Ok I took his hammock out completely and left the tree branch decor. The hammock was 7 inches from the bulb and the tree branch is 8 inches away. The tree branch temp is 96 degrees. I'm thinking put the hammock back in and use a cooler bulb? Thoughts?
Update: I changed the light bulb and put the hammock back up. He jumped up on the hammock. I put the probe end on his back and after 30mins it says 93 degrees.
He is a bit small but you should hopefully be able to get some weight onto him.
One other thing is that your Reptisun 10 tube, it does need to be in a light fixture with a
reflective backing to it so that the UVB can be directed downward & onto him. When you
mount it in that manner, the UVB tends to refract away & outward from them so that they
don't receive the benefits from it.
Let us know how he is doing.
He is a bit small but you should hopefully be able to get some weight onto him.
One other thing is that your Reptisun 10 tube, it does need to be in a light fixture with a
reflective backing to it so that the UVB can be directed downward & onto him. When you
mount it in that manner, the UVB tends to refract away & outward from them so that they
don't receive the benefits from it.
Let us know how he is doing.
Thank you for that reminder, ours ripped and I never replaced it. I didn’t realize or i forgot about the reflection! Also, I weighed him on a hard surface and he was 336 grams. Before I was weighing him on the carpet. Completely different weight! I feel so much better that he weighs over 300! I went to petsmart and bought him a new reptisun 10.0 since he was due for a new bulb. I also used a taller lamp we have and put the hotter bulb back in. I took out his hammock and now the basking spot on his tree branch is 106. His head is now 8 inches away from the basking bulb and his back is 11 inches away. I will get the reflective backing ASAP. I bought some repti-boost to feed him. I gave him a small dose today and a nice bath. He drinks so much water several times a week I would be very surprised if he was dehydrated. Im hoping the fat spots on his head rise again soon!
That's good! 336g is a much more acceptable weight! :mrgreen:
Fury1212":d4nbvwpk said:
took out his hammock and now the basking spot on his tree branch is 106. His head is now 8 inches away from the basking bulb and his back is 11 inches away.
Update: I changed the light bulb and put the hammock back up. He jumped up on the hammock. I put the probe end on his back and after 30mins it says 93 degrees.
93 degrees Farenheit is OK as a basking temperature. Anything within 4 degrees Celsius of the dragon's preferred body temperature is good.
The POBT for bearded dragons is 36 degrees C.
I second , move the UV tube so one end of it is directly overtop the basking spot. Aim for about 160-200 microW UVB / sq.cm at the basking spot ( ref to spec for your UV tube for the appropriate distance).
I don't see any evidence of metallic focusing reflector or hood , so the appropriate distance if the tube is a t5ho is 6 inches, a t8 is 3 inches.
93 is not a good basking temperature. Literally you can go to any care guide ever made and not one will tell you that 93 degrees is a good basking temperature.
OP, you are doing fine with everything you've done so far. Keep it up
Some real observational / behavioural science regarding dragons and temperatures (rather than handwaving keeper behavior that's not based on science at all) :
Yeah the chart is referring to preferred body temperature not preferred or optimal basking temperature.
Kinda says that right on the chart.
Or do you also suggest cooking your steaks in the oven at 145f because that's the temperature you want them to be?