Ceramic heater for basking

Tymon94

Member
Hi there, I have bought my first beardie today along with the vivarium etc. The guy who own the shop told me I only need a UVB light (Arcadia T5 14%) and a 100w ceramic heater which will be apparently enough for basking spot, warm side and cool side if properly used with a ministat 600. Is this correct? Do I not need any other lamps for basking for my buddy? Will he be ok in this set up? I still need to buy all the decor tomorrow. Just wondering if the ceramic heater is enough for my buddy? From what I read online before buying the vivarium they need a basking lamp not a heater that is on pretty much 24 hrs a day... I feel like I got lied to by the shop owner although he seemed like he knew what he was talking about as the shop he owns is a reptile / aquatic shop.

Please help
 

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KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Hi there, I have bought my first beardie today along with the vivarium etc. The guy who own the shop told me I only need a UVB light (Arcadia T5 14%) and a 100w ceramic heater which will be apparently enough for basking spot, warm side and cool side if properly used with a ministat 600. Is this correct? Do I not need any other lamps for basking for my buddy? Will he be ok in this set up? I still need to buy all the decor tomorrow. Just wondering if the ceramic heater is enough for my buddy? From what I read online before buying the vivarium they need a basking lamp not a heater that is on pretty much 24 hrs a day... I feel like I got lied to by the shop owner although he seemed like he knew what he was talking about as the shop he owns is a reptile / aquatic shop.

Please help
First thing please get rid of the sand--- its not very sanitary and houses all kinds of bacteria -- the tank is beautiful --- you need two digital probe thermometers as soon as you can -- you got wrong info about basking lamps --- PLEASE GET ONE ---- Flukers-- Exo Terra Intense-- Arcadia Halogen-- or Zoo Med Repti basking bulbs are all good solid bright white basking bulbs --- your dragon needs UVA that white bulb will provide that ---- next your UVB is too high you want distance 17-18 inches for a 14% tank -- that is w/ the basking decor piece directly under it --- ceramic heat emitters are for keeping temps at night above 65 not over 75 ambient temps - you can use stick ons for ambient but NOT surface basking temps--- you need those probe thermometers to get actual basking temps -- for him if hes an adult/juvie 95-100-- I would look into getting some textured NON adhesive shelf liner or some textured slated ceramic tile --- if your interested in the tile please ask -- the shelf liner can be found at Walmart or your local home improvement store or on line --- clean w/ vinegar / water --50/50 solution for both the tile and shelf liner -- please dont listen to the pet store owner hes giving wrong advice about the basking lamps and heat emitters - I have seen too many post w/ people using just heat emitters and their dragons are sick ---
 

xp29

BD.org Addict
Photo Comp Winner
Beardie name(s)
Zen , Ruby ,Snicker Doodles, Sweet Pea, Sinatra
Karrieree is absolutely correct. Not only do they need the uva from the basking, the actual light will draw them to the basking spot, the che likely will not as they won't understand where the heat is coming from. If they don't bask and get up to temp they will not digest their food correctly.
 

Tymon94

Member
Original Poster
Hi would this be a good place to install a basking bulb? Would I need to move the ceramic heater more to the back or is it fine the way it is now? I have 2 thermometers just haven't installed them yet. The guy at the shop told me to make basking area around 38 Celsius, warm area 32 Celsius and cool side 26-28. I'm away to buy decor today, brought in some big stones from the beach last night - away to wash them, boil to disinfect, get a hammock so he can chill there and a big piece of wood for him to lay under the UVB light.
 

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KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Hi would this be a good place to install a basking bulb? Would I need to move the ceramic heater more to the back or is it fine the way it is now? I have 2 thermometers just haven't installed them yet. The guy at the shop told me to make basking area around 38 Celsius, warm area 32 Celsius and cool side 26-28. I'm away to buy decor today, brought in some big stones from the beach last night - away to wash them, boil to disinfect, get a hammock so he can chill there and a big piece of wood for him to lay under the UVB light.
You can leave the emitter where it is but I would not run it unless you need to get the basking temps in the tank to what they need to be -- 105-110 F- 100 F is not quite there-- mid tank 90's F- 80's F for cool side - I would start w / a 100 watt basking bulb -- go from there but use those digital probes to get your surface basking temps and I would be getting this done right away - from the pic he does not look very happy - and please get rid of the sand --- it is terrible for babies they lick everything when young and you dont want him eating all that sand or your going to have digestion issues -- and please get the UVB lowered as well to the posted distance -- as of now hes not getting much UVB
 

Tymon94

Member
Original Poster
Ok so I got a new ceramic holder and a 100w basking bulb with UVA. I have also bought a hammock and some feeding dishes. Placed the fore mentioned rocks directly under the basking light - he's been chilling on the rock for a couple of hours now. Seems pretty happy now to me. Fed him a couple of locusts and he's been eating fine. Also first time I've seen him jump - jumped onto the hammock. How would I lower the UVB lamp? It's screwed into the top of the vivarium. What if I make a platform for him to chill under the UVB?
 

