coil uvb bulb

[Austin8249]

Although I know that coil bulbs are bad for bearded dragons, Unfortunately I have to deal with it for a little while longer til I can afford to get a new light. Will she be fine with thishttps://www.amazon.com/Flukers-Glow-Coil-Reptiles-Birds/dp/B00164M4VC in her tank or would it be better to go without uvb for a few days? if there is any other tips or temporary fixes for this, please elaborate.

 

[CooperDragon]

I haven't tested the Fluker's bulbs but the 5.0 UVB won't be powerful enough to support a dragon. They need pretty intense "sunlight" and UVB. As far as coil bulbs go, the best ones that I've seen are the Exo Terra UVB 200 26w bulbs which emit a decent amount of UVB at about 6-8'' (less if shining through a screen top).

The type of UVB lighting you use depends a lot on the dimensions of your tank and distance to the basking spot from the light. The 26w coils and T8 tubes have similar output in terms of distance and are better suited to small enclosures while mercury vapor bulbs and T5 tubes have higher output and are effective at greater distances so they're better suited to large enclosures and basking sites that are around 12-14'' from the bulb (depending on model and wattage).

If you can provide the dimensions of your tank and distance to the basking site I can help you find a good match for your setup if you'd like.

 

[Austin8249]

I forgot the length and width of the tank but it's a 20 gallon long. it's 12" tall, my beardie is around juvenile age and her basking area is about 4"off of the ground.

The beardie is 8" from it while basking and 12" while it's not.

 

[Austin8249]

I have an 18" reptisun bulb coming in, I just need to get the fixture for it

 

[CooperDragon]

I'd get a fixture with a reflector like the zilla slimline. Just ensure you remove the clear plastic from in front of the bulb as that will intercept all of the UVB.

 

[Austin8249]

thanks for the help