Desperate need of lighting help!

[gemma83]

I rescued a bearded dragon last week as it hadnt been cared for properly and was in too small a tank. It would have been rehomed to another careless owner that thought owning a lizard was "cool". I decided to take it on and have vowed to get it back to full health and make sure it has an enjoyable life.

At present the Lizard is housed in a glass tank 76x46x30 cms. He is 2 years old, fully grown, the tank is far too small. I will be purchasing a new one asap.
He has not had any UVB light. I have placed a 15w Exo Terra Sun glo at one end of the tank and replace this with the 15w night glo at night to keep the temps up. Is 15w Sun Glo enough UVA? For a basking lamp he has the Exo Terra 100w Sun Glo.
I visited a reptile shop who told me to remove the 100w sun glo as i was "baking" the lizard. However, the temp on the hot side doesnt exceed 30c ever. With the new 60w reflector lamp he gave me, the tank reached a max of 20c. Ive put the Sun Glo back in for now.

Basically, I just want some help with lighting! With a tank this size, what wattage and what brand, type of lamps do I need? He is not getting ANY UVB right now. I need to get this fixed asap! He's not very active either but clearly a trooper. He can still walk, he just doesnt like to.

He hasnt been to the toilet for 6 days. He wont eat veg. He eats 3 crickets every other day which i gut load and dust with calcium before feeding. I am going to also take him to the vet to be checked over and for some advice, but I really need some help with the lamps.
Please help my poor little dragon! I just want him to be cared for properly and get everything that he needs.

 

[corrine]

The Reptisun 10.0 tube bulb is one of the best

 

[crypticdragons]

the reptiglo bulb you are using for uv is not a good bulb for dragons. You want to get a reptisun 10.0 and have it situated in such a way that he can get within 10-12 inches of the bulb. You will want to get the tube uv large enough to cover the majority of the length of your tank and will need a fixture for it as well. If you are in the UK you could also look into getting the arcadia 12% uv tube bulb as it is just as good if not better than the reptisun 10.0


Does your home dip below 18-19 c at night? If not then you do not need a night light for heat at all.

Now to your basking temps. 30 degrees c is still not warm enough. the basking site should be between 36 and 44 degrees C (your dragon will let you know what he likes best in that rang) and the cool side of your tank should be right around 26 with a middle of the tank ambient temp in the 30-32 c range.

Easiest way to boost your basking site temp (if all other temps are correct) is to lift the basking site some. This will also help with the required distance for your UV light.

 

[ladyknite]

the reptiglo bulb you are using for uv is not a good bulb for dragons

Am I missing details? I didn't see mention of a repti glo.

I do agree with the temps Brian suggested and the arcadia UVB bulb for the UK and the repti sun 10 for other areas. The vet is a good option. A fecal and routine exam should be all you need.

Are you soaking your new friend?

 

[crypticdragons]

the reptiglo bulb you are using for uv is not a good bulb for dragons

Am I missing details? I didn't see mention of a repti glo.

I do agree with the temps Brian suggested and the arcadia UVB bulb for the UK and the repti sun 10 for other areas. The vet is a good option. A fecal and routine exam should be all you need.

Are you soaking your new friend?

You are right. I hadnt had a chance to drink my coffee yet when i responded my brain must have seen glo and automatically recognized it as reptglo stead of sunglo thanks for the catch gina.

 

[ladyknite]

being anal retentive isn't something I exactly relish.

 

[crypticdragons]

being anal retentive isn't something I exactly relish.

well my being mildly forgetful and blonde doesnt help either oh and now im having to go through work ups for TBI (traumatic brain injury) due to when i got tossed out of a 7 ton in iraq lucky me.

 

[gemma83]

Thank you for the replies!

I gave him a good soak yesterday - but to no fruition! Poor little dragon.

You will have to excuse me for being a complete newbie. I hadnt even heard of bearded dragons until I saved this little one.

Im still confused! If i get a tube light across most of the length of the tank - this will provide the UVB and UVA? Or???

How do i then get the different temperatures if I am using one light across the hole tank?

