# Pet Shop Setup



## LouiseK (Mar 17, 2007)

Hey there 

I went into my local reptile shop and came out with a basic setup for a bearded dragon. It included a couple of things that he seemed to insist on even though i wasn't sure so just wanted to check up on them.

He told me that i would need a night-time heat source and included an ExoTerra heat rock for that purpose. WAIT! Don't go off on one yet :Na_Na_Na_Na: It is a "thermo-controlled" one. 

So, what i want to know is... is a night-time heat source necessary or even beneficial if the viv temp wouldn't drop below 65F anyway?
And, does anyone know any reason why the "thermo-controlled" heat rock still isn't safe? 

Also, included was a Habistat dimmer for the basking lamp, but i noticed that the max temp on the dial is only 92F and adult beardies should be basking at 95-105 according to what i've read... So, how does that work?

Thanks! :smile:


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## 16-BIT (Apr 17, 2006)

never use hotrocks. take it back and ask for your money back

as for the stat for the light u just put the sensor a bit further away from the basking spot and adjust while monitoring temps until u get it right, once its set u wont have to touch it again except to slightly adjust now and again.


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## BELIAL (Nov 10, 2006)

it is the wattage of the bulb that will control the basking spot. you can set your thermostat to say 88F but if you are using a 100W bulb and the thermostat probe is not directly uder the spotilight you should get a good warm basking spot. put a thermometer under the spot to monitor temps..


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## captaincaveman (Nov 6, 2006)

i had a 4 beardies in a 6ft viv, with ceramics and two spot bulbs for basking, then had the ceramics for night time temps


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## tom1400 (Jan 21, 2007)

right for starters beardies sense the heat coming from above them i.e the sun. The problem with heatrocks with beardies is that they will lay on it and will not feel any heat coming from it. For all they know they could be fine but they could well be buring without even knowing. As for night time heating i use a 50w night glo bulb. This stimulated moon light and also keeps the temperature from going below 65. My temperature stat only goes upto 92 but if you ut a thermometer in the basking zone mine shows that it goes well past 100.


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## snakelover (Dec 17, 2006)

Tom140: but a under tank heater, or heat rock, even though heat rocks are bad, are good to help digest the food, in beardies.


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## captaincaveman (Nov 6, 2006)

snakelover said:


> Tom140: but a under tank heater, or heat rock, even though heat rocks are bad, are good to help digest the food, in beardies.


 
that makes no sense??? with correct heating theres no problem with digesting food and definetely no need to have heat directly on the bellys


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## snakelover (Dec 17, 2006)

:? deffinetly read, that UTH help digest food, in a beardie thread or care sheet!


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## Dan (Jan 11, 2006)

As a night time heat source the rock will be fine. Just make sure the probe is physically ON the rock to ensure it only gives off local heat and put it UNDER your basking light.
This will simulate a rock holding heat over night as it does in nature.


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## captaincaveman (Nov 6, 2006)

snakelover said:


> :? deffinetly read, that UTH help digest food, in a beardie thread or care sheet!


 
Not something ive ever heard done personally, mind you i dont know anyone who uses hot rocks:lol2: .


I personally prefer ceramics for the night time temps myself, gives good daytime temps and with spots a good basking area, just a tweak of the stat(or day/night stat) and youve got perfect night time temps anywhere in the viv


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## Ssthisto (Aug 31, 2006)

And when the heat rock says it's "thermo controlled" ... what they mean is that when they built it they built it in such a way that the typical running temperature is 110 degrees, and that unless the rock fails, it will not get hotter than 130 degrees fahrenheit.

Yes, 130 degrees. 

They may have an internal thermostat, but YOU cannot adjust this - it is manually set at the factory. I originally enquired of the manufacturers on these about this, because they claimed they do not require a thermostat, and I was thinking about them for my leos. Well... for a leopard gecko they sure do - that's forty degrees too hot. I'm pretty sure that is ALSO too warm for a night-time basking spot for beardies, but I do not keep beardies, so I don't know for sure.


