when do i need to replace the uvb light and heat lamp?

[Alwills2708]

hi ive had my beardie since begining of december, and just the lamps seem not as hot as they were when i first had the vivarium, should i replace it or should i just keep it?

 

[ChileanTaco]

Which lamps do you have?
UV lamp (tube) should be replaced after at maximum one year.
A "heat lamp" should be a halogen lamp (clear, not e.g. a red lamp) and will last until it burns out - mine usually burn out after 2 - 3 months.

As you mention "seems not as hot": How do you measure the temperature? Please measure the temperature with a digital probe thermometer. If it is not hot enough, it's usually not a degrading lamp but it's just not strong enough or not close enough to the basking spot. The difference between December and now could be (assuming you are in the North hemisphere) during winter you heated your room more and had the windows open less, and now in spring you do the opposite so it cools down more often?
Anyway, check the temperature and if it's too low you might adjust the position of the lamp or get a stronger one.

 

[Alwills2708]

Which lamps do you have?
UV lamp (tube) should be replaced after at maximum one year.
A "heat lamp" should be a halogen lamp (clear, not e.g. a red lamp) and will last until it burns out - mine usually burn out after 2 - 3 months.

As you mention "seems not as hot": How do you measure the temperature? Please measure the temperature with a digital probe thermometer. If it is not hot enough, it's usually not a degrading lamp but it's just not strong enough or not close enough to the basking spot. The difference between December and now could be (assuming you are in the North hemisphere) during winter you heated your room more and had the windows open less, and now in spring you do the opposite so it cools down more often?
Anyway, check the temperature and if it's too low you might adjust the position of the lamp or get a stronger one.

ill attach a photo of my vivarium now, it was set up by a pet store that i got him from

 

[ChileanTaco]

How do you measure temperatures? Knowing the temperatures in various areas of the enclosure is important.

 

[KarrieRee]

ill attach a photo of my vivarium now, it was set up by a pet store that i got him from

Does the fixture for the UVB have a reflector? that would be a shiny piece behind the bulb looks like tin foil - w/ it being a T 5 it should be changed out every 10 - 11 months -- the basking bulb should be changed out when its no longer keeping surface basking temps to what they need to be --- you want a digital probe thermometer for that ---