New dragon, please help.

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JJC00lcat

Member
Hi Everyone,

I adopted a juvenile bearded dragon on Tuesday the 8th of Jan.
He/she is approximately three months old. His/Her name is Kurosawa, nick name Kuro ?
I adopted Kuro from Hollywood Fishfarm.

I left Kuro alone on Tuesday and didn't attempt to feed him so he/she could settle a bit, but the next day he seemed hungry, when offering him food here ate it all up, he was eating around 8-11 insects per session, I do three sessions a day. He continued like this till his last session on Saturday when he only ate one insect, and through out today be has only eaten one bug in his morning and lunch time session.
He completely refuses to eat his veggies, and I have never seen him drink from the water bowl, (though he had drunk water droplets which I placed on his nose)

When he came on tuesday he had very dark stress lines, which I expected, and they have slowly faded. Kuro has made one poop everyday, and they were all healthy looking. He hasn't made a poop today.
The sudden change in his behavior has worried me, I really don't want to lose him..

I have spent a whole year researching and saving up the money to buy the correct equipment.
He currently live in a Reptile One 120-60-60cm tank
His Uvb bulb is a Reptile One UVB 10.0 18watt
And his heat lamp is a URS ceramic heat emmiter 150watt
I am using Reptile carpet and no loose substrate.
He had a small house on the cold side on the tank, and some large basking rocks under the heat lamp, he also has a large stick which runs from the hot side of the tank to the cold.

The temperature on the hot side is around 30-32 degrees Celsius on the hot side, and 24-26 degrees Celsius on the cold, the tanks temp is lowered to around 22-24 degrees Celsius at night, I'm aware that the temperature is a bit high for night time, but we are currently having a heat wave and that is the average temperature of the house, without even having his heater on at night.

That's all the info I can think about right now.
Please help me out, I'm quite worried about him.
 

AHBD

BD.org Sicko
Hi there, your set up + cage decor sound excellent, everything sounds good except for 1-2 critical things. Your hot side should be around 40C. Get that taken care of ASAP. And I've read that the All living things is not a good uvb bulb. You might want to look into a Reptisun 10.0 t5 or Arcadia D3 12 % long tube uvb bulb.

Your beardie should be fine with those changes .
 

JJC00lcat

Member
Original Poster
AHBD":5savnvc3 said:
Hi there, your set up + cage decor sound excellent, everything sounds good except for 1-2 critical things. Your hot side should be around 40C. Get that taken care of ASAP. And I've read that the All living things is not a good uvb bulb. You might want to look into a Reptisun 10.0 t5 or Arcadia D3 12 % long tube uvb bulb.

Your beardie should be fine with those changes .

Hi there, thanks for the info.
I'm afraid the Reptisun 10.0 is not available in my country, or else I would have bought that one instead, Reptile One is the best one they sell.
Also, I seem unable to get my tank to that temperature, the highest I've seen it go is 32.9 degrees Celsius and then it drops.. I keep trying, maybe my tank let's out heat too easily? Even with the heatwave it doesn't reach that temp.
 

AHBD

BD.org Sicko
Oh, sorry....for some reason I had in my mind that you said the Al living things brand. I don't know how the Reptile One brand rates as far as uvb output but if the beardie keepers in your country use it then it may be just fine. But make sure you get the temps up to 40c on the hot side.
 

EllenD

Gray-bearded Member
Yeah, the ReptileOne lighting is definitely your issue (along with the basking spot surface temperature that is too low). Unfortunately ReptileOne UVB tubes are made in the same Chinese factory that makes All Living Things, Zilla, and a bunch of other brands that are not only far too weak in UVB and UVA output for a Bearded Dragon, but most all dragons under a ReptileOne UVB tube develop serious eye damage, neurological damage, often go blind, and start having seizures. In fact, I've seen probably 3 or 4 cases of seizures and blindness from the ReptileOne T8 strength UVB tube in the last 3 or 4 months on here. As soon as the ReptileOne tube was turned off, the problems stopped.

