Newbie in need of help!

[LianneHenry]

Hi everyone!

I just joined this forum! I adopted my bearded dragon Henry about a month ago. I have zero experience with reptiles so I am freaking out. Henry came from a house where he was severely neglected and was loaded with parasites.

He was never really handled but crazy enough is really clingy, when I come home he jumps me haha. I contacted the Reptile vet from out local zoo and she was a gem. With proper medicine and nutrition he is now ‘clean’ of parasites and has way more energy. The only thing I really struggle with is the lighting. I bought him an new Exo Terra 36 x 18 x 18 terrarium and was advised in the local reptile store that the Exo Terra Solar Glo 125W is a good lamp. First I put it way to close to him (being inexperienced, I feel so guilty) because I did not get the right temperature with the lamp further apart. I found out that it should be 30cm from him otherwise it will put out wayyy too much UVB. But now the temperatures are not right. I want to switch to the Reptisun T5 (I’m thinking 24 inch would suffice). How do I mount this inside?? The Exo Terra comes with a not very sturdy screen top. Would the 10.0 lamp give enought UVB to pass through the mesh? and a basking lamp without UVB, what wattage would be good to heat the terrarium? I’m from the Netherlands, right now gas prices are crazy so my home is around 19 degrees celcius. At night he has a heat mat set on a thermostat at 30 degrees celcius. He seems to enjoy this. All help is appreciated ❤

Edit: The paper towels will be switched for some other substrate when he had his last dose of worm medication. I’m thinking excavator clay, any experience?

Edit: His waterbowl is in the dishwasher. I give him some water with a pipet every day since the vet said it would help him recover after the parasite treatment

 

[xp29]

Yes do the 24 inch long tube, no coiks/compact uvb bulbs, they are horrible. You can put the 10.0 t5 on top of the screen, just make sure henry can get close enough to it. As for basking, please use a clear bulb, colored bulbs hurt there eyes. I would start with a 100 watt and check the temps, that will give you a base line to work with. I have had issues with the ZooMed fixtures, i switched all mine to Arcadia.
Welcome to the forum and congratzz on your beardie, they are wonderful pets.
Feel free to ask about anything at all, there is someone here that can answer about any questions you might have.

 

[LianneHenry]

Yes do the 24 inch long tube, no coiks/compact uvb bulbs, they are horrible. You can put the 10.0 t5 on top of the screen, just make sure henry can get close enough to it. As for basking, please use a clear bulb, colored bulbs hurt there eyes. I would start with a 100 watt and check the temps, that will give you a base line to work with. I have had issues with the ZooMed fixtures, i switched all mine to Arcadia.
Welcome to the forum and congratzz on your beardie, they are wonderful pets.
Feel free to ask about anything at all, there is someone here that can answer about any questions you might have.

Thank you so much for your reply & warm welcome . I spent the whole day researching and have now ordered the Zoo med T5 fixture and the 10.0 tube to go inside (I hope I will not have trouble with the fixture) and a 100W basking light also from Zoo med. I will be ditching the Solar Glo. Do you have a link to the fixture you are using? Maybe to be sure I will order this one as well. I can send the other stuff back if I don't end up using it.

 

[LianneHenry]

I do have another question: The mesh top is divided into four squares of mesh so when I put the 24 inch Zoo med fixture on top it will cover some plastic, will this be ok? I chatted with an employee of the online shop I ordered my stuff from today and he said it would be fine as long as I raise it a bit my putting something under it at both sides (Hope I explain myself well, English is not my first language)

 

[KarrieRee]

I do have another question: The mesh top is divided into four squares of mesh so when I put the 24 inch Zoo med fixture on top it will cover some plastic, will this be ok? I chatted with an employee of the online shop I ordered my stuff from today and he said it would be fine as long as I raise it a bit my putting something under it at both sides (Hope I explain myself well, English is not my first language)

Fine mesh screens block 30% of the UVB rays - please unobstruct it-- it needs to be no screen or inside the tank w/ a distance directly over the basking decor piece 12-15 inches --- Arcadia 12% bulbs are the same distance if your going that route - the fixture would be a 24 watt Arcadia Pro T 5--- if your ditching the Solar Glo please get a solid bright white basking bulb like the Exo Terra Intense ---- Flukers---- Zoo Med Repti basking bulb or a Arcadia Halogen -- you want a digital probe thermometer to get accurate surface basking temps-- No plastic over the UVB bulb it will melt-----------

 

[LianneHenry]

