Our 40b

[tj4x4fun]

So here it is. Tell me what you all think. Seems pretty simple but I think it will work. Basking spot on the wood branch hits 109f under the 75 watt slim flood lamp. Cool side is 76f. Humidity is showing 40% and seems high. Any thoughts?

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[Germ]

Substrate appears like it would be very difficult to clean & keep sanitary.

If that is the thermometers that you are taking the temps with, they are useless in this application & no where near where the temps need to be measured from. Thermometers mounted to the glass, will give you more the temp of the glass, which is affected as much by the outside ambient room temps as the inside environment, giving very inaccurate readings. Temps need to be measured directly at the basking spot, the hottest area in the enclosure that your BD has access to. Digital thermometers with sensors/probes are needed for this, as the sensor/probe can be placed/attached directly on/to the basking spot, giving accurate temps measured where needed. Your BD will never be where your thermometer is mounted right now.

You should also have the Basking spot setup closer to the middle of the UVB bulb, as that is where the UVB is the strongest. See UVB Bulb Types & Setup, below. The cool side temp should be bumped up 5-10F.

The Hide directly below the Heat Bulb would be dangerously like an oven inside with no air flow.

It appears that you have a water dish in the enclosure, if your humidity is already reading relatively high, it should be removed. Very few BDs will drink from standing water, so it is not needed & just raises the Humidity even more. BDs will get an abundance of hydration from well hydrated feeders & greens, along with regular soaks & mistings.

There is not much that can be done if the climate you live in has a Naturally high Relative Humidity, short of having a dehumidifier, AC & keeping all the windows closed. something that won't happen in my home. BDs will do quite well at higher humidity levels, providing the changes are not drastic & sudden. They adapt quite well. Mine have done very well for over a decade in a 40-70% RH environment. Although 10-30% is what should be striven for, if at all possible.

A few good links to help get you started ...

Basic BD Care Sheet - A Place To Start

Bearded Dragon --- Exclusive Care Info Library

Beautiful Dragons Nutrition Chart

UVB Bulb Types & Setup

Is Bearded Dragon Co-habitation a good plan?

How to sex a Bearded Dragon
How To Sex A Bearded Dragon

Good Luck

 

[tj4x4fun]

So since I have a 30" UVB can th basking spot be set up in the middle of the tank?


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[tj4x4fun]

is this better?


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[Germ]

The usual is to have the Basking Spot at one end, as it generally makes providing the heat gradient easier, but that is not written in stone. I have set up enclosures with the Basking Spot right in the middle of the enclosure, making both ends the cool sides. As long as there is an area that the BD can get out of the UVB should it feel the need & that the proper heat gradient (110F Basking for a Juvenile to 80-95F Cool Side) is provided someplace in the enclosure, it really doesn't matter where the Basking Spot is. That being said, both the heat & UVB must cover the Basking Spot. It is just a little trickier to get the setup, right wattage bulbs, distances & temps right, doing it that way.

Can't really see the UVB fixture, but if it is in the same place as the other pic, yes, that is much better.

 

[tj4x4fun]

I mounted the UVB inside the tank under the screen top.


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[Germ]

Still better

 

[Jaime]

Going back to the substrate being difficult to keep clean- I'm no where near experienced in anything BD but I've fumbled through keeping my guy for 2 years and so far so good as far as health and care (still struggling with handling lol) so thought maybe I'd offer this tip if you do plan to continue using the carpet substrate - I use the green repti carpet (its like a course felt). After a while I noticed my boy was pooping in one spot quite often...this took a lot of clean up on my part and carpet replacing often which cost me a pretty penny...however! I got kind of clever...I took the brown repti carpet they sell (just like the green but its brown) and I cut 2 8x8 squares and placed them one on top of the other in the same corner where he poops, this instantly became his poop pad ...He almost always poops on his brown pad and as long as I get to it quickly its an easy clean up with paper towels (we never leave the poop in the tank). After about 4 poops have been done on the pad they are taken out and hosed off (because the poop juices the paper towel couldn't reach will start to smell), left to dry in the sun. I place two new pads in the corner until those are due for a cleaning, then I swap them with the ones I used prior that I took out and cleaned et. It worked well for me and the pads soak up a lot of the juices from the poop so the main carpet stays nice and clean for a much longer period of time! The funniest thing is, if I run out of the brown carpet/pads for a couple of days (cuz eventually you'll have to buy some new ones) he'll hold his poop til we replace them lol.

 

[tj4x4fun]

That's a pretty good idea. I just take mine out and replace it with another while the original soaks in bleach and water for a day. Then gets hose down and sun dried. Pretty easy.


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[tj4x4fun]

So I went to lowes and had them cut some tile today. What do you think?

 

[Jaime]

Nice! I just made the switch to tile too! Love it.

 

[gunkle]

Looks good