Very confused, need help.

[AnueBeardie]

Hi, so this is my first time using this website and I am hoping to get some help from others who already have experience with owning a beardie.
I recently bought a juvenile beardie from pet smart, bought the whole tank that came with everything. And ever since then I've been getting so many different answers for my questions.
So I'll just list out some of my questions below:
First, how hot does the basking spot need to be, petsmart people have told me anywhere from 95-110 is appropriate for my beardie. While others have told me its fine if it gets from 87-90 degrees Fahrenheit. I currently have a duel lamp, my basking light I switched out for a night time basking light that is 150 W, but not a spot, it produces generally around 87-90 degrees for the basking spot.
Second, should I get a new thermometer? I am not sure if the thermometer petsmart provides is accurate, I have it on the wall right next to the basking spot. But I have heard digital thermometers are betting than analogue.
And finally to conclude my paragraph, sorry bout that btw.
How can I bound with my beardie more. She/he (not sure what the gender is), has only been in my home for about 2 weeks now. But I want he/she to get used to me, and I am wondering if there are any tips in juvenile beardie care.
Thank you for whoever can help me. And again, sorry for the crazy mess of a paragraph I have here.

Also, my beardie doesn't seem to cold, she/he has been moving fine and has been active ever since I switched out the basking light that got her/his spot up to 92ish degrees to the night time basking light that gets it up to about 87-90 degrees.

 

[Andres07]

Juvenile bearded dragons need a basking spot from 95 to 110f degrees. There should be a hot side and a cool side so they can regulate their temperatures. Lighting is key. You need a uvb uva fixture so they can get the rught spectrum for proper digestion. So for lighting. Hot side cool side. Hot side seems to be perfect already from 95-110f. Cool side should be around 75-85f. So place one light on the right or left making that the hot side. Not the middle. Place the uvb uva light fixture in the middle and place another nighttime bulb in the left where the cool side will be during the day. And at night turn off the daylight and uvb lights. Turn on nighttime bulb onhe cool side. They will look for heat when they need it. So dont worry if she or he sleeps anywhere in the tank they will lay where most comfortable. The anolog thermometers work fine. In the hot side have a basking tree with different levels where they can lay where are most comfortable to bask in heat.
Now for bonding it usually works itself out. Dont be afraid to handle you beardie. But just be wary sometimes he can get startled and run away since hes not used to yet. (But that will all change as he grows) try feeding crickets by hand if your afraid of him biting you use tweezers but you will grow a stronger bond by hand. He will get used to your hands and will know its friendly not hostile. Another thing. New enclosures for bearded dragons are a big change for them at first. It can take up to 2 weeks to maybe a month or so to adapt to his new enclosure. Just give it time he will come around more. The bond grows naturally. Once he will start licking you as you get close its a great sign of comfortness. When he stops running away and is just so calm with you then you can start taking him out to bask in the sun maybe in a kiddie pool. Or he will just be able to hang out with you while you watch tv. Over time the bond will get stronger. Bearded dragons are calm by nature. Sometimes so much change when theyr born is a big thig for them. Its just adaptation. Believe me he will get fond of you very quick. Its in their nature as long as you handle him and show him attention a bond will form fast.

viewtopic.php?f=75&t=229322

This is my enclosure i have for my new young bearded dragons. You can get an idea from there. They are still adapting to it.

Ps. Just read you have a dual lamp. Just keep one day time bulb on during the day. And in the same spot on the other side of the lamp keep a nighttime bulb only for night.

 

[AnueBeardie]

Ok, I will try to get another lamp for the other side of the tank. I am currently broke, so it might take a while.

here is a picture of her ( I call it a her) set up

Also I have covered the top of the tank with aluminum foil to keep some of the heat in for the night.
I am not sure if that does much, but one of the employees at my local pet store said it works.
Oh, also, I wouldn't be able to keep the uvb bulb on the right of the lamp if I replaced it with the night time bulb, and I have no money to afford another singular lamp just for the night time lamp. Thats why I was wondering if she would be ok if instead of using a white light 150 W basking light, I used a purple night time 150 W basking light for the day. It would be a pain to have to keep changing the bulbs for day and night.

