On the matter of photoperiods for beardies

Many o/seas beardie caresheets advocate a 12 hour photoperiod. This is not based on any hard science or even the writers of these caresheets ever having actually visited or lived in the natural range of these reptiles and it's become accepted simply because this is what people overseas in the USA and European nations think is right for summer time daylight hours.

I use a photoperiod of 16 hours based on personal experience and observation year round in the natural range of beardies (working and doing 4x4 camping safaris throughout their natural range).









These are from https://www.timeanddate.com/sun/@2057826

I’ve been in CBD & rankins territory and seen these reptiles still active well into twilight (this is peak insect time in these area) , so I add civil twilight to the daylight hours.

I agree that 12 is too short for most of the year. I keep mine on for no longer than 14 hrs. per day, down to about 12 in winter and if they want to brumate they do.

Your daylight hours aren't 16 hours long all year are they ? I think 16 hrs. is unnatural and too long + may be putting a bit of stress on them if done all year long.

Thanks for starting a new thread about this, guys (so I didn't have to). :wink:

"Daylight + civil twilight hours = optimum beardie photoperiod" actually makes sense, especially since you don't usually get twilight from artificial lighting (I've got all my heat lamps on dimmer switches so I could probably fake some twilight if I wanted to, but the fluorescent UV tubes don't work that way), and I get that beardies will slow down and even brumate if they're not getting enough light for long enough, but how would you know if your beardie was stressed out from an artificial photoperiod that's too long instead of too short?

And BTW King -- you've successfully convinced me (over on the other thread) that I shouldn't be complaining about the electric bills because it could be a LOT worse :shock:

At least we don't need AC in Alaska, but my husband wants to put solar panels on the roof. It might help in the summer with the "midnight sun".