New Tank Setup

Fionnuala

Member
Beardie name(s)
Buffy the cricket slayer
Back story:
So I recently rescued my old bearded dragon (8yr old) from my parents house. He was with them for 2 years after I had moved out for college, but on my last trip home, I realized that he had a eye issue, and took him to a vet (who doesn't specialize in lizards and rarely sees them). I was informed that he had a ruptured cornea, and brought him back to my new home with me. I now have a vet appt. set up with a exotic animals vet next Wednesday.

Details:
I upgraded his 50 tank to a 75 gallon, but I'm having issues heating it. I'm using my old lighting and heating equipment from when I was a preteen with a juvenile lizard, (I'll attach photos from my phone in the comments) but it isn't enough for the big tank and cold house. my partner needs the house below 70 degrees for electronics, and I'm just barely able to get his basking rock/ area to around just under 80 degrees, and I know that's not warm enough.
Yesterday I got a heated basking rock from zoomed and my lizard won't leave it for long (as expected).

Additionally, until I sort out the tank heating issues, I've been taking my lizard outside for 3-4 hours a day in the sun. Local temp is in the 80's-90's and he loves it! He's been doing the mouth open thing, especially on rocks and I'm trying my best to get him healthy.

Last bowel movement was today as well, which was good
 

Fionnuala

Member
Original Poster
Beardie name(s)
Buffy the cricket slayer
FE88BF41-A1EB-45A4-AE25-C3DB65794C28.jpeg
 

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KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Ok so we need to do some tank upgrading here --- first get rid the the coil UVB - and the basking light -- you want a log tube fixture here is some links to show you what you need
24" Zoo Med ReptiSun T5 HO Hood this will come w/ a 5.0 bulb keep it for a back up the distance and placement is different from the one you need a 22" Zoo Med ReptiSun 10.0 UVB T5 HO or you can look for this one at Pet Smart they are now carrying them 24 watt Arcadia ProT5 12% UVB Bulb With Hood you want the 12% bulb --- please get this as soon as you can next you need a solid clear bright white basking bulb here are some examples Zoo Med Repti basking --- Exo Terra Intense -- Arcadia Halogen or Flukers which are the most reasonable -- you want a wattage thats going to get your surface basking temps 95-100 taken w/ a digital probe thermometer 2 of them one for the cool side of the tank one for the basking side Zoo Med Digital Thermometer the stick ons are only giving ambient temps which is good for night time
please get rid of the heat rock dragons heat from their backs and heat rocks can burn him and he wont feel it --- when you get the thermometers place the probe on the spot where he sits to bask 10 min or so get the temp -- basking bulbs are trial and error - I would start w/ a 100 watt but I am thinking you may need the 150 watt -- especially if the house is cold - the heat emitter is good keep it you can use it to get temps up for basking but you want that bright white bulb I posted -- they get UVA out of that bulb ---
when you get the UVB please post back on here and I will help you get it placed for your tank - your screen will determine where the fixture will go
 

Fionnuala

Member
Original Poster
Beardie name(s)
Buffy the cricket slayer
Ok so we need to do some tank upgrading here --- first get rid the the coil UVB - and the basking light -- you want a log tube fixture here is some links to show you what you need
24" Zoo Med ReptiSun T5 HO Hood this will come w/ a 5.0 bulb keep it for a back up the distance and placement is different from the one you need a 22" Zoo Med ReptiSun 10.0 UVB T5 HO or you can look for this one at Pet Smart they are now carrying them 24 watt Arcadia ProT5 12% UVB Bulb With Hood you want the 12% bulb --- please get this as soon as you can next you need a solid clear bright white basking bulb here are some examples Zoo Med Repti basking --- Exo Terra Intense -- Arcadia Halogen or Flukers which are the most reasonable -- you want a wattage thats going to get your surface basking temps 95-100 taken w/ a digital probe thermometer 2 of them one for the cool side of the tank one for the basking side Zoo Med Digital Thermometer the stick ons are only giving ambient temps which is good for night time
please get rid of the heat rock dragons heat from their backs and heat rocks can burn him and he wont feel it --- when you get the thermometers place the probe on the spot where he sits to bask 10 min or so get the temp -- basking bulbs are trial and error - I would start w/ a 100 watt but I am thinking you may need the 150 watt -- especially if the house is cold - the heat emitter is good keep it you can use it to get temps up for basking but you want that bright white bulb I posted -- they get UVA out of that bulb ---
when you get the UVB please post back on here and I will help you get it placed for your tank - your screen will determine where the fixture will go
Money’s pretty tight right now. But would these be the correct ones to purchase, also would I be able to use the old heat lamp for the basking bulb?
 

