Questions about the setup this breeder gave me

[ironmabel]

Recently I bought a bearded dragon with a new set up and I wanted to ask some questions about the set up he gave me as I'm unsure if it is safe or not.

He put in an infra red bulb, which he said was controversial but he has not ran into any issues, he didn't explain WHY it was controversial which makes me slightly suspicious.

He also gave me a mixed desert substrate which I have not put in as I am unsure of how safe it is for beardies and thought it would be better to ask here before I did so. Here is a link to the substrate it is - https://www.reptilecentre.com/prorep-beardie-life-substrate-10kg_p31209755.htm

I will do my own research and make changes if I find it to be neccassary. I also found that the viv is on the small side (34 inches) but the beardie is still very small so for now it should be okay, but let me know if I am wrong. Thank you!

 

[Claudiusx]

Hi there,

Case in point of "just because someone can breed a creature, doesn't make them knowledgeable on said creature."

Sounds like he is more interested in making money by selling you things you don't need than providing you what is needed for your new baby.

Red bulbs are not acceptable for dragons for a couple reasons.

1. your basking bulb should produce a white light, not a colored light. So already, red bulbs can't be used for a basking bulb.
2. Red bulbs really are marketed for nighttime use. They are not acceptable for nighttime use either for many reasons.

• Dragons need darkness at night to get a good nights sleep, just like us.
  
  Dragons have an extra cone in their eyes when compared to humans. This means they see much more of the lighting spectrum than we can. So, if your human eyes can see the light, a dragons eyes can too, and most likely in a much more vivid fashion.

Personally I don't like loose substrates for new owners in the hobby. A solid substrate such as tile, papertowels, or non-adhesive shelf liner would be a better option.

The most important parts of your husbandry are your temperatures, and your UV source. That means you need a decent thermometer. Preferably a digital thermometer with probe end. No dial stick on thermometers.
And, you need a good UV bulb. Unfortunately, a lot of UV bulbs on the market are not suitable for the needs of bearded dragons (despite the fact that many have the face of a dragon on it's packaging..)
Can you tell us which uvb bulb you have?

What your temperatures are, and what you are using to measure your temperatures?

-Brandon

 

[CooperDragon]

We'll be happy to review your setup and make sure everything is just right. There are a lot of good options out there, so not one right way to do things. If you can post photos of the setup that would be helpful.

Infrared bulbs are often used overnight if the temps drop below about 18C in the enclosure. They produce heat but no visible light (just infrared). The controversy is with bulbs that emit visible red light. These can be disturbing to them at night and when used during the day can make things look very distorted. You want the lighting to mimic sunlight as closely as possible. This includes a bright white visible light that produces heat and a light that produces UVB. These combine over the main basking area to imitate sunlight. The bulbs you use will depend on surface temperatures (for the basking light) and distance (for the UVB light). What do you have set up for visible light and UVB?

As far as the loose substrate goes, I find it difficult to keep clean and sanitary. There are bioactive setups out there which I find to be very good as long as they are carefully designed and well maintained. They take space and planning but can be worthwhile. For ease of use, in most cases I prefer using a solid substrate like tile or shelf liner (or even newspaper or butcher paper in the short term). This is because they can be easily cleaned and sanitized or replaced.

 

[Claudiusx]

Moved by Moderator from General to Enclosures

 

[ironmabel]

Can you tell us which uvb bulb you have?

-Brandon

There is the infrared bulb and a D3 reptile lamp

It's like a long line going across the top of the tank https://www.internetreptile.com/arc...=378e4fd9f1b5226bc3ce5a6134189f16&fo_s=gplauk .

I have taken care of 2 beardies before this one and both had a 100w uv bulb and a UVB bulb I had bought for me so Im unsure of any specifics about them.

I think I'll change the setup asap, I spare 100W and 50W UV lamps, which, if either do you think would be ideal for this tank?

 

[Claudiusx]

That arcadia bulb is a very good UV bulb. Definitely keep that. It's weaker than the 12% which is what is usually used for dragons, but that can be remedied by having the basking spot closer to the 6%. What distance is it at now?

So that's good, just make sure you have a normal white basking bulb that gives you the temperatures you need, and you will be set

-Brandon

 

[ironmabel]

That arcadia bulb is a very good UV bulb. Definitely keep that. It's weaker than the 12% which is what is usually used for dragons, but that can be remedied by having the basking spot closer to the 6%. What distance is it at now?

So that's good, just make sure you have a normal white basking bulb that gives you the temperatures you need, and you will be set

-Brandon

All should be good then! There's a branch I payed far too much for that can be moved to be closer, approx how far away should it be?