MVB questions - please help!

emily17319":xuzkzb2v said:

Hi everyone!

I got my baby Beardies last Sunday, and the reptile shop sent me home with an exo-terra medium sized tank (around 20 gal) and a 100 watt Powersun mvb. The tank has one of those fake rock walls, and Fluffy LOVES to climb it. I’ve talked to the guys at the shop a few times to make sure she’s safe up there by the light, but I’m still nervous about it. She doesn’t settle herself directly under it or anything, but I don’t know what’s safe..

She has a basking rock with temps hovering around 110-115
]<<<< way too hot , see viewtopic.php?f=5&t=233516 , no hotter than 41 degC please for a healthy happy comfortable dragon.

If she's climbing very close to the MVB , there is a strong risk she may leap onto it or touch it --- VERY BAD !!! highly likely to result very bad burns if she does.
A cage around the MVB is warranted after you move the basking spot so it's never hotter than 41 degC there.
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Pro-Rep-Heater-Guard-Standard-Rectangular-Reptile-Bulb-Guard-Ceramic-Easy-Open/272139003516?_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIM.MBE%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D20161027085944%26meid%3Df3664cc3d4fa415e92ba541babd8fcb8%26pid%3D100623%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D6%26mehot%3Dpp%26sd%3D191212479520&_trksid=p2047675.c100623.m-1

and a cool side that stays around 75, so she definitely has options, and I wouldn’t think she’s climbing to get warmer - could she just enjoy it? I have one of those laser temp guns, so I’m confident about the temps, and I’ve tested it right next to where she perches on the wall while she’s up there and it’ll read around 109, but would she be getting too much UV? And when she’s not directly under the light, is she getting any UV at all? I’ve read some info that says it and mvb only puts out rays directly under it, and other info stating that t has a pretty wide reach.

Basically, I’m a terrified new momma and I DESPERATELY want to get this right!

Thank you guys in advance! This website is seriously a life saver!!

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kingofnobbys":25vdde38 said:

emily17319":25vdde38 said:

Hi everyone!

I got my baby Beardies last Sunday, and the reptile shop sent me home with an exo-terra medium sized tank (around 20 gal) and a 100 watt Powersun mvb. The tank has one of those fake rock walls, and Fluffy LOVES to climb it. I’ve talked to the guys at the shop a few times to make sure she’s safe up there by the light, but I’m still nervous about it. She doesn’t settle herself directly under it or anything, but I don’t know what’s safe..

She has a basking rock with temps hovering around 110-115
[color=#FF0000[color=#FF0000]]<<<< way too hot , see viewtopic.php?f=5&t=233516 , no hotter than 41 degC please for a healthy happy comfortable dragon.

If she's climbing very close to the MVB , there is strong risk she may leap onto it or touch it --- VERY BAD !!! highly likely to result very bad burns if she does. A cage around the MVB is warranted after you move the basking spot so it's never hotter than 41 degC there.
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Pro-Rep-Heater-Guard-Standard-Rectangular-Reptile-Bulb-Guard-Ceramic-Easy-Open/272139003516?_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIM.MBE%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D20161027085944%26meid%3Df3664cc3d4fa415e92ba541babd8fcb8%26pid%3D100623%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D6%26mehot%3Dpp%26sd%3D191212479520&_trksid=p2047675.c100623.m-1[/color]

[/color]and a cool side that stays around 75, so she definitely has options, and I wouldn’t think she’s climbing to get warmer - could she just enjoy it? I have one of those laser temp guns, so I’m confident about the temps, and I’ve tested it right next to where she perches on the wall while she’s up there and it’ll read around 109, but would she be getting too much UV? And when she’s not directly under the light, is she getting any UV at all? I’ve read some info that says it and mvb only puts out rays directly under it, and other info stating that t has a pretty wide reach.

Basically, I’m a terrified new momma and I DESPERATELY want to get this right!

Thank you guys in advance! This website is seriously a life saver!!

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

SydneyGaia":2zk014mb said:

41C is 114F -- so that is right within the range. It is allowable to get up into that 110-115 (MAX) range for babies, but adults should be closer to a high-end of 105F.

Sorry but you need to check your calculations :
Formula to Convert Celsius to Fahrenheit F = 1.8 C + 32 where F is the temperature in degrees Fahrenheit and C is the temperature in degrees Celsius
The formula may also be written as F = 9/5 C + 32.
So 41 degC = [41 x [9/5]] + 32 = 106 degF.
Never expose ANY beardie to a temperature higher than 44 degC (111 F) ( see this for why :

more information here viewtopic.php?f=5&t=233516 )

115F is dangerous for any bearded dragon , even short term.


If you have one of those roughly 20G exo terras, I'm a bit suspicious that the temps range THAT much in such a small enclosure (115 to 75 in less than a two foot span is pretty significant). BTW, you are going to want to upgrade that enclosure sooner rather than later - a 36" exo-terra would hold you for a bit, or you can skip that step and upgrade directly to a 4x2x2.

A PowerSun MVB is a good bulb, but should be less than 10" from your basking spot - unobstructed, if it is resting on the screen, some UVB is being filtered out so it needs to be closer. Unless if you have your basking spot somewhat significantly raised (i.e. a hammock), resting the bulb on the screen on top of the cage is not delivering the UVB that your beardie really needs -- that MAY be why he is climbing to get closer (or, he just finds it fun ;-) )
<<<< if the warm zone is warmer than the mid 90s in F , and the basking spot well above 110 F , he's franticly trying to escape to find a cooler place.

^ Take that for what it is worth - I'm not a vet or a pro


Here is the lamp stand that I use for my MVB, so the screen is not filtering anything out -- you need to make sure that your beardie cannot escape, however: https://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-Reptile-Lamp-Stand/dp/B000255OUO/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1534546035&sr=8-4&keywords=reptile+lamp+stand

I am currently revamping my lighting scheme to use a 22" Arcadia florescent bulb and a halogen spot light for the heat (hanging from the same light stand), because I bought a thermostat and really want to use it, however

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