Lighting - another general query

[jordcluff]

Now then all, I just thought I'd pop on and ask a bit of advice regarding my dragon's behaviour when in his vivarium; it's 3 foot long, 18 inches deep and 18 inches high, with a heat lamp and a 10.0 UV bulb at the left-hand side. Basically, he's been spending a lot of his time, when I'm home at least, in the 'dark' corner of his home (it's not proper dark, it's just the end where the light isn't), and I was beginning to get a bit worried about it, like that might not exactly be normal. Up until recently, the decoration in the vivarium consisted of a curved piece of bark at one end and a rock at the other (for basking) and he was spending all of his time under the bark, not getting much light if any at all. I've changed the setup now to consist of a medium-sized root that goes from the 'light' end to about 3-quarters of the way along to the other, and at that end I've put a fake cactus and some leaves coming from the top of the tank, and he's still staying at that end, away from the light. Could it be too bright? Should I get one of those long UV bulbs that glows a little bit blue instead? Not entirely sure what to do, and it's worrying because the only time he looks at all colourful (he's a morph, has orange and red patterns around his face, on his legs and on his back and halfway down his tail) is when I've got him out, either for a bath or just to sit with me, the rest of the time he's very dark. Any ideas?

Cheers,

Jord

 

[john_ny217]

how old is your dragon? sounds like he is slowing down and going into brumation which is normal at this time of year.

 

[jordcluff]

He's about 7 1/2 months old, if I got the right age from the shop I bought him at. He's shed once since I got him, if that helps, and it looks like his tail's already ready to do it again even though he only 'finished' about a week and a half ago.

 

[beardie parents]

What uvb are you using? Some uvb's aren't good. If you have a uvb other than the reptisun 10 tube, that could be the problem.

 

[Goonie]

[Moved from General to Enclosures]

 

[jordcluff]

It's a repti-glo 10.0 UVB bulb, looks like one of them energy-savers, kind of a spiral deal.

 

[MALIBUSMOM]

repti -glos are not good...you want a repti -SUN 10.0 flouresent tube....also coil lights in general are bad.Pet mountain .com 25.99.

 

[jordcluff]

Much obliged for the advice, I'll get one of those tubes installed ASAP. In terms of their replacement, I was advised to replace the one I've got now every 6 months - will it be the same deal for this type?

 

[MALIBUSMOM]

Yes...every 6 months...remember REPTI_SUN 10.0 floueresent tube strip...best light on the market....Malibu is going on 4 years old.....she has had repti sun for the first 2 years of her life then switched to a mercury vapor bulb intill all the issues w/ them..she was then switched back to the repti sun.....shes is 22" from nose to tail and weighs about 539grams after laying infertile eggs april may june and july the

last 3

years.She eats Annies Organic Spring Mix for salad and super worms as a staple,occaisonally crickets instead...gets wax worms as atreat every 3 months or so.I use a 40 or 60 watt house bulb for heat next to the reptisun ontop of her viv.

 

[jordcluff]

Much obliged for the advice, ma'am, I'll take any I'm given. Despite the fact that this has been shifted in to the enclosures bit, I'll just go ahead and ask - should I be worried about him possibly brumating when he's not yet a year old? Or does it differ wildly and it's not going to be a problem? I'm going to go around the internet and do as much reading as I can on this because I don't want him dying because he's too young/not strong enough to be doing this, and despite reading about how it's normal it doesn't stop me being worried about him not eating and not basking and not doing his normal dragon-things. Also, should I take him to the vet for a check up just in case?

 

[MALIBUSMOM]

if he hasn't had a vet check and fecal done then yes definatly get an appointment.
I would get repti sun asap and shut off the repti glo.as i mentioned before they do more harm then good.
Also are you bathing him regularly?They hydrate through thier vents(bum)
I place Malibu in a kitty litter pan(her own) w/ about 3-4" of warm water dailey.She will drink splash and swim and then poop....she has been trained since about 7 months old to go poop in the bath.....i can not tell you the time it has saved cleaning and disinfecting her viv.

 

[jordcluff]

Aye, he gets a bath almost every day, around 5 times a week, he either takes a poo in there or on the paper towel he dries on.

 

[MALIBUSMOM]

Sweet....Don't you love it?

 

[DoubleJ]

Hello, could I ask a bit of advice also? I have a cermaic heat source for basking and have been advised to change it to a bright bulb which I shall do. However, I am not able to put it on top of the viv and will need to hang it inside from the roof (wooden roof). The viv is 4ft long 1 ft deep and 1ft high. I would make sure that Basil the Beardie would not be able to touch reach it. Would this be ok? Do I need to put something round the bulb even if Basil cant reach it? I would hate for him to be in danger. Any comments most welcome thank you

 

[jordcluff]

Sweet....Don't you love it?

It reeks and occasionally, deciding on a whim that he doesn't want to do it in the bath or immediately post-bath, he'll take one on my shorts when we're reading comics... :roll: ...but I suppose he's a good stick really. He's currently asleep at the top of his fake plants, head almost touching the top of his vivarium. Mental.