Temperature question. Need advice.

[TKG]

Hi all,

My one year old bearded is in a 40 gallon tank. We have a thin reptile rug on the floor of the tank, an under tank heater on the warm side, a halogen bulb for basking and a UVB light that goes across the length of the tank. She also has a large cave, a fake log type structure she likes to climb and a large water bowl. The warm side is at about 85 and cool side around 65-70. I feel like the warm side isn't warm enough but also don't want her to be too hot. I've read a lot of conflicting information on what the temp should be so I figured I'd ask on here. She does get constipated easily but I feel like that wouldn't be from the heat, unless I'm wrong. Here's a picture of her setup. I'd appreciate any advice!
Thanks!

 

[beardieX0]

Well the basking temp needs to be 100-105 for them to digest. I put a thermometer right under the basking spot and one on the cool side to measure them. If she is not opening her mouth to regulate her temp when she's basking then it isn't hot enough. She should be doing this

 

[Luvthemanimal]

Um no she should not be doing this...... The open there mouths to regulate heat is she's doing it your temps are in fact too hot.... They have a third eye so to speak like a sensor top of there heads and once it reaches desired temps they open there mouths to cool down there brain and have to sit there until there body reaches the temp it desires.......


Therefore constant gapping as it's called is definitely not a good thing......

 

[Luvthemanimal]

Hi all,

My one year old bearded is in a 40 gallon tank. We have a thin reptile rug on the floor of the tank, an under tank heater on the warm side, a halogen bulb for basking and a UVB light that goes across the length of the tank. She also has a large cave, a fake log type structure she likes to climb and a large water bowl. The warm side is at about 85 and cool side around 65-70. I feel like the warm side isn't warm enough but also don't want her to be too hot. I've read a lot of conflicting information on what the temp should be so I figured I'd ask on here. She does get constipated easily but I feel like that wouldn't be from the heat, unless I'm wrong. Here's a picture of her setup. I'd appreciate any advice!
Thanks!View attachment 11014

You want basking at 105-110 cool side mid 75-80 and ambient 80-85....might time temp shouldn't drop below 65

 

[beardieX0]

Yeah maybe not constant but every once and a while he should do this or move. At least that's what everyone on forums have told me. Not to give misinformation sorry. If someone is wrong about something it shouldn't be handled in to rude of a way. Like I said. Sorry.

 

[beardieX0]

As you said when they reach their desired temp they do this, so it's basically telling us that it is hot enough. Maybe constant gaping is bad, but I never said it should be constant. I am sorry for not being specific. Is it normal for them to do this every once and a while? Mine does it a couple times a day but not constantly.

 

[Luvthemanimal]

As you said when they reach their desired temp they do this, so it's basically telling us that it is hot enough. Maybe constant gaping is bad, but I never said it should be constant. I am sorry for not being specific. Is it normal for them to do this every once and a while? Mine does it a couple times a day but not constantly.

I'm sorry I didn't mean to come off rude... I apologize if I did....

If they gap it's fine..... It means there head got to hot faster than the rest of there bodies..... If they do it alot you would want to lower the basking temps a bit so the beardie gets a consistent body heat instead of having to gap to regulate it's temps...... This results in better digesting...

 

[beardieX0]

It is fine I'm sure you didn't mean to. After all we are typing, so there's no emotion. Thank you so much for you help!

 

[jarich]

Gaping is not a problem and should not be any kind of determiner of basking temperature either way. Your dragon is better at determining what is too hot than you are. If there is constant gaping it would likely mean that a larger basking zone is needed, not that the temperature needs to be reduced.

However, in this situation the constipation does show that the basking area likely needs to be hotter. It can be caused by other factors, but heat would be the most likely cause given the lower numbers. Their preferred body temperature is around 94-95 F, and a basking area large enough to encompass their whole body at least around 105 F is preferable. Personally I keep mine at 125F, but this must be able to be maintained with a cool side of around 75-80 F still.