# Heat rocks in a bearded dragons viv



## Riffer (Apr 6, 2010)

Hi all, I'm new to the site and new to reptiles. Moving on from breeding seahorses  
ok here goes, I bought a exo terra bearded dragon set up from pets at home and it came with quite a large heat rock. The info with the pack contradicts itself quite alot. I've got my sun glo lamp at one side (far right) and the heat rock at the other end of the viv. It says to put heat rock under glo lamp but in the heat rock instructions it's says don't place it under the lamp. 
The viv been running for a couple of days(not picked beardy up yet). Basking area between 36 - 36.5c and other side (with the rock) is varying between 26-27c. Should the rock be by the lamp or in the cooler section. 
Any advice please.


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## emma90 (Jan 28, 2010)

What do you mean by a heat rock, do you mean just a piece of rock, or a rock with a heating element, if its a rock with heating element dont use it, they can cause burns.


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## Riffer (Apr 6, 2010)

No it's a rock with heating element. Couple of people said that but guy at pets at home seemed to think it's ok. It's made by exo terra so would assume it'd be safe enough. It does have built in stat.


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## Riffer (Apr 6, 2010)

Ok now am quite confused. Lol. Are my temps about right?


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## jools (Apr 4, 2009)

I think they have improved the design of heatrocks lately but I still would never use one. Exo terra do not make good heating equipment in my experience. The problem with heatrocks is they have no external thermostat to control their temperature, they also tend to have hot-spots on them. They can cause burns. You should not need one any way in a beardie viv. The heat should be provided by an overhead source - preferably a bulb - as this is where beardies best detect and absorb their heat. Your heat bulb can be an ordinary household spot reflector bulb but should be controlled by a dimmer thermostat. The temperatures you need in the viv are 29-30C at the cool side of the viv, 34-36C at the warm side and 41-44C under the bulb at the basking spot - raise or lower the branch or whatever you have for him to bask on til you get this temp. If you are not getting them this high then you need a bigger bulb. At night they can safely drop down to 15C. Ditch the heatrock - it is no use to a beardie and could be dangerous. Try and swap it for a dimmer thermostat if you can. Hope this helps.


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## andy007 (May 13, 2008)

Hi
Yep, i would agree that a heatrock is useless in a beardie viv. 

Can I ask what size exo terra you were sold? If its anything like the starter set-up a local place sells around here, it'll last the Beardie.....about 5 minutes.


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## Riffer (Apr 6, 2010)

Yeah that helps jools cheers. It came with a sun glo lamp which is hung above the viv. Also came with 4 uv lamps. 2 x 10.0 and 2 x20.0. Which ones need to be over the basking spot? Sorry I'll stop mithering soon.


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## Riffer (Apr 6, 2010)

It's 900x450x450 sized tank. Was told wad big enough to house one adult beardy.


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## andy007 (May 13, 2008)

If my maths are right, lol, that's just under 3ft x 1 1/2 x 1 1/2. 

You will find that virtually all people on here will advise 4x2x2ft for an adult. 

With your uv lamps, they really need to be a maximum of 10 inches above ground level to give the beardie a good source of uv. TBH, a uv tube is better than bulbs. If you only have the bulbs its awkward for you, as you really need to get the uv across the whole viv.

The heat lamp should be at one end to create the basking temp as Jools said.


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## quadrapop (Sep 20, 2008)

I have no idea who makes up these "beadie setups" at pets at home but they are useless. Why they put 4 uv bulbs in there instead of one uv tube i dont know. The beardie would be better with a strip but as long as your bulbs expose the whole area to UV thats the best you can do with what you have been given. I think they give you the canopy aswell dont they? That means all the bulbs are supposed to be in. the beardie needs the 10% bulbs. Please dont let them convince you to buy 2 as i saw the prices in our local [email protected]

1 beardie for £x 2 for £x


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## andy007 (May 13, 2008)

Its not just [email protected] that sell these set-ups, in fact theres a rep place near us that sell a beardie starter kit - Exo terra 45x45x45cm !!!!!With a 2% uv!!! with the baby beardie for the princely sum of £200!!!!!!


