Im super worried and confused still about lighting/Temps

[SBL3]

I read somewhere that the basking spot light should only be on for like 2-3 hours twice a day, once early on and again for another few hours later in the day. Is this true?

My other problem is, I want to get timers to make his life more scheduled and my life easier. I don't really know how a timer works, how many lights i can get on one time and how I should set it up. I'm really new to this stuff and need help.

My main concern is his tank at night. I seem to have a 100w heat emitter bulb but I'm worried about leaving it on at night because it gets soooooo hot. So far i absolutely refuse to use it. I tried housing it in a dome fixture one time for like 15-20mins and it just got way too hot for my liking. The fixture was blazing. I just don't trust it. I really would like to regulate a nice temp for Kuma at night but am unsure as to how without keeping light in his viv.

My last and most serious concern is my home and the potential danger this coming summer. Currently my central AC is broken. There are many times in the summer where my house just turns into a sweat box. I mean really humid and sticky, sometimes beyond tolerance. My room is in the basement right now and this is where i keep him with me. I'm worried i'll be unable to provide a safe and adequate environment for Kuma in these coming months, what are my options? please help!

Any help is extremely and greatly appreciated, I don't want my lil man to be to cold at night or suffer this summer!
Thanks!

 

[SBL3]

Also, i'm not liking sand at all.... My lil bud hasnt learned to stand on the ledge of his food bowl to eat his fresh greens. He crawls up to it n just kind of drags it out. I get nervous n take what he drops from eating out n clean the stuck sand grains off. I make sure the greens go in there fresh n wet. So when he drags them out to eat, whatever hits the ground gets all sanded... :?

Any kind of tiles are ok right? I was looking at sandstone tiles. These won't be too harsh right?

Thanks,

 

[SBL3]

If someone could please help me out with how to setup timers for multiple lights and my overnight heating situation/setup, Id'e be extremely grateful n less worried about things!

 

[gandhi]

Hello

Try not to worry, you'll soon get settled into a routine.

The lights need to be on ALL day and all of them need to be off at night (including the UV light). I have mine on for 12 hours and off for 12 hours. You can have them on between 10 and 14 hours in the day. If you think about it, this is logical because your trying to replicate daylight so not sure why people would turn them off in the middle of the day?!

I have my lights on a timer - like you say, this makes life alot easier! Usually a timer only has one plug socket. Anything you plug into this socket will be controlled by the timer. So..... I have a multi plug extension lead plugged into this socket so that I can plug all my lights into the multi plug extension lead and they are then all controlled by the timer (do you get me?!!) As for how the actual timer works - that will be in the instructions when you buy the timer.

At night i use a Ceramic heat emitter (CHE) to keep the night time temp above 65 (this is on a separate timer that comes on at night) A CHE keeps the temp up but with no light because beardies need complete darkness at night time. Just note that they will need a ceramic fitting too.

As for the summer temps - i'm not too sure because i live in england so don't really have the same problem!! but you can buy a humidity gauge - Make sure it's a digital probe one because the stick on dial one's are very inaccurate (this goes for a thermometer too).

Well.... Sand is generally considered as a no no on this forum for the reasons that they can eat it and it can cause them to get compacted (constipated) also there are lots of dust particles and these can cause respiratory infections. This being said I have also heared people that use sand with no problems but the general consensus on this forum it not to use it and use tiles, like you said. Yes, sandstone is good. They need to be a bit rough for grip.

Hope this helps

 

[SBL3]

Hello

Try not to worry, you'll soon get settled into a routine.

The lights need to be on ALL day and all of them need to be off at night (including the UV light). I have mine on for 12 hours and off for 12 hours. You can have them on between 10 and 14 hours in the day. If you think about it, this is logical because your trying to replicate daylight so not sure why people would turn them off in the middle of the day?! I have my lights on a timer - like you say, this makes life alot easier!

Right, makes sense, and Yes, I assume it would!

Usually a timer only has one plug socket. Anything you plug into this socket will be controlled by the timer. So..... I have a multi plug extension lead plugged into this socket so that I can plug all my lights into the multi plug extension lead and they are then all controlled by the timer (do you get me?!!) As for how the actual timer works - that will be in the instructions when you buy the timer.

Thanks, thats what i was worried about. The most sockets iv'e seen for a timer is 2 so i was beginning to wonder if it was possible to plug in a multi plug and get results! I appreciate your input greatly!!!!!