You need to turn off that ReptileOne UVB tube immediately. He's not been under it yet long enough for the real serious health problems to start, but he hasn't been getting adequate UVB or UVA light from it and this is the cause of his appetite loss. Usually the first sign of the tube starting the serious issues is them closing one or both eyes, then actually losing their depth perception and not being able to catch any live insects. Plus, if you have the T8 UVB tube sitting on top of a mesh lid to the tank, it's blocking 40% of the already far too weak UVB tube, so he's basically getting no UVB light and very little UVA light anyway. (Just as an FYI, ALL T8 STRENGTH UVB TUBES MUST BE MOUNTED UNDER THE MESH LID TO THE TANK BY STRAPPING THE ENTIRE TUBE FIXTURE TO THE UNDERSIDE OF THE MESH LID USING ZIP TIES, WIRE, TWINE, ETC. AND POKING 4 HOLES IN THE MESH. THEY ALSO MUST BE WITHIN AT LEAST 6" OF THE DRAGON'S BASKING SPOT/PLATFORM TO EMIT ANY ADEQUATE UVB LIGHT TO THEM, AND THEY MUST BE REPLACED ONCE EVERY 6 MONTHS AT MOST(.

That being said, you do not want to move a ReptileOne UVB tube any closer to your dragon, it's actually better that he's gotten very little light from that tube, as they usually very quickly start causing serious health issues. You don't have to take my word for it, just search "ReptileOne" here on the forum and see for yourself.

Where is it that you live? There is a list of UVB tubes (most are T8 strength UVb tubes that are 18" or 24" long, as they are all basically the same tubes made in the same factory, just labeled for different brands) that you absolutely must avoid, as they all emit the same harmful light rays that cause the eye damage, neurological damage, and blindness, and apparently these harmful light rays are a byproduct of the cheap manufacturing process. Please avoid ALL lights from ReptileOne, Zilla, All Living Things, Trixie, and again their is a list somewhere on here that has all of these brands, I know KingofKnobbys has it.

You need to get either a Reptisun 10.0 brand or an Arcadia brand UVB tube. If you can find an Exo Terra ReptiGlo they are okay, the newer tubes don't seems to be causing any health issues, though they are not very strong UVB tubes. Though any and all T8 strength UVB tubes must absolutely be mounted inside the tanks and under the mesh lid, be within at least 6" of the basking spot, and be replaced every 6 months at the oldest. You're best off to order a T5 strength UVB tube and a T5-rated tube fixture for it, making sure that it also has a metal reflector inside it. The T5 strength UVB tubes are strong enough (24 or 26 watts vs. the 15 watts the T8 tubes are) to sit on top of the mesh lids as long as they are within at least 11" of the basking spot/platform, and they only need to be replaced once a year. You'll have to buy a new fixture for a T5 UVb tube (you cannot put a 24 watt T5 tube into a T8 tube fixture rated for 15 watts), but you'll save money every 6 months that you don't have to replace it. Plus, the T5 UVb tubes really are what Bearded DRagons need.

Either way, you need to turn that ReptileOne UVB tube off immediately and just keep his bright-white color Basking Bulb on his (try to lower it a bit to bump the Basking Spot Surface Temp and the Hot Side Ambient Temp up as AHBD already told you). You've gotten very lucky that this was caught before your dragon was under that ReptileOne tube long enough to start the health issues. The appetite loss is just a result of not getting enough UVB or UVA light from the far too weak UVb tube.

If you can order from Amazon.com, eBay, or any other pet or reptile supply store online, you can certainly find either a Reptisun 10.0 or Arcadia brand UVb tube, I've yet to find a country where one of the two weren't able to be ordered. He can go a week or so without a UVB light while you wait for the new tube or tube and fixture to arrive. As I said, he's not getting much UVb or UVA light from that tube anyway, especially if you have it on top of the mesh, and you must not let him under that ReptileOne tube any longer, as I've yet to see a single dragon that has been under one that hasn't at least had serious eye issues, if not much worse.
 

