Bearded Dragon enclosure lighting situation for evening ON or OFF??

[JamesJ]

I've recently purchased myself a leatherback bearded dragon. I keep a red heat lamp on during the day (and also a UVB) but my question is should the heat lamp be switched off at night?
For now I've installed one of those purple lights for at night to keep the flow. What is recommended? I've been googling this and seen many different answers. Your answer would be much appreciated.

Thanks

James

 

[marksmates]

I've recently purchased myself a leatherback bearded dragon. I keep a red heat lamp on during the day (and also a UVB) but my question is should the heat lamp be switched off at night?
For now I've installed one of those purple lights for at night to keep the flow. What is recommended? I've been googling this and seen many different answers. Your answer would be much appreciated.

Thanks

James

Hi James i'm not sure what the done thing is on here as i havent been on for a few years but i have my UVB on 12 hrs a day and me heat lights (RED glob) on all the time. Mine are 8 years old and been doing that the whole time! Hope that helps

 

[Grogshla]

mate this is totally the wrong setup.

Keep the UVB10 light on during the day (this should be close to the dragon and remember UVB doesn't travel through glass so light might have to be inside the enclosure)
Then have a white (not red) basking bulb on during the day also. The basking area should be 45celicus.
Dont have any light on at night. If temperatures get really low (under 10 celcius) then use a Ceramic Heat Emmitter at night.

 

[JamesJ]

mate this is totally the wrong setup.

Keep the UVB10 light on during the day (this should be close to the dragon and remember UVB doesn't travel through glass so light might have to be inside the enclosure)
Then have a white (not red) basking bulb on during the day also. The basking area should be 45celicus.
Dont have any light on at night. If temperatures get really low (under 10 celcius) then use a Ceramic Heat Emmitter at night.

Thanks for your advice!
So what exactly is wrong with having a red heat light and white UV bulb in the enclosure? This is what's been advised in the pet shops..

 

[Grogshla]

pet shops will tell you anything to make a sale.

You need to replicate natural conditions for your dragon. A bright white light will resemble the sun. Easier for them to identify where the basking spot it, better for their eyes, looks better and the normal basking bulbs are way cheaper. You can get them from woolies or bunnings for 4-5 bucks. Pet shops try and flog off red bulbs or infa red bulbs coz they are like 30-50 bucks. Rip off.

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Hi James i'm not sure what the done thing is on here as i havent been on for a few years but i have my UVB on 12 hrs a day and me heat lights (RED glob) on all the time. Mine are 8 years old and been doing that the whole time! Hope that helps

then you have had the wrong setup for 8 years. Congratulations.

 

[JamesJ]

pet shops will tell you anything to make a sale.

You need to replicate natural conditions for your dragon. A bright white light will resemble the sun. Easier for them to identify where the basking spot it, better for their eyes, looks better and the normal basking bulbs are way cheaper. You can get them from woolies or bunnings for 4-5 bucks. Pet shops try and flog off red bulbs or infa red bulbs coz they are like 30-50 bucks. Rip off.

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then you have had the wrong setup for 8 years. Congratulations.

Cheers for tht! how much heat does a basking bulb emit? similar heat to a red lamp?

 

[marksmates]

Haha Thanks mate ya just reminded why i left here in the first place! My beardies are happy and healthy and have produced many happy healthy off spring! Pretty good for someone doing it all wrong hey

 

[Beans]

Everything should be turned off at night. Even the heat. Beardies really need a day night cycle so its best to switch everything off. Beardies have a third eye on the backs of their heads that sense day and light.

For example one time I forgot to turn my bearides light off and he was still awake at 12pm at night. They are fine without heat during the night, don't worry they are tough.

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Yeah because of thier 3rd eye sesnsor thing they need a bright white light, not a colored one as it represents the sun.

 

[kingofnobbys]

Everything should be turned off at night. Even the heat. Beardies really need a day night cycle so its best to switch everything off. Beardies have a third eye on the backs of their heads that sense day and light.

For example one time I forgot to turn my bearides light off and he was still awake at 12pm at night. They are fine without heat during the night, don't worry they are tough.

