Providing a Lay Box

Snakes

For the majority of snakes, a simple humid hide filled with damp sphagnum moss located at the cool end of the enclosure will provide an adequate egg-laying area. Lay boxes should be big enough for the snake to fit into comfortably and enclosed enough for them to feel secluded.

Geckos

For most geckos, we will provide lay boxes in the same way we do for our snakes. However, for some arboreal species of gecko, it can be a good idea to provide multiple laying areas as they can be a little pickier about where they drop their eggs and giving them more than one area to lay in may help encourage them not to lay directly into the enclosure’s substrate.

Chameleons, Bearded Dragons and Other lizards

Some lizards will want to dig down and bury their eggs. We provide them with a taller lay box that can hold about six to eight inches of soil-based substrates, such as ProRep Spider Life or something similar. For more arid species we will use ProRep Bio Life Desert Substrate to make a sand and soil mix that we will keep slightly damp. Vines, branches and hanging plants will be used to provide cover and access.

Keeping an Eye on Your Animal

In the days and weeks leading up to an animal laying eggs, you may see some changes in its behaviour. Snakes may go off their food and spend more time in the heated side of their enclosure
before moving to the lay box. Typically they will have a pre-lay shed a month or so before laying, but this will vary depending on the species.

With chameleons and other lizards, the shape of the eggs may become noticeable in the lower abdomen prior to laying. Around this time they may be seen digging in various parts of the
enclosure. We will then guide them into the lay box to help give them the right idea.

Collecting Eggs

Generally, once eggs have been laid you have about twenty-four hours to get them properly incubated, so it is important to check lay boxes daily. We will check through the substrate of the lay
boxes each morning, being careful not to damage any eggs that may be in there. If any are found they will immediately be transferred into an incubation container, prepared with HatchRite or
vermiculite.

It is important to move the eggs delicately, without turning or damaging them, while trying to get any excess substrate off of them where possible. Sometimes, groups of eggs may be stuck together, especially with snakes. When this happens, they should be moved together as a group, as separating may lead to damaging them.

The post How to Prepare for Reptile Eggs appeared first on Northampton Reptile Centre.

Pond plants provide an essential resource for attracting wildlife to our gardens.

A pond can be as small as a bucket or as large as a lake but no matter what size the pond is, it will do a great job of encouraging wildlife of all types to use your garden. There are also a lot of native pond plants available for garden ponds that are great for British wildlife.

Generally speaking, pond plants can be split into 6 categories;

• Marginal plants
• Oxygenating plants
• Water lilies
• Deep-water marginal plants
• Floating plants
• Bog plants

Marginal Plants

Marginal plants give the pond both height and colour and grow around the edges. They remove nitrates which help reduce algae and keep the water clear and are beneficial to wildlife. They look most attractive when planted in groups of 3 or 5 and can be secured using gravel.

Dragonflies will lay their eggs on the upright plant stems of marginal plants below the water such as Pickerel Weed (Pontederia cordata). Bees, butterflies and hoverflies will be particularly attracted to flowering marginal plants such as Flowering Rush (Butomus umbellatus), Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) and Marsh Cinquefoil (Potentilla palustris).

Popular UK Native Marginal Pond Plants

• Yellow Flag Iris (Iris pseudacorus)
• Watercress (Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum)
• Common Bulrush (Typha latifolia)

Oxygenating Plants

Oxygenating plants photosynthesise underwater creating oxygen which dissolves in the water. This is not only useful for animal life but also for bacteria which help keep the water clean. Bunches of oxygenators can be dropped into the water but ideally are planted in groups of 3 or more using gravel or aquatic soil in a basket up to 100cm deep. Many oxygenators grow best in streams or rivers so planting in gravel helps them acclimatise quicker.

Oxygenating plants provide excellent cover underwater for aquatic insects as well as dense spawning sites for fish and amphibians. Some oxygenators, such as Water Crowfoot (Ranunculus aquatilis), will break the water’s surface with flowers that are loved by bees, butterflies and hoverflies.

Popular UK Native Oxygenating Pond Plants

• Hornwort (Ceratophyllum demersum)
• Willow Moss (Fontinalis antipyretica)
• Needle Spike-rush (Eleocharis acicularis)

Water Lilies

Lilies make a beautiful addition to any pond. The elegant flowers can be seen from June to September. Ideally, 2 thirds of the pond’s surface should be covered with lily leaves (or floating plants). The shade they provide lowers light levels, which in turn reduces algae growth. Lilies do not like water splashing on their leaves. They prefer still water and sunshine to help them flower and flourish.

Water lily flowers are relatively large and easily accessible for pollinating insects. The stems of water lilies may also be used by damselflies and dragonflies as egg-laying sites.

UK Native Water Lily

• European white water lily (Nymphaea alba)

Deep-water Marginal Plants

Deepwater aquatic plants make an excellent alternative or addition to lilies. They are more tolerant of shade and moving water but are equally as good at providing surface cover, helping to keep the water clear. Water Hawthorn (Aponogeton distachyos) flowers at a time of year when lilies and most other plants do not.

Their flowers are valuable for pollinating insects and their stems may be used as egg-laying sites by damselflies and dragonflies.

Popular UK Native Deep Water Marginal Pond Plants

• Yellow Floating Heart (Nymphoides peltata)
• Brandy bottle (Nuphar lutea)

Floating Plants

Floating plants help keep the water clear and free of algae. They shade the water to reduce light and they remove nitrates essential for algae growth. They help protect fish from predators such as herons by providing cover and the roots are a great place for fish and wildlife to lay their eggs. They spread by sending runners to form young plants. Ideally, one to two-thirds of the pond’s surface should be covered with shade plants.

Popular UK Native Floating Pond Plants

• Water soldier (Stratiotes aloides)
• Frogbit (Hydrocharis morsus-ranae)

Bog Plants

Bog plants are special in that they can enjoy damp or boggy conditions. Some species require more sun than others but are generally an excellent choice for UK gardens where the climate is commonly wet. Moisture Lovers can truly enhance both pond and garden environments.

Bog plants help blur the edge between a wet pond margin and the rest of the garden. Many amphibious animals such as frogs, toads and newts will often choose to ‘hang out’ in these moist garden zones. Gunnera manicata is one of the most impressive bog plants.

Popular UK Native Bog Plants

• Primrose (Primula vulgaris)
• Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria)
• Cowslip (Primula veris)

Buying Pond Plants Online

It’s easy to buy pond plants online and have them delivered quickly, and more importantly, in great condition. Gardenwildlife.com was created by the Northampton Reptile Centre team to provide a whole range of products to encourage wildlife into UK gardens. Pond plants are the first range to be added to this website.

Pond plants purchased on gardenwildlife.com are packed to ensure they arrive still wet and in their pots, ready to go straight into your pond. Only fast couriers are used and plants are all plants are fully guaranteed.

