# Bearded Dragon temps / Advice



## Calious (Dec 5, 2009)

Ok, so having just got myself a beautiful new beardie (from Freaky_mummy) I've now got him home and the viv set up etc. I'm a bit concerned that the "cool" end of the tank isn't cool enough... (obviously temp rather than putting up some fiddy cent posters  ) 

This is my first topic on the forums, anything i wanted to know previously, i've gone through x_living_dead_girl_x to find out 

Anywho, the readouts i'm gettin atm are... 

34.4 for the hot end
and
30.2 for the cool end

not picked up a temp gun yet so cant confirm the basking spot heat..

I assume that the cool end is a bit warm? I might just move the UV lamp over a bit which should help (more central, pics at end) although any other advice would be greatly appriciated. 

Here's his setup as it stands now

UV lamp is on the left Heat lamp on the right. 









Thanks in advance for any help/advice given. He seems pretty happy, and has taken to sleeping in the front left corner (i assume it's coolest) and with both lights off (9:30) he has a temp of about 68-70 at 1 o'clock when i checked last night, lights back on at 8:30. 

Thanks again


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## jools (Apr 4, 2009)

Hi, the temps at the cool side seem a little warm but using those strip thermometers it is almost impossible to tell as they can be extremely inaccurate. It would also be interesting to know what the basking spot temp is as imo this is the most crucial. I have to say that I have no experience of compact uvb lights as when I kept beardies I only used tubes along the back wall of the viv which I prefer. With a tube at an appropriate height the beardie can absorb uvb wherever he is in the viv. I would suggest moving the compact bulb so that it is near the basking spot so that when your beardie basks he can benefit from both heat and uvb light and as you say it may reduce the cool end temps. What size viv is it? Night temps seem fine btw.


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## Calious (Dec 5, 2009)

It's a 48x18 not sure on height 

The tempt strips were in when i got the tank, i'm using digital thermometers which u can just see the sensors/wires at the back... sorry, should have been clear. 

I might move the UVB lamp to just the other side of the middle vent. so it's not too near the branch he likes sitting on. 

I assume the hot end air temp is fine atm? Only reason i ask is he does seem to like trying to bask at the "cool" end at the moment, although that may just be him regulating his temp...


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## lee young (Oct 14, 2009)

add another couple of vents in the cool end. Moving the UV bulb wont change the temps, they don't give off heat, but moving it closer to the basking bulb would be good for his UV levels anyway.

Your thermometer probes look like theyre too high too, temps should be measured about 1" from the substrate, heat rises, so it may be your cool end temp is right. Get the cool end right and then move rocks/branches either closer or further away to get the right basking temps.


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## Calious (Dec 5, 2009)

The UV bulb we have in does give off some heat. You can feel it when u put your hand near it... and as i got it with the set up, i checked online and it is a UVB bulb... Arcadia one if i remember correctly.. 

The vent idea is a pretty good one tho, where abouts? top i assume? save him gettin claws caught in it... 

Plastic plants are coming out, as he keeps trying to eat them, and using a food bowl to save the greens gettin sand on them (till i can get a big ole bit of slate for the cool end) 

The probes i'll move down today and let u guys know the results. I assume having them down the back wall with masking tape over the wires would be an acceptable way of securing them? they're blu-taced on atm and don't really want the tac in reach of the Beardie.

Thanks for all the help so far.


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## Chrisal1973 (Oct 7, 2009)

Calious said:


> Ok, so having just got myself a beautiful new beardie (from Freaky_mummy) I've now got him home and the viv set up etc. I'm a bit concerned that the "cool" end of the tank isn't cool enough... (obviously temp rather than putting up some fiddy cent posters  )
> 
> This is my first topic on the forums, anything i wanted to know previously, i've gone through x_living_dead_girl_x to find out
> 
> ...


Calious, I can't tell from the pics but are the heat and UV light pointing down from the ceiling or the back wall? Looking at the shadows on the side nearest us, particularly on the BD, it suggests that the lights are down almost next to the rep. It also seems a bit dark - BDs come from semi-arid regions in Australia and there is strong sunlight there during the day.

Check out UV guide.co.uk, as they have an article saying that some of the compact UV bulbs and full spectrum bulbs are causing eye problems to reps. Their eyes are designed to cope with sun from above and basking with light streaming in from the side may lead to irritation.

Personally, I'd look at drilling a hole in the top on the warm side to stick a dome with something like a SB MVB over it (supplying heat and UVA/UVB light) or a couple of big holes for a EB MVB in a dome (supplying UVA/UVB light) and next to it a halogen or incandesent flood spotlight in a dome for heat. I'd also run 1 or 2 fluorescent tubes across the full length of the ceiling (tubes with a high lux level 5,oooK upwards) to provide some of the other missing parts of the light spectrum for your BD - this stimulates appetite, normal behaviour, etc. and actually helps the rep see "as it should".

I do this for my BD with each light coming on via timers and the total output builds up during the morning to all being on for 3-4 hours over the midday/early PM period and then they gradually switch off over the course of the rest of his day- for the last half an hour he has one light with a bit of heat on, hopefully simulating dusk and cooling temps. He positively thrives since I researched and then altered his lighting (a solarmeter and temp gun are great aids in this).


