# Images - Bearded Dragon Viv - Look Okay?



## GeeUK (May 2, 2011)

Hi guys,

Getting my first reptile in a couple of weeks, a bearded dragon and I have almost finished the Viv.

Please see pictures below and kindly advise if there is anything I could do to improve or anything I am doing wrong.

Points of interest:

- The UV light is a ReptiSun 10.0 and is situated around 10" from the bottom of the Viv. The box does say it has a range of 20" though?

- When within the basking area, the UV light will be within 6" of the beardie.

- The basking bulb is around 6" from the stone.

- The UV light will not be within the eye line of the beardie at any time.

Please note that my house does get cold, so I will be installing a ceramic bulb on a night time thermostat.

I also have two digital thermometers, a digital hygrometer that are to be fitted still and a day / night dimming thermostat on the way.

Some questions I have are:

Is the basking bulb safe without a cage..it's not within reach of the beardie and I have read not reports of them jumping towards the bulbs lol

Is the UV light fine where I have installed it?

When fitting the ceramic for the night temps, should it be installed on teh cool side, like I have seen on another Viv?

Thank you very much time for pictures! I have left the floor space pretty dull and open for now, as I don't want crickets and things hiding from the beardie or getting away.

*The Viv*










*Hot side*










*Cold side*


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## SeanReptiles (Sep 24, 2010)

Get a guard on that bulb!


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## Mini_the_Minx (Jan 15, 2011)

That bulb needs a guard for starters.

I had my cermic situated in the middle of my viv, I found it much easier that way to get a good gradient. The UV looks fine where it is.


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## yellrat (Jun 13, 2008)

SeanReptiles said:


> Get a guard on that bulb!


I agree 100% with using guards on bulbs for snakes as they can reach up and wrap around it but not for most lizards they wont be able to grip a bulb + it should be out of reach.
a bulb guard will normally encourage them to climb onto it increasing risk of being burnt.
this is not true of all lizard species and obviously some setups will require the use of a guard but not for beardies.
this is from my own experience obviously if you feel safer using a guard then please do so.


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## Jb1432 (Apr 19, 2008)

Firstly i'd suggest getting rid of the "basking bulb" and fit a ceramic bulb around 250w in its place. You want the ceramic on a thermostat and guarded by a cage of some sort. Wire works ok but doesn't tend to last as long as a solid built cage, apart from that looks good : victory:


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## GeeUK (May 2, 2011)

I can't see how a bearded dragon is going to come in contact with the bulb unless it actively tries to grip it and jump towards it but I could fix it directly to the top of the Viv and fit a guard on to be 100%.

In regards to the basking bulb, why replace it? I've read beardies are attracted to the bright light, something that a ceramic can not do, secondly I also read they were used for setting an ambient temp in the whole Viv rather than a particular basking spot.

I'll look into it further, but please feel free to add further.


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## jetski (Apr 7, 2008)

I agree, there's nothing wrong with spot bulbs as long as they are of the right wattage and set out of reach. I also agree that a cage is a bad idea for bearded dragons as it gives them something to grab hold of. the viv looks good but there's a lot of unusable space there. they can't fly so all that open space is a waste. get some branches to fill the gap with climbable stuff so they can use the space  but everything else looks good 

*edit..

the uv tube maybe better off fixed in a top corner, usually the font corner so you can't see it. a bd could climb on it as it is


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## GeeUK (May 2, 2011)

LOL, I know they can't fly 

Only reason I've left the open space is because the beardie I will be getting will be a juvenile and I want it to be able to catch it's food easily. I do have some more accessories like logs etc I can use. Guess I could just take them out when feeding.

The reason for the UV lamp being where it is, is because I am lead to believe they need to be within 10" or so of the beardie?

Plus, if the beardie touches it, it's safe to them anyway I believe?

Thanks for all the replies to everyone.


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

1 - you don't need a guard for the bulb as it isn't for a snake. Adding a cage just gives them something to hold onto and get burnt.

2 - Not sure why James suggested getting rid of the bulb for an over sized ceramic... but there we go! 
what you could do, is rather than messing about with two thermostats if you want to go for night time heating; is to replace the bulb with a ceramic on a thermostat and have a low wattage un-statted bulb. That way you'll be keeping the right heat during the day along with a bright light; and you can use a day / night stat to drop the temperatures at night.

