Bearded Dragon Setup | Health Concerns

[calvinhunt99]

Hey everyone, I am brand new here.

I just recently purchased my first bearded dragon, his name is "Remy", and I am very stressed because I am trying to make sure that I have everything setup perfectly so his life is great... But there are several things I am running into that are bothering me and I could really advice.

The tank that I purchased was because my step-dad suggested it, it's a 48 inch (long) by 18 inch (wide) fish tank that I cleaned out very well. By recommendation of several people, I chose to go with calcium sand which seems to have been the wrong choice now...

So here are my few concerns that are very important:

I am not sure that basking spot is getting 100+, so if I try and raise his basking spot more, how close is it safe for him to be?
The bulb I have is a 150W basking bulb I purchased from pet smart (due to complications with shipping for me original bulb).

In the tank, I have three lights as of now. The top right is the basking light bulb, the one next to that is the Exo Terra Repti-Glow 10.0, and the 18 inch fixture inside the tank is a Desert Series 50 Zilla T8... Would this be a proper lighting setup? Is it too much UVB? Not enough?

The next thing is, I was told that he is around 6-months in age... He's only pooped once since I brought him home earlier this week on Monday, and it makes me nervous...
I've been feeding him crickets and now super worms (Dubia Roaches are not allowed here so I cannot feed him that), as well as greens which include mustard greens, collard greens, butternet squash, sometimes bell pepper or carrots (very little carrots if so). But he hasn't really touched the greens.

I have also tried to give him a little bath in my sink and he HATED it, so I haven't tried it again since, as I don't want to stress him out.

Also, he keeps doing this thing where he will close one of his eyes, is that mean sand could be stuck? He opens the eye right back up, so he doesn't this every so often and I am unsure why.

I know this post is a lot... I am really stressed because I've watched so many videos with conflicting answers on what to do and I could really use some help.

 

[Sadie]

Hey everyone, I am brand new here.

I just recently purchased my first bearded dragon, his name is "Remy", and I am very stressed because I am trying to make sure that I have everything setup perfectly so his life is great... But there are several things I am running into that are bothering me and I could really advice.

The tank that I purchased was because my step-dad suggested it, it's a 48 inch (long) by 18 inch (wide) fish tank that I cleaned out very well. By recommendation of several people, I chose to go with calcium sand which seems to have been the wrong choice now...

So here are my few concerns that are very important:

I am not sure that basking spot is getting 100+, so if I try and raise his basking spot more, how close is it safe for him to be?
The bulb I have is a 150W basking bulb I purchased from pet smart (due to complications with shipping for me original bulb).

In the tank, I have three lights as of now. The top right is the basking light bulb, the one next to that is the Exo Terra Repti-Glow 10.0, and the 18 inch fixture inside the tank is a Desert Series 50 Zilla T8... Would this be a proper lighting setup? Is it too much UVB? Not enough?

The next thing is, I was told that he is around 6-months in age... He's only pooped once since I brought him home earlier this week on Monday, and it makes me nervous...
I've been feeding him crickets and now super worms (Dubia Roaches are not allowed here so I cannot feed him that), as well as greens which include mustard greens, collard greens, butternet squash, sometimes bell pepper or carrots (very little carrots if so). But he hasn't really touched the greens.

I have also tried to give him a little bath in my sink and he HATED it, so I haven't tried it again since, as I don't want to stress him out.

Also, he keeps doing this thing where he will close one of his eyes, is that mean sand could be stuck? He opens the eye right back up, so he doesn't this every so often and I am unsure why.

I know this post is a lot... I am really stressed because I've watched so many videos with conflicting answers on what to do and I could really use some help.

