Heat/Lighting Question

[Cch9413]

I have been trying to get my dragons light and heating right and am hitting some walls and hoping for help.

Recently one of my dragons passed very suddenly and I have no idea what happened and it’s been devastating. I want to make sure my existing dragon has everything optimal in his enclosure to make sure it’s not because of something I’ve done grossly wrong.

I bought new bulbs and put in tile flooring (with patches of carpet for traction). The lighting is a 100watt basking bulb, a t5 uva/b fixture (withOUT screen blocking the light to the tank, the screen is removed from this area) the t5 fixture covers only about 1/2 the tank but on the other side I have a uva/b bulb (not coil) and I measured the levels and it is putting out to about 2/3 of the remainder of the tank.
My problem is the basking spot is only getting to 92 degrees ( I have a temp gun I use). I even tried adding a second basking bulb of 50watts but it didn’t help.
He seems to be okay and even basks with his mouth open (which I read means it is at optimal temp) but even with that 2nd bulb it’s stays around 94 at the hottest in the basking spot.

Is this okay?
Here is my question. I used to have a ceramic heat only bulb for night time in my colder months to keep the tank from getting below 73 in the evenings. If I use that with the 100watt it brings the temp up to 101 in the basking spot. But I do not know if that is safe to use all day, since it only emits heat and no uv.

Is anyone able to help? I posted a pic of Spaghetti on his hammock at a basking temp of 92.
Let me know if you need additional pics.
Also he is about 10-11 months ago old.

 

[Sadie]

I have been trying to get my dragons light and heating right and am hitting some walls and hoping for help.

Recently one of my dragons passed very suddenly and I have no idea what happened and it’s been devastating. I want to make sure my existing dragon has everything optimal in his enclosure to make sure it’s not because of something I’ve done grossly wrong.

I bought new bulbs and put in tile flooring (with patches of carpet for traction). The lighting is a 100watt basking bulb, a t5 uva/b fixture (withOUT screen blocking the light to the tank, the screen is removed from this area) the t5 fixture covers only about 1/2 the tank but on the other side I have a uva/b bulb (not coil) and I measured the levels and it is putting out to about 2/3 of the remainder of the tank.
My problem is the basking spot is only getting to 92 degrees ( I have a temp gun I use). I even tried adding a second basking bulb of 50watts but it didn’t help.
He seems to be okay and even basks with his mouth open (which I read means it is at optimal temp) but even with that 2nd bulb it’s stays around 94 at the hottest in the basking spot.

Is this okay?
Here is my question. I used to have a ceramic heat only bulb for night time in my colder months to keep the tank from getting below 73 in the evenings. If I use that with the 100watt it brings the temp up to 101 in the basking spot. But I do not know if that is safe to use all day, since it only emits heat and no uv.

Is anyone able to help? I posted a pic of Spaghetti on his hammock at a basking temp of 92.
Let me know if you need additional pics.
Also he is about 10-11 months ago old.

The IR gun is inaccurate for getting temps off a hammock - they cannot read -- please got a digital probe thermometer place where he sits to bask 10 min get the temp -- go from there--- the T 5 needs to be directly over the basking decor piece 12-15 inches --- those two things are the most important thing in that tank - your bright basking bulb is giving out UVA as well you dont need to worry about the heat emitter the basking bulb should be efficient for that --- as far as the heat emitter temps in the tank at nite are good if not falling below 65 - you dont want temps at nite above 75- dragons like cool and dark -- once you get a correct reading for basking temps then you will know how to proceed -- for dragons a year or older or juvie 95-100 temp for babies 105-110 but he looks older --

 

[Cch9413]

