Beardies getting extremely cold over night.

Status
Not open for further replies.

Cbolen06

Member
So I have an issue. Since them temp outside has dropped down to 10 degrees the inside of my house has dropped to 68. My beardies with their lights off drop below 60. Can I put a towel or somethin their cages to wrap up in to stay warm overnight? What can I do here??
 

VenusAndSaturn

Sub-Adult Member
Im not entirely sure putting a towel over them would help much, i know it helps with humidity which is what i do in the winter for my ball python in shed however it doesnt keep the heat in too much from what ive noticed.

A 100-120 watt CHE may be good and keep it at least above 65. Though if your house is like mine then you may have to go for a bigger wattage, i have two heaters on in my room both at around 86 and it only raises the temp to 65 at night.
 

EllenD

Gray-bearded Member
A towel won't help much at all, just like blankets won't help raise their body temp. Cold-blooded reptiles don't work that way unfortunately. And you cannot use any type of "night bulb" that emits any color of light, as it will totally disrupt his sleep. His tank must remain pitch-black at nighttime.

As already mentioned, if his tank temperature drops below 65 degrees at night, as you said it does drop to 60 degrees (not too bad at all actually, 60 degrees is very close to an acceptable nighttime temperature for a Bearded Dragon, as you have to remember that they naturally come from the Australian Desert, which is extremely cold at night, which is the way they like it), you need to buy a Ceramic Heat Emitter (CHE), which is a "bulb" of sorts that emits no light at all but only heat.

However, YOU CANNOT USE A 100 WATT CHE!!!! As Venus recommended a CHE she was correct, but remember, you are only trying to bump his nighttime temperature up from 60 degrees to between 65-70 degrees max, you do not want his tank any warmer than that at nighttime, as they only sleep comfortably and soundly at night if their tanks are pitch-black and considerably cooler than their daytime temperatures, and 65 degrees is an acceptable, comfortable temperature for a Bearded Dragon's tank at nighttime. If you were to use a 100 watt CHE or any wattage even close to that, his nighttime temperature would skyrocket to being close to his daytime basking spot surface temps!!! This would not be good, and he would be miserable at night and would not sleep well at all, which will result in an array of health issues.

As you're only trying to bump his nighttime temperature up between 5-10 degrees, you only need to buy or order online a CHE that is at most 10-20 watts (easier to find different wattages of CHE's online, as well as much, much cheaper, Amazon.com and any type of online lightbulb stores will be cheapest). Please do not put a CHE that is any higher of a wattage than 20 watts, as even that may be too hot. All CHE's fit into regular clamp lamps and dome lamps, and I suggest putting the lamp with the CHE directly over the place in his tank that he usually sleeps. If you're putting a CHE of 10 watts directly over him at night, and the Ambient (air) temperature of his tank is already 60 degrees, which is almost a perfect nighttime temperature for a bearded dragon and he almost doesn't need any nighttime heat source at all, then he'll be just fine. As I said, even if you buy a 20 watt CHE and put it directly over where he sleeps at night, or at least over the side of the tank that he typically sleeps at night, and it bumps his tank temperature from 60 degrees to 75 degrees, that's fine. But you do not want his nighttime temperature to go any higher than 70-75 degrees, as if it gets up to 80 degrees then you're making his nighttime temperature the same as the daytime temperature of the Cool Side of his tank, and this won't be comfortable for him at all. So please make 20 watts the max.

I would just Google search "20 watt CHE bulb" and find the cheapest place online to order it from, Amazon.com is probably cheapest. You'll probably save at least 50% ordering it online than if you were to buy one in a store, specifically a pet store. There's no difference between a CHE from a pet shop and one from a hardware store like Lowes, Home Depot, Tractor Supply, Amazon.com, etc. And Amazon.com will have a lot more wattage options as well. I just wanted to make sure that you didn't buy a 100 watt CHE for him, as that will literally cook him at night...
 

