Bearded Dragon avoiding UVB

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Hi. I have a three-year-old female bearded dragon who for some reason is avoiding her UVB light. Here are the facts. She is three years old, female, never laid eggs, her appetite is very scarce. She will maybe eat three pieces of collard greens every few days with me feeding her. She is refusing all bugs. Her high basking temps are mid 90s to 100, and her cool side is low 80s. She is also not wanting to bask. I know for a fact that it is something related to the UVB because I got a clearFecal sample today from the vet, and I did an experiment where I turned off her UVB and she immediately started to bask. After four hours of the UVB being off, I turned it back on and she immediately went into her hide. Other new symptoms is that she doesn’t really want to be held vertically that much. She’s fine being held horizontally but does not want to be put on your shoulder vertically. When the UVB is on she gets dark. Not Blackbeard in completely, but overall dark. I can’t find any information on why a bearded dragon would avoid the UVB. Her UVB Set up is a T5 Arcadia D3 +12% desert bulb, mounted inside and a Sunblaster lamp. She is in a 4 x 2 x 2 Zen habitat enclosure. The UVB bulb is 18 inches from her basking area. Does anybody know why she might be avoiding the UVB?
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Not sure but the distance should be 12-15 inches --- can you post a pic of the tank and UVB please--
https://www.beardeddragon.org/useruploads/ click on the XIMG at the top of the message box then click on the pic it should post
You have a really good bulb so I am not sure why she would be avoiding that bulb
 

renoholdway

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Original Poster
103051-1033083606.jpg
I did the solar meter and it came to 3.1 at 18 inches. That is the lowest point though. That is with her on the floor. She doesn’t climb much at all. Never has. I’m sure if she went up higher obviously it would be less inches.
 

CooperDragon

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
3.1 is a good amount. Sometimes they do prefer less though - that's why it's good to offer a gradient. Sometimes my guy likes to bask under a plain halogen bulb and will avoid UVB too. It seems to be intermittent. As long as you have a gradient available, I'd let her get what she wants at any given time. You could play around with the UVB a bit. Try shortening the on cycle or perhaps turn it on every other day and see how that goes over. It comes down to observing their behavior and reactions to the environment and making adjustments accordingly. The general guidelines tend to just be a good starting point to work from.
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Are you sure your using the 12% and not the 14% bulb? The way its set up now shes not getting enough UVB its too far away and the solar meter I am not familiar w/ the readings from them - that would be CooperDragon - he would need to way in on the readings -- I am going to have him look at the post and he can throw some ideas as to why shes hiding -- I have the same tank and w/ the Reptisun 10.0 T 5 but have used the Arcadia Desert 12% bulbs and have not had that issue at all --

Never mind he already wayed in :)
 

renoholdway

Member
Original Poster
Yes I had the 14% Arcadia in and that’s when she started hiding. Then I went down to the 12%. It was fine in the glass tank until I put her in the Zen Habitat. Now she is acting this way. I do have a brand new Reptisun T5 10.0 and 5.0 but I thought the Arcadia was supposed to be better
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Both the Reptisun and Arcadia are good I prefer the Arcadia - I would try what Cooper dragon suggested and see if the behavior changes- the 5.0 is not strong enough in that zen- stay w/ your 12% or the T 5- I had the 14% as well but I had my distance at 17-18% directly above the basking decor-- the dragons seemed good w/ that distance-
 

Drache613

BD.org Sicko
Staff member
Moderator
Hello,

Does she avoid it all of the time when the UVB is on?
What type of basking light are you using, which brand is it? I was just wondering if perhaps
it was coated in neodymium? That can affect the overall brightness.

Tracie
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
And your basking light is a what ? Brand and bulb? Is it off yellowish? Just wanting to rule out this light so we are focusing on what the cause could be --- and as what Tracie asked as well ?
 

renoholdway

Member
Original Poster
Sorry misread the previous post. The basking light is a 150w Zoomed basking spot lamp. She avoids the UVB all the time.
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
So the basking light is good--- I am wondering if its the fixture it self- maybe its defective and causing issues --- I guess there would be no way to tell unless you swapped fixtures- this is really strange- any buzzing noises coming from the fixture? there was a issue w/ Sunblasters a while back see if this a cause of yours viewtopic.php?f=34&t=253769
I guess it wouldnt hurt to check --
 

renoholdway

Member
Original Poster
INTERESTING UPDATE: I took the reflector off of the fixture and she came out of hiding. The UVB is on. She is on the cool side though.
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Did you check the post about the sunblaster fixture? You need a reflector on the fixture-- I would replace the fixture w/ a Arcadia or Zoo Med
 

renoholdway

Member
Original Poster
Yes I checked the Sunblaster post thank you :) But that shows that it wasn’t emitting enough UVB. I almost feel like this bulb is emitting too much.
 
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