Visit gardenwildlife.com

The post Pond Plants to Attract Garden Wildlife appeared first on Northampton Reptile Centre.

Trustpilot is an independent review gathering company that collects over 1,000,000 reviews about companies globally every month. It’s great to see what people like about our service, but it’s also great to see where we can make changes to help people further. Thank you for helping us to do this.

We originally asked Trustpilot to gather reviews from our customers because we wanted to improve. We still do, but, we also wanted somewhere for prospective customers to be able to ‘vet’ us before placing their first order. All companies can say they offer good service, but the proof of that can only come from real customers’ experiences.

Take a look below at some of our most recent reviews. We’ll keep working hard to serve you and your reptiles.

We’re Here to Help

If you need us, we have several easy ways for you to get in touch with any questions;

Email: sales@reptilecentre.com
Live Chat (at selected times): reptilecentre.com

The post 15,000 Northampton Reptile Centre Reviews on TrustPilot appeared first on Northampton Reptile Centre.

We have a range of enclosures suitable for various species including snakes, lizards, tortoises, Amphibians, and inverts to be cared for whilst you are away. Our purpose-built, air-conditioned holiday room has all the vivariums and terrariums ready set up and is private from the general public.

Your pet’s diet, vitamin supplements, and any special requirements will be discussed fully at the time of booking.

Take a Look Around

Here’s What Your Pet Gets

  Expert holiday care for exotic pets
  Good quality vivariums & terrariums
  Heating tailored to your pet’s needs
  Species-specific, top brand UVB Lighting
  Daily health checks by experienced reptile keepers
  Detailed husbandry & hygiene procedures
  Custom food & nutrition plan
  Love & care – your pet is in safe hands
[ngg src=”galleries” ids=”80″ display=”basic_thumbnail” thumbnail_crop=”0″]
More information & booking
Tel: 01604 753823
Email: boarding@reptilecentre.com

The post Reptile Holiday Boarding at Northampton Reptile Centre appeared first on Northampton Reptile Centre.

We need a device that measures the UV range we are looking for and the Solarmeter 6.5 does just that, measuring from 280-400nm. This handheld device has been developed to measure the strength of UV from the sun to help people protect themselves from sunburn, however, this spectrum is very close to the D3 synthesis range, making it suitable for our use. The scale starts at 0 and goes upwards. This has been used in weather forecasting, when sunny, and is expressed as the UV Index (UVI). The higher the UVI the greater the power of the sun, which changes over the course of the day reaching its peak at midday.

As reptile keepers, we can use this index to measure wavelengths that let our reptiles produce their own vitamin D3. As our pet reptiles originated from different countries, with many different habitats, they have morphologically evolved to take advantage of environmental niches for the optimal benefit to their species. This means that two different types of reptiles, even from the same area, may still have completely different UV requirements. To help make sense of this, a renowned herpetologist, Dr. Gary Ferguson measured different reptile’s daily basking sites and exposure times which gave him a good indication of their natural UV requirements. These species were divided up into four different sun exposure groups, which are now referred to as Ferguson zones. Each zone was allocated a range of figures, calculated from the readings, that were taken from the animals basking UVI. Other researchers have added more data to this study to help create a list of animals that fit into these four zones.

Search the list below: find your reptiles in the list below to find out which Ferguson Zone they are categorized in. If you cannot find what you are looking for use a closely related species as a reference point or email us at sales@reptilecentre.com for advice about your specific reptile.

Ferguson Zone 1

Crepuscular or Shade Dweller

Zone range UVI 0 – 0.7 (Maximum UVI: 0.6 – 1.4 in basking zone)

• Two-horned mountain horned dragon (Acanthosaura capra)
• Rough-bellied mountain horned dragon (Acanthosaura lepidogaster)
• Red-eyed tree frog (Agalychnis callidryas)
• Lemur leaf frog (Agalychnis lemur)
• Mallorcan midwife toad (Alytes muletensis)
• Common midwife toad (Alytes obstetricans)
• Axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum)
• Tiger salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum)
• Jamaican brown anole (Anolis lineatopus)
• Children’s python (Antaresia childreni )
• Stimson’s python (Antaresia stimsoni orientalis)
• Woma python (Aspidites ramsayi)
• Harlequin toad (Atelopus spumarius hoogmoedi)
• Oriental fire-bellied toad (Bombina orientalis )
• Yellow-bellied toad (Bombina variegata)
• Brown leaf chameleon (Brookesia superciliaris)
• Solomon island boa (Candoia carinata)
• Argentine horned frog (Ceratophrys ornata)
• Emerald tree boa (Corallus caninus)
• Amazon tree boa (Corallus hortulanus)
• Splendid leaf frog (Cruziohyla calcarifer)
• Indochinese box turtle (Cuora galbinifrons)
• Chinese fire-bellied newt (Cynops orientalis)
• Green & black poison arrow frog (Dendrobates auratus)
• Bumblebee dart frog (Dendrobates leucomelas)
• Yellow & black poison arrow frog (Dendrobates leucomelas)
• Dyeing poison arrow frog (Dendrobates tinctorius)
• Blue posion arrow frog (Dendrobates tinctorius azureus)
• Amazonian dart frog (Dendrobates ventrimaculatus)
• USA green tree frog (Dryophytes cinereus)
• Gray tree frog (Dryophytes versicolor)
• Asian spiny toad (Duttaphrynus melanostictus )
• Sambava tomato frog (Dyscophus guineti)
• Cuban boa (Epicrates angulifer)
• Leopard gecko (Eublepharis macularius)
• Green anaconda (Eunectes murinus)
• Yellow anaconda (Eunectes notaeus)
• Sardinian brook salamander (Euproctus platycephalus)
• Tokay gecko (Gecko gecko)
• Black-breasted leaf turtle (Geoemyda spengleri)
• Cave gecko (Goniurosaurus hainanensis)
• Asian house gecko (Hemidactylus frenatus)
• Spiny turtle (Heosemys spinosa)
• European green tree frog (Hyla arborea)
• African reed frog (Hyperolius viridiflavus)
• Alpine newt (Ichthyosaura alpestris)
• Colorado River toad (Incilius alvarius)
• Chubby frog (Kaloula pulchra)
• Home’s hingeback tortoise (Kinixys homeana)
• Pueblan milk snake (Lampropeltis triangulum campbelli)
• Sinaloan milk snake (Lampropeltis triangulum sinaloae)
• Stuart’s milksnake (Lampropeltis triangulum stuarti)
• Budget frog (Lepidobatrachus laevis)
• Mourning gecko (Lepidodactylus lugubris)
• White-lipped tree frog (Litoria infrafrenata)
• Brown mantella (Mantella betsileo)
• Bronze mantella (Mantella crocea)
• Blue leg mantella (Mantella expectata)
• Long-nosed horned frog (Megophrys nasuta)
• Amethystine python (Morelia amethistina)
• Green tree python (Morelia viridis)
• Lesser night gecko (Nactus coindemirensis)
• Common mudpuppy (Necturus maculosus)
• Kaiser’s newt (Neurergus kaiseri)
• Northern velvet gecko (Oeudura castelnaui)
• Banded newt (Ommatotriton vittatus)
• Rough green snake (Opheodrys aestivus)
• Hundred flower snake (Orthriophis moellendorffi )
• Corn snake (Pantherophis guttatus guttatus)
• Madagascan ground gecko (Paroedura pictus)
• Black-legged dart frog (Phyllobates bicolor)
• Golfodulcean poison frog (Phyllobates vittatus)
• Sharp ribbed newt (Pleurodeles waltl)
• Borneo long-eared frog (Polypedates otilophus )
• Fan-footed gecko (Ptyodactylus hasselquistii)
• Reticulated python (Python (Broghammerus) reticulatus)
• Borneo short-tailed python (Python brietensteini)
• Blood python (Python curtus)
• Burmese python (Python molurus bivittatus)
• African bullfrog (Pyxicephalus adspersus)
• Crested gecko (Rhacodactylus ciliatus)
• Fire salamander (Salamandra salamandra)
• Madagascan tree boa (Sanzinia madagascarensis)
• Madagascan burrowing frog (Scaphiophryne marmorata)
• Eastern spadefoot toad (Scaphiopus holbrookii)
• Sandfish (Scincus scincus)
• Elegant gecko (Stenodactylus sthenodactylus)
• White-spotted gecko (Tarentola annularis)
• Viper gecko (Teratolepis fasciata)
• Vietnamese mossy frog (Theloderma corticale)
• Bug-eyed tree frog (Theloderma stellatum)
• Black-spotted casque headed treefrog (Trachycephalus nigromaculatus)
• Red-eyed crocodile skink (Tribolonotus gracilis)
• Marbled newt (Triturus marmoratus)
• Himalayan newt (Tylototriton verrucosus)
• Caecilian worm (Typhlonectes spp.)
• Henkel’s leaf-tail gecko (Uroplatus henkeli)
• Satanic leaf-tailed gecko (Uroplatus phantasticus)
• African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis)