Welcome first thing you need to do is get rid of that Repti glow bulb that is a big issue -- you need a bright white basking bulb a Exo Terra is good - I know the Repti glow UVB's are bad and if hes having eye issues now I am assuming its from that bulb and the calcium sand is NOT a good deal - please get rid of that ASAP --- both of those things can cause eye issues -- you can use paper towels for now and either get some reptile carpet I dont recommend that tho as it gets expensive having to replace all the time and clean -- I would recommend some textured NON adhesive shelf liner from you local home improvement store - its easy to clean w/ vinegar/ water 50-50 solution - insects cannot get underneath or some textured slated ceramic tile from your local home improvement store -- cut to size of tank w/ a tile cutter -- NO course stuff something w/ texture yet kinda smooth -- you dont want him slipping around
I recommend a 24" fixture w/ reflector that is a must w/ a Reptisun 10.0 T 5 bulb -- the way you have your UVB now is not doing too much good Remy needs to be able to sit directly underneath that bulb w/ a distance of 6-8 inches -- the tank is a 48x18x? What kind of screen is on the tank ? Is it a fine screen mesh like a screen door or a wide holed type like a dime or similar too? Something wide?
I would hold off on the baths for now hes going thru relocation stress --- so w/ him not eating his greens we need to entice him to that bowl --- use your super worms and some BSFL to entice him to that bowl -- you can order BSFL on line from here www.sypmtonbsf.com - you will need a bowl they cant get out of like this
https://www.amazon.com/MACGOAL-Rept...uGQB&pd_rd_wg=tLkwE&ref_=pd_gw_ci_mcx_mr_hp_d
Feed first thing in the morning -- add the super worms and the BSFL to the salad in front of him -- the BSFL are a great staple feeder do not dust them - they are calcium enriched -- you can rinse the greens before serving that will give him hydration -- make sure your gut loading the dubias you can feed them carrots not the dragon tho that will give them hydration along w/ some squash here is a website for nutrition http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Nutrition.html ignore the kale thing its a good staple feeder
The temps need to be taken w/ a digital probe thermometer NO stick ons they are for ambient temps only - you need 3 temps going in that tank --- 95-110 basking temp taken w/ a digital probe or a Infrared heat gun purchased at your local home improvement store for around $20 or so its good to have on hand they are useful -- 90's in the middle of tank and 80's on the cool side of tank --- your basking light should be able to keep 90's in the middle of the tank -- it is trial and error w/ heat bulbs --- but you must have the digital probe --------- you can get it at Petsmart or Petco for around $9 --
Here are some websites to look at for the things I mentioned
https://www.pangeareptile.com/store/zoo-med-reptisun-t5-ho-terrarium-hood.html 24" this comes w/ a 5.0 bulb its for aquarium use it can be used for a back up but placement and distance is different from the T 5 it is considered to be a T 8 of what you have now
https://www.pangeareptile.com/store/zoo-med-reptisun-10.0-uvb-t5.html 22" you need this bulb
https://www.pangeareptile.com/store/zoo-med-digital-thermometer.html you need this ASAP
Do you have a hygrometer for humidity? I recommend a digital one --

 

[Sadie]

I should of mentioned - the one eye closing is normal when basking but you need to keep an eye out for swollen eyes or watery eyes etc............... that is usually either a substrate issue or bulb issue could be UVB or basking bulbs ---

 

[HoomanSlave]

Calcium sand is bad for two reasons.
1. It can cause eye irritation.
2. There is no way to tell how much calcium sand your bearded dragon is consuming, so you run the risk of over or under supplementing calcium.

A good UVB and safe basking light is essential. If you don't know what his temps are, please pick up some digital thermometers with probes and a heat gun. The stick-on ones can be off by over 20 degrees. NEVER try to estimate the temps by feeling the area around it-a few degrees' difference that you cannot feel could be deadly to your bearded dragon.
Mount the UVB tube in a reflector fixture and hang it INSIDE the tank. Replace the calcium sand with a cage liner (DO NOT buy the Exo Terra sand mats-they're a choking/impaction hazard), or textured ceramic tile.

