Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I just got a full grown normal male a couple days ago. I walked into my local petstore just as this guy was dropped off. The local breeder that supplys my petstore was letting go of some breeding stock so this guy was up for sale. He's 22 inches from head to tip and he's a big sucky boy. I have him housed in a 90gal. He was eating mealies out of my hand 20min after I brought him home, his first day with me he ate his salad to (parsely, collard greens, and red grapes). I have astroturf as a substrate and hes housed alone right now. Im heating with a ceramic heat emiter and his basking area is at 110f. Just wondering if theres anything I'm missing.

A NAME!

Yes he does need a name.... much thought will be required... already named 5 leos and a veiled chameleon.

Ok

Bubba The Love Sponge
Murry The Moderatly Sober Elf

and Huey.... don't ask why... just sounds funny

I like Buba but that just might be me by the way I use a 160 Powersun in a 60 Gal but I live in Tucson so heat is not much of a problem. High was 65 degrees today which we consider pretty cold around here. sweater weather.

hehe Bubba the love sponge....

Thanks, from dec to march the temp regularily drops to about
-13f during noontime hours at night it can hit -40f with the wind . So temp is a bit of an issue for me.
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0.2.0 Normal Leopard Gecko's
1.0.0 Patternless Leopard Gecko
0.1.0 Veiled Chameleon
1.0.0 Bearded Dragon

Reptile Rooms has a great set of care sheets. Congratulations on your new baby. We want pictures!!
Reptile Rooms Beardie Care Sheets

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Stacey

I took some pics last night I just need to get them developed and then scan them in. (Don't believe in digital cameras, how are you supposed to pull out a photo album if it's a harddrive).

So anyway pics sometime next week. I've read through like 20 caresheets and tonnes of posts in the forums. I was just asking if anyone had any personal suggestions on anything I may have missed.

You print them out onto photopaper

Congrats on the new arrival!!

I noticed one thing you might be missing. You said you're heating with an IR emitter? You should be using something that emits light. The more light beardies get the healthier they are.

Good luck!!
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Rob Talkington

Sorry I missed that. I'm using a reptiglo 8.0 bulb for regular lighting.

That's a good UVB bulb. Is the beardie a maximum of 12" away from the bulb? Just wondering in case maybe you didn't know the UVB doesn't go any farther than that.

Also, why not just use a regular spot or incandescent to heat the basking spot? I bet your beardie will much appreciate the extra light!
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Rob Talkington

It's 11 inches away from the floor of the tank. I could use an incandescent heat bulb, I was informed that the CHE put's off more heat (within its range of course). My house temp also drops severly at night (That's Canada for you)so using a CHE let's me have 24 hour heating without additional light. But if you have a suggestion towards another kind of bulb I'm open to suggestions.

Well I guess I would ask what you consider a severe drop in temps at night. If it doesn't get below 60 degrees I don't think you would need any night heat. Also, if you do need the night time heat maybe get an additional light to heat your beardies basking spot during the day.

Another thought, if you use the same bulb to heat at night as during the day your night time heat is probably way too hot. A night time drop in temps is beneficial to a healthy dragon.

If you decide you want to get a different day time light what kind you get depends on where it would be situated. If it is going to be suspended on top of a screen top and the highest point in your enclosure you dragon can bask at is low then a halogen spot would probably be good. If your basking spot is near the top, which I'm guessing it's not due to the placement of your flourescent, you could use an incandescent or a halogen flood. If you decide to go with anything make sure you remember you don't need to spend an unreasonable amount of money on a bulb made for a reptile. Any halogen or incandescent from a regular store will do just fine. That's not the same for the UVB bulbs though, they are made special.

You may also want to invest in a dimmer to be able to adjust the amount of heat/light your basking bulb may be producing. That way you don't need to have 3 different wattage bulbs to try. Or if you have the ability to raise or lower that bulb or basking spot that would be adequate as well.

Hope this helps!!
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Rob Talkington

Ok well I just converted 60f to celcius and it's 15.5. I live in a [bleep]ty basement apartment (does have lots of room). The ambient room temp probobly hits about 65-70 I guess. I know all about buying regular bulbs for heat. I use a 100watt red spot lamp for my veiled chameleon 6 bucks at home depot.

The basking light is sitting on the screen. The flourescent is suspended from the underside of the screen, I didn't have cash for a mercury vapour bulb so I improvised.

I think I'll have to switch to a merc vapur bulb because my beardie likes to jump up and hang off the flourescent fixture. If I do this it will handle UVB and heating.

I have an incandesecnt spot lying around from a previous enclosure the only problem is I think it's only 75 watts. I don't think it's enough to heat a 90gal.

Thanks for all your input and help.

>>Thanks for all your input and help.
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Rob Talkington

I bet it's quite a sight to see a 22" beardie jump up and hang on a suspended flourescent light!

I don't know about the incandescent bulb. I've only used halogen or MVB. FYI, if you go with a MVB you may need to raise the basking spot a little to get the temps you need. Even a 160watt doesn't put out as much heat as you'd think.

Take care!
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Rob Talkington

Heh yah it's ammusing he can't get quite high enough to grab a hold. He likes to jump straight at the bulb to so he has nothing to hold onto and just slides off.

Ok well I'll try the incan bulb and the CHE at the same time. I figure if the CHE is the basking spot and I put the incan on the second half to raise the ambient temp it should be better. I'll start turning off the CHE at night to and see if he does well.

Once again thanks for everything.