3 - i'd say to stick a few more bits in as they do like to climb.


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## jetski (Apr 7, 2008)

I know you know they can't fly, I'm just joking around. my humour doesn't always pass on well in text... yeah I would put in things to climb on, it gives them more room and is good exercise for their legs n feet. walking only on flat surfaces won't be good for them. your right about the uv needing to be relatively close to them but a jump from a high branch landing on that tube could break it. positioning it on the ceiling or top corner stop them getting to it and branches for them to climb on will ensure they will be able to get close enough. if the manufacture says it has a 20" reach I would tend to believe them as they are the ones who have done all the testing and designing 
I wouldn't worry about them not being able to get to their food, they will happily jump through and over anything to chase some food, usually anyway. if that problem arises then just deal with it as and when it happens


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## hippyhaplos (Jan 12, 2010)

I'd also move the air freshener out the room.


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

hippyhaplos said:


> I'd also move the air freshener out the room.



that's going over the top..


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## hippyhaplos (Jan 12, 2010)

Meko said:


> that's going over the top..


It's on top of the viv and freshmatics spray alot of liquid... why take the risk?


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

you said to take it out of the room, not to just move it away from the viv.


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## hippyhaplos (Jan 12, 2010)

Meko said:


> you said to take it out of the room, not to just move it away from the viv.


It's an aerosol... you might take that risk but plenty wouldn't


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## Sam & Akasha (Apr 21, 2009)

Basically i agree with what most people are saying, there's no way a beardies ever going to reach that bulb, i have no guard on one of my beardies bulb for the plain and simple reason....its like two feet from the bottom of the tank and my beardies cant fly!!! and your one looks more than reasonably high up too

with regards to the basking bulb vs ceramic, i use both and both are fine depending on the temperature the room drops to. Because a ceramic gives off heat and no light its fine to leave it on, however because you cant do this with a basking then your beardie could get cold at night, its not gonna do it any major damage though provided the temp of the room doesn't drop to something ridiculous (anything lower than like 17 degrees is quite bad for adults and under 19 for juvies)...and before people start calling me a hypocrite cos i use a basking and turn it off at night, my reptiles have there own dedicated room which is heated with an on the wall panel heater with a thermostat that keeps it at a constant 25 degrees C. this also lets me cheat by not having to use heaters for any of my amphibs

as for substrate i would suggest orchid bark or beech chip, NEVER SAND!!!

p.s make sure your heat sources are properly thermostated and you replace you UV every six months (it will give off light for longer but will not put out UV after 6 months)

HOPE THIS ALL HELPS!!!


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## Sam & Akasha (Apr 21, 2009)

Also the closer the UV is to the beardie the more beneficial it will be, doesnt matter if its in the beardies eyeline, they wont go blind


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## ralphsvivariums (Dec 15, 2009)

The set up is fine and your have a happy beardie.


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## Mikeysm (Sep 26, 2009)

looks good 

I use a spot bulb rather than ceramic..

Also you'r UV bulb will last much longer and the beardie will benefit more from it if you fit a reflector to it


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## GeeUK (May 2, 2011)

*Hippyhaplos,*

I don't have my beardie yet, so just plonked stuff on top of the Viv for now. I'll be moving the telephone and the fresher in due course 

*Sam & Akasha,*

The basking bulb is around 6" from the basking stone. Hmm, maybe when the beadie gets older is will be relatively close to the bulb. I could just simply situate it from the top of the Viv rather than the side to deal with this issue. Or take away one of the basking stones.

The UV tube packaging also states it will last for 12 months?

Please see my reply to Meko below as to what I intend to do in relation to the bulbs and temps (replies are in the wrong order, never saw your post on my iPhone)

*Ralph*,

Thanks. I may make some minor adjustments for safety reasons and to calm my paranoia LOL.

*Thanks Mike,*

I'll look into a reflector.


*Hi Meko,*

I already have a ceramic bulb which came with the Viv and I was going to purchase a night / day thermostat (one with night and day feature rather than two stats). This way I could regulate the hot end with the day feature and the night drop with the night feature via the ceramic I already have.

How does that sound?

Oh, and I have some other bits for the Viv. Please see my previous replies as to why they are not in there 

*Jetski,*

I know were joking...obviously! 

I see what you mean about them jumping. Guess I'll move it today then and add some more accessories.

Thanks for the help guys.