All of the supplies listed can be purchased on Amazon for a reasonable price. However, I found that Petco actually sells the ReptiSuns for less than many Amazon sellers, and they have regular sales. To save even more, check for a discount pet store near you-mine sells things for $1-10 less than most pet stores, and they give out $5 off coupons every month. I've planned to save over $100 in beardie supplies from them.

 

[calvinhunt99]

I am a little confused, you said the Exo Terra was good, but the "Repti-Glow" is bad? But the Repti-Glow is a product from Exo Terra? It's a UVB bulb. I have a 150W basking bulb from Zoo-Med that I purchased from Pet Smart.

Right now here is the lighting setup that I have.
- Zoo-Med 150W Basking Light Bulb
- Exo Terra Repti-Glow 10.0
- Zilla T8 UVB 18 Inch

And I do have both a heat gun and thermal probe, though I haven't setup the thermal probe again since I just changed to the tile today and removed the calcium sand.

I have measured, the basking light is approx 10 1/2 inches away from his hammoch, which is at a pretty high point...

 

[Sadie]

Exo Terra Repti-Glow 10.0 is this a UVB bulb? the T 8 you want to keep if the Repti Glo is a UVB here is some info for you in UVBs I am sorry for being confused
Which UVB light should I use?

The best UVB light is a ReptiSun 10.0 fluorescent tube HO (Or Arcardia 12% in the UK). Compact or coil bulbs do not emit the proper amount of UVB light for a bearded dragon, and should not be used. Other brands, such as the Zilla Desert Series and ReptiGlo have been known to cause eye problems and other health issues with bearded dragons, and should be avoided. The reason that some UVB lights (Zilla, ReptiGlo, coils/compacts, ect.) are considered dangerous is because the wavelength of UVB that they emit is shorter and more intense than the wavelength of the "safe" lights (ReptiSun, Arcadia). UVB lights should be replaced every 6 months. The T5’s are a strong bulb and only need to be replaced once a year – the T 8 every 6 months--- where as the T 8 are not as strong—they need to be placed inside the tank the T 5 10.0 bulb approx 10-11 inches from basking spot – the T 8 approx 8-10 inches from basking spot—the cover needs to be off the bulb for full effect of the UVB rays--
the T 8 should be in the tank approx 6-8 inches from basking decor w/ NO obstruction --- meaning no cover over the bulb as well take the clear plastic cover off if its on --

 

[calvinhunt99]

That is really good information, thanks! I will NOT use the Repti-Glow anymore... I will get rid of that bulb. I know that the T5 is better, but I really don't have a lot of extra money on hand so hopefully if I just lower the T8 closer to the spot, then it should work just fine. Thanks for the information!

On another note... The issue that I having with the basking spot is that it's not getting hot enough, I've seen temps around 96 to 98 at the higher end... I am not sure if this is because the basking light bulb is not close enough (it's approx. 10 1/2 inches away, but it's on top of the mesh.

Which btw the way, I have added two more photos. One shows the cover at the top, and the second one shows the newer setup, and approx. how far away the light is.

 

[Sadie]

The wide holed would be great for the T 5 it can sit on top of screen-- the basking temp your taken w/ a digital probe IR guns are not real good on hammocks make sure you take the probe set on the hammock where he sits and get the temp - the UVB needs to go directly above him basking decor 6-8 inches underneath- if your not getting the temp w/ the bulb I would move the bulb or basking decor closer- at least 6 " away-- does your UVB fixture have a reflector on it?

 

[calvinhunt99]

I've realized that it doesn't... So I guess I am just going to go ahead and order the long T5 and the holder with the reflector on it. I moved the probe to be on the hammock itself now, so hopefully I will get better readings. Though, I am unsure how I could get the basking light any closer to him, I could move the hammock higher but I am afraid of the hammock letting loose and Remy somehow falling.

 

[Sadie]

I've realized that it doesn't... So I guess I am just going to go ahead and order the long T5 and the holder with the reflector on it. I moved the probe to be on the hammock itself now, so hopefully I will get better readings. Though, I am unsure how I could get the basking light any closer to him, I could move the hammock higher but I am afraid of the hammock letting loose and Remy somehow falling.

