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Mommy2emni   Steven11788   Lovetheleo   Mommy2emni   Steven11788   Cphill58  
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 #2093531


Mommy2emni
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 Completely confused on lighting...

I am tired of not understanding reptile lighting and I truly don’t think the pet store knows either.

Long version: We got a fence lizard about 6 weeks ago. She is our first reptile but we have many furry pets. The pet store said all I needed was a basking light. Last week I discover that no I need both. So I go back to the pet store with my husband and young children to get a new light.

We come home with all the fixings and a new bearded dragon. I thought I had the lighting figured out for both. Now I don’t think so. Aargh.

We bought a "Zilla" slimline desert fixture 18" T8 which includes a "Desert 50 UVB t8 florescent bulb" for the bearded dragon. The dragon is in an aquarium which is 4’ by 15" by 15". We also have a 75 watt basking bulb in a flukers domed light.

The fencie is in a 10 gallon tank with a 60 watt basking light and we bought her the Repti Sun 10.0 UVB Desert bulb to go in a flukers long domed light.

My question is what do I need to take back and what can stay? If I have to return something, what do I get instead.

Thanks for your help.

Brenda
new mom to a Bearded Dragon named Indiana Jones
11/08/09  09:37pm

 #2093687


Steven11788
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   Message To: Mommy2emni   In reference to Message Id: 2093531


 Completely confused on lighting...

dont listen to pet stores/ let me help you by just stating what i know. for fence lizard the 60 watt is fine as long as your mesuring his temps and there acurate (a def purchase is a temp gun-25 bucks for a good one, its infrared and takes seconds to get a super accurate temp. lllreptile.com has them 25 bucks) on your zilla light. not my fav brand, the reptisun is far superb to all lights in my opion. but as it stand know keep the fence on the zilla, change the reptisun 10.0 to the beardie. how big is the dragon. not sure of diminsions. but a full grown needs a 40 gallon breeder.. THE BEST choice for you bearded dragon if he’s almost to full grown is a powesun Mercury vapor bulb. does uvb and basking in one.. but final word is move zilla to fence and reptisun to beardie. hopefuly more pros will jump on this. if ya need anymore help you can pm me
11/09/09  12:51pm

 #2093714


Lovetheleo
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   Message To: Steven11788   In reference to Message Id: 2093687


 Completely confused on lighting...

for the zilla just make sure to remove any plastic covering the bulb
other than that i dont know anything about fence lizards lol

i would fefinatly get the reptisun 10. also your tank will be too small for the beardie when he is an adult (the minimum is 36" by 18" by 18") 15 inches is too narrow for them to turn around


also mercury vapor bulbs(mvb) are great but powersun isnt the greatet brand. i would go with megaray and there is another one but i cannot think of the name right now

what are the beardies temps and what are you measuring them with?
babies temps should be 110-115 and should be measured with a digital thermometer with a probe not the stick on or dial thermometers

you might want to give us a rundown of everything you bought for your beardie and everything you have been feeding him(bugs, veggies, suppliments, substrate, etc)




11/09/09  03:29pm

 #2093732


Mommy2emni
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   Message To: Lovetheleo   In reference to Message Id: 2093714


 Completely confused on lighting...

Thanks for the info.
1: the beardie is a juvenile. He (maybe) is about 3 inches snout to vent.
2: we were given the tank and some supplies from a friend who had a water dragon that died. We thoroughly cleaned, disinfected and rinsed everything.
3: we also received from friend a water bowl, little food bowl and a big food bowl, fake plants and branches and the hiding log
4: we bought him a big bridge and fake rock to bask on.
5: realized when we got home the tank didn’t have a thermometer or hydrometer. I picked those up today.
6: we got him small crickets. I put a little of the bearded dragon pellets in a bowl but he was not interested. He ate 5 crickets last night but didn’t want to come out today.

He had black streaks this morning and even after the lights had been on for two hours he still wouldn’t come out from under the plants. I gently moved him out and placed him on the bridge. He basked for awhile but then went back to hide.

When I left he was back on the bridge.

I think that’s it

Brenda.
I think



11/09/09  04:06pm

 #2093755


Steven11788
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   Message To: Mommy2emni   In reference to Message Id: 2093732


 Completely confused on lighting...

get ready when the beardie starts eating good, they go through about 60 crix a day, sorry didn’t mean to emply powersun is the best, its just they only kind around here thats easy to get w/o ordering online
11/09/09  04:58pm

 #2094331


Cphill58
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   Message To: Steven11788   In reference to Message Id: 2093755


 Completely confused on lighting...

Mom ,

Both the lizarsds need UVB ... so as was suggested , give the Long tube bulbs to the bearded dragon ....hopefully that is the Reptisun 10.0 ( the better bulb of the 2)

The desert zilla will be plenty for the fence (Blue Belly)...The blue Belly is a day time basking lizard too. And temps need to be around 80-90 max...I used to have them and hand feed the wild ones in my back yard. They will need a cool zone too ...so set the heat light to one side or the other...or cycle the lights on and off so they don’t over heat.

You will get lots of advice on how to care for your dragon ...so I don’t need to go there. But if you have any questions ...just ask.

Cp
11/11/09  09:43am


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