Ferguson Zone 2

Partial Sun or Occasional Basker

Zone range UVI 0.7 – 1.0 (Maximum UVI: 1.1 – 3.0 in basking zone)

• Dumerils boa (Acrantophis dumerili)
• American green anole (Anolis carolinensis)
• Jamaican blue-pants anole (Anolis grahami)
• Spotted python (Antaresia maculosa)
• Smooth softshell (Apalone mutica)
• Plumed basilisk (Basiliscus plumifrons )
• Boa constrictor (Boa constrictor)
• Hogg Island boa (Boa constrictor imperator)
• African house snake (‎Boaedon fuliginosus)
• Banded mangrove snake (Boiga dendrophila melanota)
• Fiji banded iguana (Brachylophus bulabula)
• Cane toad (Bufo marinus)
• Giant Hispaniolan galliwasp (Celestus warreni)
• Meller’s chameleon (Chamaeleo melleri)
• Yellow foot tortoise (Chelonoidis denticulata)
• Common snapper (Chelydra serpentina)
• Trinket snake (Coelognathus helena)
• Radiated rat snake (Coelognathus radiata)
• Prehensile or monkey-tailed skink (Corucia zebrata)
• Northern caiman lizard (Dracaena guianensis)
• Korean rat snake (Elaphe anomala)
• Bairds rat snake (Elaphe bairdi)
• King rat snake (Elaphe carinata)
• Japanese rat snake (Elaphe climacophora)
• Dione rat snake (Elaphe dione)
• Great plains rat snake (Elaphe emoryi)
• Texas rat snake (Elaphe obsoleta lindheimeri)
• Argentine rainbow boa (Epicrates Cenchria)
• Brazilian rainbow boa (Epicrates cenchria)
• Colombian rainbow boa (Epicrates maurus)
• Jamaican boa (Epicrates subflavus)
• Maranon poison frog (Excidobates mysteriosus)
• Red foot tortoise (Geochelone carbonaria)
• Kenyan sand boa (Gongylophis colubrinus)
• Bell’s forest dragon (Gonocephalus bellii)
• Red-tailed rat snake (Gonyosoma oxycephalum)
• Pink tongued skink (Hemisphaeriodon gerrardii)
• Fat-tailed gecko (Hemitheconyx caudicinctus)
• Western hognose (Heterodon nasicus nasicus)
• False water cobra (Hydrodynastes gigas)
• Elongated tortoise (Indotestudo elongata)
• Australian water dragon (Intellagama (Physignathus) lesueurii)
• Grey banded kingsnake (Lampropeltis alterna)
• Mexican milksnake (Lampropeltis annulata)
• Prairie kingsnake (Lampropeltis calligaster)
• Brooks kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula brooksi)
• Californian kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula californiae)
• Florida kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula floridana)
• Goins kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula meansi)
• Mexican black kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula nigrita)
• Desert kingsnake (Lampropeltis splendida)
• Honduran milk snake (Lampropeltis triangulum hondurensis)
• Nelson’s milk snake (Lampropeltis triangulum nelsoni)
• Fire skink (Lepidothyris (Riopa) fernandi)
• Savu python (Liasis macklotti savuensis)
• Olive python (Liasis olivaceus)
• Green-eyed frog (Lithobates vibicarius)
• Electric blue day gecko (Lygodactylus williamsi)
• Pancake tortoise (Malacochersus tornieri)
• Golden mantella (Mantella aurantiaca)
• Green mantella frog (Mantella viridis)
• Boelens python (Morelia boeleni)
• Bredl’s python (Morelia bredli )
• Carpet python (Morelia spilota)
• Scheltopusik (Ophisaurus apodus)
• Bamboo rat snake (Oreocryptophis porphyraceus)
• Taiwan beauty snake (Orthriophis taeniurus)
• Everglades rat snake (Pantherophis alleghaniensis)
• Grey rat snake (Pantherophis spiloides)
• White’s tree frog (Pelodryas caerulea)
• Golden poison frog (Phyllobates terribilis)
• Waxy monkey tree frog (Phyllomedusa sauvagii)
• Asian water dragon (Physignathus cocincinus)
• Gopher snake (Pituophis catenifer)
• Bullsnake (Pituophis catenifer sayi)
• Five-lined skink (Plestiodon fasciatus)
• Golden tree frog (Polypedates leucomystax)
• Royal python (Python regius)
• African rock python (Python sebae)
• Pasco poison frog (Ranitomeya lamasi)
• Gargoyle gecko (Rhacodactylus auriculatus)
• New Caledonian giant gecko (Rhacodactylus leachianus)
• Painted wood turtle (Rhinoclemmys pulcherrima)
• Rhino rat snake (Rhyncophis boulengeri)
• Razorback musk turtle (Sternotherus carinatus)
• Common musk turtle (Sternotherus odoratus)
• Moorish gecko (Tarentola mauritanica)
• Eastern box turtle (Terapene carolina)
• Ornate box turtle (Terapene ornata)
• Wonder gecko (Teratoscincus scincus)
• Mexican garter snake (Thamnophis eques)
• Chequered garter snake (Thamnophis marcianus)
• San Francisco garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis tetrataenia)
• Southern or blotched blue-tongued lizard (Tiliqua nigrolutea)
• Shingleback lizard (Tiliqua rugosa)
• Eastern blue-tongued lizard (Tiliqua scincoides)
• Jackson’s chameleon (Trioceros jacksonii)
• Four-horned chameleon (Trioceros quadricornis)
• Rio Cauca caecilian (Typhlonectes natans)
• Tricolor hognose (Xenodon pulcher)
• Leopard snake (Zamenis situla)

