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Lighting help

RichardK

Bearded Dragon Egg
Messages
7
Hi everyone! Ive been having a tough time figuring out proper lighting. So much online will completely contradict eachother and a lot say so many variables can affect lighting. Currently, my room is usually around 70 degrees, his terrarium on the hot side is normally if not always 100 degrees. I live in indiana so the weather is pretty inconsistent year round and hasnt made much of an affect on him. However, I can tell hes been getting lethargic and im thinking its a lighting issue. Right now all I have is the starter kit that I got when I got him, which is a 100w reptile bulb, and a coiled uvb. Its on top of a mesh cover, and I keep hearing mesh covers with reduce the affect of the uvb. Im a little overwhelmed lol, help?
 

RichardK

Bearded Dragon Egg
Messages
7
Hi everyone! Ive been having a tough time figuring out proper lighting. So much online will completely contradict eachother and a lot say so many variables can affect lighting. Currently, my room is usually around 70 degrees, his terrarium on the hot side is normally if not always 100 degrees. I live in indiana so the weather is pretty inconsistent year round and hasnt made much of an affect on him. However, I can tell hes been getting lethargic and im thinking its a lighting issue. Right now all I have is the starter kit that I got when I got him, which is a 100w reptile bulb, and a coiled uvb. Its on top of a mesh cover, and I keep hearing mesh covers with reduce the affect of the uvb. Im a little overwhelmed lol, help?
I should also add I have a moonlite 40w reptile bulb for night time.
 

Sadie

Bearded Dragon Veteran
3 Year Member
1,000+ Post Club
Messages
10,690
I should also add I have a moonlite 40w reptile bulb for night time.
Please get rid of the coil UVB and the colored bulb --- you want temps in the tank at nite 65-75-- you can use a stick on for that temp --- please make sure you have a digital probe thermometer to get accurate basking temps --- the moonlight bulb will hurt the dragons eyes - they have a 3rd eye on top of their heads and the light will disrupt the sleep and can cause long term eye damage - the coil UVB is in adequate and this is why your getting the behavior your seeing - he is not able to absorb or synthesize his calcium your feeding --- he is developing MBD w/ out proper UVB --- please get a 24" fixture Zoo Med fixture https://www.pangeareptile.com/colle...o-med-reptisun-t5-hood?variant=26907425734756 w/ this bulb 22" https://www.pangeareptile.com/colle...d-reptisun-10-0-uvb-t5?variant=26907418591332 this will come w/ a 5.0 bulb hang on to it for a back up -- this fixture is for a 40+ gallon tank - or you can get this one https://hydrobuilder.com/sunblaster...mp.html?opts=eyJhdHRyaWJ1dGU5MDEiOiI2NjA0In0= you want the 24" fixture comes w/ a bulb -- or you can get a Arcadia Pro T 5 12% bulb https://www.pangeareptile.com/colle...-12-uvb-bulb-with-hood?variant=39549895475242 and I see this one is sold out ---
you need to do this ASAP--- when you get the new UVB please post back on here so I can help you get it properly placed w/ distance as well -- this is crucial to your dragons overall health and behavior
If you need extra heat at nite please get a ceramic heat emitter - they emit heat and NO light --- but you only need it if the tank is falling below 65 at nite ---dragons like cool and dark -- please do not listen to the pet stores they sell you stuff you dont need and give bad advice -- if you need help w/ insects and worms I can post websites for you -- please do not rely on the petstores for food alot of people had trouble getting insects last winter -- it is best to set up a 10 gallon aquarium w/ roaches - they last a long time feed them dubia food / dubia dew for hydration along w/ salad material your feeding the dragon
 