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Yeah because of thier 3rd eye sesnsor thing they need a bright white light, not a colored one as it represents the sun.

Lights, sure , have them on a timer so they automatically get switched off for their night cycle.

It's debateable if giving beardies no access to heat overnight (especially in winter if they aren't brumating or young) is good for them or not. In the wild beardies will find a hollow or hole in the ground or crevice in the ground or between rocks and will be insulated from frosts and cold overnight conditions, IMO (humble as it is and not expert) there is no harm in providing a nice warm refuge for your beardie overnight, the beardie will take advantage of it, the warmth, if it needs it and if it's provided very localised by a heatpad.

I've used MVBs , expensive and not terribly reliable (the ones I bought from the local e-shops) , I've resorted to reflector style spot globes available from places like Mitre10 and Bunnings and gone back to good quality BRAND NAME compact fluorescents (found the cheaper no brand ones were less than reliable) to provide UV A and B. My lights on an a simple timer .

 

[JamesJ]

Thanks! I also forgot to mention mine is 4 months old so I need all the advice I can get to raise it to a healthy living specimen.

 

[kingofnobbys]

If only a juvenile (4 months old) if you want to give "him" a good start , my personal experience and recommendation is to keep him awake (no brumation this winter) and warm over winter.

Lot of comments above more relate to adult beardies (who are tough as nails) and can more easily cope with wide daily temperature variations.

He should also be getting greens and veg (chopped / diced so no pieces are bigger than the distance between his eyes) offered daily (and dusted with Ca powder too) . I was feeding crickets and silkworms to my 2 beardies 2x per day at 4 months old.

 

[JamesJ]

If only a juvenile (4 months old) if you want to give "him" a good start , my personal experience and recommendation is to keep him awake (no brumation this winter) and warm over winter.

Lot of comments above more relate to adult beardies (who are tough as nails) and can more easily cope with wide daily temperature variations.

He should also be getting greens and veg (chopped / diced so no pieces are bigger than the distance between his eyes) offered daily (and dusted with Ca powder too) . I was feeding crickets and silkworms to my 2 beardies 2x per day at 4 months old.

Cheers for that advice! I was gonna ask...as for the evening I switch to a 72 watt purple moon light halogen bulb for over night use with sits around the 27-30 degree mark. I do this only because the red light is far too intense in my room. For a young beardie...it's normal for it to sleep overnight right?

 

[kingofnobbys]

Cheers for that advice! I was gonna ask...as for the evening I switch to a 72 watt purple moon light halogen bulb for over night use with sits around the 27-30 degree mark. I do this only because the red light is far too intense in my room. For a young beardie...it's normal for it to sleep overnight right?

No enclosure lights at night time .Save your money.

My uninformed advice (based on my own experience limited to raising 2 beardies from 8 week old babies to happy healthy 3 year olds) is buy a cheap on off thermostat (they only cost about $14 online) and 7W no frills heatpad (not one of those dodgey green things) and sandwich it between some tiles and attach the t/stat's temp probe to the top and put a hide on top (set it to give 37- 38[SUP]o[/SUP]C) and run it 24/7 , the little beardie will retreat into the nice dark and warm hide overnight to sleep and if it needs the warmth of it's own accord. Some nights (in summer he'll sleep in the cool area of the enclosure or on a branch , when it's cold overnight he'll probably choose his nice warm hide. I put my heatpad and hide at the basking spot, so my beardies go there to bask on top the hide after feeds too and seem to really like their warmed hides.

Some people throw a bed sheet over their beardie's enclosures to encourage them to sleep at night in brightly lit or busy rooms. One of mine is a real night owl, will often be awake and watching the TV from his enclosure at 11pm even later if I'm up. If I turn off all the lights in the room , he will give in and go to sleep. Is OK, he'll just sleep in next day or he'll crash early for a few nights after a series of late nights (just like a kid will when they resist sleep).

 

[JamesJ]

No lights at night time .Save your money.

