Lighting questions

[Backlash]

Im getting a beardie in a couple weeks and i built a custom 4x2x2 enclosure for him, i was looking around and read that the UVB bulb should be within 12 inches of the little guy, now my enclosure is 24 inches high, does anyone have any ideas on how to deal with this, or if you have an enclosure of this size what did you do to solve the problem. any suggestions would be great!

 

[AutopsySoldier]

Ummm...I would probably just put a basking spot that would be a few inches off the ground. So he can climb up it and be closer to the UVB light.

 

[diamc]

The distance to the UVB depends on the brand & type of UVB you're using. If you could fill us in on those facts, then we can help you with the rest of it.

 

[Backlash]

i havnt bought any lighting yet, as i am not done the enclosure yet, so if you could recomend the best brand/type of lighting that would be great!

 

[ajkry2]

I like my Reptisun 10.0 its perfect

Sahara is about 14" away from it when basking, but she can get closer... Hoping thats okay.

Do NOT use coil UVB source or Reptiglo. Those are bad news. Didn't realize it at first but all is well with my Reptisun 10.0

 

[Backlash]

thanks that helps alot, i geuss ill make sure his basking spot is up closer

 

[diamc]

Since the tank is 4 x 2 x 2, you could actually get a mercury vapor bulb which is both UVB and heat in one bulb. The Megaray and T-Rex are the 2 best MVB's on the market.

But, if you're going to go with a strip fluorescent, then the Repti-Sun 10.0 is the way to go. You will want that 6 to 8" from your beardie when he is in the basking spot. Also, make sure you have either an infrared temperature gun or digital thermometer with a long wire & probe end to monitor the temps as those are the only 2 ways to get accurate readings.

 

[Backlash]

I was planning to wire up a thermostat for both the cool and hot ends, so if the cool end drops below a certain point itll turn a ceramic heater on, and if the basking spot gets too hot itll turn the light off or on if it gets too cold. this way i dont have to worry about it while im at work or out of the area.

if anyone has done this id like to know how it works for ya, ill be testing it for about a week before i get the lil guy

 

[diamc]

Beardies actually do better with the lighting on all day for about 12 hrs so turning the lights on & off really isn't recommended. With a good thermometer, the temps should stay at a pretty constant temp and shouldn't fluctuate much at all.

 

[Backlash]

well the main concern of mine is that in the winter it gets really cold in my room at night, so i wanted a way that a heater would turn on if it got too cold, so my choice would be a ceramic one since it doesnt give off any light, and in the same way during the summer it gets really hot. the only light that would turn off would be the basking light, the uvb light would stay on for the full 12 hours

 

[diamc]

Actually, beardies do best with bright lights, the brighter, the better. UVB's give off a glare and a white basking light, helps offset that glare making it much easier on their eyes. Sometimes basking bulb wattages need to be increased or decreased as the seasons change and even standard household light bulbs can be used as basking bulbs. Ceramic heat emitters are great at night for when the temp drops below 65 so a thermostat would be a good idea for that. These suggestions are the way just about all of us here have our setups so thought I would share them with you.