And omg, also also.
I have been taking her out once everyday. She just licked my hand today while she was exploring around on my arm and chest. She does run away a bit when I try to pick her up, but I feel like its probably because I am clumsy and its very difficult to get under her belly. But she calms down a bit once she does get on my hand. Can't tell if its calmness or fear that makes her go motionless when she gets on my palm. But the good news is that she hasn't bearded at me or hissed when I take her out. She does try to crawl up my chest to my shoulder. Which scares me because she might jump from my shoulder to somewhere in my room, also I don't want her to bite my ear or anything. :roll:
But again, thank you for taking the time to respond to my crazy long questions.

 

[diamc]

Unfortunately, the analog (dial) thermometers are VERY inaccurate and can be off 20 degrees or more. The only 2 ways to get accurate readings are with either a temperature gun or a digital with a long wire & probe end. Getting correct temps affects their total health. Amazon has some very reasonable prices for the gun or probe thermometer.

Beardies do much better with a bright white basking bulb. The colored bulbs distort their vision making them see everything in that particular colored spectrum. So, highly suggest you continue to use a bright white basking bulb. The basking bulb and UVB should be close together so your beardie can get the benefit of both bulbs at the same time.

The purple bulbs can actually disturb their sleep that's why we recommend using a low wattage ceramic heat emitter which gives off heat but no light. They last for year and Amazon also has great prices for those.

Sounds like the bonding has started. Isn't it cute when they lick our hands?

 

[AnueBeardie]

Thank you for the help, both of you guys.
I didn't know that those colored lights can mess up there vision. I thought the 150 W purple light would help them sleep, not keep them up.
Are the ceramic heaters safe for them? Will they make them warm enough all day and night? And do they have a higher chance to burn the beardie?
I'm just nervous and want to be the best owner I can be to her (or him).
And, yes they are adorable, like little reptile dogs.

Also personally, what do you use for their sleeping habits to keep them warm at night? Ceramic heaters or heat mats under the tank?

 

[Andres07]

The purple lights is for different reptiles. Use the infrared nighttime bulb. Those are safe to use as bearded dragons cant see in them. To them it will just be dark. It will produce heat and let you know where the beardie is and how he is doing. Personally i dont like the ceramic heat emmiters as they can only heat a couple inches down. The infrared nighttime bulb generates heat better and is more focused for heat going down.

 

[AnueBeardie]

Well she just fell asleep under the incandescent purple bulb.
So she can sleep through it, and it keeps her warm enough. (91 degrees right now)
I just have to figure out if I want to get a ceramic heater for night and use the basking light during the day, but I only have two lamps (one for the usv bulb on the right) so I would have to keep switching the bulbs every day and night.
So maybe I should just buy a heat mat, put it under the tank for night? So she can keep warm at night (plus no light) then use the white basking light like last time? Does anyone know if the mats are good?
This is all me theory though, I've been tinkering with her heat source for a good week now.

 

[Andres07]

The purple bulb should be fine. Just invest in a uvb light fixture. So during the day the uvb light can be on with the basking bulb. And the nighttime off and when night comes turn off uvb and basking bulb and just turn on nighttime bulb. Of shes sleeping through the night with the purple one. I wouldnt worry. Shes fine. I dont care much for heat mats or ceramic heat emiters those are mostly for snakes.

 

[AnueBeardie]

ok, do you think I could just keep the purple light on all day for her heat?
Or do you think I should switch them everyday?
Because I might need to buy a third lamp just for the night bulb.
It would be a pain to have to switch bulbs every morning and night.

 

[Andres07]

Im confused. Attach a picture of your light setup.

 

[AnueBeardie]

How do I attach a picture :lol:

 

[Andres07]

You added one earlier.

 

[AnueBeardie]

hm it won't let me add another

 

[CooperDragon]

You can upload more photos here https://www.beardeddragon.org/useruploads/ Then when you press the XIMG button your uploaded photos should be available for you to add to your thread.

 

[AnueBeardie]

Thank you!
I couldn't figure out how to get to that page where you can upload more images to the XIMG thing.
Anyways
This is my current lamp setup for her
The light on the left is UVB and the light on the right is the purple light I was talking about, I had to buy the non spot purple light because the spot purple light I did buy was broken when I bought it, and that pet store had no others.