40 Gallon Zilla Critter Cage Breeder tank.

[Germ]

@ Buddha - 6 or 7 years ago when compacts first came out or became more popular, there were issues with a very popular Brand UVB bulb's Compact version, which in fact is not really a coil fluorescent style at all. Because the tube was\is so popular and has always had good reviews, people confused the issue with another because the brand names are so close. The stories started that the Repti-Glo compact was the bad apple & just snowballed, escalated to all Rept-Glo bulbs including the tubes. When in truth, this is the report from uvguide.uk.co, that started it all ...

We began a serious investigation of these reports in April 2007 following an alert from one of the organisers of a popular hobbyists’ website forum in the USA, www.redearslider.com, where members had become very concerned following a spate of problems in turtles across the USA.

We have now documented 40 individual cases, occurring since September 2006, affecting 16 turtles, 3 tortoises and 21 lizards in the USA and in Europe, affected by ZooMed Reptisun 10.0 Compact Lamps and (more rarely) 5.0 Compact Lamps.

http://www.uvguide.co.uk/phototherapyphosphor.htm

uvguide.uk.co at the time was 'the place' when it came to UV lighting for herps & are responsible for many, many improvements to the bulbs we use today. Unfortunately the site was down for a major upgrade & has not been updated now for a couple of years. I heard rumors that Frances Baines fell under serious health issues since, but don't quote me on that, again only rumors.

On another Forum the false issues concerning the Repti-Glo bulbs were again being thrown out there, Frances Baines was a member so I queried her on her findings & reports to uvguide.uk.co. This was her reply ...

However there are only a very few reports of photo-kerato-conjunctivitis associated with ExoTerra compact lamps or linear tubes ...and out of the half-dozen or so convincing cases I've collected over five years, (yeah, ok, that's not a lot, but the affected animals did suffer...) most, but not all, occurred when the reptile was able to get very close to the lamp.
I am told that probably because they are so cheap, Exoterra ReptiGlo tubes are the most popular brands on the market, so the incidence of injuries must be very low; the risk cannot be very great.

Hope that helps.

Frances
http://www.uvguide.co.uk

As far as I know, the Issues with the Repti-Sun compact has long since been rectified by using different phosphors in their manufacture. Yet, This stigmatism still plagues Repti-Glo's reputation. I have used Repti-glo tubes for many years without issue, since day 1, this past year or so I have used the Repti-Sun tubes because I got a very good buy on a larger order of them & wanted to try them out. I just installed the last one. I have not noticed any difference whatsoever between the 2 brands of bulbs. All my remaining enclosures with the new juveniles, will now, once again, have Repti-Glo 10.0 tubes, as soon as they arrive this week.

Now all that being said, personally I have never been a fan of Compacts, have always used tubes because I have always mounted the fixtures inside the enclosures. Compacts have their place, just not in any of 'my' enclosures .

Don't know if that actually answers your question or not, but that's all I got .

 

[Mungi's Buddha]

@Germ...helps a great deal! As I have stated before I.value your opinion and you have a lot more hands-on experience with the beardies than I do I've used both and still use the compacts with some of our other reptiles as with their enclosures the the compacts work better and am able to focus the light where it's needed better. And I have never seen any adverse affects either using the ReptiGlo vs ReptiSun...have again used both...was only the odd change in Mungi's behavior that set me to researching at all and once I stumbled across the articles it made the coils questionable for use with him..could have easily just been the difference in changing from coils to tubes period in his case or could have been bad bulbs at that time or any combination of things...funny how connections fall into place when you are concerned for the health of your creatures and looking for answers...sometimes the connections are wrong, yes? Lol..the pet supply business is rack with misleading info afterall as we all have found out
Thanks for you input again....much appreciated!

 

[Germ]

 

[thorn]

There is definitely something wrong with this picture. Exactly where & what with are you measuring your temps, what type of thermometer. Would you please post pics of your setup, showing the lighting arrangement & thermometer.

When I use a 90Watt Philips Halogen Flood in my 90 Gallon enclosures above a coarse screen, directly below the bulb at the floor 22" away, the temps reach 100+F & is much more than enough to give me my cool side temps in the 12 cubic foot enclosure. I generally use a 75 Watt in there, that does the job quite nicely. A 40 Gallon breeder is approximately 6.5 cubic feet. I find it very difficult to believe that a 90 watt Halogen will not heat a 40 gallon breeder when the floor can not be any further than 16 inches from the screen, unless you live in an igloo .

Do your room temps drop that drastically when the sun goes down ?