At night i use a Ceramic heat emitter (CHE) to keep the night time temp above 65 (this is on a separate timer that comes on at night) A CHE keeps the temp up but with no light because beardies need complete darkness at night time. Just note that they will need a ceramic fitting too.

Are you saying that there is specific ceramic heater domes/fixtures that handle those types of bulbs safely? What do you mean by "ceramic fitting"? Also what size is your viv? I think mine is a 40 gallon. Im wondering what wattage ceramic heater would be sufficient and if i'de need 2, 1 for each end.

I have a 40 gallon tank so Im trying to figure out it out withouth having to spend excess money and having a gazillion bulbs laying around. :lol:

As for the summer temps - i'm not too sure because i live in england so don't really have the same problem!! but you can buy a humidity gauge - Make sure it's a digital probe one because the stick on dial one's are very inaccurate (this goes for a thermometer too).

So your saying the Acu-Rite Digital thermo's that measure both heat and humidity are ineffective and or in-accurate?

I was told otherwise, hmmm....

Well.... Sand is generally considered as a no no on this forum for the reasons that they can eat it and it can cause them to get compacted (constipated) also there are lots of dust particles and these can cause respiratory infections. This being said I have also heared people that use sand with no problems but the general consensus on this forum it not to use it and use tiles, like you said. Yes, sandstone is good. They need to be a bit rough for grip.
Hope this helps

Thanks much for this write-up! I definitely appreciate it and it helped put many things in perspective!!!

 

[Bsir]

Complex timer systems are generally only used by the experts or the obsessive that wish to replicate natural sunlight down to a T; such systems have multiple bulb setups so that although some bulbs are only on for a few hours of the day (the very brightest) the dragon is still provided with lower level bulbs during the rest of the day. For your purposes a light cycle of 10-14 hours will work fine.

Are you saying that there is specific ceramic heater domes/fixtures that handle those types of bulbs safely? What do you mean by "ceramic fitting"? Also what size is your viv? I think mine is a 40 gallon. Im wondering what wattage ceramic heater would be sufficient and if i'de need 2, 1 for each end. Image I have a 40 gallon tank so Im trying to figure out it out withouth having to spend excess money and having a gazillion bulbs laying around. :lol:

There aren't specific fixtures for heat bulbs, although you have to be sure that fixture's "fitting" is ceramic. This is the base of the fixture that houses the bulbs screw in point. If this is plastic or some other material that has a low melting point, it will do just that and be quite a mess, not to mention a hazard. For example this fixture would be inappropriate because its fitting is made of plastic: http://www.homedepot.com/Lighting-F...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

So your saying the Acu-Rite Digital thermo's that measure both heat and humidity are ineffective and or in-accurate? Image I was told otherwise, hmmm....

He was saying to make sure to use a humidity/temp reader that has a probe, the models that do not generally measure the ambient temp / humidity and not the temp / humidity at a specific point (which is what you want). They also tend to have a higher degree of accuracy but that's not 100% true.

As for your sand problem, you have a few choices.

If you decide you want to keep it you might be able to rig up a little clip (I'm thinking a chip clip or something similar) to keep his food out of the dirt and in the air slightly, so he has to pull and tear it from the clip (as he would in nature). You could also feed him outside of his cage to ensure he doesn't ingest his sand, although he'll always be licking things and will end up getting a bit of it by accident. A few precautionary measures for sand: make sure you dragon is at least 15 inches (there digestive tract straightens out while growing, reducing impaction chance), and make sure its play sand that has been rinsed / sifted to get rid of the dusty particles.

If you decide to get rid of it there are a few good choices, tile is my personal favorite. Others include reptile carpet, non-stick shelf liner, and paper towel.

Good luck !

 

[gandhi]

Are you saying that there is specific ceramic heater domes/fixtures that handle those types of bulbs safely? What do you mean by "ceramic fitting"? Also what size is your viv? I think mine is a 40 gallon. Im wondering what wattage ceramic heater would be sufficient and if i'de need 2, 1 for each end. I have a 40 gallon tank so Im trying to figure out it out withouth having to spend excess money and having a gazillion bulbs laying around.

Yes, You can buy a ceramic light fixture like this one http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/reptile-light...ders_Insects?hash=item5635b8b05d#ht_500wt_956 but it doesnt have to be a special reptile one. Well i would say one is fine, yes. I have kept my night time temps above 65(far) all winter and it has been -15 (cent) outside at the coldest!