RichardK

Bearded Dragon Egg
Messages
7
Please get rid of the coil UVB and the colored bulb --- you want temps in the tank at nite 65-75-- you can use a stick on for that temp --- please make sure you have a digital probe thermometer to get accurate basking temps --- the moonlight bulb will hurt the dragons eyes - they have a 3rd eye on top of their heads and the light will disrupt the sleep and can cause long term eye damage - the coil UVB is in adequate and this is why your getting the behavior your seeing - he is not able to absorb or synthesize his calcium your feeding --- he is developing MBD w/ out proper UVB --- please get a 24" fixture Zoo Med fixture https://www.pangeareptile.com/colle...o-med-reptisun-t5-hood?variant=26907425734756 w/ this bulb 22" https://www.pangeareptile.com/colle...d-reptisun-10-0-uvb-t5?variant=26907418591332 this will come w/ a 5.0 bulb hang on to it for a back up -- this fixture is for a 40+ gallon tank - or you can get this one https://hydrobuilder.com/sunblaster...mp.html?opts=eyJhdHRyaWJ1dGU5MDEiOiI2NjA0In0= you want the 24" fixture comes w/ a bulb -- or you can get a Arcadia Pro T 5 12% bulb https://www.pangeareptile.com/colle...-12-uvb-bulb-with-hood?variant=39549895475242 and I see this one is sold out ---
you need to do this ASAP--- when you get the new UVB please post back on here so I can help you get it properly placed w/ distance as well -- this is crucial to your dragons overall health and behavior
If you need extra heat at nite please get a ceramic heat emitter - they emit heat and NO light --- but you only need it if the tank is falling below 65 at nite ---dragons like cool and dark -- please do not listen to the pet stores they sell you stuff you dont need and give bad advice -- if you need help w/ insects and worms I can post websites for you -- please do not rely on the petstores for food alot of people had trouble getting insects last winter -- it is best to set up a 10 gallon aquarium w/ roaches - they last a long time feed them dubia food / dubia dew for hydration along w/ salad material your feeding the dragon
I ordered 100 dubias a couple days ago from https://dubiaroaches.com/ along with the dew and food. Right now I have superworms that live in a bran substrate and sweet potato. I ordered the UVB and fixture that you mentioned in my other forum post, I think that was you atleast, they should be here soon and i'll reply again once they are. I didn't know that the colored one would be bad, I havent used it yet, currently I have a heatpad on the back of his tank since it's been getting down in the 50's here.
I'll also look into a ceramic heat emitter for nights like these instead if the heatpad isn't recommended either.
Thank you for the help. I've been pretty worried, I always felt like everything I heard from the pet store was wrong in one way or another. Everything online seems to COMPLETELY contradict it, and make everything they've sold me useless, guess they played me good.
Thank you, again. I'll be posting back here ASAP with an update once the UVB and fixture arrive.
 

Mummabeardy

Juvenile Dragon
Messages
132
Please get rid of the coil UVB and the colored bulb --- you want temps in the tank at nite 65-75-- you can use a stick on for that temp --- please make sure you have a digital probe thermometer to get accurate basking temps --- the moonlight bulb will hurt the dragons eyes - they have a 3rd eye on top of their heads and the light will disrupt the sleep and can cause long term eye damage - the coil UVB is in adequate and this is why your getting the behavior your seeing - he is not able to absorb or synthesize his calcium your feeding --- he is developing MBD w/ out proper UVB --- please get a 24" fixture Zoo Med fixture https://www.pangeareptile.com/colle...o-med-reptisun-t5-hood?variant=26907425734756 w/ this bulb 22" https://www.pangeareptile.com/colle...d-reptisun-10-0-uvb-t5?variant=26907418591332 this will come w/ a 5.0 bulb hang on to it for a back up -- this fixture is for a 40+ gallon tank - or you can get this one https://hydrobuilder.com/sunblaster...mp.html?opts=eyJhdHRyaWJ1dGU5MDEiOiI2NjA0In0= you want the 24" fixture comes w/ a bulb -- or you can get a Arcadia Pro T 5 12% bulb https://www.pangeareptile.com/colle...-12-uvb-bulb-with-hood?variant=39549895475242 and I see this one is sold out ---
you need to do this ASAP--- when you get the new UVB please post back on here so I can help you get it properly placed w/ distance as well -- this is crucial to your dragons overall health and behavior
If you need extra heat at nite please get a ceramic heat emitter - they emit heat and NO light --- but you only need it if the tank is falling below 65 at nite ---dragons like cool and dark -- please do not listen to the pet stores they sell you stuff you dont need and give bad advice -- if you need help w/ insects and worms I can post websites for you -- please do not rely on the petstores for food alot of people had trouble getting insects last winter -- it is best to set up a 10 gallon aquarium w/ roaches - they last a long time feed them dubia food / dubia dew for hydration along w/ salad material your feeding the dragon
Sadie-thx so much for posting such helpful information!! I'm not too internet savvy and legit everything you have posted; I'm able to just click and buy..including my 1st order of blk fly larvae that arrived yesterday! Just ordered these 1st 2 lights you posted as I have 40g tank and want to update lighting since its thd original setup.When it comes will you help me set up please? Again thankyou!! :)
 

Sadie

Bearded Dragon Veteran
3 Year Member
1,000+ Post Club
Messages
10,690
Sadie-thx so much for posting such helpful information!! I'm not too internet savvy and legit everything you have posted; I'm able to just click and buy..including my 1st order of blk fly larvae that arrived yesterday! Just ordered these 1st 2 lights you posted as I have 40g tank and want to update lighting since its thd original setup.When it comes will you help me set up please? Again thankyou!! :)
Yes just post when you get it
 
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