Neighbor dropped off 2 unwanted bearded dragons- please help

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Lava123

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Someone we know dropped off 2 bearded dragons they can no longer care for. We have never had reptiles before and know nothing. This is what we have-

#1 bearded dragon adult in a vivexotic wooden tank. The enclosure is 4 feet long and approximately 18 inches deep and 20 inches tall. It has sliding glass doors in the front but the rest, including the top is a laminate wood. There is an older uvb light and an older basking lamp hanging inside the enclosure.

#2 bearded dragon adult in a similar enclosure, probably also vivexotic but I don't see that name printed on it like the other one, but it's the exact same in every way except it is a 2 ft x 2 ft x 2ft cube. All fake wood laminate and sliding glass doors in the front.


I bought:
-ReptiSun 10.0 t5 uvb lights that will span 3/4 of the tank and a fixture/reflector.
-100 watt basking lights with dome fixture with ceramic socket
-Zoo med 150 watt ceramic heat bulb and zoo med wire cage clamp lamp- but then read it can only go on top of screen lids and not inside a tank!

I'm worried these guys are getting too cold at night without any heat and all lights out. I'm not sure how accurate the temp gauges are. Our house gets down to 60-65 degrees. I read they feel radiant heat. We raise poultry and use radiant heat plates for new chicks like this:https://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/brinsea_ecoglo_brooders.html
Can I put these heat plates in their tanks since I can't put in the CHE? Or, can I put the CHE inside the tank?

The tanks look really nice and I don't want to spend money on new enclosures if possible.
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
The enclosures are fine the 2x2x2 is a 60 gallon tank --- it is due able --- you bought great bulbs please stay w/ the Reptisun 10.0 brand distance inside the tank should be 12-15 inches directly above the basking decor --- the heat emitter is probably to much for heat at NITE --- those are good for nite time use and ONLY if the tank is falling below 60-65 ---- dragons like cool and dark at nite to sleep -- you need to invest in 2 bright white basking bulbs NO coils you want a solid bulb that keeps temps 95-100 taken w/ a digital probe thermometer ----- NO stick ons for basking temps they are good for ambient temps ONLY the basking temps will be trial and error w/ basking temps your MUST HAVE a digital probe thermometers for those tanks I would start w/a 100 watt bulb and go from there -- if you need more help w/ diet please ask we can all help --- your doing great for not having experience-- No heat plates in the tank ---- dragons heat from their backs but your not going to need those ceramic heat emitters till winter --- you want 3 temps in those tanks ---- basking side 95-100 middle of tank 90's and cool end of tank 80's during the day --- they need hides and good basking decor -- I would invest in 4 digital probe thermometers -- you can get them at Petsmart or Petco
 

Lava123

New member
Original Poster
Explain to me more about the CHE, I don't understand. I thought there should be some heat at night. I'm thinking it's getting too cold in there. Today I will purchase digital probe thermometers for each enclosure and see what the actual temps are. We keep the A/C on and it doesn't ever get hotter than around 68 degrees in the house.

In regards to the basking bulbs- I bought 100w zoo med repti basking spot lamps. One for each enclosure. With a 8.5" dome lamp. I read I can use halogen light but I was at the pet store and this was easier for me. I don't understand what you mean when you say no coils.

1 more concern- in the cube enclosure 2 ft. x 2 ft. x 2 ft.- it might be tricky to get a basking side and a cool side. Can anyone speak to this? I really don't want to purchase a new tank.

I did not plan on having these guys but the neighbor didn't know what to do with them, kids weren't taking care of them. I offered to take them temporarily and they were at my house that day! They are really kind of cool little guys and I've already spent so much. I'm not sure I'm even keeping them, it happened so quickly, although I am enjoying having them now. I just want to do right by them.
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Lava123":25ele52i said:
Explain to me more about the CHE, I don't understand. I thought there should be some heat at night. I'm thinking it's getting too cold in there. Today I will purchase digital probe thermometers for each enclosure and see what the actual temps are. We keep the A/C on and it doesn't ever get hotter than around 68 degrees in the house.
CHE's are used for nite time temps --- if your tanks are getting below 65 at nite then the CHE can be used - if your house is at 68 at nite that is good the tanks will more than likely go to that temp-- anywhere between 65-75 for nite temps is good - dragons like to sleep in cool and dark - it metabolizes their system

In regards to the basking bulbs- I bought 100w zoo med repti basking spot lamps. One for each enclosure. With a 8.5" dome lamp. I read I can use halogen light but I was at the pet store and this was easier for me. I don't understand what you mean when you say no coils. This is a coil https://www.chewy.com/exo-terra-natural-daylight-reptile/dp/123950?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=hg&utm_content=Exo%20Terra&utm_term=&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIitGxoqn-8AIVMgPnCh2vCQFNEAQYBSABEgK4svD_BwE I do not recommend any type of coil bulb

1 more concern- in the cube enclosure 2 ft. x 2 ft. x 2 ft.- it might be tricky to get a basking side and a cool side. Can anyone speak to this? I really don't want to purchase a new tank. Can you post a pic of the 60 gallon tank https://www.beardeddragon.org/useruploads/ click on XIMG at the top of the message box then click on the pic

I did not plan on having these guys but the neighbor didn't know what to do with them, kids weren't taking care of them. I offered to take them temporarily and they were at my house that day! They are really kind of cool little guys and I've already spent so much. I'm not sure I'm even keeping them, it happened so quickly, although I am enjoying having them now. I just want to do right by them.
I understand -- as long as the temps and UVB are good you should be fine w/ them -- make sure the distance for the UVB's are 12-15 inches directly above the basking decor pieces in the tanks -- and watch the behavior of the one in the 60 gallon tank -- we often recommend that the fixture only be 2-3rd of the tank and I am thinking the UVB might be taking the whole tank length --- I use go w/ half the length of the tank -- if its too much the dragon will hide from the UVB trying to get out of those rays
 

Lava123

New member
Original Poster
Thank you so much for your help on this. I have to work and when i get back this evening i will post the pictures.
 

kingofnobbys

BD.org Sicko
In colder climes , like most of USA , if the room temperature falls lower than 18 degC overnight , I'd recommend a ceramic heat emitter in the cool zone , controlled by a thermostat that has a temperature probe near the dragon's "bed"
viv-circuitry-generalised-schematic.png


Set it to told the tank temperature near 24 degC , I'd run it 24/7 in winter.
The thermostat will turn off the CHE automatically when the basking globe comes on and the tank temperature raises to daytime warm and cool zone temperatures.

Be aware that over heating a dragon in heat waves by leaving the basking globe ON can very easily result in a dead dragon , as they become heat stressed and loose the ability to move and thermoregulate.un
If the room termperature will be over 36 degC , I'd unplug the basking globe as it's not needed and has become a hazard to the dragon .
Try to keep tanks' warm zones in the range shown .

Note the ranges of accepted temperatures from Dr. Brown's book on keeping Australian Dragons.
https://www.amazon.com.au/Guide-Australian-Dragons-Captivity-ebook/dp/B07B9KDT4K
temperature-response-of-p.png
 
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