JJC00lcat

Member
Original Poster
EllenD":2yxa7qv7 said:
Yeah, the ReptileOne lighting is definitely your issue (along with the basking spot surface temperature that is too low). Unfortunately ReptileOne UVB tubes are made in the same Chinese factory that makes All Living Things, Zilla, and a bunch of other brands that are not only far too weak in UVB and UVA output for a Bearded Dragon, but most all dragons under a ReptileOne UVB tube develop serious eye damage, neurological damage, often go blind, and start having seizures. In fact, I've seen probably 3 or 4 cases of seizures and blindness from the ReptileOne T8 strength UVB tube in the last 3 or 4 months on here. As soon as the ReptileOne tube was turned off, the problems stopped.

You need to turn off that ReptileOne UVB tube immediately. He's not been under it yet long enough for the real serious health problems to start, but he hasn't been getting adequate UVB or UVA light from it and this is the cause of his appetite loss. Usually the first sign of the tube starting the serious issues is them closing one or both eyes, then actually losing their depth perception and not being able to catch any live insects. Plus, if you have the T8 UVB tube sitting on top of a mesh lid to the tank, it's blocking 40% of the already far too weak UVB tube, so he's basically getting no UVB light and very little UVA light anyway. (Just as an FYI, ALL T8 STRENGTH UVB TUBES MUST BE MOUNTED UNDER THE MESH LID TO THE TANK BY STRAPPING THE ENTIRE TUBE FIXTURE TO THE UNDERSIDE OF THE MESH LID USING ZIP TIES, WIRE, TWINE, ETC. AND POKING 4 HOLES IN THE MESH. THEY ALSO MUST BE WITHIN AT LEAST 6" OF THE DRAGON'S BASKING SPOT/PLATFORM TO EMIT ANY ADEQUATE UVB LIGHT TO THEM, AND THEY MUST BE REPLACED ONCE EVERY 6 MONTHS AT MOST(.

That being said, you do not want to move a ReptileOne UVB tube any closer to your dragon, it's actually better that he's gotten very little light from that tube, as they usually very quickly start causing serious health issues. You don't have to take my word for it, just search "ReptileOne" here on the forum and see for yourself.

Where is it that you live? There is a list of UVB tubes (most are T8 strength UVb tubes that are 18" or 24" long, as they are all basically the same tubes made in the same factory, just labeled for different brands) that you absolutely must avoid, as they all emit the same harmful light rays that cause the eye damage, neurological damage, and blindness, and apparently these harmful light rays are a byproduct of the cheap manufacturing process. Please avoid ALL lights from ReptileOne, Zilla, All Living Things, Trixie, and again their is a list somewhere on here that has all of these brands, I know KingofKnobbys has it.

You need to get either a Reptisun 10.0 brand or an Arcadia brand UVB tube. If you can find an Exo Terra ReptiGlo they are okay, the newer tubes don't seems to be causing any health issues, though they are not very strong UVB tubes. Though any and all T8 strength UVB tubes must absolutely be mounted inside the tanks and under the mesh lid, be within at least 6" of the basking spot, and be replaced every 6 months at the oldest. You're best off to order a T5 strength UVB tube and a T5-rated tube fixture for it, making sure that it also has a metal reflector inside it. The T5 strength UVB tubes are strong enough (24 or 26 watts vs. the 15 watts the T8 tubes are) to sit on top of the mesh lids as long as they are within at least 11" of the basking spot/platform, and they only need to be replaced once a year. You'll have to buy a new fixture for a T5 UVb tube (you cannot put a 24 watt T5 tube into a T8 tube fixture rated for 15 watts), but you'll save money every 6 months that you don't have to replace it. Plus, the T5 UVb tubes really are what Bearded DRagons need.

