I'm looking forward to getting my first beardie within the next few months. I recently purchased a 36 by 24 by 18 melamine tank with a sliding glass door in the front (the other sides of the tank are melamine). This comes out to about 65 gallons, which from what I've heard is "decent but could be better" for an adult - I'm open to getting a bigger tank within a few years.
Anyway! My question is about ambient lighting. I live in a studio apartment, meaning if I'm awake, there's going to be some light around. I typically go to bed around 11 PM. The apartment lights aren't super bright and are pointed away from reptile enclosures, but they're definitely there. Will my future beardie be stressed out by the ambient light at night? If so, would it be helpful to drape something over the cage at night so as to reduce the amount of light?
They all react a little differently so you'll have to try it and see how they react to know for sure. None of my guys are too bothered by ambient light or sound. My tank is right in the living room. My newest guy tries to get out sometimes if the lights are on and he goes to bed. It's more of him not wanting to miss out on action though. He has a few fleece blankets that he can dig under and he does bury his face under them or just hides under his log if he wants darkness. You can create areas like that so they can choose either way. It's always good to give them options.