Ceramic Heater + Household Bulb

[Millertime1485]

Hey there,

I (or more specifically my daughter) has been having some unusually bad luck with mercurcy vapor bulbs. In the last month we've burnt out about 3 of the bulbs although they were brand new and purchased from separate stores (just in case). I've replaced the lamp fixture and still no luck I can only assume that the issue has something to do with the amps from my outlet which I'll be checking ASAP. Now on to my question.. in the meantime would it be viable to have my ceramic heater and a household 60W bulb? Whatever the issue is it doesn't seem to affect either one of these and I couldn't tell you why.

Before anyone asks yes I've checked my fixtures to make sure it can handle the wattage I'm using.

 

[Taterbug]

Are the MVB mounted vertically and not getting jostled around? They can be delicate and may not tolerate being moved much, especially when on or still warm.

If it's a few days you should be OK without the UVB. A household light should be enough for heat, but you can use a CHE too as long as your aren't over heating.

 

[CooperDragon]

Which brand of MVBs have you been using? Some of the cheaper brands may not be as reliable as ones made by companies like Arcadia or MegaRay. It's worthwhile to invest a larger portion of your budget in lighting since it's such a critical component of overall health. Either way they can be fairly delicate from what I've seen so it's good to make sure they aren't being moved around much.

In the meantime, a household bulb and CHE should provide enough heat but I'd double check the temperature to ensure it's in a safe range. You'll also need a UVB component that was provided by the MVB but won't be provided by a household bulb. How old is your dragon? An adult should be fine for a while without UVB but it may be a bigger issue with a younger dragon. I would try not to go without for more than a few days with a little guy. Time outside in sunlight can supplement this if the weather is warm enough.

 

[Millertime1485]

I guess I should've mentioned that I am also using a tube light for the UVB so that's a non issue. I just wasn't sure if the mercury's provided an beneficial UVA compared to a household bulb and I keep reading contradicting articles. I'm pretty sure the brand I was using was the ZooMeds but I could be mistaken. Whatever the brand was it seems it's the only thing the stores around here are carrying.

Edit: Beardie is almost 5 years old and in good health

 

[Taterbug]

I guess I should've mentioned that I am also using a tube light for the UVB so that's a non issue. I just wasn't sure if the mercury's provided an beneficial UVA compared to a household bulb and I keep reading contradicting articles. I'm pretty sure the brand I was using was the ZooMeds but I could be mistaken. Whatever the brand was it seems it's the only thing the stores around here are carrying.

Edit: Beardie is almost 5 years old and in good health

You should be fine then, as long as the tube is still in its useful age. The MVB put out much more UVA than a basking bulb (which puts out disspointingly little) but they also have a purple cast to them. The tube also puts out decent UVA so still, you should be ok. Unfortunately there aren't really any inexpencive solutions to "sunlight" like light.