Need Help!

[dittmansbeardie]

Having trouble getting heat to my beardie. We have a 75 watt exo tera heat lamp. How can we build more heat in the tank?

 

[Embee]

What is the size of your tank?

Also, with what and how are you going about gauging temps, basking, ambient and cool side?

Thanks,
Em

 

[dittmansbeardie]

We have stick on thermometer from pet smart, I can only get the basking side 85-90 degrees

 

[dittmansbeardie]

tank size is 29gallon, and I dont know how old he is, but he is about 8.5 inches head to tip

 

[beardie parents]

I suggest (if you are in the US) go to walmart and get an digital thermometer with probe. The one Walmart sells is called the Accurite and it has 2 temps and a humidity reading and sells for about $12. This will help you to see if the temps are acurite or not. I have never used the stick on but I have read that they can be as much as 20 degrees off as the stick on's measure the ambient temps. This could make your temps way to high or way to low.

 

[dittmansbeardie]

are the thermometers you are talking about in the pet aisle?

 

[Embee]

I suggest (if you are in the US) go to walmart and get an digital thermometer with probe. The one Walmart sells is called the Accurite and it has 2 temps and a humidity reading and sells for about $12. This will help you to see if the temps are acurite or not. I have never used the stick on but I have read that they can be as much as 20 degrees off as the stick on's measure the ambient temps. This could make your temps way to high or way to low.

ITA. It is important to use an accurate thermometer, and also to gauge temps DIRECTLY on the basking spot, under the heat lamp. The Acu-Rite is a great thermometer, great price. Well worth the 10-12 bucks! If your dial on the side of the tank is giving you accurate temps at all, then the temps under the heat lamps are likely MUCH higher. Best to know for sure, as proper temps are key in the beardie enclosure. Remember, when gauging with the digital with probe: leave the probe for 45 minutes BEFORE reading temp to give it time to peak and level off.

are the thermometers you are talking about in the pet aisle?

At WalMart you will likely find it in the household hardware section, along with all the other indoor/outdoor thermometers. At Lowe's, it's usually next to the garden section.

Let us know how the temps shape up. Your dragon is a baby or juvie then? Temps should look like this:

basking spot (directly under the heat lamp): 105-110
Ambient/mid: 85-90
Cool side: about 80

Best of luck!

Em

 

[dittmansbeardie]

Awesome, thanks forthe quick responses, we have no idea how old he is because we bought him from someone that had him for a month or two, and he didnt know how it was when he bought it. Could a vet determine the age?

 

[Embee]

Awesome, thanks forthe quick responses, we have no idea how old he is because we bought him from someone that had him for a month or two, and he didnt know how it was when he bought it. Could a vet determine the age?

Perhaps, but it's challenging. Is he a young dragon (still growing )? Going on size alone can be tricky because husbandry tends to dictate how quickly (or how slowly) a young dragon grows. Our beardie was approx. 6 weeks when we bought her, but only about 4 inches or so. The pet store's husbandry was inadequate, and hence, so was ours initially. As a result, our beardie's growth was rather dramatically stunted early on. At 5 months old (when we retooled her viv), she was only 6 inches, the size of an older hatchling. However, once under proper lighting and temps, etc., she took off VERY quickly, began to eat well and grow well, and well made up for lost time. She's a year+ now, 17-18 inches and so pretty much on track with same aged beardies.

If you'd like to get an idea of size relative to age here is an excellent growth chart: http://www.dachiu.com/beardeddragoncare/growthcharts.html. Mind you, these are beardie's whose husbandry was excellent from the start and grew on a healthy track.

Good luck on determining the age!

Em

 

[Backlash]

unfortunatly there is no definite way to gauge a beardies age, just like any living animal, humans included, its hard to know age without knowing the exact birth date, although there are normal sizes and weights for different ages, alot of things can affect them. You dont know how it was being kept before you got him. Lack of UVB or not having a propper diet can stunt the growth. If it was purchases from a pet store such as petsmart, more than likely its size will be nowhere near the norm, they tend not to feed the animals much at all in order to keep them small.

 

[dittmansbeardie]

Why does it seem like he is not eating enough? Or lack of interest in food?

 

[Embee]

Why does it seem like he is not eating enough? Or lack of interest in food?

What are you using for UVB, type (coil, compact, tube) and brand (ReptiSun, ReptiGlo, ESU, etc.)?

Em

 

[beardie parents]

When you go into Walmart, ask someone who works there where you can find the accurite. It seems to be in different places in different stores. Some have found them in the outtdoor garden center. When I looked in our local store, I couldn't find it there. When I asked where to find them, our store workers directed me to where the ceiling fans are.

 

[dittmansbeardie]

its a zoo med reptisun 5.0, also does anybody know what model accurite thermometer it is?

 

[Embee]

Ah, you're in luck. I just bought a new Acu-Rite thermometer this week for our python enclosure and happen to have the instructions right here on the desk. According to the pamphlet, the model number is #00887. Here is a photo of what it looks like (courtesy of moderator, Diane from a previous thread):

viewtopic.php?f=45&t=98939&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=15#p770019

This will help you take accurate temps in the enclosure which is an important part of the husbandry. I've probably already mentioned it, but just in case: remember to leave the probe in place for 45 minutes before reading the temp you are gauging so that the unit has time to peak and level off. When taking basking temps, make sure to place the probe directly under the heat lamp/on the basking spot, face up.

Hope this helps a bit!

Em