Trying not to be THAT mom

[SHBailey]

Oops. Did I just inadvertently "hijack" a thread? Sorry about that -- I do know that's uncool.

 

[kingofnobbys]

Don't feel bad -- you're not the first person to get duped by those bearded dragon kits they sell at the pet stores and make you think you're getting all the right stuff :roll: . And you probably won't be the last, either.

This raises an interesting question. I've been doing 12 hours on and 12 hours off with the lights for both of our reptiles (one bearded dragon and one corn snake) year round for at least the last 4-5 years or so -- meanwhile the light coming from the windows varies widely from summer to winter here in Alaska. I figure that's an artificial photoperiod resembling equinox, but you say that looks like winter to a beardie and it should be as much as 16 hours/day, Kingofnobbys? You may have to explain that one. :? Electric bills are an issue around here, but if keeping the lights on longer will help make our beardie happier and healthier, we'll certainly consider it.

I did add a couple of hours to the lighting schedule when he was sick two years ago in the middle of the winter. Couldn't tell if it was the illness or if he was trying to brumate, but he couldn't afford to brumate until he got better anyway, so we were trying to convince him it wasn't really winter. It didn't seem to really make much difference, so we went back on the 12 hour schedule sometime after he seemed to have recovered as much as he was going to.

This viewtopic.php?f=1&t=236209&p=1815777#p1815777 will address this question , showing my logic and observational reasons for advocating a photoperiod about 16hrs..

Electric bills are expensive here in Australia too . My winter quarterly power bill was $1100 (all electric house - no gas no solar no wood , and I run our big aircon 24/7 in winter (and in summer)) .