New beardie, need help :(

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I’m new at owning a beardie and need help. My beardie is a juvenile. I’m very confused about lighting. I got the Zilla terrarium desert kit and I don’t think it came with everything I need, lighting wise. I know the thermometer it came with isn’t that good but I’m getting a better one. (I didn’t buy the kit myself, this was all a gift from my parents) Is there anything I’m missing or needing?
 

kingofnobbys

BD.org Sicko
Show us the UV lighting , the basking globe and fittings and how they are installed.

Trouble with these kits is they nearly always contain lights that are far from adequate.

This will help you work out how to set up your lighting PROPERLY : viewtopic.php?f=34&t=235611
 

kingofnobbys

BD.org Sicko
JaminsonAndHam":pcuv0wkl said:
It’s a basking globe.


DEFINITELY get rid of it.
... bearded dragon rely on colour vision as well as smell to find their food. The purple coloured "BLACKLIGHT" globe will colorizing everything in the dragon's tank (including food) oddly and your dragon will be having problems finding food because of this, plus the UV spectrum from those "blacklight" globes if far from optimal for a bearded dragon and it's unlikely to be providing the right UV spectral mix of wavelengths of UV(A & B) at the right intensities to be metabolically beneficial to your dragon.
Have you checked the UVA and UVB spectrum and fluxes using solarmeters ?

Ideally you need a UV source that will provide about 1 mW UVA / sq.cm and 200 microW UVB / sq.cm at the basking spot, and ZERO UVC , and then 400 microW UVA / sq.cm and 80 microW UVB/ sq.cm in the warm zone (on the floor).
Best option is an Arcadia T5HO 12%UVB tube about 2/3 the length of the tank , mounted under the mesh lid , about 12" from the basking spot in properly design reflector hood.

The basking globe can be either :
>> a MVB
>> a Neodymium coated basking globe designed for reptiles
>> a domestic par38 incandescent or halogen floodlight (NOT COLOURED)
>> a GU10 halogen downlight halogen floodlight (NOT COLOURED)
The aim of this globe is to provide a basking spot at about 40 degC , and warm zone about 35 degC, if it contributes to UVA & UVB at the basking spot (ie a MVB (UVA & UVB) or neodymium (UVA) that's a bonus.

NO COLOURED GLOBES in a bearded dragon's tank, and no light emitting heat globes / night globes for overnight, if your tank needs to be warmed overnight, the best options are
>> radiators (designed vivariums)
>> ceramic heat emitters (shaped like mushrooms) …. radiate heat but give off no light , these need to be controlled by a diming thermostat.
>> heatpads (need to be layed under tile to distribute warm and should be controlled by a separate switching thermostat).
>> helps to have a solid timber lid on the viv to hold in heat overnight and insulate the viv from chilly overnight room temperatures and drafts.
 
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I miss you so much, Amaris 💔
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i feel so sad reading your about me 😢
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Things to do:
Buy calcium powder
Material to raise surface for basking spot
Scenery decals for back of tank

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