Ferguson Zone 3

Partial or Open Sun Baskers

Zone range UVI 1.0 – 2.6 (Maximum UVI: 2.9 – 7.4 in basking zone)

• Black-eyed tree frog (Agalychnis moreletii)
• Horsfield’s tortoise (Agrionemys horsfieldii)
• Cuban knight anole (Anolis equestris)
• Cuban brown anole (Anolis sagrei)
• Black-headed python (Aspidites melanocephalus)
• Radiated tortoise (Astrochelys radiata)
• Ploughshare tortoise (Astrochelys yniphora)
• Bornean bloodsucker/green crested lizard (Bronchocela cristatella)
• Oriental garden lizard, eastern garden lizard, bloodsucker (Calotes versicolor)
• Parson’s chameleon (Calumma parsonii)
• African spurred tortoise (Centrochelys sulcata)
• Yemen chameleon (Chamaeleo calyptratus)
• Broad- shelled turtle (Chelodina expansa)
• Common or eastern snake-necked turtle (Chelodina longicollis)
• Frilled dragon (Chlamydosaurus kingii)
• Spotted turtle (Clemmys guttata)
• Collared lizard (Crotaphytus collaris)
• Painted turtle (Crysemys picta ssp.)
• Central netted dragon (Ctenophorus nuchalis)
• Guatemalan black iguana (Ctenosaura palearis)
• Cayman Brac iguana (Cyclura nubila caymanensis)
• Grand cayman iguana/ blue iguana (Cyclura nubila lewisi)
• Desert iguana (Dipsosaurus dorsalis)
• Cunningham’s rock skink (Egernia cunninghami)
• Murray short-necked turtle (Emydura macquarii)
• European pond turtle (Emys orbicularis)
• Berber skink (Eumeces schneideri)
• Carpet chameleon (Furcifer lateralis)
• Panther chameleon (Furcifer pardalis)
• Giant spiny chameleon (Furcifer verrucosus)
• Indian star tortoise (Geochelone elegans)
• Aldabra tortoise (Geochelone gigantea)
• Leopard tortoise (Geochelone pardalis)
• Sudan plated lizard (Gerrhosaurus major)
• Ornate plated lizard (Gerrhosaurus validus)
• Ouachita map turtle (Graptemys ouachitensis)
• False map turtle (Graptemys pseudogeographica)
• Green iguana (Iguana iguana)
• Red iguana (Iguana iguana)
• Bell’s hingeback tortoise (Kinixys belliana)
• Speke’s hingeback tortoise (Kinixys spekii)
• Sand lizard (Lacerta agilis)
• Curly tail lizard (Leiocephalus carinatus)
• Striped water dragon (Lophognathus temporalis)
• Dimond back terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin)
• Mediterranean pond turtle (Mauremys leprosa)
• Reeve’s turtle (Mauremys reevesii)
• Eurasian pond turtle (Mauremys rivulata)
• Dimond python (Morelia spilota spilota)
• Borneo tree toad (Pedostibes hosii)
• African helmeted turtle (Pelomedusa subrufa)
• Yellow-headed day gecko (Phelsuma klemmeri)
• Gold dust day gecko (Phelsuma laticauda)
• Giant day gecko (Phelsuma madagascariensis grandis)
• Standing’s day gecko (Phelsuma standingi)
• Side-neck turtle (Phrynops geoffranus)
• Rankins dragon (Pogona henrylawsoni)
• Bearded dragon (Pogona vitticeps)
• Cooters (Pseudemys concina ssp.)
• River cooter (Pseudemys concinna)
• Florida red-bellied cooter (Pseudemys nelsoni)
• Red-bellied cooter (Pseudemys rubriventris)
• Blue tegu (Salvator merianae )
• Eastern fence lizard (Sceloporus consobrinus )
• Blue spiny swift (Sceloporus cyanogenys)
• Texas spiny lizard (Sceloporus olivaceus)
• Cook strait tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus)
• Asian long-tailed lizard (Takydromus sexlineatus)
• Greek spur-thighed tortoise (Testudo graeca)
• Hermann’s tortoise (Testudo hermanni)
• Egyptian tortoise (Testudo kleinmanni)
• Eyed lizard (Timon lepidus)
• Hispaniolan elegant slider (Trachemys decorata)
• Red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans)
• Yellow-bellied slider (Trachemys scripta scripta)
• Amazon milk frog (Trachycephalus resinifictrix)
• Von Hohnel’s chameleon (Trioceros hoehnelli)
• Black and white tegu (Tupinambis merianae)
• Red tegu (Tupinambis rufescens)
• Golden tegu (Tupinambis teguixin)
• Desert side-blotched lizard (Uta stansburiana stejnegeri)
• Ackie monitor (Varanus acanthurus)
• Black tree monitor (Varanus beccarii)
• Philippine water monitor (Varanus cumingi)
• Kimberley rock monitor (Varanus glauerti)
• Blue tree monitor (Varanus macraei)
• Nile monitor (Varanus niloticus)
• Argus monitor (Varanus panoptes)
• Emerald tree monitor (Varanus prasinus)
• Roughneck monitor (Varanus rudicollis)
• Spencer’s goanna (Varanus spenceri)
• Timor monitor (Varanus timorensis)
• Lace monitor (Varanus varius)

Ferguson Zone 4

Mid-day Sun Basker

Zone range UVI 2.6 – 3.5 (Maximum UVI: 4.5 – 9.5 in basking zone)

• Red-headed agama (Agama agama)
• Spiderman agama (Agama mwanzae)
• Utila iguana (Ctenosaura bakeri)
• Rhino iguana (Cyclura cornuta cornuta)
• Cuban rock iguana (Cyclura nubila)
• Galapagos tortoise (Geochelone nigra)
• Lesser earless lizard (Holbrookia maculata)
• Lesser Antillean iguana (Iguana delicatissima)
• Serrated casque-headed iguana (Laemanctus serratus)
• Starred agama (Laudakia stellio brachydactyla)
• Butterfly agama (Leiolepis belliana)
• Round Island skink (Leiolopisma telfairi)
• Desert horned lizard (Phrynosoma cornutum)
• Chuckwalla (Sauromalus ater)
• Angel island chuckwalla (Sauromalus hispidus)
• Sagebrush lizard (Sceloporus graciosus)
• Blue spiny lizard (Sceloporus serrifer cyanogenys)
• Sungazer (Smaug giganteus)
• Marginated tortoise (Testudo marginata)
• Moroccan uromastyx (Uromastyx acanthinura)
• Egyptian uromastyx (Uromastyx aegyptia)
• Saharan uromastyx (Uromastyx geyri)
• Ocellated uromastyx (Uromastyx ocellatus)
• Ornate uromastyx (Uromastyx ornata)
• Bosc monitor (Varanus exanthematicus)
• Beaver tailed agama (Xenagama batillifera)

Need Help Understanding Ferguson Zones?