Either way, you need to turn that ReptileOne UVB tube off immediately and just keep his bright-white color Basking Bulb on his (try to lower it a bit to bump the Basking Spot Surface Temp and the Hot Side Ambient Temp up as AHBD already told you). You've gotten very lucky that this was caught before your dragon was under that ReptileOne tube long enough to start the health issues. The appetite loss is just a result of not getting enough UVB or UVA light from the far too weak UVb tube.

If you can order from Amazon.com, eBay, or any other pet or reptile supply store online, you can certainly find either a Reptisun 10.0 or Arcadia brand UVb tube, I've yet to find a country where one of the two weren't able to be ordered. He can go a week or so without a UVB light while you wait for the new tube or tube and fixture to arrive. As I said, he's not getting much UVb or UVA light from that tube anyway, especially if you have it on top of the mesh, and you must not let him under that ReptileOne tube any longer, as I've yet to see a single dragon that has been under one that hasn't at least had serious eye issues, if not much worse.

Thank you for this information,
I have had a look around and I think I have found the UVB bulb your talking about, it's the
Zoo Med 26061 Reptisun 10.0 T5-Ho Uvb 24W Fluorescent Lamp, 60cm. Is this what your talking about? Also, does this one really last at least a year? And would I be able to put it on top of the mesh instead of it being tied to the inside? (I currently have the Reptile One tied on the inside with some wire) Also, my heat bulb produces no light, it is a ceramic one for day and night use. I'll try find a fixture and then I'll get back to you.

Just some extra info, Kuro started shedding yesterday, and I believe that's also linked to his loss of appetite, am I wrong? He also pooped this morning, it was a little dry, so I offered him some water and he licked it off my finger.
Thanks.
 

AHBD

BD.org Sicko
Yes, that's the same one I mentioned. :) You can set it on the screen as long as it's within 10-12" of the dragon, otherwise underneath. And get him a bright white basking bulb, they come from an extremely sunny + hot environment and the CHE can't replicate that.
 

EllenD

Gray-bearded Member
Yes, that is exactly the Reptisun 10.0 T5HO UVb tube I'm talking about, it's one of the best UVB tubes you can buy for a dragon. Yes, they are good for 10-12 months, as being a 10% UVB tube they have a much slower UVB decay rate than the T8 tubes do. Also, they emit 60% UVA light as well, so it's a great UVB tube. As AHBD already instructed, you can have it on top of the mesh as long as it's within at least 11" of his basking spot/platform, or you can strap it underneath the mesh lid if his tank is extremely tall, otherwise it's fine on the mesh. Be sure that you buy a tube fixture that is rated for a T5 light tube (24 watts). And just to clarify, the Reptisun 10.0 T5HO UVB tubes come in odd lengths, such as 16", 22", and 34:, but they still fit inside standard sized T5-rated tube fixtures, so an 18", 24", or 36" T5-rated tube fixture, respectively. Be sure the fixture you buy has a metal reflector inside it, otherwise you'll have to buy a separate, clip-on metal reflector the length of the UVB tube you order.

******You absolutely cannot use a CHE as a Basking Bulb, that's probably part of his appetite issue as well, had I known that I would have pointed this out first. Desert Reptiles need 13-14 hours of both strong UVB/UVA light combined with a bright-white colored light that produces heat from above, just as the natural sunlight is comprised of. You should not need any CHE at all during the day, you need to get a bright-white colored Basking Bulb that is an adequate wattage to put his Basking Spot Surface Temperature and his Hot Side Ambient Temperature within the correct ranges (it may also put the Cool Side Ambient Temperature between 75-80 degrees F, if after you get both the Basking spot Surface Temp and the Hot Side Ambient Temp within their correct ranges, then you measure the Cool Side Ambient Temp and it falls between 75-80 degrees F, then great, but if it's lower than 70 degrees then don't bother trying to adjust the main Basking Bulb that you've already gotten set-up properly, simply add a second, much lower wattage, bright white colored Basking Bulb over the Cool Side of the tank in either a cheap clamp lamp or a dome lamp, usually if this is needed it only takes a 25 watt-30 watt secondary bright white colored basking bulb to achieve 70-80 degrees).