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## GeeUK (May 2, 2011)

Update.

Moved the basking light up a good 3 inches or so, no chance of touching the beardie now..wasnt much before either, but lets be sure and safe!

Also, moved the UV bulb up 2-3" to help prevent a beardie jumping on the tube, I think we are safe now.

Oh and added some accessories too.

I lady on another forum suggested NOT to use a dimming thermostat on the basking bulb as beardies thrive on bright light and the dimming can confuse them. However as suggested here, wouldnt it be okay to get the basking temp set on the lowest watt bulb possible and the highest setting on the stat to keep it bright? Plus, the UV would be on and this mimmicks the sun light anyway?

And while we are at it, I am not too keen on drilling holes in my Viv to install the thermometer probes. Would it be okay to install them within the Viv like I have seen others do?

Apologies for the poor picture quality. The sun coming through my window spoiled it.

*Accessories Added*

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*

*Hot Side*

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*

*Cold Side*

*







*

*These are the thermometers I was referring to








*


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

GeeUK said:


> I lady on another forum suggested NOT to use a dimming thermostat on the basking bulb as beardies thrive on bright light and the dimming can confuse them. However as suggested here, wouldnt it be okay to get the basking temp set on the lowest watt bulb possible and the highest setting on the stat to keep it bright? Plus, the UV would be on and this mimmicks the sun light anyway?
> 
> *http://i871.photobucket.com/albums/ab271/SickleFoot/Bearded Dragon/T01.jpg*



The dimming stat is to stop it over heating rather than to determine the heat. If you use the lowest wattage bulb you can get away with (40 or 60watt) and some viv rearranging then you'll probably be able to get the right temperatures.
That way the stat will only kick in 'if' the viv gets too hot. If you stuck a 150watt bulb in then it'll spend most of its time dimmed as it'll over heat the viv.


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## Tds79 (Nov 6, 2010)

Sam & Akasha said:


> as for substrate i would suggest orchid bark or beech chip, NEVER SAND!!!



This makes no sense at all. im guessing your saying no sand because of impaction yet you recommend wood substrate ??


OP the viv looks fine and im sure your beardie is going to be very Happy


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## GeeUK (May 2, 2011)

Cool, I'll try a some low wattage bulbs firstly then and stick with my original plan. What do you think about the placement of the thermometers inside the Viv..not a good idea?

In regards to substrate, there really doesn't seem to be a safe plus hygienic loose substrate out there so sticking with tiles, thanks.


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## jetski (Apr 7, 2008)

I agree with meko about the bulbs, I always recommend people use the correct wattage and the thermostat is only used as a safety net... lots disagree with me though :s 

no sand but wood chip ok? wierd... I use tiles with sand around the edges to fill in the gaps. id keep sand away from young uns but older ones are clever enough to cope


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## TurboUK (Oct 24, 2010)

Hi guys, on one of my custom viv's I had installed two thermometers and a hydromonitor inside the viv. It wasn't for the beardies viv though. Before customising the rest of the viv's I changed my mind and now have them installed outside of the viv for my beardies. The reason being that it was difficult to check the lowest/highest memory settings as I then had to go inside the viv's to do so, and also they were harder to see inside the viv, especially when lights out. 

Here is a pic of the viv with the monitors in : 










and here's a pic of one of my beardies viv's with the monitors on the outside.










Personally, having done both I wouldn't put them in the viv again.

Also, I'm pretty sure that a hydrometer is not needed in a beardies viv, that's why I didn't put one in and I'm over kill! lol. I have added another thermometer though for the basking spot, so now I can see the basking spot/hot end/middle and cool end at a glance and it's well easy to check the over night drop in temps in the morning as well. Also, If a thermometer goes down It will be easier to see by looking at the other temps. 
Hope this helps

P.S, In case anyone is wondering, the speaker on top of the viv is not touching the viv, it's attached to the wall and is not used for any sizeable amount of volume. And the reason the thermometers are not far left/middle and far right on the outside is because I have a raised platform on the far right and could not get the lead through, annoying as it is!


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## Alon93 (Jul 5, 2010)

Sam & Akasha said:


> Also the closer the UV is to the beardie the more beneficial it will be, doesnt matter if its in the beardies eyeline, they wont go blind


Will you pay for his vet bills when his dragon gets PKC?
The UV tube needs to be on the upper side of the viv and with a reflector.



