hiding from UVB, but not heat

[SkyfangRauss]

lately I've noticed little Agni going into his hide/basking platform, while the lights are on.

his hide is also his basking platform. it seems like he wants the heat, but not the UVB. he's usually napping in the hide

he has a reptisun 10.0 inside the tank, and he can get within 3 inches of it if he chooses to. he doesn't often do it, but sometimes he does. temps are 110ish basking area, 75ish cool side when lights are on

should I try to change some things around, or is this normal?

 

[diamc]

Would you be able to post a full picture of his setup? Being able to get within 3" is too close.

Seems like some adjustments might need to be made, once we see the pictures, we may be able to help offer some suggestions as he shouldn't be wanting to hide or nap like that since he is so young.

 

[SkyfangRauss]

The branch in the corner is the only way for him to get within 3 inches, but only if he gots to the very top, which he almost never does. He usually hangs out around the middle of the branch, which Is about 6 inches from the tube.

I should point out that's he's in Great health, alert, active, and only has highly visible stress marks when he's cold. When he's inside the hide during lights on, his belly is pure white. He seems extremely happy during this behavior, so I'm not sure what to do. If he just wants a shady, but warm, spot I can understand that

 

[Mistyck]

Is the repti-sun a coil or a long fluorescent tube bulb?

 

[SkyfangRauss]

 

[Taterbug]

Mounted on the side like that it could be glaring into his eyes. Can you hang it from above? Or turn the stick so his favored posture has his back facing the light rather than the side if haisface?

 

[SkyfangRauss]

not sure how to hang it from above. this tank is only 10 gallons.

I move the stick to the front side of the tank instead of the back, so now its around 6 inches from the uvb.

I do have an above screen light hood with a reflector, would the reflector cancel out the blockage from the screen?

 

[Taterbug]

It depends on the mesh in the screen and the light. The reflector in the hood essentially doubles the output by redirecting the otherwise wasted light back down to the dragon. If the screen blocks half (assuming fine fly screen) in theory you'd be back to the same output as a no screen no reflector bulb. I'm not sure if it works out in practice though, since the bulbs are relatively weak the less you sacrifice to the screen the better. You could try it for a couple days and see if his behavior improves and if so work on a better more permanent solution. You might also be able to remove the screen from under the light (as long as he can't get to the hole to try and get out.

 

[SkyfangRauss]

I think I figured out the problem

the temperatures on his basking rock are fluctuating wildly.

the rock is about the size of my hand, textured, and parts of the rock are reaching up to 150 degrees. its made of ceramic I think, or some other kind of fake rock like substance (not sculpted foam of any kind)

its weird, because the entire thing is directly under the light, and some parts are the normal 110ish, some parts are 120, some parts are 95ish, and one spot in particular reaches around 150.

I've dimmed the light down as far as I can while still providing a good offset to the uvb glare, but parts of the rock are still getting way too hot.

I might need to drop my wattage. using a 75w bulb right now, probably gonna have to drop to 50, or even 35 if they go that low

 

[Taterbug]

What sort of bulb are you using? It sounds like it's getting focused too much either by the dome or a built in reflector. You can get smaller bulbs, once you get to the 45w they are physically smaller and may be in the section with the small bulbs for desk lamps and such.

 

[SkyfangRauss]

using one of those zoomed basking lights you can pick up at petsmart or petco

one of these, except mine is 75w

http://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-Reptile-Basking-Watts/dp/B0010OVIR4%3FSubscriptionId%3DAKIAIBULO5VC4EEOYOMA%26tag%3Dwell033-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3DB0010OVIR4

 

[PMPerformance]

I am actually in somewhat a similar issue right now. I have come to the conclusion that I give up on using the hide/fake rocks for basking. They just retain too much surface temp and causing these wild temp fluctuations.

I put the branches on the basking spot now about the same height in hopes to see some less gaping. I have been using the zoomed 75w and sometimes seeing close to 120* temps on those rocks
I also agree the UVB is a little too close to him. I have a similar fixture I have been using like that and swapping it out today to a more compact stick type and will try to zip tie to the lid of the tank.

 

[SkyfangRauss]

yea, I switched out the tube light fixture

its now sitting on top of the tank in a zoomed reflector hood with no screen in the way

right now my problem is getting the temps right

I managed to get the rock to a constant 120ish across its entire surface instead of the wild temps, but I had to dim the light significantly

really gonna have to pick up a lower wattage. 75w might be too powerful for a 10 gallon tank

 

[PMPerformance]

deffinately go lower wattage. You dont want to have to dim them down too much

 

[Brezzy99]

It would be very hard to get the gradient temps needed in a 10g. Try using a 50w. When it's warm here in Georgia (90s for the past week) I use a 75w. I have a 40g and the 75w is perfect for the hotter weather.