Yes don't do that----get a different basking decor piece and place under the light-- get a temp - but first check temp on hammock-- the fixture I recommended has a reflector in it go look- these people sell out of these fixtures and bulbs a lot- shipping is cheap $6.99-- I just realized I didn't post website-- www.pangeareptiles.com
Look under fixtures it's a zoo med 24"
T 5 bulbs 22"

 

[calvinhunt99]

I just put in the order for the UVB light... Now I need to figure out a solution to my basking light, which is simply distance from the light. The light has only been on for about 45 minutes and it's hitting 92 F.

The basking light is approx 11 inches away from the hammock, and 14 inches away from rock underneath... Now I am thinking of purchasing a 100W ceramic heater to put in conjunction with the basking light to see if I can improve the temps... The other solution would be to put things underneath that rock and raise it up quite a bit so it's closer to the top of the tank, but then that structure would be quite tall, due to the height of the tank.

What would you suggest?

 

[Sadie]

I just put in the order for the UVB light... Now I need to figure out a solution to my basking light, which is simply distance from the light. The light has only been on for about 45 minutes and it's hitting 92 F.

The basking light is approx 11 inches away from the hammock, and 14 inches away from rock underneath... Now I am thinking of purchasing a 100W ceramic heater to put in conjunction with the basking light to see if I can improve the temps... The other solution would be to put things underneath that rock and raise it up quite a bit so it's closer to the top of the tank, but then that structure would be quite tall, due to the height of the tank.

What would you suggest?

Ok you can do this get another small dome and get a lower wattage like a 50 or 75 and the temps will go up but make sure you monitor them - I would rather see you use another bright white basking light instead of a CHE - How tall is the tank? With your screen the way it is it should allow heat to come in w/ out a issue- I have a 24" tall tank and I am using one 150 watt and a 50 or 75 I cant remember as well - they sit on the end of the tank and the decor piece is approx 13-14 inches from lights but it also gives him a basking gradient- so when he really needs to warm up he goes to the top of the decor piece and when its warmed up during the afternoon he will either stand against the piece or lay on the bottom of the tank or prop himself up on the long stick part that lays on the floor of the tank - it gives different temps where he sits - those temps run from 100-90's depending on where he sits -- also room temp plays a part in the temp in the tank -- is the tank on the floor? If so I would get it off --- cold and drafty--- is the room cold that he is in? You can always insulate the back of the tank w/ like a blanket or foam - but you must make sure it doesnt touch those heat lamps - you can do half the tank the bottom half so its keeping heat in - those are just some ideas but I would try the extra heat dome/ bulb first --

 

[calvinhunt99]

My tank is also 24 inches tall, my distance away is also 14 inches . What I’m going to do is run down to my local pet store and purchase another basking bulb, like you suggested instead of a CHE.

I am also going to see if they have a dimmer, so if the temperatures get too high, then I can lower them back down.

My temperature is actually aren’t that off, I just need to boost it up by about another 8 to 11° as it is only sitting about 92 to 93 Fahrenheit right now which isn’t enough.

thank you so much for the advice, I’ll reply back on here in a little while once I get things changed up

 

[Sadie]

My tank is also 24 inches tall, my distance away is also 14 inches . What I’m going to do is run down to my local pet store and purchase another basking bulb, like you suggested instead of a CHE.

I am also going to see if they have a dimmer, so if the temperatures get too high, then I can lower them back down.

