Heating and Lighting questions.

[Starlily]

As the title suggests, looking for some ideas to improve my beardies living space.

We built a 4x2x2 wooden enclosure and recently put her in it. For heat, I'm using an Arcadia 100w halogen. A pinpointed spot will read 118-120 (using a temp gun) which seems a little high, but my beardie will be happily basking away less than an inch from that and it'll read 105. Is it OK to have areas in the enclosure that are higher so long as she can bask in a spot that she IS comfortable? Tbh, I had envisioned a more spacious area of heat within the range she should be at (seemed more that way when she was still in her 20 gallon) but I'm not finding it easy to achieve that at this time.

I should add that my switches are dimmable (as they were in the 20 gal) and I do experiment some, including marking the switch with stickers to help me narrow in (I'm kind of a nerd). This is kind of the best I've been able to get it so far.

As far as UVB, we're using Arcadia 22" - 12%. In her basking area, I get readings of approximately 3.0 in that basking area, but again, its drops very quickly just slightly moving it away. I'm wondering if I've installed the UVB and ceramic bases where they ought to be? The UVB is kind of stretched across the right back side (basking side), and I've installed 2 bases in the front (for both lighting/heat, and for a deep heat projector on cooler nights where needed (haven't needed it yet).

All that said, I'd simply love for any input at all on my set up to improve her quality of life. I'll share a photo so you can weigh in. It mostly just shows the basking area, but that's mostly what these questions are focused on anyways. On the cooler side she just has some vines and a small ledge she seems to enjoy sleeping in.

I've contemplated putting a longer branch in that may give her more variation of UVB (could do better than 3.0, yes?), or even a hammock, but again, with the lighting being so pinpointed, I'm not sure. I don't want to cook my little sweetie. Maybe I should go down to a 75w... but since I have the dimmer I'm not sure that's necessary?

A thought I had - could it be that the lack of dome lamp is the issue? I have a hunch that both the shape and reflective finish in those fixtures probably widens the range a little? Currently, I've just installed the standard Leviton ceramic bases.

Thank you!

 

[KarrieRee]

As the title suggests, looking for some ideas to improve my beardies living space.

We built a 4x2x2 wooden enclosure and recently put her in it. For heat, I'm using an Arcadia 100w halogen. A pinpointed spot will read 118-120 (using a temp gun) which seems a little high, but my beardie will be happily basking away less than an inch from that and it'll read 105. Is it OK to have areas in the enclosure that are higher so long as she can bask in a spot that she IS comfortable? Tbh, I had envisioned a more spacious area of heat within the range she should be at (seemed more that way when she was still in her 20 gallon) but I'm not finding it easy to achieve that at this time.

I should add that my switches are dimmable (as they were in the 20 gal) and I do experiment some, including marking the switch with stickers to help me narrow in (I'm kind of a nerd). This is kind of the best I've been able to get it so far.

As far as UVB, we're using Arcadia 22" - 12%. In her basking area, I get readings of approximately 3.0 in that basking area, but again, its drops very quickly just slightly moving it away. I'm wondering if I've installed the UVB and ceramic bases where they ought to be? The UVB is kind of stretched across the right back side (basking side), and I've installed 2 bases in the front (for both lighting/heat, and for a deep heat projector on cooler nights where needed (haven't needed it yet).

All that said, I'd simply love for any input at all on my set up to improve her quality of life. I'll share a photo so you can weigh in. It mostly just shows the basking area, but that's mostly what these questions are focused on anyways. On the cooler side she just has some vines and a small ledge she seems to enjoy sleeping in.

I've contemplated putting a longer branch in that may give her more variation of UVB (could do better than 3.0, yes?), or even a hammock, but again, with the lighting being so pinpointed, I'm not sure. I don't want to cook my little sweetie. Maybe I should go down to a 75w... but since I have the dimmer I'm not sure that's necessary?

A thought I had - could it be that the lack of dome lamp is the issue? I have a hunch that both the shape and reflective finish in those fixtures probably widens the range a little? Currently, I've just installed the standard Leviton ceramic bases.

Thank you!

Please get 2 digital probe thermometers 118-120 is way to high and from the looks of the distance I am thinking its way off other wise I do not think the dragon would be basking at those temps - it needs to be a temp of 105-110 for a baby and 95-100 for a 5 month old and older - please adjust the UVB to 12-15 inches directly above a piece of basking decor- from this point it looks too high and over 15 inches - you want your probes on the basking side and one on the cool side -

 

[xp29]

I posted a pic in your other thread of a socket from lowes. If you can find a socket with an external thread some domes are threaded also, just screw it on. If the dome isnt threaded and slips on, the socket should come with a ceramic lock ring that is threaded, that would hold it on also.
Good luck i hope this helps