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## Calious (Dec 5, 2009)

Right, the UVB one is hanging, hence why I didn't want to move it too close to the branch he basks on. The other light is from the ceiling too, he won't brush against it unless he has his tail up. But, it's not idea I agree. Problem is I can't afford to buy a new set of lights, which is why i got a complete set up with him. 

Soooo lol, advice on spending very little if possible and sorting the lights out. I'm thinking havin them attached to the ceiling isn't great, so gonna look at having them set into it instead... Ruins top of the tank, but sod it... 

Other couple of questions, which could prob use a new thread, bit for now...

He was being very odd today, he was almost hiding against a wall today, at his cool end and kept scrabbling about on the back wall a lot... Also was off his food which he is usually strait into, 10 crickets won't usually last 30 secods. Took him bout half hour and me putting a blanket over the front for him to eat them. Could people being about be makin him nervous? Is noise a factor in their behavior? Also, his feces have been a bit loose, but he was fed a lot of lettuce before, I've now got him on tesco spring greens and crickets with calc or vits on. Case of wait and see? 


Thanks a lot for any advice/answers, also, it's easy for me to add more pics of the viv if needed.


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## Calious (Dec 5, 2009)

Ok, so now have an Arcadia 36" UVB tube, to be installed to
tomorrow with reflector. So that should be good, And the heat lamp will be moved slightly further into the corner, so it's further away from the branch.

He seems happier today too, ate properly, feces are a bit more solid too, so it's all looking up a bit, plus got him some locust an he loved them


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## Calious (Dec 5, 2009)

Ok, so having now fit the new UV tube, the tank looks a lot better lit, the basking lamp was moved round so he isnt going to knock against it with his tail, while still aimed at kinda the same spot, only problem the temp seems to have dropped a fair bit at the hot end, even tho the cool end is fine. Although before i had the temp probes near the top of the viv, now they're 2-3 inches from the substrate... 

Although heating hasnt been on, so that might help out now... although if it raises temps at both ends then it's prob not ideal... 

Also, he decided to jump at the UV strip earlier, which has a reflector, and clung to it with one foot before dropping. Which while looking kinda cool, prob wasnt best for him... Anyone else had them doing this? 

Also, anyone had one that doesnt like children? he seems to be a bit off his food and more on edge when my little girl visits, which is a shame because she loves watching him, and she's quiet most of the time around him.... 


anyway, any help would be great...


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## lee young (Oct 14, 2009)

As far as temperatures go, if your bsing spot isnt up to 105-115F, then he wont be digesting his food properly, out of all the temps the basking spot is the most important. Get yourself a dimming thermostat and a bigger wattage bulb, it will keep your viv at the right temp all the time, regardless of central heating, weather etc etc.

The Jumping at the UV thing should settle down, mine did it for a bit when I first switched from repti-glo to arcadia tubes, I think the just dont know what to make of the higher UV levels, and want to explore it cos its new. If he doesnt stop it within a week or two you might have to get a tube guard but see how it goes.

Most bearded dragons dont like strangers, so once he gets used to your daughter he should be fine, prob just take a little while!


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## Calious (Dec 5, 2009)

I love the personalities they get! But he's still getting used to us really, so I guess it will take time. He sometimes gets a bit skittish if the tv is loud too, or if we're in bed... I'm guessing that's for attention tho. 

Anyways, the jumping has calmed down, only very occasionally doing it now, might put the reflector back in... As for basking spot temp, I can't afford a temp gun, so no idea of exact heat... Now is the 110 the air temp or the surface temp? Would pushing the probe of the digital thermometer down the crack in the wood work for this? Or any idea on how to get a good reading?? Would a stone basking spot be better? 

I'll try to get more pics tonight, especially if he's in one of his funny sleeping spots. On the plus side, since he's been having the nutrobal stuff he's shed the skin on his tail nicely and his feces are much more solid now. 

Oh, and do beardies eat the shed? Or should I take it out of the tank?? 

Thanks again!


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## SeanEK4 (Dec 1, 2009)

You can get an infra red temp gun on eBay for a tenner mate.

Surface temp should be around 105-115. Stone holds heat better then wood, but wood will be fine if it's at right temp. Yeah you could measure it with the probe in a crack, I currently have my probe sitting on the rock whilst I play around with temp, I've checked it with my gun and it's accurate enough


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## Calious (Dec 5, 2009)

Ok, temp guns are £17 on eBay, and they look a bit rubbish? Care to link any u suggest?lol. Beyond that, I'll try the probe on the surface of the branch... Although he seems to have been chewing it?? Lil weirdo...


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## Calious (Dec 5, 2009)

So yea, update time... I've put the probe on the branch, in the direct light of the bulb and got 115... Now, he quite likes the spot just to te side of it, although does enjoy basking at those temps at times... I assume 115 won't harm him? As he can bask at a spot slightly off the main 'beam' and get a lower temp... 

I've also decided to take the probe out until I want to check temps, as it's definately been clawed/chewed...


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