My uninformed advice (based on my own experience limited to raising 2 beardies from 8 week old babies to happy healthy 3 year olds) is buy a cheap on off thermostat (they only cost about $14 online) and 7W no frills heatpad (not one of those dodgey green things) and sandwich it between some tiles and attach the t/stat's temp probe to the top and put a hide on top (set it to give 37- 38[SUP]o[/SUP]C) and run it 24/7 , the little beardie will retreat into the nice dark and warm hide overnight to sleep and if it needs the warmth of it's own accord. Some nights (in summer he'll sleep in the cool area of the enclosure or on branch , when it's cold overnight he's probably choose his nice warm hide. I put my heatpad and hide at the basking spot, so my beardies go there to bask on top the hide after feeds too and seem to really like their warmed hides.

Thanks!
I do have a decent heat mat but recently with the enclosure i have I've been relying on the lights because my beardie climbs up the 3D wall backing and clings to that or even to the top and sleeps on it. Of a night I do hear it move a little bit but my concern is (coz it looks awkward when it sleeps clinging to a rock wall) can the beardie fall or slip off during it sleep?

 

[kingofnobbys]

Thanks!
I do have a decent heat mat but recently with the enclosure i have I've been relying on the lights because my beardie climbs up the 3D wall backing and clings to that or even to the top and sleeps on it. Of a night I do hear it move a little bit but my concern is (coz it looks awkward when it sleeps clinging to a rock wall) can the beardie fall or slip off during it sleep?

Doing that because it's seeking the warmth (and heat rises).

Maybe you should take his wall off him (for now) if you are worried he'll fall off in his sleep. Better safe than sorry. There are beardie hammocks available online (some people and beardies) sware by them.

 

[dragonlover1]

Okay James you have read all the conflicting advice above,some I agree with and some is downright drivel!
1- YES - you should have a bright white light (it looks like the sun) DEFINITELY NO RED LIGHTS
2 -YES - you should keep babies awake for their first winter (to help them grow up big and strong) but NO night lights.Despite a lot of people saying lizards can't see red lights,they can--how would you like a light on all night keeping you awake.Heat cables under the sand or CHE (ceramic heat emitters) will do the job if necessary
BUT babies are not necessarily weaker than "tough as nails adults",if they were they would not grow up to be adults !
1 of the above claims to have successfully raised 2 beardies but we know he kept 3 beardies in tubs for more then 12 months with his ridiculous claims that a heat pad under tiles was as good as a heat lamp,what happened to your other beardy Rob? We know who you are despite your new name.
3- YES- dragons should have a day/night cycle,they definitely can survive this way....think about nature...it's a no brainer

 

[Grogshla]

^ agreed.

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Haha Thanks mate ya just reminded why i left here in the first place! My beardies are happy and healthy and have produced many happy healthy off spring! Pretty good for someone doing it all wrong hey

Just coz your dragons haven't died doesn't mean that they are thriving. Do some research mate. You think you know best?? you dont!!! We are trying to offer help. Do beardies basking under Blue or Red bulbs in the wild? No!!!! They bask under the white sun for warmth and uvb. We need to offer UVB and White basking lamp for them to be best provided for.
If you don't like the forum then leave again. Means nothing to me.

 

[Beans]

I actually had a colored light when I first got my beardie. Was told they can't see colored light. So I used it and he started getting lethargic during the day. Found out it was because the light was on at night so I got rid of it. It was disrupting his sleep.

Once I turfed it he was back to his happy lil self again. They really do need a bright white basking light. It's so so so important for the best health of the beardie. They absolutely NEED day/night cycles. I also suggest not brumating him for the first year. This won't harm him and it will make sure he is nice and fat and big for the next winter if you brumate him. You CAN have under stank heaters like cords etc, but I have the ones they just bask under because that eliminates any risks or burns or anything IF they should happen.

Despite what other misinformed people on here tell you beardies are not communal like I think pygmies? Are. Please don't house multiples in one space UNLESS you want to breed them. It can go very very bad, in the blink of an eye.

Other than that, @Grogshla and @dragonlover1 have hit the nail on the head. They are more lizard keepers than snake keepers (I think) and they know their stuff