Jb1432 said:


> Firstly i'd suggest getting rid of the "basking bulb" and fit a ceramic bulb around 250w in its place. You want the ceramic on a thermostat and guarded by a cage of some sort. Wire works ok but doesn't tend to last as long as a solid built cage, apart from that looks good : victory:


Beardies needs LOTS of light in their viv, and I'm talking from experience.



SeanReptiles said:


> Get a guard on that bulb!


He doesn't need one.



jetski said:


> if the manufacture says it has a 20" reach I would tend to believe them as they are the ones who have done all the testing and designing .


My repti-glo is rated for 20" and it should operate for one year, my 4 month repti-glo with a reflector has no usable UVB even at 12", do you still think I should trust them? repti-suns are good but even 100W mvb's won't produce much usable UVB at 20".



Sam & Akasha said:


> as for substrate i would suggest orchid bark or beech chip, NEVER SAND!!!


I use sand and so do all my friends, we haven't notice any of them having any problem with impaction.

Orchid bark and wood chips are much worse as they can easily die from swallowing a single piece.

What do you think they are stepping on in the wild? sand or wood chips and orchid bark?


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## jetski (Apr 7, 2008)

Alon93 said:


> My repti-glo is rated for 20" and it should operate for one year, my 4 month repti-glo with a reflector has no usable UVB even at 12", do you still think I should trust them? repti-suns are good but even 100W mvb's won't produce much usable UVB at 20".
> 
> 
> What do you think they are stepping on in the wild? sand or wood chips and orchid bark?


what can I say to that... :roll: maybe take it up with the manufacturer, maybe you have a faulty one 

most likely impacted clay soil :whistling2:


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## Alon93 (Jul 5, 2010)

jetski said:


> what can I say to that... :roll: maybe take it up with the manufacturer, maybe you have a faulty one
> 
> most likely impacted clay soil :whistling2:


I don't have a faulty one, the point is that you can't blindly trust manufacturers especially when some of them change suppliers and specs like socks without even letting anyone know.

Yes they do walk on impacted clay soil but with a layer of loose sand and dirt on top of it.


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## GeeUK (May 2, 2011)

I decided to drill some small holes for the probs in the Viv after all. Thermometers are fitted on the outside.

May install the hydromonitor on the inside though, the probe on that is kinda large and I am not drilling a hole to that size. They not be needed, but I've bought it now so may as well use it


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## cbarnes1987 (Feb 2, 2010)

i would say... this V V V


Meko said:


> 1 - you don't need a guard for the bulb as it isn't for a snake. Adding a cage just gives them something to hold onto and get burnt.
> 
> 2 - Not sure why James suggested getting rid of the bulb for an over sized ceramic... but there we go!
> what you could do, is rather than messing about with two thermostats if you want to go for night time heating; is to replace the bulb with a ceramic on a thermostat and have a low wattage un-statted bulb. That way you'll be keeping the right heat during the day along with a bright light; and you can use a day / night stat to drop the temperatures at night.
> ...


dont quite understand why the 1st few people offered crap advice :whistling2:


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## GeeUK (May 2, 2011)

Okay,

Not received my thermostat yet but thought I'd try the bulb I got and see what temps I am getting in the basking end. Sitting at 78F so far but still increasing. I'll give it a bit longer but I may need to try a higher wattage. Got a 40 watt in there at the min, got a 60w and 100w here I can try also.

Anyway, my main issue is humidity. I am not sure what it should be for a bearded dragon but I have read to try keep it under 50%. Well I have installed a hydromonitor which I have installed with the probe in the middle of the Viv and I have installed the hydromonitor inside of the Viv too.

It was initially reading 60% but has now sitting at 80%. What can I do to reduce this?

Thanks


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## GeeUK (May 2, 2011)

GeeUK said:


> Okay,
> 
> Not received my thermostat yet but thought I'd try the bulb I got and see what temps I am getting in the basking end. Sitting at 78F so far but still increasing. I'll give it a bit longer but I may need to try a higher wattage. Got a 40 watt in there at the min, got a 60w and 100w here I can try also.
> 
> ...


Hmmm, silly me.

As the temp goes up the humidity goes down. So I'll wait until I have the desired temps and recheck the humidity then.


