Help with UVB light

[kbalman]

Hello,

We adopted a beardie from a friend a few months ago. She gave us the aquarium, lights, food bowls etc along with him. He is about 8-9 months old. He was doing really well, eating and growing like crazy. Then about 2 weeks ago he stopped eating and popping but is still alert. I have been soaking him and feeding him prunes to see if he was blocked and nothing. Made sure his cage was at proper temperatures by adjusting his lamps and nothing. After more research on this fabulous site I discovered that it may be his UV light. It is a coil reptisun which I now know are very bad. So today we took him outside for a few hours and amazingly after about 1/2 hr he started eating out of my daughters hand. We will continue taking him out until a new light arrives and feeding him outside. Hopefully he will poop too.

So here is where I need help! Money is really tight for us right now but I do have some Amazom giftcards I can use to get a new light. I am getting really confused though and not sure which to purchase, so many on Amazon have bad reviews. He is in a 30 long x 13 high x 12 wide tank (20 gallon) with a mesh top. Can you please post links to proper UVB light fixture and lights (if it doesn't come with one).

He has a zoo med combo heat lamp with a 75 watt sun glo basking light for day and a red light for night.

Many thanks, Kathy and Spike

 

[Esther19]

Great that you figured out the problem! We recommend the Reptisun 10 TUBE. It should span about 2/3 of the tank. These bulbs come in a T8 size, which is bigger in diameter, and a T5 high output (HO). If you plan to mount the light inside the tank, the T8 is good. If you plan on placing the fixture on a screen top, the T5 is better. Please be aware that there is currently a T5 fixture offered with a Reptisun 5 bulb included. You would want to get the Reptisun 10 bulb separately.

He will soon be needing a bigger tank. Petco currently has a dollar-a-gallon sale. A 40 gal. breeder is $40. Also, the red bulb at night should be removed. They need complete darkness to sleep well. If the tank gets below 65F at night, a ceramic heat emitter (heat but no light) is recommended. Let us know if you have further questions.

 

[kbalman]

Great thanks. Do you by any chance have an amazon link you can send me to a good fixture and light? So many have bad reviews and I am worried I will get the wrong one.

 

[Esther19]

Will you be mounting it inside the tank or on top of a screen?

 

[kbalman]

I think outside for now because based on what I have read the tank isn't tall enough to mount inside (he could get burned).

 

[Esther19]

Okay. I'll work on it in a bit.

 

[kbalman]

Okay. I'll work on it in a bit.

Thanks you rock. I really appreciate the help. I was so worried about him and the exotic vets in GA charge ridiculous fees so we couldn't afford to take him in. I am so glad I found this website and some others that provided me with the correct information (because the pet stores are obviously clueless). We will take him outside everyday for some real UV until we get a proper UV light and hopefully we will get him to eat when we take him out.

 

[PogonaTrainerAISP]

I think outside for now because based on what I have read the tank isn't tall enough to mount inside (he could get burned).

Burned from UVB? I'd recommend mounting it inside. However, if you plan to mount it outside, then you should add a reflector which should compensate for it.

 

[kbalman]

Yeah I read a few places that it needs to be a certain height above them even on amazon on the various light descriptions. The cage is only 12" tall so I think mounting on the inside would put it too close to him. His rock and branch that he sits on a lot only put him a few inches away from the top of the cage. I read that UVB do put out a little bit of heat.

See this is why I am so confused. There is so much mis information out there. The lady I got him from told me what the pet store told her to do for care and it was all wrong based on what I have found out online and in books.

 

[CooperDragon]

It should be 6-8'' from the basking spot. If you put it on top and go through the screen, you'll want to get a T5 high output bulb and fixture to compensate for the output loss due to the screen as Esther mentioned.

 

[Esther19]

http://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-Repti...qid=1404423508&sr=1-1&keywords=reptisun+10+t5


http://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-ReptiSun-Terrarium-Hood/dp/B00AQU8F2O/ref=pd_bxgy_petsupplies_text_y

I hope this helps.

 

[Drache613]

Moved by Moderator from Beardie ER to Enclosures

 

[Kryton]

You can save a few bucks by shopping here:
http://www.thatpetplace.com/reptile-supplies

They have a sale going on all summer.