a bit concerned

[DragonOwner]

Hi everyone i'm a bit concerned about my 5 month old bearded dragon Safira, Since changing the infrared bulb to the ceramic heat emitter for night time heat Safira hasn't been sleeping well. I've often walked in at midnight and shes still awake. When i was using the infrared bulb she slept like a log. I've also now spotted her biting at the sand a couple of times. If i see her biting at the sand i feed her which she happliy eats the crickets which then stops her from biting the sand. I don't know if shes actually eatting the sand or not, Shes still very active,eatting 12 to 15 medium crickets a day, pooing once to twice a day. Her enclosure is fine in temperture 3inches under her basking bulb reaches 52 degrees celsius this is where she mainly basks well not directly under the basking light but beside it ontop of her log which is only 3inches away. Cool side is 28 degrees celsius. I offer veggies everyday she loves bok choi and endive, She eats about 3 mouthfuls a day for 2 days then the next day won't touch her veggies then she starts eatting them again. I give her baths every 4 or 5 days as she gets her water from her veggies. Could she biting at the sand out of anger due to not getting enough sleep? Should i get another infrared bulb since she won't sleep with the ceramic heat emitter? thanks in advance.

 

[bowdnboy]

G'Day dragonowner,

firstly, are the wattages the same, or is the ceramic higher. It may be heating up the enclosure allot more, making her more active, and interested to feed, ie licking the sand. on that also, just be mindfull of compaction if shes eating the sand.

Do you have a UV light in there.

Do you have the heat on at night. if so, turn off. they dont need to be heated at night unless it gets really cold. And even then, with mine, I'll just have it come on for 30min during the night to take the chil off the air. The coller temps help them slow down for sleep.

52 degrees, is pretty hot. I like to keep the spot temp right under the light at around 37-40,

Cheers

 

[DragonOwner]

hi no the ceramic heat emitter is a 75watt her white basking light that i use during the day is a 100watt. If i put a 75watt in her enclosure she spends all day basking. She isn't all that active with the 75watt and shows hardly any interest in food. She has a uvb tube the outback max . She has only did this since using the ceramic heat emitter. Maybe i should go back to using the infrared bulb and see what happens!. I'm afraid it gets like 11-12 degrees celsius in my room at night so i'll feel better using heat at night in her enclosure.

 

[ReptilianGuy]

keep in mind it gets down to freezing in thier natural environment so they can handle the cold just as well as the heat... so night heating isn't really essential. if your worried about warmth during the nite then get a timer and set it to be on for several hours to all day and for 2 half hour periods during the night... they really don't need to be on the heat all hours of the day and night as heat keeps them active. the 75 watt heat emitter should be plenty fine to keep in there at the distance mentioned from the basking spot. also 50+ sounds far to high to have as a basking spot and 3 inches away may only make the basking spot about 45.
but yeah, the behaviour sounds like it's heated so remaining active
good luck

 

[greeny1]

My beardie doesnt sleep much either. How hot is at night in the enclosures warm end?

 

[DragonOwner]

them warm end with the 75watt only get about 27 degrees celsius at night time.

 

[greeny1]

Yeah, if your concerned about it being too cold use a 50w or 25w. Maybe just try that. It could be too hot.

 

[DragonOwner]

Ok silly me i've found out whats keeping her awake my bloody bedroom light its a fluro tube werid thing is i cover the front of the enclosure with a towel so the light doesn't shine in her enclosure. Well it must shine through the towel. Cause tonight i turned off the bedroom light and within a few minutes she was asleep. From now on if i need light in my bedroom i;ll have to use the bathroom light or the heater as it shows off a little light.

 

[greeny1]

My beardies are in my bedroom too (along with nearly all my other reptiles). The light doesnt seem to bother them. Depends I suppose to how often your in there. I'm not often in my bedroom so theres no need to cover them.

 

[reptilefan95]

My pygmy beardie can go to sleep with all his lights on, especially after a hard day crusing around chasing crickets ! Maybe its something to do with the fulro light, perhaps the way the light is given off?