# To Heat or Not to Heat...BD’s at Night?



## krazykal (Nov 9, 2009)

I’m about to take on my first BD this weekend and everything is set up and ready to go, BUT could anyone help with the matter of viv heating at night?

There seems to be people who say that they turn the whole viv off at night and some say you should never. Some say BD’s live in the desert where it gets cold so no problem and some say that captive breed BD’s won’t last a week without heat!

To say I’m a Tad confused is an under estimate, the temp in the viv last night without heating was 19.7C = 67.46F is this warm enough?

Many thanks in advance


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## lee young (Oct 14, 2009)

Plenty warm enough. While it does get very cold in the desert at night, decades of captive breeding means uk pet dragons are not as hardy in many respects as their wild counterparts, mostly in terms of their delicate digestive systems and temperature tolerance.

The general consensus among UK owners seems to be as long as your night temps dont drop below 60F then you'll be fine.


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## Antw23uk (Jan 12, 2009)

More than warm enough and he will thrive having a nice drop in temps at night :2thumb:

Good luck with your new beardie : victory:


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## xander1796 (May 25, 2009)

i use a heat mat under repti carpet uder sand in my wood viv and under my glass viv it thin poystyrene,heat mat,polystyrene..viv and i've never had an issue with night heating and both prevent burning of the animals


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## Samanthaa (Sep 21, 2009)

I fully turn off my beardies vivs at night. 
As long as your house/flat doesn't get colder than around 60F your fine


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## Tarn~Totty (May 4, 2009)

I'd say no heat mat unless your house gets pretty cold. I turn everything off at night...my beardies are fine and healthy : victory:


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## Debbie1962 (Dec 5, 2008)

Yep agree with all the above. No heating unless temps are likely to drop below 60 degrees regularly. None of my diurnal lizards are heated at night and all are thriving.


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## ditzychick (Aug 21, 2009)

sorry to jump your thread but do people do this for leos?


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## Tarn~Totty (May 4, 2009)

No hun...leo's heat stays on 24/7...well mine did when I kept them lol: victory:


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## ditzychick (Aug 21, 2009)

lol, i do to, i lower it to about 75 at night. Was just curious.


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## Paul B (Apr 16, 2008)

My beardies go off 
and 
My leos stay on.


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## eeji (Feb 22, 2006)

our beardies heat stays on 24/7 and s/he's growing like a weed


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## Stevan (Nov 1, 2006)

I think it's one of those matter of opinion things, I personally have a side mounted heat mat just in case it gets a bit cold. I can't see how it dose any harm.


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## turtleluver (Dec 29, 2009)

sorry to change the subject a bit 

but...

do turtles need there heat lamps, water heaters an uv light on at night??


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## MattThing (Dec 27, 2009)

I switch to a blue spot at night as my temps get to around 55 at night. Gonna change to a ceramic soon though.


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## eeji (Feb 22, 2006)

turtleluver said:


> sorry to change the subject a bit
> 
> but...
> 
> do turtles need there heat lamps, water heaters an uv light on at night??


yopu're best off asking in the shelled section, and be prepared for a grilling on what species you're asking about


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

turtleluver said:


> sorry to change the subject a bit
> 
> but...
> 
> do turtles need there heat lamps, water heaters an uv light on at night??


Pretty much doubt they need to get light and UVB at night time.


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## SeanEK4 (Dec 1, 2009)

I have a blue nightglo bulb attatched to a thermostat that is set at 20. 

This keeps the viv around 19

sean


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## turtleluver (Dec 29, 2009)

thanks for replies on turts !:2thumb:


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## Sampw (Dec 30, 2009)

I use a nightbulb 25w that gives off a small amount of heat which keeps the viv around 20 degrees. Did originally have a heat mat as well as was advised to but this kept the viv too hot and my BD did not sleep properly. Find that the bulb alone is fine even in the coldest of winters.


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## Antw23uk (Jan 12, 2009)

eeji said:


> our beardies heat stays on 24/7 and s/he's growing like a weed


Growing like a weed is one thing .. living a long and happy life is another.

Night time drops rock .. turn it all off :2thumb:


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## clob91 (Jul 29, 2009)

Definitely warm enough- i wouldn't worry until it starts getting really low end 60's f.

i never keep heat on at night, purely because in the wild they have to go through changes in temperature everyday.