So your saying the Acu-Rite Digital thermo's that measure both heat and humidity are ineffective and or in-accurate? I was told otherwise, hmmm....

No, the digital ones with a probe are all good. It's just the dial type like these http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Exo-Terra-Rep...ders_Insects?hash=item2a0542a4c9#ht_911wt_941 That are inaccurate

 

[crickest]

About heating at night, . . . unless your house is colder than 60 degrees F at night, you shouldn't need to provide heat. I keep my house temps at 64 all the time and the vivs at night drop to about 66. If your house is cold and you are losing temp at night, you can wrap a thick towel around the outside glass to provide insulation.

Beardies like it cold at night because deserts get cold at night. In fact, when I have Embyr out of her viv on my bed, she will find the wall (which is cold - I live in Colorado and our house is not well insulated) and lay her body up against it to go to sleep. Strange little beardie. I just know that both of the ones I have are happier if their vivs are cool at night.

I have my lights set to 13 hours with a simple prong timer ($8) from Target. They are simple to use and fairly inexpensive.

 

[SBL3]

Cool thanks much again Bsir and thanks alot Crickest for your input!

This looks to be fit for a ceramic heat bulb, am I right?

Also what's a bad humidity range for them. Like what degree or range of humidity should i avoid?
Thank you both again kind sirs!

 

[diamc]

I would think that a 100 watt CHE would be too much for a 40 gallon tank. During the winter, I use a 60 watt for the same size tank. Yes, that ceramic fixture should work fine. The CHE's do get very hot.

As far as humidity goes, 30's to 40's is fine. If it is over 50%, that is too high and could cause an upper respiratory infection. If it's lower than the 20's, it can cause shedding problems in the winter. In the summer when it's real humid, we all seem to have some problems with the humidity being a little too high and that's where the air conditioners help or dehumidifiers.

 

[SBL3]

I would think that a 100 watt CHE would be too much for a 40 gallon tank. During the winter, I use a 60 watt for the same size tank. Yes, that ceramic fixture should work fine. The CHE's do get very hot.

As far as humidity goes, 30's to 40's is fine. If it is over 50%, that is too high and could cause an upper respiratory infection. If it's lower than the 20's, it can cause shedding problems in the winter. In the summer when it's real humid, we all seem to have some problems with the humidity being a little too high and that's where the air conditioners help or dehumidifiers.

Ok! thanks! Yea because i got all the original equip from my boy. he gave me the heat emitter that he used to use on his Red tip boa. I figured it would be a bit too hot. Thanks!

Im extremely worried about the humidity in my house in the summer. My central AC is broken and this past summer it was ridiculous in here and besides Kuma and I are in the basement! It got to the point last summer where i could just be sitting down, not moving, and id'e be in heaps of sweat. :?

Im unsure as to when the AC will get fixed. I wonder if a dehumidifier would do it. I don't want the little guy to suffer or get ill.

 

[diamc]

Is there any way that you could get a window AC? If not, you might want to think about getting a dehumidifier for you and your beardie.

 

[SBL3]

Yea I been meaning to do so. I have one of those little,near the cealing, rectangular basement windows and only one. The make AC's for that?

What's a nice strong, effective dehumidifier that would be strong enough to get the job done?

Also, u said u have a 40 gallon tank? Its been 3 days and i still can't get stable temps. I bought a 75w "basking" bulb from the pet store. A 65w normal flood light from Lowes and a 90w halogen flood light from Walmart. They all seem to be too strong, my closest one to good temps is the 65w normal flood but i noticed when it's flat on the screen it climbs just above 111f I pulled it immediately and neither is cool enough for the cool side.

I walked into Home Depot early and got overwhelmed by all the bulbs, energy saver, halogen, flood, regular house lights, panicked and just left. :?

Whats a good bulb for the basking spot? His basking area for now is the roof of his arched half trunk. He also has a reptile branch on the other side that from eye level is only slightly higher than his half trunk cave.

Later when i make him a fake rock basker and have it elevated I'm guess i'll need like a 40w since it will be much closer to him... Im so confused. :?

 

[crickest]

When I had a 40 gallon tank I was using a 50 basking bulb (even the 50 watt halogen was too hot) and wrapping the tank with a towel during the winter (during the summer it didn't need the towel). That way I got the warmer temps on the hot end and a cool enough temp on the cold end. You might not need to use the towel, depending on the temps of your house.

I have to tell you, getting the temps adjusted just right every season is one of the big challenges of owning a beardie.