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## captaincaveman (Nov 6, 2006)

The other think im not keen on with them is the fact that even if they are working well and on a stat, youve just got one place in the viv for them to get heat, which means they have to choose that heat over where they would prefer with a general heat covering


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## Dan (Jan 11, 2006)

Which is why i said place the probe ON the rock and why i said place it under the daytime basking spot. Not as daft as i look


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## Ssthisto (Aug 31, 2006)

reticulatus said:


> Which is why i said place the probe ON the rock and why i said place it under the daytime basking spot. Not as daft as i look


Just to clarify... I'm not sure the "thermo controlled" hot rocks actually HAVE a thermostat probe.

You'd have to hook them up to an external, extra thermostat - and the original poster hasn't said they've got one other than the dimmer thermostat for the lighting... which wouldn't be on at night (which is what the hot rock was sold for).

One supposes one could plug both the lighting and the heat rock into the dimmer stat, so long as they're both the same wattage, and have a pretty even heat - but then, the thermostat dial still only goes up to 92 degrees and would presumably shut both the light and the rock off when it got that warm despite wanting to have a basking spot of 110 or so?


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## Dan (Jan 11, 2006)

They don't have a probe, but you wouldnt keep any other heater without a stat so why would you a heat rock? Sorry, i thought this would have been obvious, just my mind working in a funny way as usual.

I wouldn't plug the rock into the same stat as any other heater as the night time temp is to be much lower than then day time temps. Only a seperate thermostat would do.


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## Ssthisto (Aug 31, 2006)

reticulatus said:


> They don't have a probe, but you wouldnt keep any other heater without a stat so why would you a heat rock? Sorry, i thought this would have been obvious, just my mind working in a funny way as usual.


No, it's actually quite sensible. The problem is that the hot rocks are labeled such as to imply you DON'T need a separate stat because they're "thermostatically controlled". 

Yes, I'd very definitely advise a separate stat to use with the hot rock if you use one at all.


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## LouiseK (Mar 17, 2007)

Thanks for the replies guys 

I took it back the next day, i tend to play it safe :smile:

I've been checking the temps in the viv and it doesn't get lower than 70F with the windows open in the living room, and where we keep the vivs when occupied is much warmer with underfloor heating.

I fiddled with the habistat and i think i've just about got it sorted too.

Just need to wait for the fella to hatch now :lol2:


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## jml220679 (Aug 1, 2006)

*heatrocks and beardies*

although i would not sell a heatrock as part of a beardie set up i use them myself for some of my smaller beardies and have never had any problems. they still sense heat whether its from above or below!

also, i do not use any heat source at night as the desert gets bloody cold. i have found my beardies to be healthier and more active during the day since i stopped using a heat source at night - i presume they get a better sleep.
*remember*: care books are only a guide, look at their natural environment.


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## Kellybee (Oct 13, 2006)

I used to use overnight heating for my lizards, but then later was enlightened as was just mentioned, to the fact that the desert is bitterly cold at night, so heating will only keep your lizard's metabolism burning calories overnight. My lizards too are a lot more active since I stopped heating them at night. 

Heat rocks also, I dont really see the point, not knocking those that use them, but I'm happier with a bulb that they cant burn themselves on, I've seen many a rescue photo of animals with terrible burns, I am simply not prepared to risk it. I had an agama once that burned himself on a bulb guard, he also broke his tail in the same incident, so I just keep my bulbs out of reach and steer clear of the guards, I've encountered issues WITH them, yet never without, but others are the opposite, its just a matter of preference based on your own opinion I guess.

I know a lot of folk use the probe to the dimming stat at the warm end or the middle of the viv, again my personal preference, but I drilled a hole and put my probe 6 inches in from the side wall and midway between the floor and the UV bulb at the cool end, adjusting the size of bulb to reach the required basking temperature.


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## jml220679 (Aug 1, 2006)

*bulb guards*

very good point there. i have *NEVER *had any problems with unprotected bulbs ( except for one clever snake that used to unscrew them and escape out the hole!) but have always had injured reptiles whenever myself or friends have used bulb guards to "protect" them.


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