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## jetski (Apr 7, 2008)

you will find leaving the lamp on for a few days will evaporate the residual moisture from in there. do you have anything in there that could cause the humidity? have you soaked or washed something recently? my viv is usually 15-20% I keep their water bowl in the cool end


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## thething84 (Apr 26, 2010)

i have my setup for my beardie so that the thermostat only kicks in if the viv overheats. i am using a 60watt R80 reflector bulb which heats my viv and basking spot. also got my uv light reflected and also fixed to the back wall.


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## GeeUK (May 2, 2011)

jetski said:


> you will find leaving the lamp on for a few days will evaporate the residual moisture from in there. do you have anything in there that could cause the humidity? have you soaked or washed something recently? my viv is usually 15-20% I keep their water bowl in the cool end


Hi, 

About a week ago I cleaned the whole Viv and soaked the stones and logs etc maybe it could be that then? 

I have nothing else in there that would contribute, no water bowl or anything like that. I have no beardie yet, just setting everything up. I'll leave the bulb on for a while the,' I had to use a 100 watt in the end. The 60 watt almost got to the desired temp but was taking too long for my liking.

By the way, the hydromonitor probe is in the middle of the Viv on the floor. Is that an okay location?

Thething,

Any pictures of your Viv?


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## GeeUK (May 2, 2011)

Managed to get the humidity down to 66% by making sure no plastic plants blocked the vents and moved the Viv back from the wall a bit.

Must be a ventilation issue, because if I open one of the Viv doors the humidity drops to 50%. Guess some new vents need to be fitted?


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## beardys (Sep 28, 2009)

exactly why i tell newbies to stay off the forums. change bulbs to ceramics, put the bulb in the middle, wood chip instead of sand wtf


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

beardys said:


> exactly why i tell newbies to stay off the forums. change bulbs to ceramics, put the bulb in the middle, wood chip instead of sand wtf



lol yep.. it's confusing enough before the common sense kicks in, so the conflicting information makes it harder. Although; the bulb in the middle, i think what Minx meant was that she has a ceramic in the middle of the viv just give an ambient night time temperature, rather than putting a heat source in the middle.


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## thething84 (Apr 26, 2010)

i do have photos of my viv. they are on one of my posts on here. although i will put some new ones up now i got my beardie in it


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## GeeUK (May 2, 2011)

thething84 said:


> i do have photos of my viv. they are on one of my posts on here. although i will put some new ones up now i got my beardie in it


Cool 

Any more thoughts on the humidity guys before I take a drill hole to the Viv to fit vents? LOL

I'll leave the bulb for a few days to see if it helps first.


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## thething84 (Apr 26, 2010)

how long have you had it runnig for. all llighting heating etc. i left mine running for at least a week, think it was closer to two weeks before getting my beardie. although admittedly i have never checked my humidity. will check it in morning when i get home from work(night shift).


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## jetski (Apr 7, 2008)

leave the doors open half inch either end and run the basking lamp 24 hours a day, couple of days and it will likely of dried right out. having the gaps and the heat will cause an air flow in and out. I must say I'm shocked that 100w is working for you, with a viv of that size I would of thought it would be way too hot. obviously u would know coz you have it in front of you but id urge you to check the basking area after its been running a few hours with the doors closed.

don't use a ceramic and defiantly not in the middle. you need to have a heat gradient so they can cool off. and you really don't want to over heat them at night because they will be asleep and won't move to cool off. 

I think its very wrong to say newbies should stay off the forums, what are u hitler?  this is a public forum and everyone has a right to voice their opinion, no matter how ridiculous that opinion maybe. its up to the reader to sift through everyone's opinion to conclude their own, just like anywhere else in life.

perhaps better ventilation may help, your viv doesn't look like its over ventilated so I say give it a shot. if if you do want some night time heat id use a small heat source, I don't use one, my flat never goes low enough to warren one


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## GeeUK (May 2, 2011)

thething84 said:


> how long have you had it runnig for. all llighting heating etc. i left mine running for at least a week, think it was closer to two weeks before getting my beardie. although admittedly i have never checked my humidity. will check it in morning when i get home from work(night shift).


Not even a day, I was trying it all out for first time last night.



> leave the doors open half inch either end and run the basking lamp 24 hours a day, couple of days and it will likely of dried right out. Having the gaps and the heat will cause an air flow in and out.
> 
> Will do. Let you know how I get on.
> 
> ...