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Fionnuala

Member
Original Poster
Beardie name(s)
Buffy the cricket slayer
Additionally, do I need to get a real rock for his basking spot or will his old driftwood / new log hide work?
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Additionally, do I need to get a real rock for his basking spot or will his old driftwood / new log hide work?
You you use both on the basking decor- the basking lamp is trial and error- you need a digital probe thermometer to get surface basking temps-- and yes on the uvb and basking bulb
 

xp29

BD.org Addict
Photo Comp Winner
Beardie name(s)
Zen , Ruby ,Snicker Doodles, Sweet Pea, Sinatra
If the house is cold please leave the che in its dome. He needs to be in the dark at night to have correct sleep. If money is tight you can improvise on the basking. You don't have to spend big bucks on reptile branded stuff. Hit lowes, home depot or even walmart. You can pick up aluminum clamp on light fixtures for 10 bucks or less. Any clear incandescent or halogen bulb can be used for basking. Make sure no colored or off white bulbs its hard on their eyes. Just chose the wattage that gets the temp in his basking correct. If you have to spend money on lighting it's way better to go all out on the uvb.
 

Fionnuala

Member
Original Poster
Beardie name(s)
Buffy the cricket slayer
If the house is cold please leave the che in its dome. He needs to be in the dark at night to have correct sleep. If money is tight you can improvise on the basking. You don't have to spend big bucks on reptile branded stuff. Hit lowes, home depot or even walmart. You can pick up aluminum clamp on light fixtures for 10 bucks or less. Any clear incandescent or halogen bulb can be used for basking. Make sure no colored or off white bulbs its hard on their eyes. Just chose the wattage that gets the temp in his basking correct. If you have to spend money on lighting it's way better to go all out on the uvb.
Cool, thank you so much
 

Fionnuala

Member
Original Poster
Beardie name(s)
Buffy the cricket slayer
I got the zoomed 30” hood with 24”bulb. I’m not able to get the basking bulb at the moment, but I did get a taller basking spot, turns out she loves climbing. This is the new set
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
I got the zoomed 30” hood with 24”bulb. I’m not able to get the basking bulb at the moment, but I did get a taller basking spot, turns out she loves climbing. This is the new set
Please show me your screen from above --- you need a basking bulb -- you can use a regular household bulb the old style incandescent start w/a 100 watt and watch your basking temps--- we need to get the UVB placed for your tank
 

Fionnuala

Member
Original Poster
Beardie name(s)
Buffy the cricket slayer
And I do have a ceramic heating coil in there still. That’s the dome fixture.
 

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KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
And I do have a ceramic heating coil in there still. That’s the dome fixture.
Ok that's a wide hole screen please get a piece of basking decor directly under the uvb 8-10 inches- and do you have a digital probe thermometer-? You want two of them one for surface basking temps-- one for the cool side of the tank-- 95-100 for surface and cool side 80's
 

affinenine

Member
Beardie name(s)
Butternut
Might I also chime in and recommend investing in some reptile carpet or even tile slates versus sand substrate? Sand, even the calcium sand, is known to cause issue with impaction if beardies happen to ingest it.
 

Fionnuala

Member
Original Poster
Beardie name(s)
Buffy the cricket slayer
I’ve never once had an issue with her eating the sand, my old beardie used to eat it but my current girl has no problems. I also have her live feeding (like mealworms) outside her cage do to issues spotting and catching the insects with only one usable eye, so no risk of accidentally ingestion during any hunts.

With how cold the house is, the sand also helped bring up the cage temp by 4-6 degrees. I have a 50-50 mix or vitasand and thermal sand.
 

Fionnuala

Member
Original Poster
Beardie name(s)
Buffy the cricket slayer
Ok that's a wide hole screen please get a piece of basking decor directly under the uvb 8-10 inches- and do you have a digital probe thermometer-? You want two of them one for surface basking temps-- one for the cool side of the tank-- 95-100 for surface and cool side 80's
I’ll take the temps in the morning after her lights come on, she’s asleep for the night.
 

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I miss you so much, Amaris 💔
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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

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