Do not hesitate to get in touch with us if you need any help understanding your reptile’s UVB lighting requirements!

Email us at sales@reptilecentre.com or feel free to email Reptile Systems who manufacture some of the finest UVB bulbs on the market. Their email address is support@aquariumsystems.uk.

The post Which Ferguson Zone is My Reptile In? appeared first on Northampton Reptile Centre.

In the 1940s magnetic ballasts were the size of a house brick and filled with tar to protect the components inside. Magnetic ballasts can be noisy giving a background buzzing noise and they waste energy in the way they regulate the power to the lamps. Ballasts are a fascinating part of the fluorescent lamp lighting system due to the complex nature of resistance, inductance, and reactance.

The original T12 and T8 lamps were lit this way right up until the 1980s as electronic units were expensive. As high efficiency and high output replacements become more affordable their popularity grew.

The use of electronic ballasts rose quickly in the 1990s mainly due to the running cost savings. Compared to a magnetic ballast they are very energy efficient, quiet, produce less heat, and are much smaller in size and weight, meaning the can be mounted in slimmer more attractive units.

Although you can still buy some of the old-style units with separate, replaceable choke units this technology is very dated. Fluorescent lamps can be highly efficient, but poorly made, old fashion ballasts are the limiting factor.

Reptile Systems T8 electronic ballast is the solution to this problem. Three high-quality units to cover all size T8 lamps from 14w right the way up to 40w.

• Reptile Systems T8 Electronic Ballast – 14w, 15w, 18w
• Reptile Systems T8 Electronic Ballast – 25w, 30w
• Reptile Systems T8 Electronic Ballast – 36w, 38w, 40w

The unit has its own independent power switch and long lamp leads and has been designed for lighting birds, reptiles, and other types of animal habitats. Rated to IP65 for use in dry enclosures and should not be sprayed directly or submerged in water at any time. The lamp can be mounted inside or on top of your vivarium using the fixings provided (screws not included) with the power unit positioned externally.

Very easy to install and operate, and without the noise or flickering associated with magnetic ballasts. Ideal for use with all zones of Reptile Systems T8 lamps and comes with a two warranty to give you peace of mind.

Frequently asked questions

How long are the lamp leads?

They are 155cm which should be plenty to reach wherever you need.

My lamp does not work, why?

If the fluorescent lamp fails to work correctly check the following :

• Check the appliance fuse and that the mains socket is working.
• Check that the switch is in ON position and all leads are firmly in place.
• Make sure that the lamp is properly installed.
• Check that the lamp is not damaged.
• Make sure that the lamp used corresponds with the electronic ballast unit and that the lamp is properly installed.
• If after all these operations you do not get the solution contact your retailer or a qualified electrician.

The post Why You Should Upgrade to an Electronic T8 Ballast appeared first on Northampton Reptile Centre.

The Mediterranean tortoises from the genus Testudo are found in North Africa, western Asia, and Europe. These tortoises thermoregulate as open sun baskers exposing themselves to a UV Index of 2.9 – 7.4 during the day. If required, they will seek out shade.

Mediterranean Tortoise Species

• Russian tortoise or Horsfield’s tortoise, T. horsfieldii
• Hermann’s tortoise, T. hermanni
  • Eastern Hermann’s tortoise, T. hermanni boettgeri
  • Western Hermann’s tortoise, T. hermanni hermanni
• Marginated tortoise, T. marginata
• Egyptian tortoise or Kleinmann’s tortoise, T. kleinmanni
• Spur-thighed tortoise, Greek tortoise or Common tortoise, T. graeca
  • Mediterranean spur-thighed tortoise, T. graeca graeca
  • Araxes tortoise, T. graeca armeniaca
  • Buxton’s tortoise, T. graeca buxtoni
  • Cyrenaican spur-thighed tortoise, T. graeca cyrenaica
  • Asia Minor tortoise, T. graeca ibera
  • Morocco tortoise, T. graeca marokkensis
  • Nabeul tortoise, T. graeca nabeulensis
  • Souss Valley tortoise, T. graeca soussensis
  • Mesopotamian tortoise, T. graeca terrestris
  • Iranian tortoise, T. graeca zarudnyi

What are Ferguson Zones?

We know that recreating the ultraviolet part of sunlight is very important to reptile health and well-being. How do we measure it, with what and how much do we need for our animals?

We need a device that measures the UV range we are looking for and the Solarmeter 6.5 does just that, measuring from 280-400nm. This handheld device has been developed to measure the strength of UV from the sun to help people protect themselves from sunburn, however, this spectrum is very close to the D3 synthesis range, making it suitable for our use. The scale starts at 0 and goes upwards. This has been used in weather forecasting, when sunny, and is expressed as the UV Index (UVI). The higher the UVI the greater the power of the sun, which changes over the course of the day reaching its peak at midday.

As reptile keepers we can use this index to measure wavelengths that let our reptiles produce their own vitamin D3. As our pet reptiles originated from different countries, with many different habitats, they have morphologically evolved to take advantage of environmental niches for the optimal benefit to their species. This means that two different types of reptiles, even from the same area, may still have completely different UV requirements. To help make sense of this, a renowned herpetologist, Dr. Gary Ferguson measured different reptile’s daily basking sites and exposure times which gave him a good indication to their natural UV requirements. These species were divided up into four different sun exposure groups, which are now referred to as Ferguson zones. Each zone was allocated a range of figures, calculated from the readings, that were taken from the animals basking UVI. Other researchers have added more data to this study to help create a list of animals that fit into these four zones.

Ferguson Zone 1

Crepuscular or Shade Dweller

Zone range UVI 0 – 0.7 (Maximum UVI: 0.6 – 1.4 in basking zone)

Examples: crested geckos, leopard geckos, royal pythons, tokay geckos, Burmese pythons, green tree pythons, milk snakes, reticulated pythons.

Intermediate 1-2

Examples: Fiji banded iguanas, corn snakes, carpet pythons.

