Hello! I am getting my enclosure all set up to get our first bearded dragon in a few weeks! I have a 4x2x2 that we just filled out with a couple hides, some branches and a hammock. I bought two different light bulbs to test out and try to get the proper heating. However, I have seen everything from 95 degrees to 115 degrees for the basking spot and both my bulbs are in that range, just one either end of it so I am not sure which I should be using!
The two bulbs I got are a 100 watt incandescent regular style light bulb, and a 65 watt directed flood light style. The 100 watt regular is getting the basking spot temp at the top of the rock hide underneath it to 98-100 degrees and the 65 watt flood light is getting it to 108-112. Both have pretty similar ambient temps of 85-90 on the hot side and 80-83 on the cool side. The bulbs are in an unshielded socket mounted inside the enclosure, and it does not have a screen top, so moving the bulbs is not an option. I am taking all temps with an infrared digital temp gun.
Is it better to use the 100 watt and be on the lower side of temps or the 65 watt and be on the higher side of temps?
One other thing of note is that the 100 watt does seem brighter, its a bit tough to look directly at, whereas I have no problem looking directly at the 65 watt, but I'm not sure if that is just because the flood light style bulb directs the brightness more downward.
I appreciate any help/advice, thank you!
The two bulbs I got are a 100 watt incandescent regular style light bulb, and a 65 watt directed flood light style. The 100 watt regular is getting the basking spot temp at the top of the rock hide underneath it to 98-100 degrees and the 65 watt flood light is getting it to 108-112. Both have pretty similar ambient temps of 85-90 on the hot side and 80-83 on the cool side. The bulbs are in an unshielded socket mounted inside the enclosure, and it does not have a screen top, so moving the bulbs is not an option. I am taking all temps with an infrared digital temp gun.
Is it better to use the 100 watt and be on the lower side of temps or the 65 watt and be on the higher side of temps?
One other thing of note is that the 100 watt does seem brighter, its a bit tough to look directly at, whereas I have no problem looking directly at the 65 watt, but I'm not sure if that is just because the flood light style bulb directs the brightness more downward.
I appreciate any help/advice, thank you!
the basking spot is a faux rock cave thing we got at the pet store, it's probably ably about 12 inches high, so I'm taking the temps with the temp gun 2 inches from the top of the rock. Also we are planning to adopt an adult from a rescue in town, so I am looking for adult temps!
