Baby Bearded Dragon

[GRIMWicked]

Hi Everyone,

I just recently bought a baby bearded dragon from a reputable pet store in my area. I have the National Geographic 23 gallon desert kit for it. Ive been wondering if the lighting is right for a bearded dragon. Any advice would be appreciated as this is my first beardy.

This is a little info on the kit.

1 Basking Bulb (50 watt)
1 Desert UVB Bulb (13 watt)
Terrarium Size: 23 gallons (87 L), 23.6 L x 17.7 in W 12.6 in H (60 x 45 x 32 cm)
Each dome lamp accommodates most bulbs up to 50 watts. Do not exceed 50 watts.

 

[GRIMWicked]

 

[CooperDragon]

Welcome to the forum! He's a cute little guy. I advise getting an IR temp gun like this https://www.amazon.com/Nubee-Temperature-Non-contact-Infrared-Thermometer/dp/B00CVHIJDK So you can get accurate surface temperature readings. You want the basking site to be around 100-110 with areas around that in the 90s and a gradient down to about 75-80 in the cool side. You can get to this by raising/lowering the basking light or the basking site.

I also advise replacing the UVB light. In a tank that size, you're probably best off getting a T8 ReptiSun 10.0 and a reflective fixture which has optimal output 6-8'' below the bulb. Be sure to remove any plastic covering from the fixture because that will intercept UVB from the bulb. If you stick with the compact type of UVB light, I suggest using the more powerful 26w to provide enough UVB at 6''.

 

[GRIMWicked]

Thanks I will be getting a tempgun soon. I was also wondering, does their basking spot usually feel hot to the touch. I had bought a zoomed 75 watt red heat bulb but when I touched his basking spot it was HOT. It even seemed like the bearded dragon was tippy toeing around it. So Im just using the 50 watt heat bulb that came with the cage. Is it supposed to feel that hot to the touch or just semi hot/warm?

 

[CooperDragon]

The basking spot usually feels warm but shouldn't feel hot enough to make you pull your hand away. The surface temp readings are what you want to go by which is why an IR temp gun or a probe thermometer is the way to go.

I'd also avoid using a red or colored basking light. The goal is to simulate sunlight so you want a bright white bulb that produces heat along with a UVB light to produce artificial sunlight over the basking area. A PAR38 halogen flood light should do the trick if you don't want to use a reptile specific basking bulb.

 

[GRIMWicked]

I ended up buying the zoo med digital thermomeyer with a probe. The temp stuck at 112.5 on the hot spot, would that be ok? Also, Ive been having a tough time getting him to eat since I got him,he doesnt eat any of the dandelion greens and he only eats about 5 crickets at a time and then ignores the rest. Ive tried leaving them in there to see if he eats them later on but I just find them dead. Im guessing from the calcium dust. Ive been thinking of changing his staple diet to pheonix worms.

 

[Varalidaine]

Dragons can take quite a while to settle in. Mine took about 2 months to finally dig in and get comfy. Just keep offering greens and offer them earlier in the day before insects so the dragon is hungrier and more likely to eat them. As for insects, don't leave any to roam loose in the tank. Crickets can be quite a nuisance and can bite your reptile, causing pain and discomfort and leaving the dragon open for bacterial infections.

I can't tell if the bowl on the hot side is a food or water bowl, but if it is a water bowl, move it over to the cool side. The heat on the warm side will cause the water to evaporate quickly, raising the humidity in the tank.