BD acting like a spaz after lighting change.

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So new bearded dragon parent. At the beginning of December I was at the pet store and this little beardie was being kept in a tiny tank with no where to hide and that was not ok to me. I had wanted to get a beardie for awhile so I decided right then and there that I was not leaving without the little guy. I have multiple Ball Pythons and so I have extra tanks for when I take in a resuce. Brought the little guy home and got him set up in a 40 gal tank with a heat lamp and a uvb light that stretches across 80% of the tank. His temps are between 105-110 consistently in the basking spot and the warm side of his tank is 90-95 and on the cool side the coldest measurement I have gotten is 83. Things have been going great and he eats dubais, black fly larvae, crickets (not his fav) and for treats 2 horned worms a week. He gets twice a week baths and he regularly drinks out of his water bowl in his tank that I change twice a day. Today though he has started to act like a spaz. I needed to change out his basking bulb and the one I usually buy was not available so I purchased a different brand. The wattage is the same and the light produced looks the same to me. For some reason though he (assuming its a male, I have no clue) is acting in like a spaz. He has been running all over more and usually when I put my hand into the tank he climbs right up to be held but after i changed the light he doesn't want to be held. His beard is not black at all his whole belly and beard is its usual white and he is not hissing he is just acting strange since the change. Could the new light be making a sound that I cant hear that might be bugging him? or maybe the light is different so he is just adjusting to the change?
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
What are you using for a UVB you said it spans 80% of the tank? And the brand and bulb of the basking light you went to -- your UVB is a T 5 or a T 8? How old is the dragon?
 

luciferthebeardie1

Member
Original Poster
Sorry for the delay in reply, It covers 80% of the mesh screen as there is a 3-4 inch band of plastic around the edge that allows for the locks on the tank. I think it was the light that was causing the problem, I was reading that the T8 wasn't strong enough to sit on top of the tank so I put in inside the tank and made it to where when on one of his logs he was about 7 inches from it. After doing more reading I checked the make of the UVB becasuse I couldn't remember the brand that I picked up the day i got him, as it turns out it was a zilla slimline desert uvb and from what i read that can cause all sorts of problems. I went looking for a reptisun T5 fixture and bulb for his tank but with where I live neither of the stores carry them. I ordered a reptisun t5 fixture and bulb but it will take a week or a little longer to arrive due to where i live. As a temp solution i bought a reptisun t8 fixture and t8 bulb as the problems people were reporting scared me and I dont want anything to happen to him. Since switching them out he seems much happier and is not acting like a spaz anymore. I also went and got the same brand basking bulb as before as i noticed when i leaned close to the basking bulb there was a noticable high pitch sound with the new bulb but once i switched it out i didnt notice it anymore. I do have one question. I know the T5 is strong enough to be on top of the tank screen and that t8s are not, the reptisun t8 fixture does not have a cover to keep him from touching the bulb should i put it on the screen and adjust his logs so he can get close to it or go ahead and attach it to the inside of the lid like i did the zilla light and just make sure his log is high enough for uvb but low enough he cant touch the bulb?
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
The T 8 does need to be inside the tank 6-8 inches no clear plastic cover over the bulb - depending on the screen your T 5 can sit on top but screen needs to be wide hole type fine mesh like a screen door it too will need to go inside the tank
 

luciferthebeardie1

Member
Original Poster
Ok thank you, I will mount it up inside the lid right after replying. In my opinion my screen is not as see through as a screen door so ill either switch out the lid when the t5 comes or mount it on the inside. I appreciate the help, I usually work with ball pythons so a bearded dragon is new territory for me.
 
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