In my other enclosures with a 75W halogen pointed diagonally at an angle towards the basking spot, I get basking temps of 110 at 16", this is without a screen though. At 11-12" with a 50W.

Please post pics.

found out the problem. i had the other kind of light the one with the funny a at the end of the name -.-. just replace it about an hour ago. the tank is 24 inches tall so hes like 21 inches away from the light and the light is pointing straight down i also have his uvb bulb at an angle so it hits the basking spot too. i know this is a bit off topic here but how can i tell if hes stressed. i got him 2 days ago and had to take him out of his tank 2 times already to clean it and to put substrate in there and he didnt freak out on me he just kinda chilled on my hand. but he has been sitting on the same spot for like 2 days now. where ever i set him down in the cage he just stays there.

 

[Mungi's Buddha]

Just my guess but he is probably a lil stressed...it's only natural...he's been placed in a new environment with a lot of new activity going on around him so sitting in one spot may just be the safest thing in his mind at the moment...he probably doesnt freak out when you pik him up because so far you havent harmed him in anyway but he is still going to be weary of you because you are new...again you said he just chills on your hand..safest thing if he is unsure is to stay still...very still ;-) Just to qualify these thought I am not a beardie specialist, psychologist nor any other reptile expert nor do Iplay one on TV but I do have a large household of creatures, always have and have spent a great deal of time just observing them..you can learn a lot doing that...just give him a little time to get used to all the new and soon enough he will be more active and up for exploration and such...aslong as you have his house set up right and he is eating, pooping etc try not to worry although if you are like most of the rest of us you will worry,,lol;-)

 

[thorn]

how long can he go with out eating?i dont want to just toss tons of kale in there if hes to stressed to eat. i was thinking i would put just a little in there tomorrow and see if he eats it. so i assume i should just leave him alone for about 3 or 4 days.

 

[Mungi's Buddha]

can take a week to 10 days for him to get comfy...thats average I have heard of...every dragon is different tho...as far as greens go some lil ones wont take to them right away...also try different types...Mungi for instance wont touch Kale but he loves Collards and Mustard Greens and Arugula..so we keep thos as staples and try other things occassionally to see what he takes to and doesnt...but eventho your new dragon is not touching them make sure that you offer them to him fresh every day regardless...sooner or later he will eat them when you find the ones he likes. And if he is eating his crickets you know he is atleast eating something in the meantime;-) Be aware tho that it'snot uncommon for beardies to skip eating for a day or two..especially if they are stressed.

 

[thorn]

good to know. hes not even eating his crickets too so im hoping he will eat soon. or atleast im not seeing him eat.

 

[Mungi's Buddha]

Try offering him.the crickets with a pair of tweezers (plastic kind) or from your fingers...if he is scared he may not go chase them...patience is another big necessity with new critter family members...lol...I learned that from our iguana who to this day will not eat if anyonr is near his enclosure and will still get pissed if you hang around waiting to see him eat....his answer is to dive into his food dish and scatter it all over his enclosure..lol ...I spent many a day worrying and trying to spy on him to make sure he ate in the beginning and made myself sick....finally I figured him.out...put his food dish in his enclosure and walk away and he starts munching...stick around and he turns into an iguana cyclone...lol....other than that he is a peaceful sweet lizard..lol
You and your new dragon are just beginning your relationship...slow and consistent and patient WILL make for a long fun relationship between you....kinda like all real relationships in life....rush things and they always fall apart,right?
Enjoy your evening!

 

[thorn]

i have no clue why but i am afraid to pick up the crickets like they will burrow into my skin or something. i know they cant but i just have a fear of it for no dam reason lol. i have feeder tongs with rubber tips but the crickets are like super fast. lol im such a panzy some time.

 

[Mungi's Buddha]

Lol...you will get over your fear in time..after you feed a few thousand or so its no big deal...only time.you.have to be concerned is when.you start thinkin " hmmmm...actually they do look a lil tasty...I wonder..." Lol and yes I have actually tried them...not my cup of tea tho...lol

 

[thorn]

Lol...you will get over your fear in time..after you feed a few thousand or so its no big deal...only time.you.have to be concerned is when.you start thinkin " hmmmm...actually they do look a lil tasty...I wonder..." Lol and yes I have actually tried them...not my cup of tea tho...lol

See that's the messed up part. I have eaten spiders ants crickets scorpians snakes hell even bull testicals and I use to own a giant black African millipede that I picked up and hand fed very day yet I'm still afraid for no reason.