Should I make some lighting adjustments?

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Grimfur

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Hi all! First time beardie owner and post.

Anyway, I've had my girl Ember for a few days over 2 weeks, she just turned 4 months on the 10th. From the looks of it she seems pretty healthy. Active during the day, has pooped every day since I got her. The one thing I'm starting to worry about is shes eating significantly less. I did find some shed from the right side of her face so I'm guessing shes just starting another shed.

I've got her in a 40 gallon 36x18x18 i believe. Her basking bulb is a ReptiHalogen 75 watt and her basking spot sits between 104-110 measured with a infrared temp gun. Her UVB is the reptisun 10.0 24 inch that spans just about 3/4's of the tank. It's in the Reptisun T8 Hood that mounts on top of the mesh screen. I've got a wallmounted digital thermo/hygro reader in the middle of the tank and the ambient seems to sit around 80 with the humidity at its highest hitting 42%.

Now my questions are is that ambient too low?
Is my UVB too high up and perhaps shes not getting enough to ignite her hunger? Or is she just not stoked about eating because of the starting shed?

Right now i've got her on dubias and superworms and when shes not being a brat she'll eat collard greens and bell peppers and butternut squash.

I'm open to any suggestions, just want to give her all the best she needs to keep her happy and healthy. Photos below. Thanks!

https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZTc9G8VvBD4G7EF57

https://photos.app.goo.gl/gBaUNUNxYpdZ1a2r8
 
A lot of people will tell you that you want the UVB bulb about 6-8 inches from the basking spot since the mesh top will filter out some UVB rays. I have housed all 4 of my beardies with screen tops (lights on top of the screen) without problem.

Since she is only 4 months old, I would not feed superworms for a multitude of reasons. Just google superworms and bearded dragons, and you will find a lot of information as to why they are not good for younger beardies.

As to why she is not eating as much, it's hard to say 100%, but I know shedding can cause a lot of stress with beardies. Just imagine if all your skin was peeling off. You'd be pretty stressed, right? I would watch her, and see if anything changes more.

If anyone else has any other comments, please feel free to correct me.
 

CooperDragon

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
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It may be shedding, that can certainly affect their appetite. Sometimes they just go through phases in which they aren't hungry too. if she is active and alert then she is probably OK. As far as the light goes, The T8 will be diminished quite a bit by the mesh top but you have it set up so she can climb up close to it so she can probably get what she needs. Ultimately using A t5 might be better because it will allow stronger levels of UVB to be produced down over the main basking area where the higher temps are so she can get both at once. I'd probably just wait and watch in this case since she seems to be OK aside from appetite.
 
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