10-15 degrees f lower than in the day. 

whoever told you they won't last a week is a total bull-sh***r, and obviously does not know what they are talking about.

beardies are sun worshipers; therefore they need heat from above and no heat mat at night. ( they dont absorb heat from below like some species). Also bulbs or such a like at night will stop beardies sleeping properly- they are like us.. could you sleep properly with a light shining in your face? lol 

just think about things logically in respect to how they live naturally and things will be fine.


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## dan.hobley (May 4, 2009)

my beardie lex used to be cold to the touch when i saw him in the mornings. so now i have a ceramic in the "hot end" set to 70F and at night the cold end drops to 68F

seems to be a lil happier now lol


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## dan.hobley (May 4, 2009)

what sort of timings do you guys use for a viv that has mvb, 50w spot, 2% uvb for beardie?​


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## Antw23uk (Jan 12, 2009)

Beardies shouldnt have 2% UVB. Thats totally unacceptable (the % not you) They are desert dwelling animals and require a 10 or ideally 12% UVB light. Times of light varies depending on what time of the year it is.

I read an aricle a few months ago from a seminar my vet went to regarding UVB and they actually reckon 12% isnt strong enough but at the moment thats the best and highest it goes. Hence why you need to supplement live food and encourage a good variety of fresh greens to the diet.


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## Welsh dragon (Oct 27, 2009)

I use a heatmat at night for my 2 baby beardies and the last few mornings the both of them have been laying spread out on the lino where the heatmat is underneath . Even though our house isnt a really cold house this unusually cold weather, I find the heatmat gives me piece of mind they are ok


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## josh28 (Aug 28, 2009)

*heat*

hi there just kepping walm:2thumb: mine do dat all the time


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## Simon M (Oct 9, 2008)

Samanthaa said:


> I fully turn off my beardies vivs at night.
> As long as your house/flat doesn't get colder than around 60F your fine



I agree, have never heated mine at night, and we have had no probs x


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

Antw23uk said:


> Beardies shouldnt have 2% UVB. Thats totally unacceptable (the % not you) They are desert dwelling animals and require a 10 or ideally 12% UVB light. Times of light varies depending on what time of the year it is.
> 
> .


he has got an MVB in there as well so the 2% is just going to be a backup of somesort.


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## Dave F (Dec 9, 2009)

My flat drops to around 57f during the night so I leave a red bulb on set to approx 68 so my beardie has some heat, recently though I've noticed she's awake really early. Does the light bother them? Some people say they can't see red light and others say they can, would it be better to switch to a ceramic for the night?


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## lee young (Oct 14, 2009)

No light at all at night is best for beardies, red lights can still disturb them.


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## Dave F (Dec 9, 2009)

So what would you recommend is best, replacing the red bulb for a normal one through the day and unscrewing it and changing it for a ceramic at night? Or using a normal bult through the day and a heatmat on the wall for night? Any other options appreciated. Thanks for your reply.


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## liz200898 (Oct 13, 2008)

In the wild its really cold at night the temp can drop to around 15-16 degrees, those beardies dont have heatlamps on at night and they arn't dying. =)


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## Dave F (Dec 9, 2009)

Yeah but my flats like a fridge, loses heat really quickly and most people say if it drops below 60f then you should have a source of heat. Recently the flat at night is below 15.


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## liz200898 (Oct 13, 2008)

Dave! said:


> Yeah but my flats like a fridge, loses heat really quickly and most people say if it drops below 60f then you should have a source of heat. Recently the flat at night is below 15.


Corr that sucks maybe just a strip mat (depending of viv size) and a mat stat on it to keep it just above 60-65 should be fine.


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## Dave F (Dec 9, 2009)

Yeah tell me about it, so hard to get out of bed in the mornings lol. Its a 4ft viv, is there no way I can buy a heat mat and just plug it into my dimming stat seen as the heat lamp/bulb won't be using it during the night.


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## liz200898 (Oct 13, 2008)

Dave! said:


> Yeah tell me about it, so hard to get out of bed in the mornings lol. Its a 4ft viv, is there no way I can buy a heat mat and just plug it into my dimming stat seen as the heat lamp/bulb won't be using it during the night.


I bet it is! erm you could i guess but its messing about each night and morning switching them if you have both you can have everything on timer switches and not have to worry about forgetting or over sleeping or staying out the night and things like that.

You can pick them up for around £25 too so its a small price for an easy life =D


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## Dave F (Dec 9, 2009)

Good point. Think I'll do that then, thanks for your help.


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## liz200898 (Oct 13, 2008)

My pleasure


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