Lighting and Heating:
Proper lighting and heating is extremely important in the care of bearded
dragons. Not having it, and the right levels of it, will almost certainly
lead to very poor health and possibly death. UVB rays are required for most
lizards (and especially bearded dragons) to produce vitamin D3, which is needed
to process calcium, which is in turn needed for bone health and formation.
It seems that one of the most common aliments in pet reptiles is metabolic
bone disease, which in most cases is simply and basically attributed to
poor lighting. Studies also suggest that the right levels of UVB lead to better
coloring, better appetite, better activity, and better mood. Proper heat is
a big requirement for them to, among other things, properly digest food. If
they can't get warm enough, they can digest it, and it can rot in their gut
or lead the way for all other kinds of illness and infestations. Proper heating
also means that they need to be able to get out of the heat, to cooler areas.
Not being able to do so can also lead too poor health and possibly death.
A lizard's cage needs to be a balance of their species temperature range.
For bearded dragons that means that their whole cage should be around 80-85
degrees fahrenheit with a basking spot of around 105-110 during the day. They
need a temp. drop at night because, in their natural environment, which is
desert-like, temperatures fall at night. Usually turning off the lights achieves
this, but be sure to check your thermometer. They need around 12-14 hours
of light a day during the summer, and 10-12 hours a day during the winter.
It's thought by some that brighter lights also benefit them. Never allow their
environment to fall below 60 degrees fahrenheit. Below I'll discuss some of
the options out there...
(picture of balance)
Direct Sunlight: While I believe it's true that nothing
beats the real sun; the sun's rays that are beneficial to dragons get filtered
out when they pass through glass. This means that setting your dragon's cage
by a window WILL NOT give them the UVB that they
need to be healthy. (Even if they do enjoy the view.) So relying solely on
the sun for their needs is, more often than not, impractical. Also, sun going
through glass can heat up a cage, and certainly an aquarium, to unsafe levels.
If you place your cage by the window, check it's temperatures at all times
of the day and during each season: because the angle of the sun changes. In
some parts of the US it is possible to keep your dragon outside at least some
of the time, if not all year. But you will still probably need an indoor set
up in case of bad weather.
(outdoor set up)
Florescent UVB Tubes: These are not regular lighting
tubes. They are made to produce a wider spectrum of "light," your
dragon needs one with high UVB output. Most of these need to be no further
away from your lizard than 6 inches if you wish for them to get thebeneficial
UVB rays; which is kind of a pain actually. Hopefully the individual packaging
will have reliable information on the distance required for each product.
For bearded dragons you should get one with a very high UVB output. 10.0 should
be okay enough, and is about as good as you can get, but more would be better.
These tubes lose 50% of their UVB capabilities every 6 months, so they HAVE
to be replaced every 6 months. They do not produce much heat, and certainly
not enough to keep your dragon healthy, so you will also need a heat light
to accompany them. They are energy efficient, just make sure you use them
correctly. They are good for smaller enclosures, like for that of young dragons,
but for large enclosures I would personally recommend a special Mercury Vapor
UVB Bulb.
Heat Lights: You can buy these in a
pet store, but you might as well save money and buy them at a hardware store.
Heat lights are only good for heat. Some advertise that they have UV output,
but it's usually not UVB, it's UVA. Which is NOT the same thing. UVA is just
a visible light spectrum: it's a fancy term for a normal light bulb. You will
probably only ever have call to use these with a florescent UVB bulb - so
your dragon can get the heat they need -or as cheaper additional heat sources
in a large cage.
Mercury Vapor UVB Bulbs: I like these
a lot for Bearded Dragons in larger enclosures. Years ago my herp
vet recommend I use them and it made a world of difference. Many Zoo's use
them too. They provide basking heat as well as the UVB you can't get from
normal artificial light. These special Mercury Vapor bulbs are not the same
as the little incandescent ones they sell in pet stores as Heat Lights with
UVA output. They're also not the same as the ones they sell for humans. Don't
be fooled, these are very different. They're big, their bright, hot, and they
can do wonders for you dragon's health, color, mood, and appetite. The downside
is that they're probably too hot for small enclosures, so make sure you don't
use these for something like a small baby cage. Studies also show that they
should have decent UVB output for up to a year, so for just a little more
cash, you save money in the long run by only having to buy one a year instead
of two like you would have to with a florescent UVB tube. They also have more
of an output than florescent tubes so, to me, they just seem better from the
start. They are an all in one lighting combo. Use them with a hood that has
a ceramic base, they get very hot. This
site goes into more depth on the science and proven nature of these bulbs.
There is some controversy surrounding these, one strong argument can be found
here.
I really think they are perfect for dragons, but keep in mind that the UVB
and Heat output provided by them may be too much for some other reptile species
and that you should offer a something like a shady cave or box for your dragon
if they feel the need to get out of the light..
Hoods:
If you buy a good hood you should never really need to replace it. If you're
using a bulb that gets really hot, I would suggest a hood that has a ceramic
base. Here's a picture of what they look like. Sometimes you can find them
at hardware stores for a little less than what they're sold for at pet stores.
It's also nice to get one with a reflective surface on the inside so more
light reaches the cage.
Heat Pads and Ceramic Heat Coils: Never
use an electric heat rock... but if you find your dragons cage is getting
too cool at night, I would suggest trying a lizard friendly heat pad that
doesn't raise the temperature more than a few degrees. Don't get one that
stays at a stable high temp. T-Rex makes the one pictured below. It's good
for going under a small amount of substrate, and it only raises the temp slightly
more than the room temperature... Remember, this should never provide more
than an extremely minimal temperature rise because reptiles do not thermoregulate
well through their bellies- the heat normally comes from the sun, so only
their backs are really built to receive it. Their organs can cook, or they
can get burns. Besure to place an electric thermometer on the substrate above
the heat pad so you can tell exactly what temperature your pet is experiencing.
Ceramic heat coils can be used, but they're not good for day
time heat. They're more of a solution if you need to raise the temperature
just a few degrees at night. Please use a light hood with a ceramic base when
you use a heat coil. Also, keep it out of your dragons reach! They can cause
serious burns. I switched between these two options when I lived in an older
house in a colder part of the country- I needed to warm my dragon a little
more at night because I just couldn't keep the house in the optimal range
for her. I ended up just using the heat pad though, it was much easier. I
repeat, use these with extreme caution in the event of unusual circumstances.
Thermometers: I would suggest using
an electric thermometer. The types sold in the aquarium section, like the
little strip ones you can adhere to the side of a tank, or the glass tube
ones, are very often horribly inaccurate. You want one that is accurate to
1 degree and can read high and low temperatures. There are several brands
that seem very nice. Many let you review the highest and lowest temperatures
recorded, which is great if your a little more on the lazy side, like me.
Most of these electric/battery run thermometers also come with a barometer
built in... but bearded dragons do not require strict humidity settings, so
its very likely that the rooms in your home already fit their requirements.
I've read that their range, in the wild, varies between 25% to 70% humidity.
If you live in a drier part of the country, or a place where the humidity
changes with the seasons, these might help you know that you need to mist
or soak your dragon more often though. Make sure you place the thermometer
where the dragon actually is, placing it near the top of the cage, or on the
outside, will not tell you the temperatures your dragons are experiencing.
Don't just trust me, do your own research. I'm not
a vet, I'm just an inquisitive owner.