You don't have to use an expensive, reptile-specialty basking bulb from a pet shop for his Basking bulb, you can just as long as it's bright-white (some look bright yellow in color, that's fine, just as long as it's not red, blue, green, purple, etc.). I don't know where you live, but here in the US and also in the UK and Australia most of us don't use reptile-specialty basking bulbs, but rather simply buy the much cheaper, household Halogen Indoor Flood Bulbs that you can buy in most hardware or department stores (usually the Par38 or BR30 types you buy for your home). They are all the correct color, and they produce the same light/heat as any expensive basking bulb from a reptile supply company.

****Just another FYI, Bearded Dragons come from the Australian Desert, which is considerably colder and Pitch-Black at nighttime than during the day, and as such, Dragons do not like their tanks to be warm at nighttime, they need the their tanks to be considerably cooler at nighttime than during the daytime, and most people don't need any type of nighttime heat source at all. As long as his tank stays at 65 degrees F at night then he will sleep very comfortably and soundly, and needs absolutely no nighttime heat source. If your house is at least 60 degrees at night, which most people's homes are (unless you freeze yourself at night, lol), then he'll be perfect at night with no CHE or anything else at night. If by chance you do like to freeze yourself at nighttime and your house is below 60 degrees at night, then you only want to add a nighttime CHE (his tank needs to be pitch-black at night, so no "night bulbs") that is a very, very low wattage, because remember, you're only trying to bump his nighttime temp up to around 65-70 degrees. So if your house is 55 degrees at night (I doubt this, just an example), then his tank will be around 60 degrees at night, so you only need to bump his temp up 5 degrees or so, so the CHE you would need would only be a 5 watt-10 watt CHE. A lot of people think they need to be warm at nighttime and use a high wattage CHE that bumps their tanks up to 80 degrees or higher at night, and this totally disrupts their sleep, and can also extremely dehydrate them over time. I'd say 97% of Bearded Dragon owners need absolutely no nighttime heat source on their Dragon's, just another waste of money that the reptile light companies pump out to owners...
 

JJC00lcat

Member
Original Poster
EllenD":3o42c8wq said:
Yes, that is exactly the Reptisun 10.0 T5HO UVb tube I'm talking about, it's one of the best UVB tubes you can buy for a dragon. Yes, they are good for 10-12 months, as being a 10% UVB tube they have a much slower UVB decay rate than the T8 tubes do. Also, they emit 60% UVA light as well, so it's a great UVB tube. As AHBD already instructed, you can have it on top of the mesh as long as it's within at least 11" of his basking spot/platform, or you can strap it underneath the mesh lid if his tank is extremely tall, otherwise it's fine on the mesh. Be sure that you buy a tube fixture that is rated for a T5 light tube (24 watts). And just to clarify, the Reptisun 10.0 T5HO UVB tubes come in odd lengths, such as 16", 22", and 34:, but they still fit inside standard sized T5-rated tube fixtures, so an 18", 24", or 36" T5-rated tube fixture, respectively. Be sure the fixture you buy has a metal reflector inside it, otherwise you'll have to buy a separate, clip-on metal reflector the length of the UVB tube you order.

******You absolutely cannot use a CHE as a Basking Bulb, that's probably part of his appetite issue as well, had I known that I would have pointed this out first. Desert Reptiles need 13-14 hours of both strong UVB/UVA light combined with a bright-white colored light that produces heat from above, just as the natural sunlight is comprised of. You should not need any CHE at all during the day, you need to get a bright-white colored Basking Bulb that is an adequate wattage to put his Basking Spot Surface Temperature and his Hot Side Ambient Temperature within the correct ranges (it may also put the Cool Side Ambient Temperature between 75-80 degrees F, if after you get both the Basking spot Surface Temp and the Hot Side Ambient Temp within their correct ranges, then you measure the Cool Side Ambient Temp and it falls between 75-80 degrees F, then great, but if it's lower than 70 degrees then don't bother trying to adjust the main Basking Bulb that you've already gotten set-up properly, simply add a second, much lower wattage, bright white colored Basking Bulb over the Cool Side of the tank in either a cheap clamp lamp or a dome lamp, usually if this is needed it only takes a 25 watt-30 watt secondary bright white colored basking bulb to achieve 70-80 degrees).

