Lighting Help for Newbies (:

[Jess]

That's good!
What substrate do you use? I used to use a UTH under slate tile when my beardie lived in a 40 gallon. You just don't want them to be able to dig under the substrate and touch the UTH, and it is also best to have it on a thermostat. I don't really recommend using them though, since beardies can't sense heat from below them. CHEs are a much better source of night time heat.

And you're welcome!

 

[am917]

Zoo Med Eco Reptile Terrarium Carpet. It's velcroed to the bottom of the tank so he can't get under it. At least for now he can't I know when he gets bigger he will. I'll get the CHE then. I will feel better and it will save me sleep as I have been getting up in the middle of the night checking the temp. Thanks again for all the imput it really helps!

 

[littlesavedgirl]

Jes, I never knew I had to have her basking spot on the same side as the UVB Reptisun 10.0 bulb... :roll: Back to the drawing board :study: ..there really is alot to learn.

 

[am917]

this is off topic but I have one other question we bought the Med Water Fall for the WD could we use it in the viv for the Bearded?

 

[littlesavedgirl]

I'm a newbie too but I do know a beardie and Water Dragon's have different humidity needs. A WD is a tropical repi so it needs higher humidity and a Beardie is a desert repi so it needs a low humidity habitat under 30%, I think but not sure how high a WD's humidity should be. So I would think that a fountain, though attractive, should raise the humidity and could cause Upper respiratory problems.

 

[am917]

That would make sense, although, it really didn't help with the humidity with the WD it was more for drinking water since they don't drink standing water. I think I will just leave it out, no need to add something that would make the little one sick! Plus it was a pain in the back side to clean. Thanks for your feed back.

 

[Jess]

Jes, I never knew I had to have her basking spot on the same side as the UVB Reptisun 10.0 bulb... :roll: Back to the drawing board :study: ..there really is alot to learn.

Sorry! I edited the original post so that it mentions that in the section "How should I postition my UVB light?". So hopefully that fixes any confusion!

And you are right about the water fall, bearded dragons shouldn't have any extra humidity in their cages.

 

[littlesavedgirl]

Oh it's okay, no worries. I've moved her basking spot so many times today, she's growing very used to my hands..so that's a positive

 

[1beardie]

Ok i'm a little confused..... I have a 40 gal viv...my uvb on the back wall of my viv and the basking light on top of my mesh lid....... and everyone is saying have a bright white light between the basking spot and the uvb to protect my beardies eyes.... So If I make the basking light between the basking spot and the uvb wont it be too far away to get the benefits of the uvb????

 

[Jess]

The bright white light is the basking light. :wink: Does that answer your question?

 

[1beardie]

but if I have the uvb at the back and the basking light in the middle ( or towards the back) and the basing spot in the front will the uvb still be effective???? I cant have the basking light too close ( directly over) the basing spot or it gets too hot... Unless I find a lower wattage basking bulb.... I guess I will have to re-arrange the viv and see how far away the uvb is from the basking spot to get the right temps...

 

[Jess]

Oh, do you mean having the basking light and the UVB light on sifferent ends of the tank? Sorry, I'm a little confused! UVB lights hardly put out any heat at all, so I wouldn't think it would affect the basking temperatures much.

 

[littlesavedgirl]

It might be that putting the basking light next to or slightly above the florescent fixture, could melt it. I have a 40 breeder and space is cramped and I do have to be careful not to let the basking light sit to closely or I start to smell plastic.

 

[1beardie]

It might be that putting the basking light next to or slightly above the florescent fixture, could melt it. I have a 40 breeder and space is cramped and I do have to be careful not to let the basking light sit to closely or I start to smell plastic.

Yes that is what I was saying.... I have a branch that is the basking spot and I cant have the branch too close or it will be to hot of a basking spot and it might melt the uvb fixture..

 

[Jess]

Ok, I get what you are saying now!
Obviously you don't want to melt your UVB fixture, so I would place them as close together as you can with out melting anything. Safety first! :wink: