How do you know if your bearded dragon UV Bulb is working?

[kitkat101]

How do you know if your UVB bulb has stopped giving of rays? I know you have to change the light every 6 months...but is there a way to tell? I wouldn't want my beardie to live without UV rays without me knowing!! Is there a specific way to tell? I have a Zoo Med Compact Fluorescent 5.0 UVB Bulb in a 10gallon tank for my beardie. I know this light isn't the best...but I will want to change it when it stops working.

 

[diamc]

The only way to tell if your UVB is giving off enough rays or not is to use a Solar Meter. Unfortunately, the Zoo Med compact fluorescent bulbs don't put out the right amount of UV rays and are not recommended to use and won't help prevent metabolic bone disease. They can also cause eye issues as well as other health problems. What distance do you have this bulb and how long have you been using it? Something else to consider is that you really need to think about getting a larger tank because it's very hard to get good temps in such a small tank. What are the temps and what type of thermometer are you using?

 

[kitkat101]

The only way to tell if your UVB is giving off enough rays or not is to use a Solar Meter. Unfortunately, the Zoo Med compact fluorescent bulbs don't put out the right amount of UV rays and are not recommended to use and won't help prevent metabolic bone disease. They can also cause eye issues as well as other health problems. What distance do you have this bulb and how long have you been using it? Something else to consider is that you really need to think about getting a larger tank because it's very hard to get good temps in such a small tank. What are the temps and what type of thermometer are you using?

Since I got all of this as a Christmas gift...everything isn't "perfectly safe". It is about 12 in. away from where my bearded dragon normally is. Since my parents are separated, my dad had the tank and the beardie set up for about 2 months before he brought it to me...so maybe using it for 3 months all together...? It is about 98 in the basking spot-I know it is low...I don't know how to get it any higher. I also have those stick on thermometer because wherever I went, they were all out.
EDIT- It also is a big financial issue...so many things I can't get