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Tymon94

Member
Original Poster
Also I have found some more info on Arcadia's website and they recommend the distance from the UVB for a 14% that I have to be between 45-60cm which is what the length is just now. It's around 55cm
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Ok so I got a new ceramic holder and a 100w basking bulb with UVA. I have also bought a hammock and some feeding dishes. Placed the fore mentioned rocks directly under the basking light - he's been chilling on the rock for a couple of hours now. Seems pretty happy now to me. Fed him a couple of locusts and he's been eating fine. Also first time I've seen him jump - jumped onto the hammock. How would I lower the UVB lamp? It's screwed into the top of the vivarium. What if I make a platform for him to chill under the UVB?
You need those digital probe thermometers -- please get them -- and please get something under the UVB another piece of decor -- this is critical - 17-18 inches directly above the basking decor piece - please dont feed him on the sand --- too much risk for impaction -- cant stress that enough- you want surface basking temps 105-110 --
 

Tymon94

Member
Original Poster
I have the thermometers attached now. You can see in the picture I've attached. I feed him from a feeding dish - I don't place the insects on the sand. I have also spoke to a couple of people who own beardies and they told me sand is not bad for them if you give them enough calcium and vitamins as they won't be eating sand then. Also it it's sand it's called desert mix which is a mix of little stones and some sort of soil.
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
I have the thermometers attached now. You can see in the picture I've attached. I feed him from a feeding dish - I don't place the insects on the sand. I have also spoke to a couple of people who own beardies and they told me sand is not bad for them if you give them enough calcium and vitamins as they won't be eating sand then. Also it it's sand it's called desert mix which is a mix of little stones and some sort of soil.
All I can say is bad for babies good for older dragons
 

xp29

BD.org Addict
Photo Comp Winner
Beardie name(s)
Zen , Ruby ,Snicker Doodles, Sweet Pea, Sinatra
The biggest issue with sand is that beardies test/taste EVERYTHING they are like toddlers everything that will fit goes in their mouth. Babies internals are small and haven't developed fully yet, it doesn't take alot of sand or any other media for that matter to cause impaction. (Their was a beardie here a couple months ago that ate an entire shoestring, luckily it passed it.). Also REALLY watch the small rocks, 3 out of 5 beardies that i had/have would actively eat rocks. I have to watch them very closely if they are on the ground. If you want to use the sand, it might be a good idea to feed in a different enclosure like a big clear tote.
 

xp29

BD.org Addict
Photo Comp Winner
Beardie name(s)
Zen , Ruby ,Snicker Doodles, Sweet Pea, Sinatra
Oh and your setup does look really nice. I wouldn't try to lower the uvb, just give him something to climb, all beardies like to get up high, especially babies.
 

Tymon94

Member
Original Poster
I moved the java wood to the middle of the vivarium - stood it upright at an angle so the little one can sit on top of it under the UVB. It's about 12 inches away from UVB now. I need to buy a bigger branch so he has more things to climb on. Did his first poop today and is eating fine. He likes his basking spot now. I have put in a bit more substrate where the basking spot was which raised the stones by a few inches. The highest spot on his basking rock now is around 107 degrees which I think is perfect for him.
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
I moved the java wood to the middle of the vivarium - stood it upright at an angle so the little one can sit on top of it under the UVB. It's about 12 inches away from UVB now. I need to buy a bigger branch so he has more things to climb on. Did his first poop today and is eating fine. He likes his basking spot now. I have put in a bit more substrate where the basking spot was which raised the stones by a few inches. The highest spot on his basking rock now is around 107 degrees which I think is perfect for him.
Are you getting the temp w/ a digital probe thermometer? Also I recommend you get a digital probe hygrometer- place on back center wall of the tank -- the sand may cause quite a bit of humidity in the tank -- please get one soon -- if he ingest any of the rocks in the tank they will impact him -
 

Tymon94

Member
Original Poster
Are you getting the temp w/ a digital probe thermometer? Also I recommend you get a digital probe hygrometer- place on back center wall of the tank -- the sand may cause quite a bit of humidity in the tank -- please get one soon -- if he ingest any of the rocks in the tank they will impact him -
Yes, I have two digital probe thermometers at each end of vivarium. Cool side is around 82 and basking spot 107-108. I also measured the basking spot with a heat gun thermometer.
 

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