Bearded Dragon questions

[ShenronComeForth]

Hello,
I just have a question about night time light for my juvenile bearded dragon. So I use a 40 gallon tank and my bearded dragon is about a year and a half old. Had him for four months now and been researching what I can to improve his habitat. I just have some questions on whether I should be using a night time light or not because I know that they don't need it unless the temperature goes below 65 degrees. The temps during the day though are 95-100. Recently though he has been taking naps during the day while I'm at work I see him resting on his hammock. I wake up at 6 30 am and turn his light on before I go to work, does that mean I should have his light off at 630 pm at nights? Maybe that's why he's sleepy, I'm not sure. He also has a 100 watt heat bulb and a 10.0 uv Repta Sun UV bulb, and I do use sand for his tank. He also eats about 4 or 5 superworms and then he's done and goes back on his rock. Is that normal since he's growing up I figured he doesn't eat as much when he's getting bigger. So, after feeding him worms I leave him veges. He does become active though every once and a while, he's not always napping when I get home.

 

[CooperDragon]

That sounds like fairly normal behavior. At a year and a half old he is probably close to fully grown and should be on an adult diet of a nice varied salad every day and a bug meal once or twice per week. The supers are OK as a treat but aren't all that healthy as a staple bug. I'd rotate between roaches, crickets, horn worms, and silk worms depending on what is available. The main thing is getting him a diet rich in veges and dark leafy greens. Rotate depending on what looks fresh at the store and try a bunch of stuff out to find his favorites. This is a good list to reference for some ideas http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Nutrition.html

As far as night heat goes, you probably don't need it. What does the temp get down to overnight? I use a ceramic heat emitter seasonally in the winter when the house temps go into the low 60s or high 50s overnight but add just enough to bump tank temps to the high 60s or low 70s. If your house stays warmer than that you don't need to add any heat to the tank.

 

[ShenronComeForth]

Thank you Cooper and the temps at night are 70. Also, he has a 10.0 ReptiSun UV Bulb and it's a coil bulb by the way, should I get a fluorescent tube for uvb instead? I heard coil bulbs are bad.

 

[CooperDragon]

Yeah I'm not crazy about the compact bulbs at all. I suggest getting a 22'' T5 fixture and bulb. They provide a nice strong output and wide beam and they last for quite a long time.

 

[ShenronComeForth]

I ordered a t5 fixture and bulb, reptisun 10.0 uvb. It's a 24 is that big enough for a 40 gallon?

 

[Drache613]

Moved by Moderator from Website Comments to Enclosures

 

[CooperDragon]

Yep that should work well. It is long enough to cast a wide even beam of UVB across the basking area while still leaving some areas of the tank with little to no UVB. It's important to keep a good gradient like that.