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[Germ]

The fact that they don't use the hide 'Little House' a lot or at all, is a good thing . Means that it is comfortable & secure, doesn't need to hide.

 

[Jenni]

First off, get an appropriate thermometer & be sure of what your temps are & that they are within the acceptable ranges, in the vicinity of 110F directly at the basking spot, with a heat gradient to 80-85F at coolest area of the enclosure. A digital Thermometer with a sensor or an infrared thermometer (Temp Gun properly used) is recommended.

I ask again, exactly which fixture holds the UVB bulb & how tall is the enclosure. What brand & strength UVB bulb are you using?

I don't know what wattages or the types of bulbs you are using, but you have an extraordinary amount of bright lights & fixtures in there, which could mean a lot of heat, possibly way too much. You really have to get an accurate thermometer to check. Again I don't know what type of bulbs you are using, so don't know how much heat they are emitting, but by the shear numbers, it looks just scary.

I am unfamiliar with the K-2 Viper, never heard of it, or know of any one using one. I did a quick google & from what I can see, I wouldn't recommend it, but again, I know very little about them. Any white or clear bulb of sufficient wattage to provide the necessary Temps required at a safe distance will do the job very well. A specialty bulb is not required for heat. Personally, I use regular Halogen flood lights, bought at the hardware store for heat.

I have to get a new UVB tonight, what is the correct one? Someone said the last one was wrong. I shut off the light on the right because someone said not needed for the cool side, the other lights are basking lights, the one on the left is a 75 watt, the one that is turned around is the nite light which is also 75 watt and the one in the middle is 100 watt. Please help me with the lighting, I am not sure about it. Would Frankie be better off in a 40 gallon? The tank he is in now is 48x12x21
Please help, I want him to be safe and healthy!!!!

 

[Jenni]

In the Pics it appears that it is using the branch more for the basking spot that the rock.

Honestly he is all over that tank, he mostly sits on that rock, he was just on the brank for the picture lol Posing maybe

 

[Jenni]

Love your viv....where did you get his little house? It is so cool. My little Spike doesn't use his house at all. He did when he was in the 20 gal tank but not now in the 40....go figure.

Mine doesnt use it either, he hangs out in the tree when he is over there, guess it is more for looks lol I got it at Petsmart

 

[Jenni]

Wow, that's a nice enclosure and nice background, I bet he/she loves it in there!

It's crazy in the tank!!! Does laps lol Is it good that I bring it out for real sun?

 

[Germ]

Now you really have me confused, you named off all the wattages for each fixture, not a UVB bulb in the bunch. Have you been providing UVB at all. You should have a desert 10% or 10.0 UVB bulb, which is a Fluorescent bulb & gives off very little heat. Most use ReptiSun 10.0 or ReptiGlo 10.0, with the ReptiSun being the preferred Brand by most. Must cover the basking area that you have set up to be 110F & be within 8-12" from that spot if not filtered though a screen.

Until you get an accurate method of measuring your temps, you, me or anyone else doesn't have any idea of what you will need for a heat bulb. Get a good thermometer, see what the bulbs that you have are doing & go from there. Whether you need the fixture on the right or not, your thermometer will tell you, after the basking spot is set up right.

Unless your ambient room temps drop below the mid to low 60sF at night, night heat is not needed or wanted. If they do happen to drop below that, a CHE (Ceramic Heat Emitter) is recommended at a wattage & distance just enough to take the edge off. A CHE provides heat with no light. Night lights will bother most BDs sleep, no matter what color they are. BDs should be allowed to cool at night, it slows their metabolism down for a good nights sleep.

The enclosure you have is a 55 gal & will do the job.

Good Luck

 

[Jenni]

Now you really have me confused, you named off all the wattages for each fixture, not a UVB bulb in the bunch. Have you been providing UVB at all. You should have a desert 10% or 10.0 UVB bulb, which is a Fluorescent bulb & gives off very little heat. Most use ReptiSun 10.0 or ReptiGlo 10.0, with the ReptiSun being the preferred Brand by most. Must cover the basking area that you have set up to be 110F & be within 8-12" from that spot if not filtered though a screen.

Until you get an accurate method of measuring your temps, you, me or anyone else doesn't have any idea of what you will need for a heat bulb. Get a good thermometer, see what the bulbs that you have are doing & go from there. Whether you need the fixture on the right or not, your thermometer will tell you, after the basking spot is set up right.

Unless your ambient room temps drop below the mid to low 60sF at night, night heat is not needed or wanted. If they do happen to drop below that, a CHE (Ceramic Heat Emitter) is recommended at a wattage & distance just enough to take the edge off. A CHE provides heat with no light. Night lights will bother most BDs sleep, no matter what color they are. BDs should be allowed to cool at night, it slows their metabolism down for a good nights sleep.

Good Luck

Sorry I forgot to say I have to get a new UVB tonight, mine burnt out last nite. Of course I have been using one!!! Reptisun is the brand I have been using.

