uvb bulb help!!

[iLOVEmySPIKE]

does anyone know if the zilla 50 flurescent bulbs are any good I have one tht is like a rectangle thing and it has a piece of plastic blocking the actual uvb bulb someone help me please

 

[gulfbrzdawn]

Unfortunately, the Zilla desert 50 UVB's do not emit enough UVB for a bearded dragon. You might want to try the ReptiSUN 10 fluorescent tube or the Arcadia 12% fluorescent tube(if in the UK). These are much better UVB's for your beardie.

 

[iLOVEmySPIKE]

Can I just remove that plastic piece that looks like it is blocking the uvb bulb

 

[Denduran87]

possibly but still best choice is reptisun 10.0 or arcadia tube lights, anything else is sub par and why do that to something you love.

 

[iLOVEmySPIKE]

can i replace that long bulb in that black thing and put a reptisun bulb

 

[Jess]

The Zillas have a T5 fixture, right? ReptiSuns need a T8, I do believe. So if it's a T5, then you'll need a differect fixture. You can get one at Walmart for $9 though.

 

[iLOVEmySPIKE]

noo haha the one i have is a t8 fixture

 

[Jess]

Ok, you should be good then!

 

[iLOVEmySPIKE]

hey wut do you guys think of my bearded dragon tank set up? lol and btw i gave a shoutout to you guys lol thanks for ur help http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ijwX8gB3s4

 

[Denduran87]

looks really good, http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Nutrition.html is a good guide for your calcium and vitamins. I give my guy calcium dusted crickets every morning and mix his vitamins with it every other morning for now. For a baby i've also heard it 2 ways about the amount of decor, i have gone with the rule of keep it simple. Looks like your on your way to being a great beardie owner nice job.

 

[iLOVEmySPIKE]

ok i will try tht...thanks for all your help

 

[gulfbrzdawn]

Your beardie is absolutely adorable and I think your tank looks very nice.
There are a few things I would like to comment on. First and most importantly..... you need to get a better thermometer. Unfortunately, the dial/stick-on type that you are using is only reading the ambient temps. It is very important to get direct basking spot temps.
You can use either a digital thermometer with a long wire and probe end or an infrared temperature gun. Walmart carries a great little digital therm. called AcuRite. It runs about $12 and can be found in the home thermometer section(not the pet section). Make sure to get one with a wire and probe end.
I also noticed your UVB is sitting on top of the screen top. The screens do block some of the UVB. You can either cut an opening in the screen top to expose the light or hang the fixture in the tank. Will you be getting a ReptiSUN 10 to replace the Zilla UVB?
I love the branches you have in Spike's tank. Just make sure that they are stable and cannot move. If they were to fall on your beardie... he could get injured or trapped under them.
About the Calcium and Multivitamin dusting... As a baby, your beardie only needs the calcium dusted on his feeders 5 x a week and the multivitamins dusted on his feeders the other 2 days. You don't want to oversupplement your little guy.
Other than that, I think you are doing a great job with Spike.

 

[iLOVEmySPIKE]

Ok thanks so much ill look into getting that acurite thing on friday and yea I'm replacting the zilla bulb with a reptisun 10.0 I'm just using the black thing to hold my uvb bulb in and u thing I should cut the screen where my uvb light is? Like underneath it?

 

[FBradshaw]

Unfortunately, the Zilla desert 50 UVB's do not emit enough UVB for a bearded dragon. You might want to try the ReptiSUN 10 fluorescent tube or the Arcadia 12% fluorescent tube(if in the UK). These are much better UVB's for your beardie.

Actually the Zilla 50 series desert bulbs put out way too much UVB and have been causing serious eye and skin problems in dragons. I highly recommend doing away with this bulb and getting either a Reptisun 10.0 or Reptiglo 10.0 if in the US.

 

[gulfbrzdawn]

Unfortunately, the Zilla desert 50 UVB's do not emit enough UVB for a bearded dragon. You might want to try the ReptiSUN 10 fluorescent tube or the Arcadia 12% fluorescent tube(if in the UK). These are much better UVB's for your beardie.

Actually the Zilla 50 series desert bulbs put out way too much UVB and have been causing serious eye and skin problems in dragons. I highly recommend doing away with this bulb and getting either a Reptisun 10.0 or Reptiglo 10.0 if in the US.

Hmm.... I was always under the impression that the Zilla 50 desert series emitted low wavelengths of UVB that were closer to that of UVC, but I could be wrong.
I will have to check into that.


To the OP... I still stand firm on the ReptiSUN 10 fluorescent tube for your UVB. The ReptiGLO 10's have also been known to cause health issues among beardies. I am telling you this as a result of replying to posts on this site, for a few years now, about the effects that the ReptiGlo's have had on a "numerous" amounts of bearded dragons.