My temperature is actually aren’t that off, I just need to boost it up by about another 8 to 11° as it is only sitting about 92 to 93 Fahrenheit right now which isn’t enough.

thank you so much for the advice, I’ll reply back on here in a little while once I get things changed up

You can use a CHE for heat for nite-- if your tank is falling below 65 at nite I would suggest you get one here when the weather gets colder I use a 100 watt in my two 120 gallon tanks - I have it centered in the back of the tank middlem I checked the other bulb and its a 75 watt

 

[calvinhunt99]

I will end up purchasing one here soon so that his tank will stay warm during the colder times. I have added a second 100W basking bulb, one of the Zoo Med Repti Basking Bulbs, and the temps are reading anywhere from 96 to 102 with the heat-gun. The probe is 96, but Remy likes to be a butt and lay on the probe so it can be hard to tell how accurate it is all of the time.

 

[Sadie]

I will end up purchasing one here soon so that his tank will stay warm during the colder times. I have added a second 100W basking bulb, one of the Zoo Med Repti Basking Bulbs, and the temps are reading anywhere from 96 to 102 with the heat-gun. The probe is 96, but Remy likes to be a butt and lay on the probe so it can be hard to tell how accurate it is all of the time.

Ok move her and get the temp hold her for 10 minutes put her in a carrier you want that temp

 

[calvinhunt99]

He's being really active right now so I moved the probe to where he was sitting and the temp is showing 100F on the probe.

 

[gracesbeardie]

Hey everyone, I am brand new here.

I just recently purchased my first bearded dragon, his name is "Remy", and I am very stressed because I am trying to make sure that I have everything setup perfectly so his life is great... But there are several things I am running into that are bothering me and I could really advice.

The tank that I purchased was because my step-dad suggested it, it's a 48 inch (long) by 18 inch (wide) fish tank that I cleaned out very well. By recommendation of several people, I chose to go with calcium sand which seems to have been the wrong choice now...

So here are my few concerns that are very important:

I am not sure that basking spot is getting 100+, so if I try and raise his basking spot more, how close is it safe for him to be?
The bulb I have is a 150W basking bulb I purchased from pet smart (due to complications with shipping for me original bulb).

In the tank, I have three lights as of now. The top right is the basking light bulb, the one next to that is the Exo Terra Repti-Glow 10.0, and the 18 inch fixture inside the tank is a Desert Series 50 Zilla T8... Would this be a proper lighting setup? Is it too much UVB? Not enough?

The next thing is, I was told that he is around 6-months in age... He's only pooped once since I brought him home earlier this week on Monday, and it makes me nervous...
I've been feeding him crickets and now super worms (Dubia Roaches are not allowed here so I cannot feed him that), as well as greens which include mustard greens, collard greens, butternet squash, sometimes bell pepper or carrots (very little carrots if so). But he hasn't really touched the greens.

I have also tried to give him a little bath in my sink and he HATED it, so I haven't tried it again since, as I don't want to stress him out.

Also, he keeps doing this thing where he will close one of his eyes, is that mean sand could be stuck? He opens the eye right back up, so he doesn't this every so often and I am unsure why.

I know this post is a lot... I am really stressed because I've watched so many videos with conflicting answers on what to do and I could really use some help.

I'd suggest getting a thermometer thing and putting it near where he is when he basks, it should be around 90 degrees to 100 I believe. When I first got my beardie she didn't eat for a week and didn't poop much either, but after awhile she got more comfortable and started eating. So if your beardie still doesn't poop or anything you might want to get them checked out at a vet. Also never use sand or anything that's loose, it can harm your beardie. I'm not sure about the UVB lights, I suggest asking a professional or someone who's more educated about that. Also, when my beardie was younger she didn't like her greens so much either. I feed her more greens now and she eats them so they'll most likely grow out of that.
I hope this was helpful! you're a great owner for caring so much about your beardie <3

 

[Curry’s owner]

His basking spot should be some sort of hard surface. I use a piece of slate on top of his structure. The reason is the spot heats up and then they lay on it to warm their underside. This helps with proper digestion. Our bearded was only pooping every 9 days until we set this up for him and now he goes like every other day. It’s apparent he is digesting better now.
I have a double dome with a 100 and 150 watt basking bulb about 14 inches from his stone to bask on.