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Bad UV bulb?

td103

Bearded Dragon Egg
Messages
18
My bearded dragon has been keeping one eye closed a lot over the past week. ive been trying to determine between stuck shed or an infection, but i dont think that its either of those. I used a reptisun 10.0, and ive realized that when i bring him out of his tank, the problem almost completely goes away and his eye opens right back up. Im going to go out and get a new UV bulb, but i read somewhere that if a beardie is having eye troubles, the UV should be off for a few days to promote recovery, should i do this? or just put the UV bulb in and see how he responds to it?
TIA :)
edit: ive only had the bulb for about three months, i think its could have been damage from traveling back and forth to school
 

Hdrydr31

Bearded Dragon Veteran
Staff member
3 Year Member
1,000+ Post Club
Messages
5,574
Can you post a picture of your set up so we can see the details.. It could be the placement of the bulb if it's too close it can cause damage, if it's not shining directly down on them but from the side that can burn their eyes as they have ridges over their eyes to protect them from above yet not from the side. ..Is it a long tubular Reptisun T5 10.0 or T8? If it is a coil style bulb those are known to have caused damage to their eyes in the past and may or may not still be causing issues..
I would not turn off the bulb as they need the UVB and basking bulb over lapping eachother so that they can digest and convert the food and supplements properly..
If it's the wrong bulb replacing it should do the trick..
so pictures will really help
 

td103

Bearded Dragon Egg
Messages
18
Uv bulb typically in the back dome and the heat in the front dome. (He will be moved into a larger tank this summer) the eye that seems to be bothering him is the one further from the lights, but hes not always in this position, usually directly under the dome
 

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td103

Bearded Dragon Egg
Messages
18
im not sure if its the t8 or t5, it fits in the dome, im waiting for it to cool down to pull it out and see
 

td103

Bearded Dragon Egg
Messages
18
I have a ceramic dome at home, if it would be better for me to go home and grab that and get a mercury bulb for it i can do that instead of chance it
 

BrookeE

Juvenile Dragon
3 Year Member
Messages
199
If it fits in a dome, its not a T8 or T5. "T5 and T8" are sizes of the long tube fixtures. You should definitely try using a Reptisun T5 HO 10.0 UVB light. The dome style lights are known for giving them problems with their eye sight.
 

td103

Bearded Dragon Egg
Messages
18
what about the mercury bulb? i dont want to go out and buy a whole new fixture, added onto that im taking finals and leaving for a week long trip in another week and im worried if i dont get all the temps right in time id have to leave him with faulty lighting. Would the mercury bulb provide better results instead? or is any dome style not good for UVB
 

Hdrydr31

Bearded Dragon Veteran
Staff member
3 Year Member
1,000+ Post Club
Messages
5,574
what about the mercury bulb? i dont want to go out and buy a whole new fixture, added onto that im taking finals and leaving for a week long trip in another week and im worried if i dont get all the temps right in time id have to leave him with faulty lighting. Would the mercury bulb provide better results instead? or is any dome style not good for UVB
MVB are good bulbs so if you have the set up I would switch to that..
 

Draeju's_world

Juvenile Dragon
Messages
142
Location
Raleigh, NC
I agree with the mercury vapour bulbs. I'm using a 100 watt Mega Ray mvb along with a 26w T5HO Reptisun 10. For extra heat and light, I also run a 75w full spectrum Chromalux flood light in a dome next to the Mega Ray. Since i have a few potted plants in my enclosure, i supplemented these lights with a few daylight (5000-6500k) led spot lights. (10-30w). ~90g cube shaped enclosures can be a challenge to illuminate! I have a few standard Sun Glo 100w neodymium incandescent bulbs handy, as well, but not currently using them. Those suckers get hot.
 

PatsyB

Super Moderator
Staff member
1,000+ Post Club
Beardie Club
Messages
9,390
Location
Chicago
The tank is small though so whatever you use, make sure you are getting a temp gradient. Basking spot around 107 and a cool side around 80.
 

td103

Bearded Dragon Egg
Messages
18
I picked up a bulb but its too long for the lamp i have, gonna trade it out today for one with a clamp and dimmer, that should help with the intensity of the heat right? Right when i put the bulb in it was so hot immediately it did kinda worry me that its going to be too hot in his tank. The ambient temp in my house is about 68 if that factors in.
 

td103

Bearded Dragon Egg
Messages
18
got the new lamp, one without a dimmer because i realized that cermanic bulbs cannot be dimmed, but the temps are all in order. 100 on basking, 85 on the cool side and 80 under the log. the only thing i had to change was lowering the hammock closer to the bottom of the enclosure so he cant climb out and removing the screen, as i dont think its going to get quite hot enough on his basking side with the screen. Thanks so much for all the help, hopefully ill see eye improvements soon :)
 
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