 

[Jenni]

what a hug tank for such a lil guy! bet hes having a blast in there, also if you can fine one, get a thermomitor that is digital and has one of the probes on the end, place it right under his basking spot for accuret temps. another one for his cool side would be good.

also im not sure if this many lights is needed, that one on the far right could prolly be taken down and not used really. and use that whole side as the cool side.

now the only other thing i can say somthing about is that metallight fixture inside the tank, believe it or not BD's can jump really high/far so your little guy might try and jump from that branch to that metal fixture in which case he could burn himself.

I shut that light off that you told me too. I have been watching him to see if he is jumping at anything and so far not at all.

 

[Jenni]

Now you really have me confused, you named off all the wattages for each fixture, not a UVB bulb in the bunch. Have you been providing UVB at all. You should have a desert 10% or 10.0 UVB bulb, which is a Fluorescent bulb & gives off very little heat. Most use ReptiSun 10.0 or ReptiGlo 10.0, with the ReptiSun being the preferred Brand by most. Must cover the basking area that you have set up to be 110F & be within 8-12" from that spot if not filtered though a screen.

Until you get an accurate method of measuring your temps, you, me or anyone else doesn't have any idea of what you will need for a heat bulb. Get a good thermometer, see what the bulbs that you have are doing & go from there. Whether you need the fixture on the right or not, your thermometer will tell you, after the basking spot is set up right.

Unless your ambient room temps drop below the mid to low 60sF at night, night heat is not needed or wanted. If they do happen to drop below that, a CHE (Ceramic Heat Emitter) is recommended at a wattage & distance just enough to take the edge off. A CHE provides heat with no light. Night lights will bother most BDs sleep, no matter what color they are. BDs should be allowed to cool at night, it slows their metabolism down for a good nights sleep.

The enclosure you have is a 55 gal & will do the job.

Good Luck

I'm sorry if I am frustrating you, this is my first time on a forum and I have never been told how to properly take care of my dragons's, light wise. But since my last one died after 7 years of having him, I wanted to try out the forum so I see and hear what to do.

 

[Germ]

Not frustrated, confused , You did say that you needed a new UVB bulb. But what confused me is where you are putting it then, from your post, all visible fixtures are full? That's what is confusing ...

 

[ThDude]

We will get this all worked out, your BD will be very happy in a big tank like u have.

I only have three lights on my tank, my UVB, basking bulb, and one 50 watt bulb over the cool Side of my tank as it got into the 70s during the day which was weird, got it up to 83 now.

 

[Germ]

I shut that light off that you told me too. I have been watching him to see if he is jumping at anything and so far not at all.

The darn of it, is it may be too late when it does & you can't watch it 24/7, even if you could, things happen too quickly for intervention. When they get their mind to, as was mentioned they can be prolific jumpers, just about unbelievable & proficient escape artists. This is the reason for screened tops to keep them contained & protected. It doesn't happen all the time, but can be too late when it does. Possible burns, injuries from falls, etc.

 

[Jenni]

Not frustrated, confused , You did say that you needed a new UVB bulb. But what confused me is where you are putting it then, from your post, all visible fixtures are full? That's what is confusing ...

Ok I understand. I will get all my temps in check and maybe I can remove the nite light for room. I did have a long one that sat on top. Are those ok or should I have one that goes in a fixture?

 

[Jenni]

The darn of it is, it may be too late when it does & you can't watch it 24/7, even if you could, things happen too quickly for intervention. When they set their mind to, as was mentioned they can be prolific jumpers, just about unbelievable & proficient escape artists. This is the reason for screened tops to keep them contained & protected. It doesn't happen all the time, but can be too late when it does. Possible burns, injuries from falls, etc.

Good point. I will change it up

 

[Germ]

Personally I prefer the UVB tubes like it sounds you have, if it is sitting on top, above the screen, your Basking spot must be within 8-10" below it, in order for it to be effective. There will be no effective UVB reaching the floor or pretty much the lower half of the enclosure. Although the light may radiate a long ways, the effective UVB doesn't & only has a limited range. The screen can block\filter out as much as 50%, depending on how dense it is.

 

[Germ]

You have a tall tank, so you are going to have to set up a tall basking spot.

 

[ThDude]

flat rocks and wood peaces make good building blocks for tall basking spots, i have one of my own i make a week ago.

 

[Jenni]

Here is Frankie on his basking rock

 

[Jenni]

We will get this all worked out, your BD will be very happy in a big tank like u have.

I only have three lights on my tank, my UVB, basking bulb, and one 50 watt bulb over the cool Side of my tank as it got into the 70s during the day which was weird, got it up to 83 now.

How many watts is your UVB lamp?

 

[Germ]

My ReptiSun 10.0 tubes are 18 or 20W, depending on the length. Fluorescent bulb wattages are not very high & they don't emit much heat.