Cbolen06

Member
Original Poster
I really appreciate everyone.. Since the temp outside has dropped soo much their tanks have been getting colder then usual. So, when I took em out to say good morning their body temps were WAY colder then usual. They immediately just clung to my body heat.. I will try the che bulbs just to raise their temps up a little while it is soo cold outside. Also, one had mentioned they liked laying on a towel for bedding. Is there any suggestions recommended for bedding for them? I really don't like having them just laying on their tile in their cages. Thanks everyone!
 

kingofnobbys

BD.org Sicko
I suggest as well as installing a diming thermostat and ceramic heat emitter to warm the viv over night that you invest in a sheet of MDF or plywood to place ontop of the viv.
The beauty of a CHE controlled by a dimming thermostat is you can leave it running 24/7 and so it will help the basking globe during the day too. If the basking globe produces sufficient heat, the thermostat will simply wind down the current to the CHE , even automatically turn it off.

The sheet of timber will insulate the viv (keep heat in overnight) and will force the warmed air (created by the CHE) to recirculate , hence you'll need a smaller wattage CHE to get the same temperatures overnight cf with the open topped viv situation where the warmed air will simply and immediately rise and pool at the room's ceiling.
See this for why : viewtopic.php?f=34&t=236332&p=1816614&hilit=heat+transfer#p1816614

I think your pet dragons will appreciate what I do for all my pet skinks and dragons , see viewtopic.php?f=75&t=224976&p=1746469&hilit=safe+way+to+use+heatpads#p1746469
 

kingofnobbys

BD.org Sicko
EllenD":1l1gp32c said:
A towel won't help much at all, just like blankets won't help raise their body temp. Cold-blooded reptiles don't work that way unfortunately. And you cannot use any type of "night bulb" that emits any color of light, as it will totally disrupt his sleep. His tank must remain pitch-black at nighttime.

As already mentioned, if his tank temperature drops below 65 degrees at night, as you said it does drop to 60 degrees (not too bad at all actually, 60 degrees is very close to an acceptable nighttime temperature for a Bearded Dragon, as you have to remember that they naturally come from the Australian Desert, which is extremely cold at night, which is the way they like it), you need to buy a Ceramic Heat Emitter (CHE), which is a "bulb" of sorts that emits no light at all but only heat.

However, YOU CANNOT USE A 100 WATT CHE!!!! As Venus recommended a CHE she was correct, but remember, you are only trying to bump his nighttime temperature up from 60 degrees to between 65-70 degrees max, you do not want his tank any warmer than that at nighttime, as they only sleep comfortably and soundly at night if their tanks are pitch-black and considerably cooler than their daytime temperatures, and 65 degrees is an acceptable, comfortable temperature for a Bearded Dragon's tank at nighttime. If you were to use a 100 watt CHE or any wattage even close to that, his nighttime temperature would skyrocket to being close to his daytime basking spot surface temps!!! This would not be good, and he would be miserable at night and would not sleep well at all, which will result in an array of health issues.


my lizards all enjoy a room temperature never lower than 22 degC , and their warmed hides , see above post, my beardies have the option to use these , set at 36 degC .

As you're only trying to bump his nighttime temperature up between 5-10 degrees, you only need to buy or order online a CHE that is at most 10-20 watts (easier to find different wattages of CHE's online, as well as much, much cheaper, Amazon.com and any type of online lightbulb stores will be cheapest). Please do not put a CHE that is any higher of a wattage than 20 watts, as even that may be too hot. All CHE's fit into regular clamp lamps and dome lamps, and I suggest putting the lamp with the CHE directly over the place in his tank that he usually sleeps. If you're putting a CHE of 10 watts directly over him at night, and the Ambient (air) temperature of his tank is already 60 degrees, which is almost a perfect nighttime temperature for a bearded dragon and he almost doesn't need any nighttime heat source at all, then he'll be just fine. As I said, even if you buy a 20 watt CHE and put it directly over where he sleeps at night, or at least over the side of the tank that he typically sleeps at night, and it bumps his tank temperature from 60 degrees to 75 degrees, that's fine. But you do not want his nighttime temperature to go any higher than 70-75 degrees, as if it gets up to 80 degrees then you're making his nighttime temperature the same as the daytime temperature of the Cool Side of his tank, and this won't be comfortable for him at all. So please make 20 watts the max.