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## scottiej (Dec 1, 2010)

If the 60W bulb won't quite get the basking spot to the desired temp at the height it is then lower it a tiny bit again say 1or2cm. ( I noticed earlier in the thread you moved it up a few inches) Leave it for a few hours and then check the temp again. The closer the bulb is to the basking spot the hotter the spot will be.

Obviously dont let the bulb get so close that it might end up being a hazard to your beardie though. :2thumb:


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## rum&coke (Apr 19, 2009)

Your viv looks fine. I would not bother with the plastic plants tho your beardie will probably try and eat them, I have lost count of the amount of plastic plants my beardies have wrecked :lol2:


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## GeeUK (May 2, 2011)

scottiej said:


> If the 60W bulb won't quite get the basking spot to the desired temp at the height it is then lower it a tiny bit again say 1or2cm. ( I noticed earlier in the thread you moved it up a few inches) Leave it for a few hours and then check the temp again. The closer the bulb is to the basking spot the hotter the spot will be.
> 
> Obviously dont let the bulb get so close that it might end up being a hazard to your beardie though. :2thumb:


I see what you mean.

So many holes in my Viv now, I'm sick of moving it LOL.

Should it really take hours for the basking area to heat up to the correct temperature though? They go through the night for hours with low heat and then have to wait hours for the basking area to reach the correct temperature after the lights come on. I would of thought sooner the better?



> Your viv looks fine. I would not bother with the plastic plants tho your beardie will probably try and eat them, I have lost count of the amount of plastic plants my beardies have wrecked


I like the sort of natural look they give to the Viv lol. I have kind of showed them behind some stones at the back of the tank though, so hopefully the beardie wont pay too much attention to them.

Got any pictures of the beardies you're selling?


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## scottiej (Dec 1, 2010)

GeeUK said:


> I see what you mean.
> 
> So many holes in my Viv now, I'm sick of moving it LOL.
> 
> Should it really take hours for the basking area to heat up to the correct temperature though? They go through the night for hours with low heat and then have to wait hours for the basking area to reach the correct temperature after the lights come on. I would of thought sooner the better?


It depends on what material your basking spot is, different materials have different thermal properties so warm up at different rates. an hour or so should be more than enough really but I like to leave it for at least 2 just to make sure the temps have settled. Better to be safe than sorry IMO


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## GeeUK (May 2, 2011)

The 100w seems to warm up a lot quicker, but I guess I could get the same effect from lowering and using a 60w. 

I did move the bulb for a reason though, I guess it was borderline low and the 100w does the job and will be on a thermostat too, so is there any reason for not using it over the 60w?

By the way guys, I left the lamp on for a day with the doors open a bit and then tested with the doors shut and managed to get under 50% humidtity so hopefully I should be okay.

Turned the lamp off since and it has gone up to around 60% but I will do another test run as I am sure it will decrease once there is heat again.


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## GeeUK (May 2, 2011)

GeeUK said:


> The 100w seems to warm up a lot quicker, but I guess I could get the same effect from lowering and using a 60w.
> 
> I did move the bulb for a reason though, I guess it was borderline low and the 100w does the job and will be on a thermostat too, so is there any reason for not using it over the 60w?
> 
> ...


Got my habistat day / night thermostat so got that to setup now. I am going to be installing another lamp which also came today to fit my ceramic bulb. This is *ONLY *going to be a night time heater if the temps drop significantly.

I'm assuming it really does not matter, but where would you recommend it be fitted in the Viv? I was going to install it on the cool side. Again, it will only kick in if the temps drop on a night to below 60F (I think the temp was, need to double check).

Fitted a reflector today too:


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## jetski (Apr 7, 2008)

it will go up as the temps drop, this is because expanded hot air can hold more water than cooler air. the water content stays the same but amount it can hold (100%) changes. 

having the basking area shoot up to high temps in minutes is not good anyway, 'shocks' and 'suddens' rarely are. having the basking spot gently get up to temperature over an hour or 2 is far safer and comfortable for anything sitting in it. ever watched the sun come up in the morning? how long does it take before the air temps to get to a comfy level? a few hours id day. thing is if you use a wattage that will eventually over heat the viv, the thermostate is going to be knocking it on and off all the time. using the correct wattage bulb will insure its on all the time. plus just imagine if the thermostat fails one day? 

you could use the ceramic for night time if you want but set its thermostat to very low and have the probe close to it, no good having it too far away as those ceramics are pretty hardcore. they usually bang out loads of heat. if the beardie one day decides to sleep right underneath it and it clicks on in the night it could over heat him. what wattage is the ceramic you have btw?


