Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'm setting up a 55g for a beardie I'll be getting soon. I'm looking to buy one at least six months old, and want to be sure that my conditions will be good.

I decided to use self-ballasted fluorescent bulb to get some heat and UVB together, and got a ReptiSun 10.0 bulb. It's listed as 26w and claims to be equal to 130 watts incadescent. I will be using a ceramic heat emiiter 24/7 to help with heat, but I was mainly concerned around the UVB levels. I'm using the bulb in a 10" dome sitting on a screen top, and should be able to get two basking areas under it at around 10" and 12-14".

That will be the only light that is directly on the aquarium - is that enough? I've read that some owners see better results with bright enclosures, would I benefit from having an additional fluorescent fixture that outputs normal spectrum lighting too? I'd like to keep my costs as minimal as possible, but their health is my number one priority.

Return the Compact UVB, it will damage your dragon's eyes. Here is a web address about this.

http://www.uvguide.co.uk/phototherapyphosphor.htm

The minimum recommended enclosure size for an adult bearded dragon has a floor space of 4' x 2' a standard 55 gal. is only 1/2 that at 4' x 1'.

I would get a standard flourescent fixture the length of your enclosure. Then I would use a spot or flood light bulb to create the proper temperature basking spot. BD's like bright conditions so a heat source without light is a mistake.

wow - I based my decision on multiple "popular" care sheets and never saw mention of the information that is on that page. It's distressing that the exact bulb that I found on a shelf was the one that had the highest incident rate in that study. Thanks for the heads up!

If these types of lights are not used, what type do you recommend so they get the UVB they need?

Tim

Compacts are the only issue. The straight tubes are better anyway because the spread the UVB over a larger area or the enclosure.

I have a large enclosure with no light in some locations, I use a 13watt CFL10.0 the closest my beardie can get to it is about 15-20" the box says for best UVB 10". It is not in my basking spot, just to add light where my others do not penetrate.
With that said,
After reading those reports, I will watch for signs, however believe it to be a little highly egagerated.
21 lizards in USA and England, uhh what is that less then .1% reptile ownage?
Also not included in that report is positioning of such CFL and bulbs, distances?
Also does not mention asto what method of testing the bulbs were tested.
When I first bought my first dragon some 6-7 years ago, I read that this bulb or that was bad, and now the opposite is said.
If bulbs are misused or misplaced, dragons health will be affected. This report makes no mention to this.
Be wary, I just want to address that if you look hard enough a small percentage of any bulb will be abused, and therefor harmful to your animal.

well you can add my beardies to the statistics!! 3 of my adult males, (brothers) all developed the photo kerato conjuntivits mentioned in the report, pretty badly too. (Previous yrs. i used a lower UV light and had started using the reptisun 5.0 in ALL the cages.) after the exotics vet didn't know what to do i reasearched it and just shut the bulbs off for a week like the report said and voila! their eyes peeled and healed in a few wks. I had the bulbs too close!! then again, I had a fat female that used to sit right in front of the damnned reptisun and it never bothered her.. i guess it affects dif. bd's differently. Reptisun bulbs are still a good product to use, not AS good as a strip light i agree..., you just have to be careful. I learned the hard way!!
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4.2 Bearded dragons (Lee,Stumpy,Blackie,Spazz,Lynn,Charlotte)
1 Egyptian Uromastyx (Niles)
1 Iguana (Gia)

When you said you had problems after going to a Reptisun 5.0, do you mean the CFL? It's further confusion that Zoomed named both their fluorescent tubes and CFL bulbs the same.. just want to be sure I understand which you are referring to.

Regardless, I ordered a 49" strip light hood and a Reptisun 10.0 48" tube bulb yesterday to replace the CFL that I will return today. Like many people, I don't have local stores that carry much in the way of reptile supplies, so my selections are small without ordering. Shipping on the tubes is a bit pricey, but if they can last me six months it's managable.

Now the waiting game..

um... i think CFL means "compact flourescent light"? but I was referring to the UV bulbs..it's shaped like an elongated light bulb, i have never had the long-tube strip lights, those are prob. better b/c they spread the UV light better throughout the enclosure. Sorry i don't know the proper names for the types of bulbs
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4.2 Bearded dragons (Lee,Stumpy,Blackie,Spazz,Lynn,Charlotte)
1 Egyptian Uromastyx (Niles)
1 Iguana (Gia)

The materials that create UVB inside the compact UVB's are different than in the standard tubes. The change in the materials is what has created the problem. Persoally I wouldn't use one regardless of distance. The move them farther away suggestion is just a marketing idea to save from having to recall them.

I work with a local animal hospital. Back in December while I was at one of the vet's house she mentioned a red eared slider with eye problems. She had consulted other well know reptile vets and tried topical treatments and antibiotics. The turtle could not open it's eyes and was no longer eating. I mentioned the Compact UVB issue. The next day she called the customer and found that they were using a compact UVB. The person turned off the light and the turtle completely recovered.

yes, my 3 that had it are completely fine now. I shut the lights off (UV only of course) for a week and it healed up. I didnt know its something different in the bulbs that does it?? thats interesting.. what is it exactly do you know?

So it's safer not to use them at all? Damn I can't afford the long strip lights too.. it'll have to wait i just rescued an emaciated female with double lung phenomia that needed multiple xrays!! Lizards are expensive when you take care of them properly!! yikes, there needs to be health insurance available for these guys... sounds like you'd agree! I'd rather pay a monthy premium than $200 bills !

this is one of my males that got the conjunctivitis (this is before he reached full grown.. Stumpy!)

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4.2 Bearded dragons (Lee,Stumpy,Blackie,Spazz,Lynn,Charlotte)
1 Egyptian Uromastyx (Niles)
1 Iguana (Gia)

you work at an animal hospital? So are you a Vet. Tech? ...just wondering'..
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4.2 Bearded dragons (Lee,Stumpy,Blackie,Spazz,Lynn,Charlotte)
1 Egyptian Uromastyx (Niles)
1 Iguana (Gia)

Nope. I'm a sales manager for a financial company. I rescue and rehabilitate animals on the side. Sometimes, I help sick animals that come into the vet. The vet and I are friends now and I generally don't have to pay for services for my animals anymore with her. I breed silkworms and supply them to her at no cost as well. This all started when she rescued a rescue from me. lol. Before she realized my level of knowledge and committment.

I have another vet I do pay when I need extra treatment ideas though.

yeah i had 3 beardies with the eye conjunctivitis go to the vet b/c my uv were too close. I use the 5.0 ones and am very careful to keep them further away now their eyes have healed
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4.2 Bearded dragons (Lee,Stumpy,Blackie,Spazz,Lynn,Charlotte)
1 Egyptian Uromastyx (Niles)
1 Iguana (Gia)

the repti sun does not throw heat
also, don't put the 10.o reptisun too close to the beardie! make sure you read the insert because those bulbs are very VERY strong and the lizards can get photo-kerato conjunctivitis if the bulb is too close.

The heat emitter should NOT be on "24/7" because their night time temp should be about room temp 65-75 about. They get cooler at night so they can sleep. they are desert animals and it gets cool in the australian desert! don't have it too hot at night! they need to be able to regulate their body temps , up and down is healthy
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4.2 Bearded dragons (Lee,Stumpy,Blackie,Spazz,Lynn,Charlotte)
1 Egyptian Uromastyx (Niles)
1 Iguana (Gia)