is it too hot?

[Jessd123]

its been getting pretty warm around here lately... i have one 75 watt bulb on him right now... its approx. 113 degrees on the basking spot.. he has been gapping or gaping sometimes lately.. however u spell or say that... i've been taking him out more and more and trying to reduce the temp i even took his basking rock out so he wouldnt be so close to the light.. is that TOO hott? it seems like it is... i used to have a 100 wtt bulb on him in the winter and it would only get up to 103. what is the maximum temp that he can bask in?? i have a really deep tank too... it seems like i always have temp problems. i didnt know weather to put this post under the enclosures forum... but i just dont want this to be hazardous to his health

 

[Jessd123]

come on guys need some advice asap.

 

[gulfbrzdawn]

Hello,

How old is your dragon? Never the less...yes, 113 degrees is too hot! If you have a young beardie, the temps should range between 105-110. If you have an adult temps should range between 100-105.

What are you measuring the temps with? A digital thermometer, stick on thermometer, infrared temp gun?

Dawn

 

[spyder79]

if it is one spot on your basking site that is registering 113 that is not bad as there are other spots i am sure that are still in direct light of the spot light and the uv light. i have my trex mvb set up to where there is one point on the basking sight that peeks at 115 then it slowly goes down the more down the basking site he moves to its low point of 98. then the cool side is 80. I personally dont feel 113 is bad so long as you keep your dragon well hydrated and it is not causing the other side of the tank to overheat. the gaping is your dragon thermoregulating. they do this to cool themselves off. if your dragon gets too hot it will move to the cool side of the tank.

 

[Jessd123]

im using a digi with a probe. he is about 7 months old very big for his age. the temps are still reading pretty high but i am putting it right under the bulb. im gonna try right next to it and some other things today just to get a clearer reading on how hot everywhere else is. he is so lazy he barely ever hangs out on the other side of the tank unless he is eating or glass dancing.. he tends to just stay on his basking spot most of the time. i give him baths twice a week and give him misted greens everyday so i think he is plenty hydrated.

 

[lovemybeardies]

I have three "reptile rooms" in my house that contain multiple tanks/vivs of rescued beardies. I have had to reduce the wattage of my basking bulbs to maintain proper temperatures as the weather has gotten warmer. I use a digital probe thermometer and keep everyone's hot side right at 100-105 degrees, but I have had to juggle my basking light wattages quite a bit. I also use a fan in each room to help keep air circulating and to maintain a little cooler temerature in the room. I used space heaters in the winter and they worked very well.

 

[Jessd123]

i finally got the temps figured out, thanks guys for all the advice... so the gapping thing is completly normal? he does it even when the temp drops too... he is very hydrated always...