The set ups ive looked at have 2 spotlamps - a basking lamp at one end for heat.. and a daylight at the other end...
At present the tank is set up like this. Just with the wrong lights!!!

Where do i get the fixtures for a tube lamp? I really need to act quickly, because i mean, this is just cruel and sad the way he is living right now. I feel so awful for him.

My house is very cold. The first night I had him i turned the lamps off and the temp dropped to 10 degrees c. It took a while for him to wake up and i was certain he had died! Hence the need at present for night heat.

If you can recommend alternative lights - one for each end of the tank that would be useful. Or any advice where to get the fixture for the tube light it would be greatly appreciated. Also what wattage for this size tank?

I looked at the lucky reptile bright sun UV desert lamp (70w) earlier - is this any good? Its a metal halide... would this provide for his needs?

Much appreciated!!!!

 

[crypticdragons]

if memory serves the metal halide (sp) style bulbs just have a high likelyhood of exploding thats why they arent often used in the pet trade.

The tube bulb is just for UV you still need a extra bulb for heating his basking site (and the rest of the tank via ambient heat). As for night temps id suggest instead of using a night bulb use a CHE (ceramic heat emitter).

and you can get a fluorescent light fixture at most hardware stores. Just know what length bulb you plan to use and buy the appropriate sized fixture for it.

so things to look for
ceramic heat emitter for night heat
arcadia 12% tube fluorescent for UV light
and fluorescent fixture for the UV light.

 

[ladyknite]

I'm not familiar with Lucky reptile.

Attention! The current series have a reduced UV power of 85 resp.110 microwatt/cm2 in 30 cm distance.

Your tank is what we refer to as a 20 long. Any MVB output would most likely either provide too much or too close exposure I believe. Someone else will pipe in I'm sure
The arcadia flourescent is a basic bulb. Your reptile shop, or local hardware store should have a fixture you can purchase rather cheap. It will reach the major length of the tank, but these bulbs don't provide heat. They represent the rays from the sun.
A regular house bulb will suffice for heat in your domes. And a Ceramic Heat Emitter at night since your house is cold.

And to clarify..........UV is open ended. UVA is heat and white light. UVB is like that of the sun.

 

[gemma83]

thank you so much. You have no idea how much I appreciate this!

Last query before i buy the light - the tube does that provide his uva and uvb?

Can you recommend which basking lamp to get and wattage?

Oh he's going to be so happy!!!

 

[crypticdragons]

thank you so much. You have no idea how much I appreciate this!

Last query before i buy the light - the tube does that provide his uva and uvb?

Can you recommend which basking lamp to get and wattage?

Oh he's going to be so happy!!!

you can use a regular soft whit house bulb for his heat. Which is nice as they are typically cheap and you may have to buy a few different wattages to get the heat just right. The heat light also produces the UVA.

The tube bulb is specifically for UVB.

 

[gemma83]

Ive ordered the correct lights now and hope to have it all by monday. Im really excited to see him at his best.

He has picked up today a bit. It was quite sunny so I put his tank directly in the sun light. He loved it.
He ate some vegetables.... he ate his 3 crickets so quickly that I gave him 2 more... I think he is possibly underweight. You can feel his ribs... Perhaps this is normal? Im sure the vet will tell me.

Whats the average amount of food for an adult dragon? I heard to feed them crickets every OTHER day... but the pet shop told me every day. It seems like everybody has a different idea when it comes to bearded dragons. The pet shop even include a heat rock in their dragon starter kit. I read those were awful things.. You'd think a pet shop would be the one place you could rely for good advice!

He's just gone to the toilet too - finally after 8 days! Didnt smell as bad as the first time either. A vast improvement!

I put a 60w household lamp in the tank today. Not hot enough. It had the 100w sunglo in before too. Not hot enough! Its so strange as the guy in the reptile shop said in a tank this size anything over 60w would bake him. Its clearly not!

Thank you all for your patience and great advice.
The best bearded dragon site I found

xx

 

[lexi]

Forgive me if this has already been mentioned, but if your dragon truly hasn't had any UVB and it's 2 years old, you should perhaps consider a mercury vapor bulb (T-Rex and MegaRay are the most recommended). These bulbs are thought to reduce or even reverse the damage done by not having adequate UVB, (which can lead to things like metabolic bone disease, which these bulbs help with).

