Raising a bearded dragon can be quite a complicated thing. One of the major reasons is because you do not often find other pet owners of this exotic animal you can ask questions. This is especially when you compare the statistics with what is obtainable with canine and feline owners.
If you need statistical analysis of the number of bearded dragons and other pet owners, you can visit: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pet-population-and-pet-owner-trends-in-the-us-fish-birds-reptiles-and-small-animals-191262301.html
Because of the scarce resource on bearded dragons, we will be discussing how to get your favorite reptile the right amount of light and heat as this is very important. The essence goes beyond providing illumination for your animals and serves more important purposes.
On that note, let us start by explaining some reasons why you should be concerned about your favorite reptile getting these things.
Why Your Bearded Dragon Needs the Right Heat and Light
Listed and briefly explained below are some of the reasons you should pay attention to your bearded dragon’s exposure to heat and light:
To Aid Digestion of Meals
These reptiles need the right amount of heat and light to properly digest meals eaten.
To Prevent Loss of Appetite
Aside from digestion, beardies are not usually given to eating cold meals. So, whether you are serving him/her a tasty insect, veggie, fruit, or green, you simply cannot play down the importance of heating the meal.
If you are interested in knowing more about why these pets may experience loss of appetite, you can watch this video.
To Improve Activity Level
A good lighting and heating system helps improve the activity level of your pet. As observed with many other kinds of animals and living creatures in general, mobility and activeness improve the chances of being healthy.
This exotic pet is going to exhibit signs of inactivity without this feature appropriately put in place. So, you should pay attention to this if you want your animal happy and healthy.
Prevents Certain Infirmities
By and large, a good heat and lighting system around your beardies tank will ensure s/he is healthy and free from certain kinds of health complications.
So, while you are concerned about feeding your favorite reptile companion the right kind of food, you should also pay attention to this as it is essential.
Knowing the Right Temperature for Beardies
The ideal temperature for young bearded dragons is 100 – 110 degrees, while adults can make do with somewhere around 95 degrees.
As far as the preferred temperature is concerned, age is a major determinant for these reptiles. The younger ones benefit from more UVB light rays and heat compared to adults. This explains the temperature figures shared above.
Temperature Grading for Various Parts of the Tank
The lighting and heating setup will have varying effects on different parts of the tank. However, you have to know how to choose and use a thermometer for this purpose. This is so that the right temperature is focused on the various parts of the tank.
First, you should be intentional about the basking spot as this is where the animal goes to absorb all the light and heat it needs. The heat should be mostly concentrated in this part. You can achieve this by placing the light directly above the basking spot.
We strongly advise that the height of this spot is above the other parts. This means that it should be elevated than every other part of the tank.
Next, you have a hot zone. This is the area that is not too far away from the basking zone. Aside from the basking zone, this area offers more light and heat than any other part of the tank.
Because the temperature of this area must differ from what is obtainable at the basking spot, we strongly suggest a temperature between 85 – 90 degrees.
Lastly, there is the cool side of the tank. As the name suggests, this is the area where the heat is lowest. For this side of the tank, the right temperature should be somewhere around 75 – 80 degrees.
UVB Light
This kind of light is very essential for the wellbeing of your beardies. There are two major options that you can go for. The options are:
· UVB tube light
· UVB coil light
Although they offer pretty much the same kind of light ray, the major difference is the feature that houses the light source. The tube option is bigger because the lengthy tube is designed to cut across a larger portion of the tank when supplying the needed UVB light ray.
On the flip side, the coil option is a lot smaller. The feature that houses it is usually circular with a part where the UVB light can be fitted.
UVB Tube or Coil Light – Which Should You Opt For?
We strongly recommend that you go for the UVB tube light if you can afford it. This is since the UVB light ray is very essential for your beardies growth and overall health. The option can supply this light ray to a larger section of the tank.
So, the UVB light ray will be supplied regardless of the part of the tank where your cherished exotic animal decides to have a nice time.
However, there is still no problem if all you can settle for is the coil option. If this is the case, you should simply ensure that the UVB coil light is focused on that part of the tank where your beardies spend the most time.
About Heat Lamps
When animals are domesticated, the owners must understand the need to offer features and privileges similar to what they get in the wild. This is very important in ensuring that the animals have a happy and healthy life. So, how does this apply to raising a bearded dragon as a pet?
This is important because bearded dragons in the wild grow under certain conditions. One very important aspect of their growth centers on getting the needed amount of sunlight, especially during the daytime.
Since they do not have access to direct sunlight right under your roof, the best alternative is the heat lamp. There are several options and products available. However, the wattage they offer is somewhere between 50 – 150 watts having observed a cross-section of these products.
Before getting anyone of them, you should consider your room temperature, the peculiarities of your bearded dragon’s tank, the age of your pet, and several other things. However, to make the process easier, we suggest you get a product that can be adjusted.
This way, you will not have to bother yourself about changing light bulbs as all that you will be doing is adjusting the heat. You can visit: beardeddragonguidance.com/best-basking-bulbs-bearded-dragons/ for more on this subject.
Conclusion
Lighting is a very important thing to consider when raising a bearded dragon. It goes a long way in ensuring that the pet is as happy and healthy as it can be.
Given its importance, we have discussed subjects revolving around lighting in this article and hope that you make the most of the recommendations shared here.
Leave a Reply