The IR gun is inaccurate for getting temps off a hammock - they cannot read -- please got a digital probe thermometer place where he sits to bask 10 min get the temp -- go from there--- the T 5 needs to be directly over the basking decor piece 12-15 inches --- those two things are the most important thing in that tank - your bright basking bulb is giving out UVA as well you dont need to worry about the heat emitter the basking bulb should be efficient for that --- as far as the heat emitter temps in the tank at nite are good if not falling below 65 - you dont want temps at nite above 75- dragons like cool and dark -- once you get a correct reading for basking temps then you will know how to proceed -- for dragons a year or older or juvie 95-100 temp for babies 105-110 but he looks older --

Thank you. I have a probe thermometer as well. I put it at his basking spot for a while and it’s reading 96 (without the ceramic bulb) so I think I’m okay with this now for the basking spot. He’s almost a year old so I think this temp should be okay.
I’ll get ceramic heat bulb out completely.
The t5 fixture is 18 inches long and complete covers the basking spot, then that other bulb emits over the cool side of the tank.

i have another question if you have a moment.
What can I feed him as a staple insect if he refuses crickets and actually seems afraid of Dubias? He loves his salad and occasional hornworm. He likes superworms but I’m afraid those are not good for him so I really try to avoid those but I’m not sure what else to give him. He likes silkworms but it’s near impossible to find them locally. I have to order online and it’s very expensive for such a small amount. I’m spending $80 for maybe a weeks worth of them.

do you have any advice?

 

[Sadie]

Thank you. I have a probe thermometer as well. I put it at his basking spot for a while and it’s reading 96 (without the ceramic bulb) so I think I’m okay with this now for the basking spot. He’s almost a year old so I think this temp should be okay.
I’ll get ceramic heat bulb out completely.
The t5 fixture is 18 inches long and complete covers the basking spot, then that other bulb emits over the cool side of the tank.

i have another question if you have a moment.
What can I feed him as a staple insect if he refuses crickets and actually seems afraid of Dubias? He loves his salad and occasional hornworm. He likes superworms but I’m afraid those are not good for him so I really try to avoid those but I’m not sure what else to give him. He likes silkworms but it’s near impossible to find them locally. I have to order online and it’s very expensive for such a small amount. I’m spending $80 for maybe a weeks worth of them.

do you have any advice?

Are you sure the T 5 is 18 inches long - they do not usually come that short - is it a T 8 by any chance? Please look distance between those two bulbs are different --- super worms are fattening you dont want to use other than treats - dubias are a great staple - how did you try and feed them to him? on the floor of his tank - have you tried adding to his salads? Is he eating salads? If he is that is really good then you dont need to feed the insect as often 2-3 times per week - mine did not like crickets and went for the roaches but I get everything on line - you can try some BSFL large but your doing to need a lot to feed cuz they are small larvae DO NOT dust them -- www.symptonbsf.com you will need dish like this to feed them and this can work for dubias as well https://www.amazon.com/MACGOAL-Rept...uGQB&pd_rd_wg=tLkwE&ref_=pd_gw_ci_mcx_mr_hp_d
If you get the BSFL you can put them in his salad like around 50-75 of them -- please go look at the website I posted -- I can give you a website for silk worms but I wasnt real happy w/ the silks I got the last time dont know what is going on w/ them but they have not been the same for awhile www.reptilianarts.com also this website too www.coastalsilkworms.com they werent the best either so its hard to say what exactly is going on w/ them - www.mulberryfarms.com carries them but I am not sure if they have them now - they are spendy on shipping -- reptilian arts has bulk but does send w/ food so you would need to order food and clean containers out daily - so for 50 of them they are $34 - then you would need to mix the dry food w/ water and feed them - you can order cup and they do come w/ food -- go look see what you can find and try putting the dubias in the salad bowl see if he will eat them --

 

[Cch9413]