You don't have to use an expensive, reptile-specialty basking bulb from a pet shop for his Basking bulb, you can just as long as it's bright-white (some look bright yellow in color, that's fine, just as long as it's not red, blue, green, purple, etc.). I don't know where you live, but here in the US and also in the UK and Australia most of us don't use reptile-specialty basking bulbs, but rather simply buy the much cheaper, household Halogen Indoor Flood Bulbs that you can buy in most hardware or department stores (usually the Par38 or BR30 types you buy for your home). They are all the correct color, and they produce the same light/heat as any expensive basking bulb from a reptile supply company.

****Just another FYI, Bearded Dragons come from the Australian Desert, which is considerably colder and Pitch-Black at nighttime than during the day, and as such, Dragons do not like their tanks to be warm at nighttime, they need the their tanks to be considerably cooler at nighttime than during the daytime, and most people don't need any type of nighttime heat source at all. As long as his tank stays at 65 degrees F at night then he will sleep very comfortably and soundly, and needs absolutely no nighttime heat source. If your house is at least 60 degrees at night, which most people's homes are (unless you freeze yourself at night, lol), then he'll be perfect at night with no CHE or anything else at night. If by chance you do like to freeze yourself at nighttime and your house is below 60 degrees at night, then you only want to add a nighttime CHE (his tank needs to be pitch-black at night, so no "night bulbs") that is a very, very low wattage, because remember, you're only trying to bump his nighttime temp up to around 65-70 degrees. So if your house is 55 degrees at night (I doubt this, just an example), then his tank will be around 60 degrees at night, so you only need to bump his temp up 5 degrees or so, so the CHE you would need would only be a 5 watt-10 watt CHE. A lot of people think they need to be warm at nighttime and use a high wattage CHE that bumps their tanks up to 80 degrees or higher at night, and this totally disrupts their sleep, and can also extremely dehydrate them over time. I'd say 97% of Bearded Dragon owners need absolutely no nighttime heat source on their Dragon's, just another waste of money that the reptile light companies pump out to owners...

Thank you,
What wattage should the bright colored basking bulb be? I just want to be certain of everything.
Also, Kuro finished shedding and has started eating again like normal.
 

JJC00lcat

Member
Original Poster
EllenD":18i192ai said:
Yes, that is exactly the Reptisun 10.0 T5HO UVb tube I'm talking about, it's one of the best UVB tubes you can buy for a dragon. Yes, they are good for 10-12 months, as being a 10% UVB tube they have a much slower UVB decay rate than the T8 tubes do. Also, they emit 60% UVA light as well, so it's a great UVB tube. As AHBD already instructed, you can have it on top of the mesh as long as it's within at least 11" of his basking spot/platform, or you can strap it underneath the mesh lid if his tank is extremely tall, otherwise it's fine on the mesh. Be sure that you buy a tube fixture that is rated for a T5 light tube (24 watts). And just to clarify, the Reptisun 10.0 T5HO UVB tubes come in odd lengths, such as 16", 22", and 34:, but they still fit inside standard sized T5-rated tube fixtures, so an 18", 24", or 36" T5-rated tube fixture, respectively. Be sure the fixture you buy has a metal reflector inside it, otherwise you'll have to buy a separate, clip-on metal reflector the length of the UVB tube you order.

