Sleepy dragon :/

[Zanna]

Hi all Lizzy is 8 months old (possibly 7) we put her in her new 4x2x18" a few weeks ago and had zero issues with her move. In fact she was dying to get into her new home.

Since moving she has taken to hiding a lot and sleeping, the last week has marked a decrease in appetite but only to roaches.... she will eat superworms if I put them in and does eat her veggies sparsely but that's not new. She's 256 grams and 15 inches. Initially the 75 watt basking bulb was putting her basking spot at 122 so that was far too hot. I changed the basking bulb to a 50 watt but lucky to get 90 degrees so off to sort that out.

Reptisun 10.0, all food is calcium dusted, multi vitamin once a week and I bath her a few times as she likes to poop there now. Poop is perfect so I'm not suspicious of any parasites and her color is always her happy colors. BUT she doesn't want to wake up to bask in the mornings. She never had a hide before and it's a makeshift blanket hideaway but she stays there even to be cold. When it was too hot she was digging under the towel which is her carpet til I buy tiles. Too young to Brumaire right?

 

[CooperDragon]

It could be a lighting/heat issue. I'd try again with the higher wattage bulb and put it on a lamp dimmer and see if that helps you fine tune it. If it buzzes or has trouble dimming, try a PAR38 halogen flood light. I use one from GE and it dims really well as needed.

How far away from the basking spot is the UVB light in the new enclosure? Which type is it?

 

[Zanna]

I wouldn't have a clue how to get a dimmer to work on this lol. I boosted up the wattage on the bulb. I called Ge and they said their bulbs don't put out uva.

I have a 36 inch reptisun so the uvb is in range of basking

 

[CooperDragon]

The ReptiSun 10.0 is a good bulb. Do you know if it's a T8 or a T5? A T8 will have an optimal output between about 6-8'' from the basking site while a T5 will have an optimal output between about 12-14''. It will put out UVA and UVB.

The basking lights also put out some UVA (and infrared) but the main goal with those is to provide a bright white light and appropriate heat. I use the 90w version of this https://www.lowes.com/pd/GE-75-Watt-Dimmable-Soft-White-PAR38-Halogen-Flood-Light-Bulb/50036998 which hangs above the tank on an adjustable lamp stand. You can get a lamp dimmer switch at the hardware store as well and you just plug the fixture into it so you can adjust the output with the slider.

 

[Zanna]

Great info cooper thank you! Tho I have the enclosed viv with installed fixture so I'll have to take a look at the link.

As for the reptisun, I'm not sure about the output number, however, I have Lizzys hide directly under so she can get within about 3 inches away from it if she wants to. In fact after I put the 65 watt flood light in there I found her nose up into the reptisun, that's new.

But even on her basking spot their should be plenty of uvb.

I had thought the temps were too high which is why I decreased bulb, but if they can get out of that heat to the other gradient.... was it a problem?