I would just Google search "20 watt CHE bulb" and find the cheapest place online to order it from, Amazon.com is probably cheapest. You'll probably save at least 50% ordering it online than if you were to buy one in a store, specifically a pet store. There's no difference between a CHE from a pet shop and one from a hardware store like Lowes, Home Depot, Tractor Supply, Amazon.com, etc. And Amazon.com will have a lot more wattage options as well. I just wanted to make sure that you didn't buy a 100 watt CHE for him, as that will literally cook him at night...
 

EllenD

Gray-bearded Member
DO NOT USE ANY TYPE OF "BEDDING" AS A SUBSTRATE FOR YOUR DRAGON!!!! YOU WANT HIM TO JUST BE ON TEXTURED, SLATE TILE!!!!

First of all, dragons come from the hard, rocky Australian Deserts, they are not naturally living on any type of "loose substrate" but rather a hard, rocky terrain. Secondly, and most importantly, the lick everything, and one of the most common reasons for accidental Beardie deaths is bowel impactions/obstructions due to loose substrates!!! The 2 most lethal are any of the special "Calcium Sands" or "Reptile Sands" that you find in pet shops, and then "Crushed Walnut Shells". Also, no bark, no wood chips, no sand, no rodent bedding, etc. Please, for the sake of your dragon, only use a solid substrate.

Secondly, all loose substrates harbor and breed all types of microbes, including all types of bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites, and dragons are very susceptible to infections of their respiratory systems from loose substrates, their eyes, and their skin/scales. It's impossible to keep your dragon safe and healthy in a loose substrate.

I'm just so tired of seeing dead dragons due to loose substrates, it's just so sad and so unnecessary. Please use either textured slate tiles, non-adhesive shelf liner, carpeting, newspapers, paper towels, or at most they make a "Sand Mat" that is sold in with the Reptile Carpeting at pet shops that is safe to use, as long as you shake off any loose pieces of sand before putting in in their tank and do that weekly. They are difficult to keep clean though, that's another beauty of the tiles, along with keeping their toenails trimmed. The textured slate tiles are also closest to their natural habitats...
 

Drache613

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
Hello,

Though some don't recommend them, heating pads set on low, with a towel in between him
& the heating pad helps a lot. They are effective in warming them up. The ceramic heat
emitters work really well, too.
Are you using any space heater in the room for them?

Tracie
 

AHBD

BD.org Sicko
As Cooper mentioned, some people put a small towel or fleece cloths in a corner as a bedding down area. Beardies like to dig + cover themselves up at night sometimes, mine will go under his newspaper. They actually do have areas to dig in their natural habitat + that includes loose substrate everywhere. Here are some pics of beardies out in the wild :
https://www.google.com/search?q=pogona+vitticeps+in+the+wild&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS695US695&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwifhZbXtbjYAhXGKyYKHX3KBFoQsAQILw

Still , loose substrate is not widely recommended in most cases, especially the calcium based sands which can cause impaction but I know that's not what you were referring to as an option.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Members online

No members online now.

Latest resources

Latest posts

Latest profile posts

I miss you so much, Amaris 💔
What is a quick way to warm up a cold beardie? His heating element went out overnight and now he's very cold.
Pearl Girl wrote on moorelori1966's profile.
i feel so sad reading your about me 😢
Clapton is acclimating okay I think. He's quick as lightning so I'm not sure how much I should bring him out of his house yet. He's not at all interested in his salad though. I wonder if I should change what I'm giving him. Least he's eating his crickets.

Things to do:
Buy calcium powder
Material to raise surface for basking spot
Scenery decals for back of tank

Forum statistics

Threads
155,903
Messages
1,255,719
Members
75,967
Latest member
Newbeardiemom09
Top Bottom