Are you sure the T 5 is 18 inches long - they do not usually come that short - is it a T 8 by any chance? Please look distance between those two bulbs are different --- super worms are fattening you dont want to use other than treats - dubias are a great staple - how did you try and feed them to him? on the floor of his tank - have you tried adding to his salads? Is he eating salads? If he is that is really good then you dont need to feed the insect as often 2-3 times per week - mine did not like crickets and went for the roaches but I get everything on line - you can try some BSFL large but your doing to need a lot to feed cuz they are small larvae DO NOT dust them -- www.symptonbsf.com you will need dish like this to feed them and this can work for dubias as well https://www.amazon.com/MACGOAL-Rept...uGQB&pd_rd_wg=tLkwE&ref_=pd_gw_ci_mcx_mr_hp_d
If you get the BSFL you can put them in his salad like around 50-75 of them -- please go look at the website I posted -- I can give you a website for silk worms but I wasnt real happy w/ the silks I got the last time dont know what is going on w/ them but they have not been the same for awhile www.reptilianarts.com also this website too www.coastalsilkworms.com they werent the best either so its hard to say what exactly is going on w/ them - www.mulberryfarms.com carries them but I am not sure if they have them now - they are spendy on shipping -- reptilian arts has bulk but does send w/ food so you would need to order food and clean containers out daily - so for 50 of them they are $34 - then you would need to mix the dry food w/ water and feed them - you can order cup and they do come w/ food -- go look see what you can find and try putting the dubias in the salad bowl see if he will eat them --

You are right, I’m apologize, I miss-typed. It is a T-8 but I don’t have it on the screen lid. I removed the screen in that area so it’s direct light.
So I tried putting the dubias on the floor of his enclosure but he ran up his hammock. I put them in his salad and he didn’t even want to eat his salad after that.
Yes! He is a very active salad eater. He eats 2 bowls a day. I give him salad in the morning and then again when I get him from work, he usually runs down his hammock to get to it and eats it all while I’m sitting there.
He did like the BSFL when he was smaller but became uninterested in it after some time. I’m definitely doing to try again and see if he will take them. Thank you for the website, I’ve tried coastalsilkworms but didn’t care much for the quality. I’ll take a look at the other sites.
I’m surprised that if he eats salad like that he doesn’t need insects daily. This is very good to know.
I just want to say thank you so much because I’m not an experienced beardie owner and I’m learning as I go (my kids came home with these babies back in January and I’ve become the primary caretaker and am really grateful for ask of the advice.)
Losing our other dragon is so haunting to me because I’m really trying to do everything right and I don’t understand what happened and how it happened so quick but this forum has been incredibly helpful.

thank you for your time and kindness!

 

[Sadie]

You are right, I’m apologize, I miss-typed. It is a T-8 but I don’t have it on the screen lid. I removed the screen in that area so it’s direct light.
So I tried putting the dubias on the floor of his enclosure but he ran up his hammock. I put them in his salad and he didn’t even want to eat his salad after that.
Yes! He is a very active salad eater. He eats 2 bowls a day. I give him salad in the morning and then again when I get him from work, he usually runs down his hammock to get to it and eats it all while I’m sitting there.
He did like the BSFL when he was smaller but became uninterested in it after some time. I’m definitely doing to try again and see if he will take them. Thank you for the website, I’ve tried coastalsilkworms but didn’t care much for the quality. I’ll take a look at the other sites.
I’m surprised that if he eats salad like that he doesn’t need insects daily. This is very good to know.
I just want to say thank you so much because I’m not an experienced beardie owner and I’m learning as I go (my kids came home with these babies back in January and I’ve become the primary caretaker and am really grateful for ask of the advice.)
Losing our other dragon is so haunting to me because I’m really trying to do everything right and I don’t understand what happened and how it happened so quick but this forum has been incredibly helpful.

thank you for your time and kindness!

Ok so get the basking decor 6-8 inches underneath and make sure you change the bulb out in 6 months- he still needs protein 2-3 times per week- I don't know what else to tell you about the insect thing- you could try some discoid roaches from fla they are similar to dubias but I don't know if he would eat them either- it's good he's eating his salads - let me check w/ some one about another alternative for protein