******You absolutely cannot use a CHE as a Basking Bulb, that's probably part of his appetite issue as well, had I known that I would have pointed this out first. Desert Reptiles need 13-14 hours of both strong UVB/UVA light combined with a bright-white colored light that produces heat from above, just as the natural sunlight is comprised of. You should not need any CHE at all during the day, you need to get a bright-white colored Basking Bulb that is an adequate wattage to put his Basking Spot Surface Temperature and his Hot Side Ambient Temperature within the correct ranges (it may also put the Cool Side Ambient Temperature between 75-80 degrees F, if after you get both the Basking spot Surface Temp and the Hot Side Ambient Temp within their correct ranges, then you measure the Cool Side Ambient Temp and it falls between 75-80 degrees F, then great, but if it's lower than 70 degrees then don't bother trying to adjust the main Basking Bulb that you've already gotten set-up properly, simply add a second, much lower wattage, bright white colored Basking Bulb over the Cool Side of the tank in either a cheap clamp lamp or a dome lamp, usually if this is needed it only takes a 25 watt-30 watt secondary bright white colored basking bulb to achieve 70-80 degrees).

You don't have to use an expensive, reptile-specialty basking bulb from a pet shop for his Basking bulb, you can just as long as it's bright-white (some look bright yellow in color, that's fine, just as long as it's not red, blue, green, purple, etc.). I don't know where you live, but here in the US and also in the UK and Australia most of us don't use reptile-specialty basking bulbs, but rather simply buy the much cheaper, household Halogen Indoor Flood Bulbs that you can buy in most hardware or department stores (usually the Par38 or BR30 types you buy for your home). They are all the correct color, and they produce the same light/heat as any expensive basking bulb from a reptile supply company.

****Just another FYI, Bearded Dragons come from the Australian Desert, which is considerably colder and Pitch-Black at nighttime than during the day, and as such, Dragons do not like their tanks to be warm at nighttime, they need the their tanks to be considerably cooler at nighttime than during the daytime, and most people don't need any type of nighttime heat source at all. As long as his tank stays at 65 degrees F at night then he will sleep very comfortably and soundly, and needs absolutely no nighttime heat source. If your house is at least 60 degrees at night, which most people's homes are (unless you freeze yourself at night, lol), then he'll be perfect at night with no CHE or anything else at night. If by chance you do like to freeze yourself at nighttime and your house is below 60 degrees at night, then you only want to add a nighttime CHE (his tank needs to be pitch-black at night, so no "night bulbs") that is a very, very low wattage, because remember, you're only trying to bump his nighttime temp up to around 65-70 degrees. So if your house is 55 degrees at night (I doubt this, just an example), then his tank will be around 60 degrees at night, so you only need to bump his temp up 5 degrees or so, so the CHE you would need would only be a 5 watt-10 watt CHE. A lot of people think they need to be warm at nighttime and use a high wattage CHE that bumps their tanks up to 80 degrees or higher at night, and this totally disrupts their sleep, and can also extremely dehydrate them over time. I'd say 97% of Bearded Dragon owners need absolutely no nighttime heat source on their Dragon's, just another waste of money that the reptile light companies pump out to owners...

What wattage should the bright white colored basking bulb be? I just want to be certain.
Also, I have a URS reptile heat lamp cage around the bulb, just to protect him from burning himself, is that ok?
 

EllenD

Gray-bearded Member
The wattage is going to depend on the size of your tank. For reference, usually a 40 gallon Breeder Tank uses a 100 watt Basking Bulb to achieve the correct temps.

As far as the cage around the bulb, it's fine to use one around the Basking Bulb, obviously you can't use one around a long fluorescent tube, but does your tank have a mesh lid? Or is it a large, wooden enclosure? If it's a tank with a mesh lid you don't need to have the Basking bulb inside the tank, and the T5 strength UVB tube can sit on top of the mesh as well. If you have a large wooden enclosure then yes, you can certainly keep the cage around the Basking Bulb, but you may need a higher wattage bulb to achieve proper temperature ranges...
 

Gormagon

Extreme Poster
Do not use any type of colored bulb at all, use only bright white lights. Colored lights distort their vision.
 
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