Lighting brands?

[Jenniferr]

I've seen a few posts on here now about how there are a few types of lighting that are actually bad for your beardie
And I was just wondering is someone could give me the names and brands of the best lighting you can get
Basking light & UVB

Also, is a heat pad or a ceramic heat bulb better? I've heard the heat pads are abit of a faff so I was planning on getting a good ceramic bulb and a little like cage thing to put it in (I've seen them in the pet store) but I just want to make sure that there aren't any dangers that come with them!

Thankyou for any help

 

[Emimee]

The UVB lighting of choice for most bearded dragon owners (at least on this site) is a ReptiSun 10.0, or an Arcadia 12% if you're in the UK! You can get an under-the-counter T8 flourescent light fixture from Home Depot, Lowes, Walmart, etc. for around $12.00 to mount the light in your vivarium. Make sure to mount it at a safe distance, but not so far away that your dragon won't be able to reap the benefits (I think I usually see 6-8" recommended) and mount it inside the enclosure if you have a lid. The screen from a typical aquarium lid can block up to 50% of the beneficial lighting that you need from your UVB.

As for heat pads vs. CHEs, I would definitely go with a CHE. Bearded dragons are more accustomed to seeking out heat sources from above, not below, and even a good reptile heat mat is capable of malfunctioning, which can result in burns and injury. I have to ask though, are you asking for a source of night time heat? You really only need to provide night time heating if the room temperature will drop below 65 F. If it is above that, it isn't necessary, and during the day time a basking bulb that provides heat and light is the way to go.

 

[Jenniferr]

The UVB lighting of choice for most bearded dragon owners (at least on this site) is a ReptiSun 10.0, or an Arcadia 12% if you're in the UK! You can get an under-the-counter T8 flourescent light fixture from Home Depot, Lowes, Walmart, etc. for around $12.00 to mount the light in your vivarium. Make sure to mount it at a safe distance, but not so far away that your dragon won't be able to reap the benefits (I think I usually see 6-8" recommended) and mount it inside the enclosure if you have a lid. The screen from a typical aquarium lid can block up to 50% of the beneficial lighting that you need from your UVB.

As for heat pads vs. CHEs, I would definitely go with a CHE. Bearded dragons are more accustomed to seeking out heat sources from above, not below, and even a good reptile heat mat is capable of malfunctioning, which can result in burns and injury. I have to ask though, are you asking for a source of night time heat? You really only need to provide night time heating if the room temperature will drop below 65 F. If it is above that, it isn't necessary, and during the day time a basking bulb that provides heat and light is the way to go.

Thankyou!
I am in the UK so it can get pretty cool at night so I think I should probably have a source of heat through the night, especially in Winter

in my local pet store they sell Arcadia, so that's fine, they have several types of basking bulbs, are there any that I should avoid or are they generally all okay?

 

[seandeangelis]

I'm not aware of any heat bulbs with bad reputations, but honestly those pet store "made for reptiles" bulbs really just give off heat. A normal house bulb that gives off enough heat will do the same thing for 1/2 the price. I personally use halogen flood lights which get pretty warm.

 

[Taterbug]

I they sell the T5 lamps and fittings get that, and set it about 10-12" away. It can be outside the screen.

Avoid spot lamps and mount heat lamps as far away while hitting the right temp as possible.