Tank and Lighting Help!

[JBosley]

Hello!
I am a very new Bearded Dragon owner I picked up my rescue "girl" last night! I wasn't planning on getting a Bearded Dragon, but have always admired them, and am a sucker for rescues....

Anyways! I have a few questions, the tank she came with is super small... so I am debating between these two tanks:
http://brantford.kijiji.ca/c-pets-accessories-Terrarium-W0QQAdIdZ534838887
http://guelph.kijiji.ca/c-pets-accessories-lizard-tank-and-accessories-W0QQAdIdZ537349463

Which would be better for her? The second one is 4' x 2' x 2'. First one lists the dimensions!

Also, which lights can I use for her? I know that she needs a UVB, Basking and a night light. These are the bulbs I currently have on hand:
Infrared heat lamp 175W, Exo Terra UVB coil bulb 100, Exo Terra Heat Glo 50W (red light) and I also have a Exo Terra Ceramic heater, I don't know if it works or the strength or anything as it was given to me and all I could read on it was Exo Terra.

Can I use them to keep her comfortable until I get the proper setup and bulbs?? :?

 

[Adriana]

Congratulations on your new beardie rescue! She will soon become the love of your life.

With regard to the enclosure, the second one is definitely best! You may need to modify it a bit to get all the fixtures in place, but that shouldn't be too difficult.

With regard to the lights, you are almost exactly right. She needs a UVB tube light, a basking light, and possibly a ceramic heat emitter. She does not need a red night light, as it will disturb her sleep. Beardies like a nice, dark, cozy environment for sleeping.

So for now, you can use the UVB coil bulb and ceramic heat emitter, until you can get the proper bulbs and fixtures in place.

 

[Claudiusx]

You should not continue to use the coil light, you should turn it off and keep it off.

Put a normal household bulb in it's place for right now and place it alongside the CHE to provide heat, and light.

Tomorrow, (as I assume it's night time for you) you need to go buy a few different wattages of household halogens or incandescents, and find a bulb that gives you suitable temperatures in your tank. Or you could go the more expensive route and buy a reptile basking bulb. Make sure you are using an accurate thermometer. If you don't have one, get one. An accurate thermometer is just as important as proper lighting.

What is the infrared heat lamp you have? Is that a red light or..?

-Brandon

 

[JBosley]

Thanks for the help everyone!

Boo (as my Hubby has named her) is moving to a 30 gallon tank this weekend, it is only temporary until I get tank #2! Apparently the tank has built in lighting and was used for a Beardie She will have a ceramic heater, and a UVB for now. Going to check about getting a normal house hold light bulb as a basking! This site and the people on it are amazingly helpful :mrgreen:

This is the exact brand of infrared lamp, mine is 175 watts. It came with an Exo Terra tank I bought off someone :? I am NOT using the UVB I have, as I was doing research and read it can damage the eyes. I am getting a strip light type on Saturday from a friend, that I believe will be suitable but will check it out when I get it. I am definitely going to be changing her substrate to paper towels, as the sand makes me so nervous! I gave her a bath last night, which she loved , and she had a MASSIVE bowel movement....

The pellets I were given are actually Iguana pellets! :shock: So right now I have just given her a few meal worms until I get proper veggies and pellets (hopefully tomorrow) She does seem to be doing well! Seems friendly enough, though I am not sure how to handle her, haha. I've never had a reptile so large! :lol:

 

[JBosley]

Another question

Is the CHE okay in a dome that is sitting right on the screen lid? I don't want anything melting, or catching fire. So I thought it was best to ask before using the CHE

 

[Adriana]

Yes, the CHE should be fine sitting on the metal part of the screen lid. Be careful of the edges, though, sometimes they look like metal but are made of plastic… I've melted one before! Just to be sure, you are using a CHE that doesn't give off any light, not the red one?

Have you got your UVB tube light set up yet?

 

[JBosley]

Yes, the CHE should be fine sitting on the metal part of the screen lid. Be careful of the edges, though, sometimes they look like metal but are made of plastic… I've melted one before! Just to be sure, you are using a CHE that doesn't give off any light, not the red one?

Have you got your UVB tube light set up yet?

Thanks for the reply!

Turns out my house is warm enough at night that she doesn't need any heat. But I have the CHE just incase! It does not give off any light, just heat

Yes, she currently has a Reptisun UVB tube light. And an incandescent basking light, that I don't believe is hot enough but my digital thermometer isn't working! So I have to pick up another one tomorrow I also moved her into a 30 gallon tank, temporarily, and made her a basking area which she is loving :mrgreen: Next weekend I am hoping to pick up her 4 foot tank!