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## TheMetaphysicalNinja (Aug 18, 2009)

Riffer said:


> Yeah that helps jools cheers. It came with a sun glo lamp which is hung above the viv. Also came with 4 uv lamps. 2 x 10.0 and 2 x20.0. Which ones need to be over the basking spot? Sorry I'll stop mithering soon.


A 2.0? never heard of a 20 :hmm:you ideally want a UVB tube that will run the entire length of the viv... I'm assuming you have the compact bulbs from what you've said? I'd either replace them with a tube or put one at (near) each end so the whole viv is exposed to the UV... you want to be using the 105 or arcadia do a 12%, but the lower percentage ones are no good for a beardie 



Riffer said:


> It's 900x450x450 sized tank. Was told wad big enough to house one adult beardy.


A adult will need something around 4 foot by 2 foot floor space... so nope, thats not going to do it permanently... Those "starter" kits are terrible imo. 

Wouldn't use that heat rock personally either... just don't trust em. 

Hope this all helps, remember a stupid questions better than a stupid mistake, so ask away : victory:

Edit: you all got there fast! lol


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## Buddhabelly (Feb 19, 2010)

Riffer said:


> It's 900x450x450 sized tank. Was told wad big enough to house one adult beardy.


I bought that, six weeks ago. My beardie is 11 months and now its far too small. 

i also ditched the heat mat and the hot rock that i had to buy to get the temps up. One day i arrived home to find the temp was 138 farenheit:censor:

Waste of money, sold it at the weekend and bought a 4ft x2ft x2ft wooden viv....................should have done that in the first place!:bash:


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## Riffer (Apr 6, 2010)

Ok so it's a full blown conclusion to dump the rock. Can't take it back so may unplug it en leave it in there for decorative purposes.


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## Riffer (Apr 6, 2010)

Ok. One last question. Which bulb should be under it's basking lamp. The compact 10.0 or the compact 2.0.


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## quadrapop (Sep 20, 2008)

The 10% as the 2% are no use to a beardie.


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## violawench (Oct 16, 2009)

Well I dont wanna go against the grain and get flamed, however I use a heat rock at night for my beardie. He has a spot over it for basking during the day, and he sleeps on the other side of the tank while the heat rock is on at night, but it keeps a little bit of heat in there for him at night as I find my temps are too low at night for my reptiles.

Now I only use heat mats with my other animals but I've found the heat rock mimics his natural behavior more, as whatever material it is made out of seems to hold the heat from the lamp during the day, warming it up like the stones where they come from in Australia. 

Also I cut the wires of a heat mat that came with a starter kit I got many moons ago and it works brilliantly with my Boa's tank as it holds heat from the heat mat at night so she can come up and get some early morning heat and as above holds the heat of her spot during the day like regular stone but retains it better I have found.

Now I am in no way advocating to use a heat rock as a main source of heat, or without a thermostat, but I have had a really good experience with my beardie as it has resolved some heating problems I had. 

For heating during the day I would suggest an exo-terra sunlight spot at around 100w for a 4x2x2ft tank which is what my beardie is in, If your tank is a 3ft and you find it heating too much I would change to a 60w and include a dimmer theromstat, as well as at least a 30" UVB strip light (larger sizes can be a bit harder to come by as rep shops over here at least dont usually stock them, but im sure you can get one online if needed). I find the 30" one is grand and I use it for my turtle as well, just check on the side its UVB and the percentage but exo-terra do one specifically for desert reptiles in either 5% or 10%.

I dont know if that helped or confused the situation, but I'm sure you paid out for your heat rock and I just wanted to let you know it didnt have to just become decor...I would either use it at night with a therm, or place it under your spot not plugged in.

: victory:


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## Riffer (Apr 6, 2010)

Thanks. It all helps. Am maintaining a night temp of 20c in the viv so I assume this is ok


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