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## GeeUK (May 2, 2011)

Very good points, thanks very much.

I'll try use a bulb that gradually gets to the desired temp then, which I am trying to do now, but I have a problem.

I have connected up my Habistat thermostat but the temp gauge only goes to around 92F. I have the probe directly under the basking spot so obviously it has dimmed the bulb (60w) and my digital gauge is sticking around just that..92F.

Does this mean I have bought a stat that does not regulate the heat high enough or do I have to trick it or something by placing the probe elsewhere?


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## jetski (Apr 7, 2008)

yeah I think that's standards for stats. keep the probe in the hot end but not on the basking spot. keep an eye on the basking spot with a thermometer and don't trust the numbers on the stat's dial. these are a rough guide only


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## GeeUK (May 2, 2011)

Hi Jetski,

Using a 60w bulb, stat on max and probe at the hot end, at the back of the Viv under some plastic plants to hide it LOL

The basking spot is showing 115F at the moment so the stat needs risking down a little. Couple of questions if you don't mind?

Does the temp probe for the basking area need to be directly on the basking stone to get the correct temp? I'm conscious of the beardie basking directly on the probe and causing the stat to set an incorrect temp.

Secondly, even though the temp under the basking bulb is currently at 115F as I type, the cool end is only 75F. How can I regulate this temperature without the basking temp going up?

Thank you.


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## jetski (Apr 7, 2008)

umm.. the easiest way is to use a particular wattage bulb that after a couple of hours creates a hot area of around 35'C. the cool end should end up about 25'C then. then you place a basking rock or similar underneath the bulb to allow the bearded dragon to get close enough to the bulb that it will be in a 40-45'C basking spot. sorry I'm not very good with Fahrenheit... the exact temperature figures are obviously up for debate but you get my meaning yeah... 

your right that the probe might get sat on. but the top of the bearded dragon will be several inches closer to the bulb than the spot its sitting on. hanging the probe near where their head will be probably makes sense but realistically if they get too hot they won't hang out long under there. as long as the general area temp is right and the cool end is cool enough your going in the right direction. the cool end can't really be too cold. if its too cold the bearded dragon won't hang out down there


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## GeeUK (May 2, 2011)

jetski said:


> umm.. the easiest way is to use a particular wattage bulb that after a couple of hours creates a hot area of around 35'C. the cool end should end up about 25'C then. then you place a basking rock or similar underneath the bulb to allow the bearded dragon to get close enough to the bulb that it will be in a 40-45'C basking spot. sorry I'm not very good with Fahrenheit... the exact temperature figures are obviously up for debate but you get my meaning yeah...
> 
> your right that the probe might get sat on. but the top of the bearded dragon will be several inches closer to the bulb than the spot its sitting on. hanging the probe near where their head will be probably makes sense but realistically if they get too hot they won't hang out long under there. as long as the general area temp is right and the cool end is cool enough your going in the right direction. the cool end can't really be too cold. if its too cold the bearded dragon won't hang out down there


I've done it the other way round. I've set up the basking spot temp to around 106F with the probe hoping the hot end temps will fall in line, rather than hot end first.

Same difference isn't it or should I start again?


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## jetski (Apr 7, 2008)

well yeah probably will work out the same. the reason I suggest doing it my order is the basking spot is very easily adjusted buy moving it closer or further away from the bulb. trying to adjust the hot end via bulb wattage will inevitably adjust the basking spot also, so you may have to in turn adjust the basking spot once again. but this is all being a bit pedantic, sorry for making it more confusing than it needs to be. going by your viv size a 60-80watt is likely what you want and all the temps will likely fall in to place. remember to leave the basking light on for several hours to level out before you look at the temps


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## GeeUK (May 2, 2011)

Hi,

It's not confusing, I understand where you are coming from. The temps seem to be falling into line anyway so it's all good.

I'll do another run leaving the light on for a few hours and adjust if need be.

Thanks again.


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## GeeUK (May 2, 2011)

GeeUK said:


> Hi,
> 
> It's not confusing, I understand where you are coming from. The temps seem to be falling into line anyway so it's all good.
> 
> ...


