Purchasing New Beardie and need advice

Hi All, My name is Shawn. I had a beardie years ago but was forced to part with him when I moved to WI. I am looking to get a new baby from a local breeder but they will not be ready for a few weeks. In the meantime I am going to be getting the cage setup. Below is a list of items that I plan on using.

Enclosure-
I will be getting a 40g breeder size front opening terrarium style as I do not like having to move lamps nor do I like reaching from the top to handle my pets.

UVB - 2ft Sunblaster T5 HO fixture paired with ReptiSun 10.0 24w on timer (13 on) mounted inside

Substrate - Going to use tile from local hardware store.

Interior Decor - Random basking logs and rocks from local shop

This is where I am going to need a bit of assistance. I know bulb wattage will vary depending on distance. So if anyone is using a similar setup....

Basking Lamp - Thinking a 100w incandescent/spot lamp in dome fixture. Need a recommendation for a dimming thermostat.

CHE Heat - Thinking a 60w in a ceramic dome fixture. Need recommendation for a pulse thermostat if need.

Or, would a MVB be a better choice over the ReptiSun 10 and basking bulb?

Once again, thanks for the help in advance.

I'm glad you're doing some planning ahead of time. That should help make the move much smoother for your new buddy. As far as lighting setup goes, I have a similar sized enclosure and like using the T5 along with a separate basking light so that I can set the UVB at appropriate distance and adjust the heat independently by raising/lowering the fixture as well as using a thermostat for fine tuning. I've found that the GE 80w PAR38 halogen flood light works pretty well and handles dimming without much issue. I usually get a few months out of each bulb.

I like using brooder dome fixtures from the local farm store for fixtures. They are cheaper and better than the reptile branded options. My fixtures are rated for 250w, have a hanging hook, heavy duty wiring, and cost under $10. I hang those from an adjustable stand to help control the heat. I use these for the portable basking spots around the house as well (MVBs work well for this).

I use a Herpstat 2 thermostat and have been happy with it. It has two outputs so I can set one to dim the basking light and one to kick the heat projector on as needed based on the input from the second probe. I prefer using a heat projector (Arcadia makes them) instead of a CHE because they produce plenty of heat without getting nearly so hot on the surface (less burn/melt risk). They work quite well in pulse/on-off mode.

CooperDragon":3w2rx9pv said:

I'm glad you're doing some planning ahead of time. That should help make the move much smoother for your new buddy. As far as lighting setup goes, I have a similar sized enclosure and like using the T5 along with a separate ba........

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Thanks for the reply. I picked up the cage today along with two brooder domes and a single PAR38 75W (didnt have the GE ones). I have a couple weeks before the little one is able to come home with me so that should give me time to set up the cage. No its just a matter of deciding if I want to continue feeding crickets or switch to BSFL or even start breeding Dubias.

Thanks for the help.

That will give you plenty of time to set it up and get some surface temp readings. That bulb may work just fine, or you may need to try a few different ones. They behave differently in each setup so it can take some trial and error at first. Once you find one that works well, buy a few so you have backups (they burn out suddenly).

As far as food goes, the more variety you can offer, the better. BSFL are good to have on hand. Crickets are good, but they are smelly, noisy (in warm weather), and a pain to keep alive for a length of time. Roaches are much easier to take care of and just kind of do their thing without much intervention once a colony is established. Silkworms are also a good option, especially if you have access to mulberry leaves.