heat and light

[aberdare]

My basking light blew today, only had infrared bulb spare,temps are 110 hot side 78 cool side.Does it matter that its a red light.Also have reptisun 10 in viv.

 

[renich]

Yes, red lights have been known to bother bearded dragon's eyes. you can use a standard household bulb for basking. They really do best with white light that mimics the sun.

 

[crypticdragons]

Yes, red lights have been known to bother bearded dragon's eyes. you can use a standard household bulb for basking. They really do best with white light that mimics the sun.

i am going to have to disagree. red lights do not bother their eyes especially with the presence of a bright UV bulb. Red bulbs are only problematic at night and even that is a opinion that is up to interpretation. I would suggest just using cheap household bulbs as your basking light personally as you can get a box of 4 for around a dollar as a rule.

 

[aberdare]

Very hard to get high wattage household bulbs in GB,everthing is switching to energy saving bulbs, no heat with them

 

[li]

It is going to be hard to get them here in the US also. For now we can still get them. After we can't then unfortunately we will be forced to use expensive reptile basking bulbs.

As for the red light...they absolutely interfere with night sleep if used then so I definitely wouldn't. You don't need night heat anyways, unless your house goes below 60*. As for using them during the day, I'm not sure that they actually bother their eyes, but the more light the better. I would not recommend a red light during the day just because you aren't offering enough bright light.

 

[staylor]

I have red lights that were given to me. I keep them on hand in case I run out of the regular one to make sure they have heat. I only use them while I am going to the store to get a new light and I do not use them for more than a day. If you are going to use the red one for a back up be sure to turn it off at night and to add some light to the viv you can put one of those energy savers on there too since they don't give off heat.

 

[Debbe]

My beardies seem cold. They crawl under the repti carpet when sleeping under the side of the under tank heat source. I have a basking light and a UVB light which I turn off during the evenings. I am worried they will expose their bellies to too much heat. I have covered the heat source under tank with slate rock which does warm up. Do I need a larger heat source during the day?


Debbe

 

[beardie_love]

Debbe, you do not need an under tank heater. At night, beardies do cool down so they won't be warm as you usually feel. As long as your house does not go under about 65*F at night, you're okay!

 

[staylor]

Under tank heaters are never good. Beardies can not feel heat on their bellies and can get burned. If the temps in you house drop below 65* you can get a ceramic heat emitter to keep them warm at night. You may also want to try giving them a folded up baby blanket to sleep on at night. Be sure to remove it first thing in the morning.

 

[Pogie]

???

You may also want to try giving them a folded up baby blanket to sleep on at night. Be sure to remove it first thing in the morning.

???

Why does it need to be removed . . . . I know probably a stupid Q

 

[staylor]

I like to take it out because of the digging she does and I am afraid she will get stuck in it or a nail will get caught. At night she is just sleeping on it so there is no risk to her. Plus it will stay cleaner, less chances for it to get pooped on if it is only in there at bed time.

 

[Pogie]

Oh OK. Fortunately P doesnt scratch where her blankie is. And She has 3. So if one gets soiled, I swop it for another.

So guess I can leave it in as she likes to bask on it during the day

 

[beardie_love]

Plus it will stay cleaner, less chances for it to get pooped on if it is only in there at bed time.

I hear ya! I always left Charlie's blankie with him, alllllllll day. I'd come home from school and.... POOP! On it. It was nasty.

 

[Debbe]

I gave them both a blanket to sleep with at night. Cute little babes slept UNDER the blankets. I will be picking my camera up today. I promise to take photos and post them.


Deb

 

[zebraflavencs]

Debbe, and aberdare.. try using house hold outside flood lights.. Those will easily put off enough heat to keep the digestion system working nicely.
Hope this helps out.