I would say no you want the Reptisun ---- the other one is not really a good bulb and you want the best one beings hes been w/ out for so long ----
Karrie
Okay, i actually found the bulb on Chewy.com for a great price and 2 day shipping.
Tomorrow and Monday I’m going to make sure he gets plenty of time outside in the sun. We live in Maryland and it is HOT and sunny this weekend , so i was planning on putting him outside for 30-45 minutes at a time maybe in one of my dog crates to keep him safe and from running away if i can’t sit with him.
Here is the link to that bulb -
Your pet will love this Zoo Med T8 ReptiSun 10.0 UVB Fluorescent Lamp, 18-in: https://app.chewy.com/BRcH23LzuY
I would say no you want the Reptisun ---- the other one is not really a good bulb and you want the best one beings hes been w/ out for so long ----
Karrie
Buying cheap UV lighting is never a good idea …. essentially these cheap and nasty clones use substandard quartz in the tubes (not uniform structurally and full of inconsistancies that tend to allow very dangerous UVC through in unpredictable manners, and very poor quality UV emitting phosphors which do not produce a nice UV spectrum and tend to decay very fast).
Essentially , if it's a lot cheaper than good quality brands , it's cheaper because it's quality is much poorer and there has been no quality control to speak off on the part of the manufacturer.
It needs to be removed right away and replaced with the best quality UVB tube you can fit in the hood , I suggest an Arcadia T8 12% UVB tube. ie https://www.arcadiareptile.com/d3-desert-lamp/ if you haven't already bought and installed the Zoo Med T8 10.0 tube.
I'd ensure the basking spot is not far above the substrate (this dragon is going to need a low one (on top it's hide becomes its basking spot maybe or ontop a concrete paver (even lower) to ensure it can't break already weakened bones (MBD) in a fall caused by it's neurological issues caused by it's advanced ADV.
This is how to work out how far it should be from the tube to the basking spot to give adequate levels of UVB (and UVA) flux :
and this is how to use the charts :
An Arcadia T8 12%UVB tube in a reflector hood will need to be 5-7 inches from the basking spot to give adequate UV.
Can you get it down that close ?
I'd STRONGLY RECOMMEND swapping out the T8 hood for a T5HO reflector hood and going to an Arcadia T5HO 12%UVB tube , this will give adequate UV at 12 inches from the tube.
If you have to have it further away , go for an Arcadia T5HO 14%UVB tube.
Yes get rid of the plastic cover, it has been blocking nearly 100% of the UVA & UVB.
Definitely get the sick dragon tested properly for MBD ( long period with very low / nil UVB and a poor T8 UVB tube ) and for ADV ( flipping onto it's back is a symptom of advanced ADV ).
You can take him outside daily for up to an hour or more but sit him in the grass so he doesn't overheat. A dog crate would have a plastic bottom I believe ? That would heat up way too hot, think of putting your hand on a car that's in the sun and it's comparable to that . Since he's not well he won't have the strength to run off so just set him in the grass. If you can only put him in a dog crate, you would have to create artificial shade on the outside of the crate, like a large fake plant or a piece ot trellis.
You can take him outside daily for up to an hour or more but sit him in the grass so he doesn't overheat. A dog crate would have a plastic bottom I believe ? That would heat up way too hot, think of putting your hand on a car that's in the sun and it's comparable to that . Since he's not well he won't have the strength to run off so just set him in the grass. If you can only put him in a dog crate, you would have to create artificial shade on the outside of the crate, like a large fake plant or a piece ot trellis.
Even better , sit on the grass with the dragon on your lap.
I wouldn't ever leave a dragon outside unattended , especially not one who is weaken because it's very ill because
> it will be unable to escape a predator
> unable to thermoregulate.
Of course it would not be out by itself with no supervision. In the grass while attended , as the owner is siting near it. NOT in your lap at 90 degrees, that's extra human body heat that will overheat the dragon. I live in the U.S., a dragon in the grass sitting near it's owner as I've done for the past 25 years is perfectly safe.
Hi all!
Sorry to freak everyone out about the dog crate , I’m talking a large crate with a towel at the bottom, things to hide in and climb on. Not just letting him fry in the sun.
Thank you for everyone’s advice , I’ll make the necessary changes and let everyone know how he’s doing. As far as testing blood is pretty much off the table but I’ll take him in for X-rays ASAP.
Thanks again!
If you wont be charged for the xrays it might be worth it. Otherwise their isnt really much an xray will tell you in this case as it's clear he hasn't had proper uv exposure.
You're doing every thing you need to right now just fine! He just needs some time
If you wont be charged for the xrays it might be worth it. Otherwise their isnt really much an xray will tell you in this case as it's clear he hasn't had proper uv exposure.
You're doing every thing you need to right now just fine! He just needs some time
I can get them for free so I figured might as well see what they show
As of now it looks like he is REALLY enjoying his time in the sun. I put one of my large dog crates in a half sunny/half shady area with a towel at the bottom and his hide log that he sometimes basks on. I’m outside with him and my three dogs (crate is just to keep him safe from the dogs mostly) and he looks happy as a clam basking.