haleyannette
Member
Hi, I have posted a couple times here on this forum, sorry. But I am a new beardie owner and Boogie is a juvenile but not tiny, he's about 8-9 inches long.
He is in a 20 gallon tank right now (yes I plan on upgrading). He has a 75 watt ZooMed basking bulb and a ReptiSun 10.0 UVB. I put a lot of plants in his enclosure against the back and sides because his reflection in the glass freaks him out.
I am attaching a photo, but I have the basking light on the left side with his basking rock right under it. I have the UVB on the other side. I originally put it there when he had a higher basking rock that allowed him to be within 6 inches of the UVB but when that basking rock started SMOKING...yes, smoking... I replaced it with this shorter one, so now he's not as close to the UVB when he's basking.
I have trouble with testing the temperatures in the tank. I have the ZooMed digital thermometer with the probe and when I leave it attached to the side of the tank (basking side), it averages about 80-85. When I hold it over the basking rock (not against it because that would just give me the heat of the rock, but over the rock, like where Boogie's head would be), it rings in around 107. But I don't know if I'm measuring correctly. I've seen people saying that you're supposed to leave the probe on the rock for 45 minutes but wouldn't that just build heat from the rock which is absorbing heat and reflecting it? Don't we need to test the atmosphere just above the rock, where he will be getting the heat from? Since they absorb heat from above the rock, not on it?
QUESTIONS:
- How do I measure the temperature of the basking spot most accurately?
- Do I need to move the UVB to the basking side? If so, completely on that side or in the middle of the tank?
- I've only had him a few days and the lowest temp his tank reached at night is 62 degrees. It doesn't seem to bother him, he just sleeps, but should I get a heat emitter for nighttime?
Pics of your guys' enclosures would be very helpful to see, if anyone wants to share. Thanks so much.
PICTURE -----> https://www.flickr.com/photos/138708093@N05/44165209740/in/dateposted-public/
He is in a 20 gallon tank right now (yes I plan on upgrading). He has a 75 watt ZooMed basking bulb and a ReptiSun 10.0 UVB. I put a lot of plants in his enclosure against the back and sides because his reflection in the glass freaks him out.
I am attaching a photo, but I have the basking light on the left side with his basking rock right under it. I have the UVB on the other side. I originally put it there when he had a higher basking rock that allowed him to be within 6 inches of the UVB but when that basking rock started SMOKING...yes, smoking... I replaced it with this shorter one, so now he's not as close to the UVB when he's basking.
I have trouble with testing the temperatures in the tank. I have the ZooMed digital thermometer with the probe and when I leave it attached to the side of the tank (basking side), it averages about 80-85. When I hold it over the basking rock (not against it because that would just give me the heat of the rock, but over the rock, like where Boogie's head would be), it rings in around 107. But I don't know if I'm measuring correctly. I've seen people saying that you're supposed to leave the probe on the rock for 45 minutes but wouldn't that just build heat from the rock which is absorbing heat and reflecting it? Don't we need to test the atmosphere just above the rock, where he will be getting the heat from? Since they absorb heat from above the rock, not on it?
QUESTIONS:
- How do I measure the temperature of the basking spot most accurately?
- Do I need to move the UVB to the basking side? If so, completely on that side or in the middle of the tank?
- I've only had him a few days and the lowest temp his tank reached at night is 62 degrees. It doesn't seem to bother him, he just sleeps, but should I get a heat emitter for nighttime?
Pics of your guys' enclosures would be very helpful to see, if anyone wants to share. Thanks so much.
PICTURE -----> https://www.flickr.com/photos/138708093@N05/44165209740/in/dateposted-public/