Set up - advice on improvement.

[Reggie1]

I am new beardie owner and I have been learning on the go.

Please see attached a photo of my set up and any improvement would be greatly appreciated as I know I have probably failed on a lot of things..

Thank you everyone have a great day/night

 

[KarrieRee]

I am new beardie owner and I have been learning on the go.

Please see attached a photo of my set up and any improvement would be greatly appreciated as I know I have probably failed on a lot of things..

Thank you everyone have a great day/night

Ok - we need to revamp your set up - if you can take this stuff back and get what I post that would be great- first No colored bulbs at all - they cause eye damage and distort the vision - next the tank should have length not height- full size dragon a 4x2x2- next please No coils for a uvb- they are inadequate and cause all kinds of health problems- you want a long tube fixture like a Arcadia pro T 5 w/ a 12% bulb - 24" fixtures for a 40-120 gallon tank-- or a sunblaster nano tech w/ a 22" reptisun 10.0 bulb----or a zoo med fixture-- I can post website's for you if you need them---you want 2 digital probe thermometers they are a must to get surface basking temps-- a solid clear bright white basking bulb examples are flukers-exo Terra intense-or Arcadia halogen-- please get these things as soon as possible - your dragons health depends on correct husbandry

 

[Reggie1]

Thank you so much for this.. as I have been doing research I have no come across a lot of stores tend to give the wrong stuff! it’s a shame and annoying.

I would love some links if that’s ok to some of the stuff I need to purchase. Even a link to a tank..

Also is it possible to find these brands in Australia? As I’m finding it hard to find some of the stuff on the list as I can find similar stuff with similar brand names but not quite exact brand.

Thank you so much! You all in this community have been awesome!

I am already attached to little Reggie so I want to make sure I get this right without harming him.

 

[xp29]

Any brand long tube fixture will be better than a coil/compact, like Karrieree said those will harm your beardie, also any colored bulbs will damage its eyes. If you need night time heat use a ceramic heat emitter, they produce heat but no light. Beardies like it cool and dark when they sleep. Basking bulbs can be any clear bright white incandescent bulb, it doesn't have to be "reptile" branded.

 

[Reggie1]

Ok awesome so should the long tube fixture go right across the whole tank? Or only across the basking section?

 

[xp29]

It should go about 2/3 of the way across,they need to be abke to get out of it if they want to. In most setups a 24 inch is sufficient.

 

[KarrieRee]

Thank you so much for this.. as I have been doing research I have no come across a lot of stores tend to give the wrong stuff! it’s a shame and annoying.

I would love some links if that’s ok to some of the stuff I need to purchase. Even a link to a tank..

Also is it possible to find these brands in Australia? As I’m finding it hard to find some of the stuff on the list as I can find similar stuff with similar brand names but not quite exact brand.

Thank you so much! You all in this community have been awesome!

I am already attached to little Reggie so I want to make sure I get this right without harming him.

Here is where I send people to get the UVB its one of the best
Arcadia Pro T5 UVB Kit - Desert 12% it does not need to be completely across the tank this will be good for a 40 + gallon tank -- look at this site for tanks-- the links I have for tanks are state side -- you should be able to get all the lights and stuff off this site - you want a solid clear bright white basking bulb like a Arcadia Halogen - the ceramic heat emitter is on here as well or a heat projector - you want the two digital probe thermometers as well -- please get this stuff as soon as you can I didnt realize you had the dragon already --- his health will depend on this- is it summer over in Australia now? If so you can take Reggie out in a clear plastic tote NO glass set him in the sun / shade for 15 min or longer watch him do not leave him - this will give him the UVB rays / UVA he needs till you get the UVB set up- but those digital probe thermometers you need right away so you can get surface basking temps- for a baby 105-110 F- you want the middle of the tank 90's F and cool side of the tank 80"s F during the day - night time temps 65-75 F - if your getting those temps your good and wont need the CHE or heat projector now --

 

[Reggie1]

Thank you for this! I will be getting the UV light hopefully today as I have taken day off to go into the city to get it. The local pet shop did not have the Arcadia Halogen basking light in stock so I had to settle with this and order in the Arcadia Halogen light. See attached.

Have also got a probe in their recording temps I will also have to grab a second one and third one to continually record the cool side and middle. The temperature looked good today at the basking spot around 105 F. I’ll update tomorrow the cooler side and middle.

I cannot thank you enough….

 

[Reggie1]

Thank you for this! I will be getting the UV light hopefully today as I have taken day off to go into the city to get it. The local pet shop did not have the Arcadia Halogen basking light in stock so I had to settle with this and order in the Arcadia Halogen light. See attached.

