Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My 2 beardies came to me w/ MBD from inadequate UV. They're both firmed up now & doing well. I've been using merc. vapor lights to provide UV & heat, but I'm struggling to keep the temp LOW enough w/ these lights. What type of UV bulbs do you all use & have you found them sufficient?
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Robins Critters
1.0 Hog Island Boa Harley
0.1 Albino Sonoran Gopher Snake Jasmine
0.1 Kenyan Sand Boa Kenya
1.0 Tricolor Hognose Yoshi
0.2 Leopard Geckos Tang & Roxy
1.3 Crested Geckos Fox Mulder, Zoe, Peek & Belle
1.0 Blue Tongue Skink Indigo
1.1 Bearded Dragons Jarvis & Missy
1.1 Eastern Box Turtles Squirtle & Yurtle
1.1 Pacman Frogs CamoFrog & Buffy the Cricket Slayer
1.0 Southern Toad L.T.-Little Toad
0.2 Tiger Salamanders Tiger & Sally
1.1 Mossy Frogs Kermit & Kate Mossy
1.1 Firebelly Newts Wayne Newton & Thandie Newton
1.1 Cats Gus & Mena

I use the florescent tube made by Exo-Terra for my iguana for three years now and have no problem with my iguana. He is growing very well. I just bought my bearded dragon a month ago and I use the same brand. These tubes don't give off heat that much, so you will have much better luck keeping the temperature down, but it has to be closed to your animal, at least 12 inches. The closer the better. I change the tube every 8-9 month.

I use Zoo Med's Reptisun 10.0 linear fluorescent tubes for all my reptiles.

Thank you. They are housed in my cabinet cage, where a UV tube runs the length of the back (top to bottom) hitting every enclosure. It's laid flush with the back wall, so it's definitely close enough.

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Robins Critters
1.0 Hog Island Boa Harley
0.1 Albino Sonoran Gopher Snake Jasmine
0.1 Kenyan Sand Boa Kenya
1.0 Tricolor Hognose Yoshi
0.2 Leopard Geckos Tang & Roxy
1.3 Crested Geckos Fox Mulder, Zoe, Peek & Belle
1.0 Blue Tongue Skink Indigo
1.1 Bearded Dragons Jarvis & Missy
1.1 Eastern Box Turtles Squirtle & Yurtle
1.1 Pacman Frogs CamoFrog & Buffy the Cricket Slayer
1.0 Southern Toad L.T.-Little Toad
0.2 Tiger Salamanders Tiger & Sally
1.1 Mossy Frogs Kermit & Kate Mossy
1.1 Firebelly Newts Wayne Newton & Thandie Newton
1.1 Cats Gus & Mena

what is "too hot"? what is "low enough"?
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robyn@proexotics.com

Pro Exotics Reptiles

130 degrees is too hot, low enough is 90-100 degrees. The problem I'm having is if I leave the merc. vap. lights on, they heat up the hot spot to 130. I've had them set up for a few months w/ a thermostat, but apparently shutting them off all the time has caused both to burn out in 2 months' time.
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Robins Critters
1.0 Hog Island Boa Harley
0.1 Albino Sonoran Gopher Snake Jasmine
0.1 Kenyan Sand Boa Kenya
1.0 Tricolor Hognose Yoshi
0.2 Leopard Geckos Tang & Roxy
1.3 Crested Geckos Fox Mulder, Zoe, Peek & Belle
1.0 Blue Tongue Skink Indigo
1.1 Bearded Dragons Jarvis & Missy
1.1 Eastern Box Turtles Squirtle & Yurtle
1.1 Pacman Frogs CamoFrog & Buffy the Cricket Slayer
1.0 Southern Toad L.T.-Little Toad
0.2 Tiger Salamanders Tiger & Sally
1.1 Mossy Frogs Kermit & Kate Mossy
1.1 Firebelly Newts Wayne Newton & Thandie Newton
1.1 Cats Gus & Mena

You can't put MVB's on a thermostat, as that does burn them out. These sort of bulbs should also be at least 18" above the basking spot. If there are cooler areas of the basking spot for dragons to move away from the peak temp of 130F...and the cool end of the cage is 80'sF then its fine.

The idea is to provide a range of basking temps within which your dragon can bask, according to their needs...many do go into higher temperature ranges for a short time to heat up quickly then move to cooler 95-110F areas for general activities.

IN your picture I notice you have your little dragons on what looks like either aquarium gravel or birdseed... it looks quite coarse whatever it is. I suggest getting rid of it as granules that large can cause impaction. If it is birdseed, then it cam mold and cause other issues. With babies, paper towel is best for easy and quick clean up. Children's play sand can be used if you choose, after they are at least 10" long or more.
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PHLdyPayne

Thank you. That pic is from when I first got them, it's the setup they were in before. I now have them in my cabinet cage (seperate enclosures, 4'x 2'x 18". They are housed on slate tiles, which hold the heat well.
While I sort this issue out, I've got regular light bulbs providing heat (on a thermostat) & that UV strip light down the back of the enclosures. I guess my real question is if the strip is going to provide them enough UV. It sounds from people's responses like it will, if it's a 10. I have a Zilla Desert 50. Is that OK?
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Robins Critters
1.0 Hog Island Boa Harley
0.1 Albino Sonoran Gopher Snake Jasmine
0.1 Kenyan Sand Boa Kenya
1.0 Tricolor Hognose Yoshi
0.2 Leopard Geckos Tang & Roxy
1.3 Crested Geckos Fox Mulder, Zoe, Peek & Belle
1.0 Blue Tongue Skink Indigo
1.1 Bearded Dragons Jarvis & Missy
1.1 Eastern Box Turtles Squirtle & Yurtle
1.1 Pacman Frogs CamoFrog & Buffy the Cricket Slayer
1.0 Southern Toad L.T.-Little Toad
0.2 Tiger Salamanders Tiger & Sally
1.1 Mossy Frogs Kermit & Kate Mossy
1.1 Firebelly Newts Wayne Newton & Thandie Newton
1.1 Cats Gus & Mena

Zoo Med says their 5.0 is designed to give UVB unobstructed to 12" they say their 10.0 is good to 20". I know it doesn't answer your question. Sorry.

But it's good info, thanks
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Robins Critters
1.0 Hog Island Boa Harley
0.1 Albino Sonoran Gopher Snake Jasmine
0.1 Kenyan Sand Boa Kenya
1.0 Tricolor Hognose Yoshi
0.2 Leopard Geckos Tang & Roxy
1.3 Crested Geckos Fox Mulder, Zoe, Peek & Belle
1.0 Blue Tongue Skink Indigo
1.1 Bearded Dragons Jarvis & Missy
1.1 Eastern Box Turtles Squirtle & Yurtle
1.1 Pacman Frogs CamoFrog & Buffy the Cricket Slayer
1.0 Southern Toad L.T.-Little Toad
0.2 Tiger Salamanders Tiger & Sally
1.1 Mossy Frogs Kermit & Kate Mossy
1.1 Firebelly Newts Wayne Newton & Thandie Newton
1.1 Cats Gus & Mena