have not had painteds I am not sure about this, I just know my centrals are as friendly as a vitticeps.


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## diamond_python (Nov 8, 2004)

Thanks guys. This has really helped.


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## OuZo (Nov 10, 2004)

ok talking to brian about the mercury vapours, he said that it would be too hot to put it in an enclosure of that size, so you should be cutting a hole in the roof and covering with mesh and having it on the outside of the cage. but maybe with enough ventilation it would be ok? i know you guys mentioned a bit about it before but how many vents would you put in and what type? our snake enclosures that were made for us have a household vent in the back middle and 2 small round vents at the front under the sliding glass track. humidity does tend to stay quite low with that much ventilation tho...would that be enough if we were using a mercury vapour? and maybe a vent above the light to the side of it or something? if we cant get a mercury vapour we will apparently have to have 2 stats, one for a reflector and one for a ceramic for night which is a bit cluttered and i'd rather not do so if anyone has any ideas let me know asap! oh and one other thing...if you have an ozbright/MV on all day, how do you prevent overheating the enclosure when you get 40 degree days in summer? if you turn it off they won't be able to bask...:?


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## Simon_Archibald (Nov 10, 2004)

Zoe,
Have a look at the "best enclosure comp" thread and go to about page 3 where I entered our Black Soil Beardies tank. That is a 900x500x600 enclosure about the same size as you're wanting. You can see how I run the 160watt Oz-bright in the dome above...mesh is covering the lamp and I've cut out a ridge in the lid for it to sit on.

As for overheating...the bulbs themselves are designed to cut out when they overheat but they come back on after a few minutes. If you want to guarantee they don't fry your lizards, you'll really need to aircondition the room I'd say.

Simon Archibald


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