UVB basking?!

[Eljay]

Hi everyone,

I'm new to bearded dragon care, but I have done weeks of research as to how to look after them and their heating and lighting etc. I bought a new baby BD who is 10 weeks old 3 days ago. He is beautiful, and very very friendly.

He has a UVB tube bulb which is 12%, and a separate basking bulb at one end of the tank, with a ceramic heater at the other end for night time. However! Yoshi seems to love basking under the UVB bulb! He hardly ever goes and sits right under the basking light, and prefers to climb the foliage I have in his viv and bask under the UVB!

Is this normal? will it do him any harm?

Thanks

Leanne.

 

[diamc]

Hi Leanne, welcome to the forum and congratulations on your new baby.

The UVB and basking bulb should be right alongside each other so that your beardie can get the benefit of both bulbs at the same time. Is your UVB a strip fluorescent bulb and what is the distance of it? What brand is it? Also, is the basking bulb a white or colored bulb?

If he seems to be avoiding the basking spot, the temps may be off. Are you using either an infrared temperature gun or digital thermometer with a long wire & probe end to check the temps? What are the basking & cool side temps?

Babies can get dehydrated very quickly so be sure to give him a bath at least 3 to 4 times a wk.

 

[Eljay]

Hi Diane,

His UVB is a strip bulb yes, its 24" (his viv is 3ft long) its 12% and made by Arcadia. its about 14" from the floor of the viv but he can get closer to it via a plastic plant and a hammock thing. his basking bulb is a white light, 100w I think. the temp directly under the lamp is around 105 and around it is around 90-100 and at the cool end its around 80-85 degrees during the day at night the ceramic bulb comes on and all the lights go off. his night time temp is around 75 degrees. He has a log directly under his basking bulb. I use a thermostat with the wire and a probe thermometer on it. I also have 2 dial thermometers, one at each end. I havent bathed him yet, but i drop water on his nose a few times a day so he drinks. hes already eating some veg every day, so hes getting a little water from that. he also has a water dish big enough for him to get in it, and he has been in it a few times now! seems to like it

As far as I'm aware, my set up seems fine(???) and he also seems fine. He is lively and eats like a horse. I may be worrying over nothing!

thanks

Leanne