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New owner from Scotland

ZillaBest

Bearded Dragon Egg
Messages
21
Hi all,

We have very recently become new owners of a year old beardy we have always wanted one and thought we knew enough to make a commitment and get one.

Now we are all settled with him / her (we don't know what they are yet) we think their set up might be wrong? it's a 4ft x 2ft x 2ft, we have an Arcadia Desert 10% 38w 42" light and this is where we think it's wrong? We are almost sure that it is too long (there is no gap at the cool end).

Any help/advice would be appreciated.

Thank you

Screenshot_20210204-181141_Gallery.jpg
 

Broly

Juvenile Dragon
3 Year Member
Messages
217
Hey, welcome!

You’d probably be better with the Arcadia ProT5 UVB Kit, 34in/39w (12% or 14%)

The kit includes the reflector and the T5 UVB lamp/bulb. You can then place it at the front of your vivarium, over to one side (same side the UVA heat bulb is) so you have a slight gap over the cool end - x
 

Broly

Juvenile Dragon
3 Year Member
Messages
217
Hi all,

We have very recently become new owners of a year old beardy we have always wanted one and thought we knew enough to make a commitment and get one.

Now we are all settled with him / her (we don't know what they are yet) we think their set up might be wrong? it's a 4ft x 2ft x 2ft, we have an Arcadia Desert 10% 38w 42" light and this is where we think it's wrong? We are almost sure that it is too long (there is no gap at the cool end).

Any help/advice would be appreciated.

Thank you

View attachment 25630
What UVA bulb do you have? It’s hard to tell in pics, but it should be bright white. Have you got a couple of digital probe thermometers to measure accurate temps (one directly under the basking bulb and one over in the cool side)? I’ll add a pic of my bulbs as I also have them inside the viv. My viv is the same size as yours, and the UVB bulb I have is what I recommended above in the 14% version (but 12% is good too).
 

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ZillaBest

Bearded Dragon Egg
Messages
21
What UVA bulb do you have? It’s hard to tell in pics, but it should be bright white. Have you got a couple of digital probe thermometers to measure accurate temps (one directly under the basking bulb and one over in the cool side)? I’ll add a pic of my bulbs as I also have them inside the viv. My viv is the same size as yours, and the UVB bulb I have is what I recommended above in the 14% version (but 12% is good too).
Hiya thank you for replying

It is a bright white uva bulb, it just looks strange the in the photo for some reason. I've checked the temperatures a few times daily, the probe thermometers should be here tomorrow, there was a delay in them arriving.! Also thank you for the uvb suggestion, that was the one I was swaying toward but I thought I'd get an experienced opinion
 

Broly

Juvenile Dragon
3 Year Member
Messages
217
Hiya thank you for replying

It is a bright white uva bulb, it just looks strange the in the photo for some reason. I've checked the temperatures a few times daily, the probe thermometers should be here tomorrow, there was a delay in them arriving.! Also thank you for the uvb suggestion, that was the one I was swaying toward but I thought I'd get an experienced opinion
I haven’t got long-term experience but have done lots of reading since getting our beardie in Nov! Others may suggest the ReptiSun over the Arcadia but the Arcadia bulbs do also have a great reputation. I would recommend sticking with a T5 over any T8 and also using a reflector hood with the bulb. If you haven’t already, order a digital hygrometer too to keep an eye on the humidity in the viv ☺️
 

Skybug

Bearded Dragon Veteran
1,000+ Post Club
Messages
2,283
The scotland dragon! , the lighting recommended to you is good, if you can have an area in your tank where he/she can escape the light that’s important (some times beardies will sleep) May we see the inside of your setup?
 

ZillaBest

Bearded Dragon Egg
Messages
21
Perfect thank you

So we acquired the viv and beardie 2 days ago and realised that there is quite a lot wrong. I've only just added the hide and basking log, before there was only the little branch... we are waiting for the thermometers/hygrometers which should arrive today. I'm also going to look into different substrate, the carpet needs replacing. Any other help or ideas would be great.!