Ferguson Zone 2

Partial Sun or Occasional Basker

Zone range UVI 0.7 – 1.0 (Maximum UVI: 1.1 – 3.0 in basking zone)

Examples: Australian water dragons, emerald tree monitors, green anoles, monkey-tailed skinks, pygmy chameleons, ornate box turtles, red foot tortoises, boa constrictors, red-tailed ratsnakes, garter snakes, western hognose snakes.

Intermediate 2-3

Examples: blue-tongued skink, Chinese water dragon, panther chameleon, common musk turtle.

Ferguson Zone 3

Open or Partial Sun Basker

Zone range UVI 1.0 – 2.6 (Maximum UVI: 2.9 – 7.4 in basking zone)

Examples: black and white tegu, frilled lizard, Standing’s day gecko, Yemen chameleon, Indian star tortoise, leopard tortoise, spotted turtle, diamond python.

Intermediate 3-4

Examples: bearded dragon, bosc monitor, green iguana, painted turtle, red-eared slider, African spur-thighed tortoise.

Ferguson Zone 4

Mid-day Sun Basker

Zone range UVI 2.6 – 3.5 (Maximum UVI: 4.5 – 9.5 in basking zone)

Examples: chuckwalla, uromastyx, rhinoceros iguana, Texas horned lizard.

Need Help Understanding Ferguson Zones?

Do not hesitate to get in touch with us if you need any help understanding your reptile’s UVB lighting requirements!

Email us at sales@reptilecentre.com or feel free to email Reptile Systems who manufacture some of the finest UVB bulbs on the market. Their email address is support@aquariumsystems.uk.

The post Which Ferguson Zone are Mediterranean Tortoises? appeared first on Northampton Reptile Centre.

Originating from the tropical forests of Madagascar, Panther Chameleons are defined as partial sun baskers meaning that they do bask during the day but may also choose to seek out shade at times . They are generally exposed to a UV Index of 0.7 – 1.0 with a maximum UVI of 1.1 – 3.0 if they bask in the open sun.

What are Ferguson Zones?

We know that recreating the ultraviolet part of sunlight is very important to reptile health and well-being. How do we measure it, with what and how much do we need for our animals?

We need a device that measures the UV range we are looking for and the Solarmeter 6.5 does just that, measuring from 280-400nm. This handheld device has been developed to measure the strength of UV from the sun to help people protect themselves from sunburn, however, this spectrum is very close to the D3 synthesis range, making it suitable for our use. The scale starts at 0 and goes upwards. This has been used in weather forecasting, when sunny, and is expressed as the UV Index (UVI). The higher the UVI the greater the power of the sun, which changes over the course of the day reaching its peak at midday.

As reptile keepers we can use this index to measure wavelengths that let our reptiles produce their own vitamin D3. As our pet reptiles originated from different countries, with many different habitats, they have morphologically evolved to take advantage of environmental niches for the optimal benefit to their species. This means that two different types of reptiles, even from the same area, may still have completely different UV requirements. To help make sense of this, a renowned herpetologist, Dr. Gary Ferguson measured different reptile’s daily basking sites and exposure times which gave him a good indication to their natural UV requirements. These species were divided up into four different sun exposure groups, which are now referred to as Ferguson zones. Each zone was allocated a range of figures, calculated from the readings, that were taken from the animals basking UVI. Other researchers have added more data to this study to help create a list of animals that fit into these four zones.

Ferguson Zone 1

Crepuscular or Shade Dweller

Zone range UVI 0 – 0.7 (Maximum UVI: 0.6 – 1.4 in basking zone)

Examples: crested geckos, leopard geckos, royal pythons, tokay geckos, Burmese pythons, green tree pythons, milk snakes, reticulated pythons.

Intermediate 1-2

Examples: Fiji banded iguanas, corn snakes, carpet pythons.

Ferguson Zone 2

Partial Sun or Occasional Basker

Zone range UVI 0.7 – 1.0 (Maximum UVI: 1.1 – 3.0 in basking zone)

Examples: Australian water dragons, emerald tree monitors, green anoles, monkey-tailed skinks, pygmy chameleons, ornate box turtles, red foot tortoises, boa constrictors, red-tailed ratsnakes, garter snakes, western hognose snakes.

Intermediate 2-3

Examples: blue-tongued skink, Chinese water dragon, panther chameleon, common musk turtle.

Ferguson Zone 3

Open or Partial Sun Basker

Zone range UVI 1.0 – 2.6 (Maximum UVI: 2.9 – 7.4 in basking zone)

Examples: black and white tegu, frilled lizard, Standing’s day gecko, Yemen chameleon, Indian star tortoise, leopard tortoise, spotted turtle, diamond python.

Intermediate 3-4

Examples: bearded dragon, bosc monitor, green iguana, painted turtle, red-eared slider, African spur-thighed tortoise.

Ferguson Zone 4

Mid-day Sun Basker

Zone range UVI 2.6 – 3.5 (Maximum UVI: 4.5 – 9.5 in basking zone)

Examples: chuckwalla, uromastyx, rhinoceros iguana, Texas horned lizard.

Need Help Understanding Ferguson Zones?

Do not hesitate to get in touch with us if you need any help understanding your reptile’s UVB lighting requirements!

Email us at sales@reptilecentre.com or feel free to email Reptile Systems who manufacture some of the finest UVB bulbs on the market. Their email address is support@aquariumsystems.uk.

The post Which Ferguson Zone are Panther Chameleons? appeared first on Northampton Reptile Centre.

Originating from the Arabian Peninsula in Yemen and Saudi Arabia, Yemen (or Veiled) Chameleons are defined as partial sun baskers meaning that they do bask during the day but may also choose to seek out shade at times . They are generally exposed to a UV Index of 1 – 2.6 with a maximum UVI of 2.9 – 7.4 if they bask in the open sun.

What are Ferguson Zones?

We know that recreating the ultraviolet part of sunlight is very important to reptile health and well-being. How do we measure it, with what and how much do we need for our animals?

We need a device that measures the UV range we are looking for and the Solarmeter 6.5 does just that, measuring from 280-400nm. This handheld device has been developed to measure the strength of UV from the sun to help people protect themselves from sunburn, however, this spectrum is very close to the D3 synthesis range, making it suitable for our use. The scale starts at 0 and goes upwards. This has been used in weather forecasting, when sunny, and is expressed as the UV Index (UVI). The higher the UVI the greater the power of the sun, which changes over the course of the day reaching its peak at midday.

As reptile keepers we can use this index to measure wavelengths that let our reptiles produce their own vitamin D3. As our pet reptiles originated from different countries, with many different habitats, they have morphologically evolved to take advantage of environmental niches for the optimal benefit to their species. This means that two different types of reptiles, even from the same area, may still have completely different UV requirements. To help make sense of this, a renowned herpetologist, Dr. Gary Ferguson measured different reptile’s daily basking sites and exposure times which gave him a good indication to their natural UV requirements. These species were divided up into four different sun exposure groups, which are now referred to as Ferguson zones. Each zone was allocated a range of figures, calculated from the readings, that were taken from the animals basking UVI. Other researchers have added more data to this study to help create a list of animals that fit into these four zones.

