I just purchased a juvenile Bearded Dragon 2 days ago and after running to 3 pet stores and returning incorrect items 3 times I am hoping I can get some much needed answers. Everything I have been told so far seems to have been contradictive to most of what I have read this evening. Please help! I currently have him/her set up in a 20L tank (knowing that he will grow out of it within about 6 months) I was told that the best lighting option was the MVB 100 watt bulb. It is setting on a lamp stand 2 inches from the top of the screen. for Night time temp we have a 100 black light heat bulb sitting on the same lamp stand appx. 3-4 inches from the top of the screen. Last night the basking spot did not drop below 80 degrees and today it was appx 105-110. He seemed happy to be just right of the actual basking spot and stayed there most of the day. I feel like this may still be too hot from everything I have read and am ready and willing to change it to the appropriate lighting/heat sources that he needs.
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Confused Lighting question
- Thread starter Niki
- Start date
- Messages
- 227
- Location
- Cincinnati Ohio
i would say go to a 75 watt heat bulb, and get a seperate UVB tube, 18", and use 2 seperate bulbs. Also a 100 watt night bulb seems too high for a 20 gallon. You might not even need it. what are his night temps? if its in the 70's without the bulb you dont need it.
- Messages
- 227
- Location
- Cincinnati Ohio
i would use a 75 watt basking bulb. and also an 18" 10.0 UVB tube bulb. I like using seperate bulbs, but you dont have too. Also a 100 watt night bulb seems too high for a 20 gallon. What are your night temps like? i keep mine about 70-75. any higher you dont need a heat source.
- Messages
- 314
- Location
- Nova Scotia, Canada
Dragons only need night heat when the temp in your house drops below 68F. The need to have a temp drop at night to slow down and rest.
No light of any colour at night either, contrary to old belief dragons can see red and blue and it keeps them from getting proper rest.
The 20gal tank may not even last a month, Dragons grow quick and need a lot of floor space. Keep you eyes out for a 40gal breeder(Tank style that has more floor space than hieght) tank.
No light of any colour at night either, contrary to old belief dragons can see red and blue and it keeps them from getting proper rest.
The 20gal tank may not even last a month, Dragons grow quick and need a lot of floor space. Keep you eyes out for a 40gal breeder(Tank style that has more floor space than hieght) tank.
Right now our house temps are only 65 degrees but they will drop to possibly 55 degrees in the house. We have a pretty big house so we don't run the heater often in the winter. If not the bulb the does the under tank heater work best in this situation? If I switch to the 10.00 uvb does he need to be closer to it than his current basking rock which only lifts him appx 2 inches from bottom of the tank? Sorry so many questions but each time I have some of my questions answered I feel like i have 10 more. Thanks so much for the replies!
- Messages
- 227
- Location
- Cincinnati Ohio
i wouldnt use an under tank heater. Get something called a ceramic heat emitter. Its like a light bulb but only gives off heat, no lights. Get like a 50-65 watt one. That'll run you around 25-30 bucks, but they last a really long time. For the UVB if you switch to a 10.0, i think they give off useful rays up to 24" so you want him as close to it as possible. if you set it on top of the screen lid it should be about 12" or so from him and thats perfect distance
Also dont be sorry for asking questions, thats why you joined this forum. Everyone on here is really friendly and we love the questions. We love helping out a new beardie owner
Good luck! any more questions just keep asking away( THANKS!!!
Also dont be sorry for asking questions, thats why you joined this forum. Everyone on here is really friendly and we love the questions. We love helping out a new beardie owner
Good luck! any more questions just keep asking away( THANKS!!!
- Messages
- 227
- Location
- Cincinnati Ohio
Looks good! Feed him well and he will grow up fast
Ok... Stumped again... this morning the heat from the 75 watt basking bulb is only putting his basking spot at 101 degrees and he is not wanting to eat. I had put a log that raised him up higher to the light and he was sitting on it but basking spot was no different at 101 so Went back to rock that he seemed to like much better. Yesterday it was nice and hot at 107-109... What happened? I dont know what the house temp was yesterday but today it is 68. so how do i get it hotter for him when 100w bulb is too hot?
ok... so here is where we are today.. Basking spot is 109 at it's hottest but fluctuates all the way down to 102. He has eaten about 2 crickets a day since sat. When we got him mon-fri he ate 5 in the morning and 5 at night and he was trying different things like endive and butternut squash. then saturday I changed the lighting as mentioned above 75 w basking bulb day and 75 w black light at night along with zilla uvb and now this. He is going to the bathroom ok but he just sits on his rock basking and sleeping all day. I have him on 13/11 sleeping just becuase of the activity in the house. and the humidity in the tank is 30-40 throughout the day. Is this something to be worried about?
- Messages
- 227
- Location
- Cincinnati Ohio
chasnging as beardies lights can cause mild stress. give him sa few days to adjust to the new lights and temps and his eating should increase. As long as he even eats a few crickets a day he'll be fine. No need to panick. My baby beardie went of eating for a month then came back eatind two dozen roaches or crickets a day and is now over average weight