Thank you
20210205_083359.jpg
 

Broly

Juvenile Dragon
3 Year Member
Messages
217
You can remove that substrate now if you like, give your viv clean (make sure you use something to clean with that is safe) and use paper towel for now. Non adhesive shelf liner or tile are good options and easy to keep clean. Others may have preferred substrate so just make sure to research whatever you choose so you don’t have to keep replacing x
 

Skybug

Bearded Dragon Veteran
1,000+ Post Club
Messages
2,283
Can he get inside of the hide on the left? It seems like it comess to the front of the tank, if not put a dishrag in there with him (beardies love soft things) how cold does it get in your home get , if it gets below 60 degrees F (sorry dont know C) that’s to cold for him and he’ll need a che(ceramic heat emitter), i just now seen your sandmatt, take that out of his bed area its a lil too rough for bed time(i have a sand matt as a background in my tank my beardie likes to climb and it helps keep their tails down) id get some tile thats so much easier to clean
 

ZillaBest

Bearded Dragon Egg
Messages
21
You can remove that substrate now if you like, give your viv clean (make sure you use something to clean with that is safe) and use paper towel for now. Non adhesive shelf liner or tile are good options and easy to keep clean. Others may have preferred substrate so just make sure to research whatever you choose so you don’t have to keep replacing x
Yeah I think ill do that actually, I'm looking to get tiles for the substrate I think thanks for all your help x
 

ZillaBest

Bearded Dragon Egg
Messages
21
Can he get inside of the hide on the left? It seems like it comess to the front of the tank, if not put a dishrag in there with him (beardies love soft things) how cold does it get in your home get , if it gets below 60 degrees F (sorry dont know C) that’s to cold for him and he’ll need a che(ceramic heat emitter), i just now seen your sandmatt, take that out of his bed area its a lil too rough for bed time(i have a sand matt as a background in my tank my beardie likes to climb and it helps keep their tails down) id get some tile thats so much easier to clean
Yeah he can get inside, just took the photo at a bad angle, he does like sleeping inside actually so will move the sand mat and put in a dish cloth I didn't even give that a thought, will that be okay with his nails and things though yeah.? Our house is normally pretty warm but I've ordered a CHE just incase it does drop. I've just ordered a background but I might put a sand mat on the sides actually.!

Thank you for all your help x
 

Skybug

Bearded Dragon Veteran
1,000+ Post Club
Messages
2,283
Yeah he can get inside, just took the photo at a bad angle, he does like sleeping inside actually so will move the sand mat and put in a dish cloth I didn't even give that a thought, will that be okay with his nails and things though yeah.? Our house is normally pretty warm but I've ordered a CHE just incase it does drop. I've just ordered a background but I might put a sand mat on the sides actually.!

Thank you for all your help x
A dish towl will be okay just dont tack it down leave it loose, if you want his tank to look more natural you can get cork bark tile, and put those on the walls aswell, i just ordered some more yesterday cause my old background was not as good looking they haven’t come in yet so dont mind my background (i had a reptile moss carpet as my backdrop) (keep in mind wood chips are a big nono! My bearded dragon has never ever eaten her substrate and i only feed in a bowl so theres no chance at accidentally ingesting, i don’t recommend the substrate im useing if ur beardie eats things its a case by case situation) aswell she is in a 40 gallon which is small but she gets free roam of the house every day so its okay (she really is only in there to sleep eat poo and warm up) (her lights just came on if she looks weird to you)
 

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ZillaBest

Bearded Dragon Egg
Messages
21
Aw okay, your viv looks really good.!! I'm going to try the dish cloth tonight and hopefully he likes it. I can't wait for the background to come, it just looks awful plain just now. I've noticed as well that Zilla has been going into his hide on the left and sleeping quite a bit, could this just be because its new.? (Hes been sleeping so I didn't want to move the sand mat but ill do that now). I realise the uvb could be affecting this too with it going straight across the entire length of the viv (I've ordered a new correct one now). Sorry for the 1000s of questions.! x
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Skybug

Bearded Dragon Veteran
1,000+ Post Club
Messages
2,283
Yea ur light might be a bit much , when ur new lighting gets here then we’ll know for shure, the sand matt is okay as a background but I personally wouldn’t use it as a floor , if it gets wet the rocks fall off and dont even try and clean it lol, think of it as a giant nail file, its ment to be used, ive had my beardy for a year now and im just now buying another sand matt (and shes a heavy digger/scratcher too) i like them as a product, of course the rocks do fall off and u need to make shure hes not eating them, but ur dragon looks like an adult so I wouldn’t worry to much if he ate one rock here or there, just make shure hes not making a meal of it(you already have him accustomed to it so i think ur fine) and dont be sorry about all your questions, how else will you learn? A book? Yea right, ive read more misinformation about bearded dragons than actual information so be careful out there
 