Ferguson Zone 1

Crepuscular or Shade Dweller

Zone range UVI 0 – 0.7 (Maximum UVI: 0.6 – 1.4 in basking zone)

Examples: crested geckos, leopard geckos, royal pythons, tokay geckos, Burmese pythons, green tree pythons, milk snakes, reticulated pythons.

Intermediate 1-2

Examples: Fiji banded iguanas, corn snakes, carpet pythons.

Ferguson Zone 2

Partial Sun or Occasional Basker

Zone range UVI 0.7 – 1.0 (Maximum UVI: 1.1 – 3.0 in basking zone)

Examples: Australian water dragons, emerald tree monitors, green anoles, monkey-tailed skinks, pygmy chameleons, ornate box turtles, red foot tortoises, boa constrictors, red-tailed ratsnakes, garter snakes, western hognose snakes.

Intermediate 2-3

Examples: blue-tongued skink, Chinese water dragon, panther chameleon, common musk turtle.

Ferguson Zone 3

Open or Partial Sun Basker

Zone range UVI 1.0 – 2.6 (Maximum UVI: 2.9 – 7.4 in basking zone)

Examples: black and white tegu, frilled lizard, Standing’s day gecko, Yemen chameleon, Indian star tortoise, leopard tortoise, spotted turtle, diamond python.

Intermediate 3-4

Examples: bearded dragon, bosc monitor, green iguana, painted turtle, red-eared slider, African spur-thighed tortoise.

Ferguson Zone 4

Mid-day Sun Basker

Zone range UVI 2.6 – 3.5 (Maximum UVI: 4.5 – 9.5 in basking zone)

Examples: chuckwalla, uromastyx, rhinoceros iguana, Texas horned lizard.

Need Help Understanding Ferguson Zones?

Do not hesitate to get in touch with us if you need any help understanding your reptile’s UVB lighting requirements!

Email us at sales@reptilecentre.com or feel free to email Reptile Systems who manufacture some of the finest UVB bulbs on the market. Their email address is support@aquariumsystems.uk.

The post Which Ferguson Zone are Yemen Chameleons? appeared first on Northampton Reptile Centre.

Corn snakes originate from the grasslands of southeastern and central United States. Corn snakes are defined as crepuscular meaning that they are mostly active during dawn and dusk. But, they do also occasionally bask during the day. They are generally exposed to a UV Index of 0 – 0.7 with a maximum UVI of 1.1 – 3.0 if they bask during the day.

What are Ferguson Zones?

We know that recreating the ultraviolet part of sunlight is very important to reptile health and well-being. How do we measure it, with what and how much do we need for our animals?

We need a device that measures the UV range we are looking for and the Solarmeter 6.5 does just that, measuring from 280-400nm. This handheld device has been developed to measure the strength of UV from the sun to help people protect themselves from sunburn, however, this spectrum is very close to the D3 synthesis range, making it suitable for our use. The scale starts at 0 and goes upwards. This has been used in weather forecasting, when sunny, and is expressed as the UV Index (UVI). The higher the UVI the greater the power of the sun, which changes over the course of the day reaching its peak at midday.

As reptile keepers we can use this index to measure wavelengths that let our reptiles produce their own vitamin D3. As our pet reptiles originated from different countries, with many different habitats, they have morphologically evolved to take advantage of environmental niches for the optimal benefit to their species. This means that two different types of reptiles, even from the same area, may still have completely different UV requirements. To help make sense of this, a renowned herpetologist, Dr. Gary Ferguson measured different reptile’s daily basking sites and exposure times which gave him a good indication to their natural UV requirements. These species were divided up into four different sun exposure groups, which are now referred to as Ferguson zones. Each zone was allocated a range of figures, calculated from the readings, that were taken from the animals basking UVI. Other researchers have added more data to this study to help create a list of animals that fit into these four zones.

Ferguson Zone 1

Crepuscular or Shade Dweller

Zone range UVI 0 – 0.7 (Maximum UVI: 0.6 – 1.4 in basking zone)

Examples: crested geckos, leopard geckos, royal pythons, tokay geckos, Burmese pythons, green tree pythons, milk snakes, reticulated pythons.

Intermediate 1-2

Examples: Fiji banded iguanas, corn snakes, carpet pythons.

Ferguson Zone 2

Partial Sun or Occasional Basker

Zone range UVI 0.7 – 1.0 (Maximum UVI: 1.1 – 3.0 in basking zone)

Examples: Australian water dragons, emerald tree monitors, green anoles, monkey-tailed skinks, pygmy chameleons, ornate box turtles, red foot tortoises, boa constrictors, red-tailed ratsnakes, garter snakes, western hognose snakes.

Intermediate 2-3

Examples: blue-tongued skink, Chinese water dragon, panther chameleon, common musk turtle.

Ferguson Zone 3

Open or Partial Sun Basker

Zone range UVI 1.0 – 2.6 (Maximum UVI: 2.9 – 7.4 in basking zone)

Examples: black and white tegu, frilled lizard, Standing’s day gecko, Yemen chameleon, Indian star tortoise, leopard tortoise, spotted turtle, diamond python.

Intermediate 3-4

Examples: bearded dragon, bosc monitor, green iguana, painted turtle, red-eared slider, African spur-thighed tortoise.

Ferguson Zone 4

Mid-day Sun Basker

Zone range UVI 2.6 – 3.5 (Maximum UVI: 4.5 – 9.5 in basking zone)

Examples: chuckwalla, uromastyx, rhinoceros iguana, Texas horned lizard.

Need Help Understanding Ferguson Zones?

Do not hesitate to get in touch with us if you need any help understanding your reptile’s UVB lighting requirements!

Email us at sales@reptilecentre.com or feel free to email Reptile Systems who manufacture some of the finest UVB bulbs on the market. Their email address is support@aquariumsystems.uk.

The post Which Ferguson Zone are Corn Snakes? appeared first on Northampton Reptile Centre.

Originating from the grasslands and shrublands of West and Central Africa, Royal Pythons are defined as crepuscular meaning that they are mostly active during dawn and dusk. They are generally exposed to a UV Index of 0 – 0.7 with a maximum UVI of 0.6 – 1.4 if they do venture out a little more.

What are Ferguson Zones?

We know that recreating the ultraviolet part of sunlight is very important to reptile health and well-being. How do we measure it, with what and how much do we need for our animals?

We need a device that measures the UV range we are looking for and the Solarmeter 6.5 does just that, measuring from 280-400nm. This handheld device has been developed to measure the strength of UV from the sun to help people protect themselves from sunburn, however, this spectrum is very close to the D3 synthesis range, making it suitable for our use. The scale starts at 0 and goes upwards. This has been used in weather forecasting, when sunny, and is expressed as the UV Index (UVI). The higher the UVI the greater the power of the sun, which changes over the course of the day reaching its peak at midday.