Okay, so did another test run and was looking for a temp around 105-110F for a baby beardie.

I'm using a 60w bulb and I managed to reach around 108F which I was happy with but the the temp starting dropping as the stat must of dimmed the light so will need so tweaking.

The thing is though, is that it took 3 hrs for the temp to reach this optimum temp. Considering what has been stated above, is 3 hrs a little too long? If so, what would you suggest?

Using a higher wattage of bulb?
Lowering the basking bulb? 

Any help appreciated, thanks.


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## Spikebrit (Oct 23, 2006)

I tell you what there is a hell of a lot of mis information and generally conmfusing information in this thread , its no one new keepers get put off. 

Gee your set up looks fine, as i said before stop trying to over complicate things. Relax, temperatures will always flucuate, it's fine, humidity will fluctuate, its fine. 

Now stop drilling holes miving things, and stressing. Just monitor the temps for a few days, so long as at around the middle of your light cycle the temps are at those you needs it's fine. The viv doesnt need to be up to temp in the first 5 mins. Think of a wild habitat mornings will often be cooler, with peak midday temps. 

Now stop fussing and relax
Jay


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## GeeUK (May 2, 2011)

Spikebrit said:


> I tell you what there is a hell of a lot of mis information and generally conmfusing information in this thread , its no one new keepers get put off.
> 
> Gee your set up looks fine, as i said before stop trying to over complicate things. Relax, temperatures will always flucuate, it's fine, humidity will fluctuate, its fine.
> 
> ...


LOL

I know, I know.

I'm not moving anything else, I got the basking temp just where I want it, goes to around 110F, then drops to around 106F and sits there. Left the bulb on all night and it was still at 106F so the thermostat is working well.

Cold end was around 80F, again just where I want it.

Sorry for being a pain every one and thanks very much for the help.

Hope I havent put any future owners off. I try to get every thing perfect and over complicate things all the time. Ya not the first to say this Spike!

Cheers again.

:thumb:


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## scottiej (Dec 1, 2010)

Glad you got it sorted :2thumb: 

Out of interest how did you set everything up finally? i.e 
distance from bulb to basking spot? 
The stat probe position?
and the stat dial setting?


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## GeeUK (May 2, 2011)

scottiej said:


> Glad you got it sorted :2thumb:
> 
> Out of interest how did you set everything up finally? i.e
> distance from bulb to basking spot?
> ...


Answers above


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## scottiej (Dec 1, 2010)

Nice one :2thumb:


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## GeeUK (May 2, 2011)

No probs.

Hope what I said makes sense, just rushed the response up as I am at work.


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## jetski (Apr 7, 2008)

glad to read you have it running well. 3 hours to get to peak temps is good. like I said before never shock or surprise them with anything. a gradual rise of temps over 3 hours is good. it will probably take around the same length of time to cool back down in the nights


@ spikebrit... what misinformation are you talking about? what do you disagree with exactly?


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## GeeUK (May 2, 2011)

jetski said:


> glad to read you have it running well. 3 hours to get to peak temps is good. like I said before never shock or surprise them with anything. a gradual rise of temps over 3 hours is good. it will probably take around the same length of time to cool back down in the nights
> 
> 
> @ spikebrit... what misinformation are you talking about? what do you disagree with exactly?


Cool.

Too bad I've been messing around again, but we won't go into that haha.


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## Spikebrit (Oct 23, 2006)

jetski said:


> @ spikebrit... what misinformation are you talking about? what do you disagree with exactly?


people sugging using wood chips

People suggesting using a guard that close to a rep that is likly to stimulate climbing. 

Placing basking bulbs in the middle of the viv making it harder to maintain a gradiante (especially for new keepers)

people suggesting not to use a stat because beardies like bright light

gospal acceptance of UV guidline on a product without testing. Uv output from chinese bulbs drops hugly over a period of a few weeks. 

That was just after a brief scan of a few pages.

Jay


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## GeeUK (May 2, 2011)

To be fair, I think a few people came a long and cleared up the posts you mentioned Spike


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## BasementCat (Jun 14, 2011)

Excellent thread, thank you all, especially GeeUK for asking all the questions I needed to ask (but didn't know enough to be able ask them). Very informative and helpful.

I agree with GeeUK, it is not too hard to sort the wheat from the chaff. You just have to read a lot, LOL!

This is a really superb forum :notworthy:


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