Skybug

Bearded Dragon Veteran
1,000+ Post Club
Messages
2,283
If u wanna salvage the matt u have now use a wire toothbrush and gently scrub it to get anything off
 

Broly

Juvenile Dragon
3 Year Member
Messages
217
A dish towl will be okay just dont tack it down leave it loose, if you want his tank to look more natural you can get cork bark tile, and put those on the walls aswell, i just ordered some more yesterday cause my old background was not as good looking they haven’t come in yet so dont mind my background (i had a reptile moss carpet as my backdrop) (keep in mind wood chips are a big nono! My bearded dragon has never ever eaten her substrate and i only feed in a bowl so theres no chance at accidentally ingesting, i don’t recommend the substrate im useing if ur beardie eats things its a case by case situation) aswell she is in a 40 gallon which is small but she gets free roam of the house every day so its okay (she really is only in there to sleep eat poo and warm up) (her lights just came on if she looks weird to you)
Skybug, can I ask - in regards to beardies who free roam most of the day, how are they getting adequate UVB and heat etc? I understand if where you live is hot enough but how do they get adequate UVB? I like in the U.K. so our climates are very diff but I see a few people saying their beardies free roam a large part of the day but then everyone’s in agreement they need their UVA and UVB like 10-12 hours or so a day - x
 

Skybug

Bearded Dragon Veteran
1,000+ Post Club
Messages
2,283
Skybug, can I ask - in regards to beardies who free roam most of the day, how are they getting adequate UVB and heat etc? I understand if where you live is hot enough but how do they get adequate UVB? I like in the U.K. so our climates are very diff but I see a few people saying their beardies free roam a large part of the day but then everyone’s in agreement they need their UVA and UVB like 10-12 hours or so a day - x
When i say free roam i mean she walks up to a window in our house and will usually be quite content until a bird flys by ,shes only outside her tank after i come home from work , she does get around 4-6 hours of her bulbs on a normal day. , I also open the window cause glass does reflect uvb (dont do unless u have bars or some kind of metal screen) , it’s quite sunny in Florida so i can get away with alot , its dry in the part im at so humidity isn’t a problem, shes only inside the house in winter when the temps low , otherwise she likes to be in our outside linai area , is the area in you live in the uk very dreary most of the day? If you want to take out your beardy and your worried about uvb intake i think a standing lamp with certain attributes could house a uvb bulb? I dont think they need uvb uva 10-12 hrs a day (gasp! Quite controversial) if we look at what they do in the wild Australia they only bask till they’re hot enough to go find food, mate, or make a new home , they do hide under logs from birds and other predators throughout the day aswell , They get alot of dappled light as well.
 

Broly

Juvenile Dragon
3 Year Member
Messages
217
When i say free roam i mean she walks up to a window in our house and will usually be quite content until a bird flys by ,shes only outside her tank after i come home from work , she does get around 4-6 hours of her bulbs on a normal day. , I also open the window cause glass does reflect uvb (dont do unless u have bars or some kind of metal screen) , it’s quite sunny in Florida so i can get away with alot , its dry in the part im at so humidity isn’t a problem, shes only inside the house in winter when the temps low , otherwise she likes to be in our outside linai area , is the area in you live in the uk very dreary most of the day? If you want to take out your beardy and your worried about uvb intake i think a standing lamp with certain attributes could house a uvb bulb? I dont think they need uvb uva 10-12 hrs a day (gasp! Quite controversial) if we look at what they do in the wild Australia they only bask till they’re hot enough to go find food, mate, or make a new home , they do hide under logs from birds and other predators throughout the day aswell , They get alot of dappled light as well.
Such better climate for them over there! Fantastic to have a window/door with a screen over and good temps so they can get UVB and UVA etc :) Yes, pretty much the whole of the U.K. is dreary and miserable through winter. I can’t wait for summer to be able to pop outside with Broly and let her experience some fresh air and natural sunlight. We do have lots of seagulls here though as I am by the sea so I’d have to be very careful! It’s pretty cold here currently, if my heating is off I’d worry she’d be too cold and when it’s on the radiator pipes are very hot and run around the skirting board, so I’m scared she’d run over to them or get stuck somewhere (as we saw with the other members poor beardie who got stuck by the pipes!). I was wondering if there was some kinda of UVA/UVB bulb I could plug in and have my the window sill so she can sit there, when I’ve held her by the window she seems to absolutely love it but I wouldn’t want to leave her there unattended or for long!x
 
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