Have also got a probe in their recording temps I will also have to grab a second one and third one to continually record the cool side and middle. The temperature looked good today at the basking spot around 105 F. I’ll update tomorrow the cooler side and middle.

I cannot thank you enough….

Thank you for this! I will be getting the UV light hopefully today as I have taken day off to go into the city to get it. The local pet shop did not have the Arcadia Halogen basking light in stock so I had to settle with this and order in the Arcadia Halogen light. See attached.

Have also got a probe in their recording temps I will also have to grab a second one and third one to continually record the cool side and middle. The temperature looked good today at the basking spot around 105 F. I’ll update tomorrow the cooler side and middle.

I cannot thank you enough….

Here is where I send people to get the UVB its one of the best
Arcadia Pro T5 UVB Kit - Desert 12% it does not need to be completely across the tank this will be good for a 40 + gallon tank -- look at this site for tanks-- the links I have for tanks are state side -- you should be able to get all the lights and stuff off this site - you want a solid clear bright white basking bulb like a Arcadia Halogen - the ceramic heat emitter is on here as well or a heat projector - you want the two digital probe thermometers as well -- please get this stuff as soon as you can I didnt realize you had the dragon already --- his health will depend on this- is it summer over in Australia now? If so you can take Reggie out in a clear plastic tote NO glass set him in the sun / shade for 15 min or longer watch him do not leave him - this will give him the UVB rays / UVA he needs till you get the UVB set up- but those digital probe thermometers you need right away so you can get surface basking temps- for a baby 105-110 F- you want the middle of the tank 90's F and cool side of the tank 80"s F during the day - night time temps 65-75 F - if your getting those temps your good and wont need the CHE or heat projector now --

Also when I get the UVB set up as I have a mesh top will it be ok to sit on top of the mesh? At the bank of the tank of the tank on the basking side? Or front of the tank basking side?

 

[KarrieRee]

Also when I get the UVB set up as I have a mesh top will it be ok to sit on top of the mesh? At the bank of the tank of the tank on the basking side? Or front of the tank basking side?

The basking bulb is fine--- the UVB will need to be placed and distanced depending on the mesh top - is it a fine mesh like a screen door or a wide hole type - if its a fine mesh it will need to go inside the tank - screens block out 30% of the rays so you want a good UVB ray for him -- I can post things to hang w/ if you need them -- also distance will depend on where the UVB is placed --

 

[Reggie1]

The basking bulb is fine--- the UVB will need to be placed and distanced depending on the mesh top - is it a fine mesh like a screen door or a wide hole type - if its a fine mesh it will need to go inside the tank - screens block out 30% of the rays so you want a good UVB ray for him -- I can post things to hang w/ if you need them -- also distance will depend on where the UVB is placed --

It’s definitely a fine mesh, yes please that would extremely useful, I would prefer to hang it inside the tank so Reg is getting the best out of it.

 

[KarrieRee]

It’s definitely a fine mesh, yes please that would extremely useful, I would prefer to hang it inside the tank so Reg is getting the best out of it.

Ok make sure you have the two digital probe thermometers to get surface basking temps -- anytime your changing out basking bulbs you want those so you can get a reading on the temps- so inside the tank you want distance of 12-15 inches for the T5 or 12% bulb - you can use these to hang w/ fishing line --- 3M Velcro fasteners or this Amazon.com watch the stuff as it gets heated w/ time it will start to get weak so you may need to change the stuff out -- you dont want the fixture falling into the tank -- you can use long plastic zip ties as well --

 

[Reggie1]

Silly question but looking at the T5 Pro; would the 24W be efficient? It’s 57.5cm long. My width of my enclosure is 60cm.

The higher wattage of the T5 the longer it is so I’m guessing I go with the 24W?

 

[KarrieRee]

Silly question but looking at the T5 Pro; would the 24W be efficient? It’s 57.5cm long. My width of my enclosure is 60cm.

The higher wattage of the T5 the longer it is so I’m guessing I go with the 24W?

Yes the 12% bulbs are equivalent to the T 5 and you want the 24 watt --- Arcadia Pro T5 UVB Kit - Desert 12%

 

[Reggie1]

Hello,

I have gone ahead and taken your advice, I have got all the stuff you have recommended and changed up his set up.

Tomorrow I still have to install the UVB light inside Reggie’s tank as it’s just sitting on top until tomorrow. Please see photo.

As I have the heat globe in there it’s 100 watts and can’t seem to achieve optimum temperature. Should I get 150 watt?

Would love your advice and appreciate all your help so far so I thank you very much.