Beardie avoiding basking spot

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All right, recently I got my beardie a 40 gallon tank and have been working on getting the lighting/UVB setup up to spec. I recently broke down and got the Reptisun 10.0 fluorescent light and kept my UVB dome for backup. My dad and I rigged the Reptisun so it could hang on the inside of the cage lid, which is what I see people recommend. However by the end of the first day, my beardie began hiding in the cooler part of the cage where it was darkest. Honestly all I can think of is she wasn't used to the light the Reptisun put out as I've used the dome UVB bulb ever since I got her. So I decided to try and get her used to it in intervals and rigged the Repitsun to sit about a foot above the cage.

My basking spot measures about 100-105 degrees and I have checked and rechecked it multiple times with temperature gun and a digital thermo with the sensor. The temperature gradient stays about the same, so I'm fairly confident its ok.

Regardless, my beardie is still spending alot of time laying down in the shade in her the cooler part of her tank. The temps there are about 85 normally. Her appetite is fine, she still eats dubias and greens I offer her. When I get her out to hold her or let her explore, she seems to be fine, not limping or having trouble standing. However, eventually she will seek a dark corner or nook, curl up and go to sleep. After reading comments on here, I've seen that this is a normal behavior.

Healthwise, she's had parasites and I've taken her to the vet twice in the last two months. The first time she had two, and she was dosed with medication. The second vet visit revealed the dangerous parasite was gone, but the less harmful one was still around. The vet dosed her and now I'm set to take another of her stool samples over soon for a checkup. Her stools haven't seemed to be anything to worry about, they seem well formed and normal, the urates a little yellow in places but mostly white. Yesterday when she woke up she fanned her beard out but it disappeared when I held her and fed her. She rarely ever fans her beard out. Her last shed was about a month ago.

I'm not entirely sure what's going on here, she still basks sometimes but will usually end up in the cooler side of the cage, napping, especially when I'm home.
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
She is a she? Do you know if shes w/ eggs? Is she digging- behavior changed I am assuming when you changed the UVB out? What bulb did you get ? Is it the T 5 or the T 8- the T 5 is a stronger bulb - how far from the basking spot is the UVB?
Karrie
 

Claudiusx

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The reptisun 10.0 is a great bulb. It's a lot more powerful than the CFL.

How close is the reptisun to the basking surface?
How close is it to the bottom corner of the cool end?

You want a gradient with UV just like you want with heat.

Did you get the reptisun t8 or t5 HO?

-Brandon
 

harshstonewhite83

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It's a T8 30"

It's resting about a foot above the cage top, like I said she acted real spooked when I turned it on for the first time and started hanging out in her shadier, cool side, it really brightened up the cage and I don't think she was used to that much light after being used to the lamp UVB bulb, so. Eventually I'll have it as close as it needs to be, but I'm trying to get her used to the light. The fluorescent stretches from her basking spot over into the cooler side.

I'm not 100% sure of the gender. I've had her since March this year and she was about a month old (?) then. His/her gender may not be fully developed, I dunno. But her tail has the one bulge near the vent, instead of the two bulges...so it looks as if she's female. I didn't even think about the possibility of eggs or anything. She has been doing the digging thing when she goes to burrow into a corner....hmm.

Will try and get a pic of her setup because I know its helpful.
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
If its a T 8 its way to high for UVB rays -- it needs to be inside the tank and 6-8 inches from her basking spot and from the way it looks I dont think you will be able to do that -- ---so I would either take your screen off and lower the UVB to where its sitting 6-8 inches from basking or I would change the bulb out to a T 5 and have it sitting 11-12 inches from basking area-- everything hanging above her is probably whats scarring her - she sees them w/ her so called third eye I am not sure what they call that but its for predators-- so that could be what the issue is w/ the hiding - not so much the UVB - to me personally I would not have it running the length of most of the tank -- she needs to be able to get away from it and go to areas of the tank w/ out having to hide from it -- but thats just me --- I have a 4x2x2 tank 120 gallon and my UVB is a 24" - so Hiccup can go to other places in the tank w/ out having to constantly be under his UVB -- some others on here can give you ideas as well -
Karrie
 

harshstonewhite83

Member
Original Poster
Is there a good screen or wire material I could use as a makeshift top for the cage, yet would allow the UVB to pass through if I mounted it above the basking spot? I'm trying to save up to buy a home and replacing an automobile windshield I really do not want to buy another lamp and bulb after spending nearly 130 bucks on this new one.
 

Claudiusx

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
The bigger the mesh/screen, the more uv will pass through. Can you not hang it or mount it under the top?
Even if you just placed it on top of the mesh instead of above it like how you have it now, it would be much more effective. The uv output drops the further it gets, so currently yours really isn't doing anything as it's too far away. Just place it on the mesh for now until you can find a way to mount it under.

And, I noticed in your pictures you have two thermometers that really aren't suitable, why do you have those if you have the digital with probe and a temp gun? If you're relying on those your temps could be way off.

-Brandon
 

CooperDragon

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
The distance is much better, but I suggest turning the fixture so the light is directed downward by the reflector instead of outward.
 
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