Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I would like to purchase a ceramic heat emitter for my beardies and am wondering how much wattage I will need. Would a 100w ceramic equal the heat output of a 100w bulb? Will I need a stronger or weaker ceramic to have the same temp? Thanks

distance from heater to basking spot?

since reptile like basking in light...i'd use an actual light rather than ceramic.

i wouldn't worry about the temp getting to low at night (which is when you probably want the heat). Temps in the australian desert drop around 50 and they have done fine in the wild for eons. UNLESS you are tring to get them out of brumation and want them to breed.
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a free range dragon is a happy dragon

I use ceramic heaters with young BD or in the winter I keep my BD in my basemet and it can get cool down there so I like them and use them at set times of year

The wattage question, a buld uses a set amout of energy (watts on light) vs a ceramic heater which is all heat and light light, I also feel (no science behind it just my feeling) that the cermic heaters heat go further (you can feel the heat from a ceramic heater further than a regular light bulb (might not be the case with a spot light bulb)

Just my 2 cents

Don't use Ceramic Heat Emitters. They produce no light... obviously.

Bearded dragons depend on BRIGHT lighting in their cage and in the wild to survive. Bearded dragons eyes are made to see movements in contrast. Such as a white silkworm flopping around on a brown log, or a brown cricket scurrying around on light sand. This is why WHITE Melamine is such an awesome cage material. It reflects light very well, but does not reflect shapes and forms. The brighter, the easier the hunt, in some regards.

Using Ceramic Heat Emitters will also make your bearded dragons go black when they are basking. This is because they are trying to suck up more light, but since it isn't possible, they just keep getting blacker and blacker to the point where they could stress out.Many bearded dragons will "fire up" like chameleons when they are happily basking at a good temperature.

Good quality Heat lamps, emmit some UV, though not enough to hous one without proper florescents or other UV alternatives. Since a dragon spend a good portion of time basking, you should be trying to get as many UV rays on him at that time anyways.

I love to see my dragons basking I have a black and grey dragon, that becomes light grey with white bands and another 'Post-IT Note' Yellow dragon that becomes golden yellow.
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1.1 Bearded Dragons
1.2 Maroantsetra Panther Chameleons
2.0 Long Tailed Grass Lizards
0.0.1 Giant Mellers Chameleon
0.0.2 Rhampholeon Brevicaudatus Chameleons
500 Escaped Crickets

do I leave the basking (bulb) light on 24-7 ? whereas I have the flourescent UV light set on a timer. thanks.
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Ciliatus 2.0.0, Auric 0.1.0,
Oedura 0.1.0, AFT 1.1.0,
Viper Tail 1.1.0, Beardie 0.0.1

NOoooo They need to cool off at night! Usually room temperature is fine. Drops onto the really HIGH 60's would not hurt them as long as the day temperature were warm enough.
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CANADIAN CHAMELEONS

thanks Will.
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Ciliatus 2.0.0, Auric 0.1.0,
Oedura 0.1.0, AFT 1.1.0,
Viper Tail 1.1.0, Beardie 0.0.1

My pleasure.

How is it going with the sexing of your beard?
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CANADIAN CHAMELEONS

still way too young, haven't tried yet.
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Ciliatus 2.0.0, Auric 0.1.0,
Oedura 0.1.0, AFT 1.1.0,
Viper Tail 1.1.0, Beardie 0.0.1
Happy Herping