Basking Spot Temperatures

[ehzool]

I just bought a baby bearded dragon and I've been trying all different types of bulbs for the basking spot but I don't know what the right temperature should be.
I know a basking temperature should be 105-115ish.
And I have a UVB Bulb.
I have a 10 gallon tank right now because he's a baby (bought him from PetSmart), but one side of the tank manages to stay 109ish in the basking area, while staying in the mid 80s on the other side.

The only thing I'm unsure of is how to measure the temperature of a basking spot.
My beardie's basking spot are some plastic green leaves elevated a bit. When I place a digital thermometer right ontop of the leaves where the bearded dragon usually sits, the thermometer shows 109 which is perfect! But this is measuring air temperature right? Not the basking spot temperature? I mean I'm placing the thermometer RIGHT ontop of the basking spot where he sits... The thermometer is made of white plastic though and when I feel it after the light being on for awhile, the thermometer feels HOT. But then when I touch the leaves around the thermometer, they aren't hot.

So would buying a digital thermometer with a little probe thingy work? How would I measure that? Put the probe directly onto the leaves so it is making contact with them?
Also, if the air temperature around the green plastic leaves is 109... what could we assume is the basking temperature? I mean... its green so it's not 100% absorbing or reflecting the heat. Also its plastic so... yaknowwhatimsayinbrothers?

 

[jinzilla]

I had similar questions regarding the basking spot temps when I first started...

I initially purchased the small, Zoomed temp gun which works fine but i typically only use for spot temp checks now. I ended up getting 2 digital thermostats and put one on the cool side and the other one right ON the location that's the hottest point under the basking bulb. Typically, if you have some raised surface (rock, big stick, etc.), I'd put the probe right in the hottest spot. That's where I'm looking for an average 110F.

If you want to go overboard, get a digital thermostat like the Herpstat series so you can digitally control temps and simulate sun up and sun down on an automatic schedule...note: even with the Herpstat 2, I still have one of the digital thermometers being used in the terrarium (has to do with temp vs. light functions per probe).

Hope this helps.

 

[ehzool]

So I need one with a probe then? Or am I fine with just setting the digital thermometer ontop of the basking spot?

 

[thecarrclan]

You can find decent infra red temp guns for less then 20 bucks on amazon, temp guns are the way to go.

 

[RuselBro]

Yes, you need a Digital Therm with a probe on the end to sit right on the basking spot. Also it is pretty much impossible to get the correct Temp's in a tiny 10G Tank. Also beardies grow so fast you're going to need a much bigger tank in about 1 month. You should go ahead and buy a 40G Breeder "36L x 18W x 18H".

Also what type of UVB bulb are you using?

 

[ehzool]

I'm using a Reptio Glo 13W 10.0 UVB, person from PetSmart told me to buy it but now that I've been looking around on this board, people are saying it isnt good.