Feedback on current Rankin's Setup

[little_nova]

Hi everyone,

Here are some pictures of my current setup and I'm currently struggling with picking out the best UVB bulb (I know my current one is too short) given the distance to bulb from the basking spot but would also appreciate any general feedback or suggestions to make this an enriching and comfortable enclosure for Nova.

The current enclosure is 36" X 24" X 18" (originally I had a 30” X 12” X 16” enclosure which I recently changed).

The basking spot (black hide) is about 8-10" from the top mesh and bulbs (since it's currently slanted) while the back corner cave is 8" and the driftwood on the left at peak is about 7" away from the top. Her main basking spot gets to about 105F being under the 125W basking lamp. The current UVB bulb I have is a Reptisun T5 HO 14", however I am planning on getting the 22" to cover most of the enclosure.

Is her basking spot and the other taller places she likes to go to too close to a T5 HO bulb? I've also been thinking about getting an Arcadia 12%/14% T5 bulb as well but looking at the charts for distance it seems like my basking spots would be too close to the bulbs. I have it closer to the top since this is the best way to reach a good basking temperature. Also, how can I get the UVB bulb to overlap with the basking lamp? As you can see, my main basking lamp is pretty thick so this is the best way I've been able to have them 'overlap' on her basking spot but maybe with a longer UVB it won't be a concern?

Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Sadie]

Hi everyone,

Here are some pictures of my current setup and I'm currently struggling with picking out the best UVB bulb (I know my current one is too short) given the distance to bulb from the basking spot but would also appreciate any general feedback or suggestions to make this an enriching and comfortable enclosure for Nova.

The current enclosure is 36" X 24" X 18" (originally I had a 30” X 12” X 16” enclosure which I recently changed).

The basking spot (black hide) is about 8-10" from the top mesh and bulbs (since it's currently slanted) while the back corner cave is 8" and the driftwood on the left at peak is about 7" away from the top. Her main basking spot gets to about 105F being under the 125W basking lamp. The current UVB bulb I have is a Reptisun T5 HO 14", however I am planning on getting the 22" to cover most of the enclosure.

Is her basking spot and the other taller places she likes to go to too close to a T5 HO bulb? I've also been thinking about getting an Arcadia 12%/14% T5 bulb as well but looking at the charts for distance it seems like my basking spots would be too close to the bulbs. I have it closer to the top since this is the best way to reach a good basking temperature. Also, how can I get the UVB bulb to overlap with the basking lamp? As you can see, my main basking lamp is pretty thick so this is the best way I've been able to have them 'overlap' on her basking spot but maybe with a longer UVB it won't be a concern?

Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Here is a response I got from someone more familiar w/ Rankins dragons
Looks really nice ! Just put the uvb tube over more of the enclosure so dragon gets more exposure. Never cram it back to one side.

 

[Musicmanslady]

If you can afford it and dont mind spending the money, a Solarmeter 6.5R really takes all the guesswork out of uvb placement and strength. I got mine online from Chewy.com, about $250, and it has been a godsend! Just point it up at the level of your basking spot and read the meter. The best range for a beardie is about 3.5 to 4.5. You most definitely want to keep it under 7.0, and less than 3.5 tells you that you need to adjust the height of your basking spot. You can slowly move the reader from spot to spot to determine the range of available uvb at various locations within your enclosure. It can also measure whether your uvb bulb is losing effectiveness, if the usual range at a particular spot should drop, and whether you need to replace your bulb. You want a gradient of uvb, so that the dragon is able to get away from uvb if he/she wants to. For instance, my uvb is 5.7 at the most intense spot right under the light, ranging from 4.5 at the spot he usually basks, down to 2.5 at a lower elevarion piece he likes, all the way to 0.0- 0.02 on my cool side. I periodically check it to ensure my light is working as it should, and whenever I add in a piece of decor to assist in its placement. Bear in mind, though, if you live in Canada, they are currently out of stock (a Canadian friend has just told me this), and the price for a US one to be shipped to Canada is pretty outrageous.