Fine mesh screens block 30% of the UVB rays - please unobstruct it-- it needs to be no screen or inside the tank w/ a distance directly over the basking decor piece 12-15 inches --- Arcadia 12% bulbs are the same distance if your going that route - the fixture would be a 24 watt Arcadia Pro T 5--- if your ditching the Solar Glo please get a solid bright white basking bulb like the Exo Terra Intense ---- Flukers---- Zoo Med Repti basking bulb or a Arcadia Halogen -- you want a digital probe thermometer to get accurate surface basking temps-- No plastic over the UVB bulb it will melt-----------

Thank you so much for your reply, do you have any advice on how to attach the UVB fixture inside the terrarium? On my picture I think you can see what the top looks like, will it be sturdy enough to hold the fixture? I'm thinking, I can get a piece of wood the size of the whole length of the terrarium, put this on top of the mesh top, attach the fixture on the inside and have the wood piece hold the weight. I already own a probe thermometer, its now on the basking spot and one probe on the cool side

 

[LianneHenry]

My terrarium is only 45cm high, the basking spot will be a bit higher, would the 5.0 lamp that comes with the ficture suffice for this height? (I have a lot of questions I know, I just want to get it right for my little guy)

 

[KarrieRee]

My terrarium is only 45cm high, the basking spot will be a bit higher, would the 5.0 lamp that comes with the ficture suffice for this height? (I have a lot of questions I know, I just want to get it right for my little guy)

You can get by w / the T 5 bulb -- it would haft to be on top of the tank unless you have a wide hole screen it can sit on top of it but your basking decor would need to be 8-10 inches directly under it -- you dont want the 5.0 bulb they are more for aquarium use - they can be used for a back up if your 10.0 bulb were to go out or something like that but you want a 10.0 bulb they are more for reptiles -- please post a pic of your screen from above

 

[KarrieRee]

Thank you so much for your reply, do you have any advice on how to attach the UVB fixture inside the terrarium? On my picture I think you can see what the top looks like, will it be sturdy enough to hold the fixture? I'm thinking, I can get a piece of wood the size of the whole length of the terrarium, put this on top of the mesh top, attach the fixture on the inside and have the wood piece hold the weight. I already own a probe thermometer, its now on the basking spot and one probe on the cool side

You can use long zip ties -- 3 M velcro fasteners- fishing line - picture wire hangers -- lets see what the screen looks like first -- you can also cut the screen to make a opening for the UVB fixture as well

 

[KarrieRee]

I have never used the excavator clay -- or any loose substrate in my tanks - I am using a rubber mat that comes from Zen Habitats and their tanks w/ 2 pieces of slated ceramic tile to keep the nails down -please get rid of the heat mat --- you want a ceramic heat emitter that goes in a dome- also known as a CHE -- if your tank is dropping below 65 F at night you want the CHE - I would start w/ the wattage of a basking bulb of the Solar Glo and make sure your using the digital probes to monitor the surface basking temp

 

[LianneHenry]

You can use long zip ties -- 3 M velcro fasteners- fishing line - picture wire hangers -- lets see what the screen looks like first -- you can also cut the screen to make a opening for the UVB fixture as well

 

[LianneHenry]

View attachment 75101

This is what it looks like, i have plexiglass on one side to keep the heat in.

 

[LianneHenry]

I have never used the excavator clay -- or any loose substrate in my tanks - I am using a rubber mat that comes from Zen Habitats and their tanks w/ 2 pieces of slated ceramic tile to keep the nails down -please get rid of the heat mat --- you want a ceramic heat emitter that goes in a dome- also known as a CHE -- if your tank is dropping below 65 F at night you want the CHE - I would start w/ the wattage of a basking bulb of the Solar Glo and make sure your using the digital probes to monitor the surface basking temp

Seems like the reptile store sold me all the wrong things I will start looking into a CHE. I keep the heater on (for the whole room) so now it’s not dropping below 65 F

 

[KarrieRee]

Seems like the reptile store sold me all the wrong things I will start looking into a CHE. I keep the heater on (for the whole room) so now it’s not dropping below 65 F

Ok the screen looks like a wider hole type - try w/ the UVB on top of your screen and make sure your basking decor is directly under it 8-10 inches - watch his behavior -- eating basking and poops etc -- your tanks temps at night should be 65-75 F -- during the day you want your surface basking temps 95-100 F and middle of the tank ambient temps 90's F- cool side of the tank 80's F--

 

[LianneHenry]

Ok the screen looks like a wider hole type - try w/ the UVB on top of your screen and make sure your basking decor is directly under it 8-10 inches - watch his behavior -- eating basking and poops etc -- your tanks temps at night should be 65-75 F -- during the day you want your surface basking temps 95-100 F and middle of the tank ambient temps 90's F- cool side of the tank 80's F--

But will it melt the plastic if i keep it outside on top?