As reptile keepers we can use this index to measure wavelengths that let our reptiles produce their own vitamin D3. As our pet reptiles originated from different countries, with many different habitats, they have morphologically evolved to take advantage of environmental niches for the optimal benefit to their species. This means that two different types of reptiles, even from the same area, may still have completely different UV requirements. To help make sense of this, a renowned herpetologist, Dr. Gary Ferguson measured different reptile’s daily basking sites and exposure times which gave him a good indication to their natural UV requirements. These species were divided up into four different sun exposure groups, which are now referred to as Ferguson zones. Each zone was allocated a range of figures, calculated from the readings, that were taken from the animals basking UVI. Other researchers have added more data to this study to help create a list of animals that fit into these four zones.

Ferguson Zone 1

Crepuscular or Shade Dweller

Zone range UVI 0 – 0.7 (Maximum UVI: 0.6 – 1.4 in basking zone)

Examples: crested geckos, leopard geckos, royal pythons, tokay geckos, Burmese pythons, green tree pythons, milk snakes, reticulated pythons.

Intermediate 1-2

Examples: Fiji banded iguanas, corn snakes, carpet pythons.

Ferguson Zone 2

Partial Sun or Occasional Basker

Zone range UVI 0.7 – 1.0 (Maximum UVI: 1.1 – 3.0 in basking zone)

Examples: Australian water dragons, emerald tree monitors, green anoles, monkey-tailed skinks, pygmy chameleons, ornate box turtles, red foot tortoises, boa constrictors, red-tailed ratsnakes, garter snakes, western hognose snakes.

Intermediate 2-3

Examples: blue-tongued skink, Chinese water dragon, panther chameleon, common musk turtle.

Ferguson Zone 3

Open or Partial Sun Basker

Zone range UVI 1.0 – 2.6 (Maximum UVI: 2.9 – 7.4 in basking zone)

Examples: black and white tegu, frilled lizard, Standing’s day gecko, Yemen chameleon, Indian star tortoise, leopard tortoise, spotted turtle, diamond python.

Intermediate 3-4

Examples: bearded dragon, bosc monitor, green iguana, painted turtle, red-eared slider, African spur-thighed tortoise.

Ferguson Zone 4

Mid-day Sun Basker

Zone range UVI 2.6 – 3.5 (Maximum UVI: 4.5 – 9.5 in basking zone)

Examples: chuckwalla, uromastyx, rhinoceros iguana, Texas horned lizard.

Need Help Understanding Ferguson Zones?

Do not hesitate to get in touch with us if you need any help understanding your reptile’s UVB lighting requirements!

Email us at sales@reptilecentre.com or feel free to email Reptile Systems who manufacture some of the finest UVB bulbs on the market. Their email address is support@aquariumsystems.uk.

The post Which Ferguson Zone are Royal Pythons? appeared first on Northampton Reptile Centre.

Leopard geckos are from the rocky dry grassland and desert regions of Afghanistan, Pakistan, north-west India, and Iran. They are defined as cathemeral meaning that they are sporadically active during both the day and night. They are generally exposed to a UV Index of 0 – 0.7 with a maximum UVI of 0.6 – 1.4 if they do venture out a little more.

What are Ferguson Zones?

We know that recreating the ultraviolet part of sunlight is very important to reptile health and well-being. How do we measure it, with what and how much do we need for our animals?

We need a device that measures the UV range we are looking for and the Solarmeter 6.5 does just that, measuring from 280-400nm. This handheld device has been developed to measure the strength of UV from the sun to help people protect themselves from sunburn, however, this spectrum is very close to the D3 synthesis range, making it suitable for our use. The scale starts at 0 and goes upwards. This has been used in weather forecasting, when sunny, and is expressed as the UV Index (UVI). The higher the UVI the greater the power of the sun, which changes over the course of the day reaching its peak at midday.

As reptile keepers we can use this index to measure wavelengths that let our reptiles produce their own vitamin D3. As our pet reptiles originated from different countries, with many different habitats, they have morphologically evolved to take advantage of environmental niches for the optimal benefit to their species. This means that two different types of reptiles, even from the same area, may still have completely different UV requirements. To help make sense of this, a renowned herpetologist, Dr. Gary Ferguson measured different reptile’s daily basking sites and exposure times which gave him a good indication to their natural UV requirements. These species were divided up into four different sun exposure groups, which are now referred to as Ferguson zones. Each zone was allocated a range of figures, calculated from the readings, that were taken from the animals basking UVI. Other researchers have added more data to this study to help create a list of animals that fit into these four zones.

Ferguson Zone 1

Crepuscular or Shade Dweller

Zone range UVI 0 – 0.7 (Maximum UVI: 0.6 – 1.4 in basking zone)

Examples: crested geckos, leopard geckos, royal pythons, tokay geckos, Burmese pythons, green tree pythons, milk snakes, reticulated pythons.

Intermediate 1-2

Examples: Fiji banded iguanas, corn snakes, carpet pythons.

Ferguson Zone 2

Partial Sun or Occasional Basker

Zone range UVI 0.7 – 1.0 (Maximum UVI: 1.1 – 3.0 in basking zone)

Examples: Australian water dragons, emerald tree monitors, green anoles, monkey-tailed skinks, pygmy chameleons, ornate box turtles, red foot tortoises, boa constrictors, red-tailed ratsnakes, garter snakes, western hognose snakes.

Intermediate 2-3

Examples: blue-tongued skink, Chinese water dragon, panther chameleon, common musk turtle.

Ferguson Zone 3

Open or Partial Sun Basker

Zone range UVI 1.0 – 2.6 (Maximum UVI: 2.9 – 7.4 in basking zone)

Examples: black and white tegu, frilled lizard, Standing’s day gecko, Yemen chameleon, Indian star tortoise, leopard tortoise, spotted turtle, diamond python.

Intermediate 3-4

Examples: bearded dragon, bosc monitor, green iguana, painted turtle, red-eared slider, African spur-thighed tortoise.

Ferguson Zone 4

Mid-day Sun Basker

Zone range UVI 2.6 – 3.5 (Maximum UVI: 4.5 – 9.5 in basking zone)

Examples: chuckwalla, uromastyx, rhinoceros iguana, Texas horned lizard.

Need Help Understanding Ferguson Zones?

Do not hesitate to get in touch with us if you need any help understanding your reptile’s UVB lighting requirements!

Email us at sales@reptilecentre.com or feel free to email Reptile Systems who manufacture some of the finest UVB bulbs on the market. Their email address is support@aquariumsystems.uk.

The post Which Ferguson Zone are Leopard Geckos? appeared first on Northampton Reptile Centre.