Bearded dragons of all ages should have access to basking spots with a range of temperatures. There really shouldn't be just a single basking spot with a single basking temp. Instead several basking areas or a large wide basking area under a flood style basking bulb (or regular outdoor flood bulb works just as well as petstore bought basking lights) set so it shines over the entire basking area, providing areas big enough for the bearded dragon at temps close to 120F and areas of the basking spot (or different basking areas) with lower temps (a wide inclining branch or driftwood, or brick/rock pile (stablized with either epoxy or bolted together) so the high point is the hottest with sides and lower point being different lower temps. This way the dragon can move about the basking area to find the temps he needs.

Though I personally haven't kept bearded dragons for very long, I have noticed both during the first year of life and afterwards (till she was nearly three, when I had to sell her) my bearded dragon will always go to the hottest point of her basking area (baby a log mounted on an angle to a board, to keep it stable, adult a large piece of driftwood was long enough to cover nearly one third the length of the cage with both high and low areas) as soon as she wakes up and right after feeding. Once warmed up she would move to lower areas or run about her cage.

This is why a range of temps for basking is given, 95-115F. Even if there are areas in your cage that reach temps higher than 115F but the overall temp of the cage doesn't exceed 90F, you don't have to worry about cooking your dragon, they will move to a cooler area if it gets too hot for them in any one location (or gape to cool down if not too hot). If your dragon spends all her time in the cool end of the cage, then it's a good bet her basking area is too hot.

Temp guns are great for measuring surface temps of basking areas.




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PHLdyPayne

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