There's certainly nothing wrong with the ReptiSun... but for a dragon who hasn't had adequate UVB, a mercury vapor bulb might be a better bet.

Just my $0.02

 

[gemma83]

I know that for the last 6 months he hasnt had any uvb... for definate.
I cannot tell before that.
He is able to walk but he doesnt seem comfortable. His back legs are certainly not as strong as his front legs.

I did look at the mercury vapor bulb. I was "recommended" that these were only suitable for larger tanks... that the metal halide was a better bet for smaller tanks. Then someone on here said they werent very good!

There is so much contradicting information out there it leaves you more lost than when you started out.
I spent £40 last weekend on new substrate, bowls, rocks, lights, food, calcium.... and still didnt get the right lights
Im going to stick with the arcadia 12% D3 for the UVB for now as its ordered... I hope this is right for him.
Once he's picked up a bit, im getting rid of this tank anyway and buying him tank that he deserves. Perhaps I can incorporate the mercury vapour then...

The ceramic heat emitter I need for night temps... Im unsure what watt to get. It comes from 40w to 250w... and at £17 a bulb I cant afford to buy several! What do you think? 40w? The 15w nightglo I have generally speaking keeps it just below 20.

 

[renich]

...
There is so much contradicting information out there it leaves you more lost than when you started out.
...
The ceramic heat emitter I need for night temps... Im unsure what watt to get. It comes from 40w to 250w... and at £17 a bulb I cant afford to buy several! What do you think? 40w? The 15w nightglo I have generally speaking keeps it just below 20.

Isn't that the truth? It looks like you have been in good hands with Brian and Gina. The Arcadia is the best UV bulb available to you.

I've been following this post and I think it is great that you have saved this little guy. Have you considered getting a herp vet to look at him and get a fecal done? I would recommend you do that with the care he was provided.

 

[crypticdragons]

with your size tank the MVB would deffinately be too much. You need a minimum of a 40 Gallon breeder tank for a MVB. The arcadia 12 is the best purchase and im glad you have purchased the supplies you need. as for the CHE go with the 40 watt and if the temps spike too high you can get a dimmer switch for cheap but the CHE works different than that bulb as the CHE produces ambient heat (spreading head instead of direct heat)

 

[lexi]

with your size tank the MVB would deffinately be too much. You need a minimum of a 40 Gallon breeder tank for a MVB.

Sorry - I must have missed the tank size. Brian is right, MVB would not be suitable. Once you have him in a larger tank, however, I would recommend switching to a MVB. When we got Sal he had been without UVB for probably a year or more. We got a UVB tube, as recommended, but when we switched to a MVB he became MUCH more active and his appetite increased dramatically. Temps were the same, before and after, but I will never forget his reaction... while we were setting it up he actually wrestled with me to get to it. After seeing that, I'll never use a tube UVB ever again.

 

[gemma83]

Just thought I'd keep you updated!
He seems to be picking up more and more each day now
Ive got the temp in the tank right too which has made a huge difference.
He's eating!!! And is a beautiful sandy colour as opposed to the black patches he had before.

I put a little "cave" in his tank and he seems to hide in it and not bask.. as soon as i take it out he goes and basks.
Why does he do this??! I think I read another post about their dragon hiding all day... cant remember the reason..

Now I just need to find a new tank! Thank you for all the advice. x

 

[lexi]

Just thought I'd keep you updated!
He seems to be picking up more and more each day now
Ive got the temp in the tank right too which has made a huge difference.
He's eating!!! And is a beautiful sandy colour as opposed to the black patches he had before.

I put a little "cave" in his tank and he seems to hide in it and not bask.. as soon as i take it out he goes and basks.
Why does he do this??! I think I read another post about their dragon hiding all day... cant remember the reason..

Now I just need to find a new tank! Thank you for all the advice. x

Yay! Glad to hear he's perked up a bit ;D

The hiding is usually due to relocation stress. It might be best to take the hide out until he's more comfortable in his new home. If he's hiding all the time, it will only make the adjustment process take longer.