Supplying Light for Bearded Dragon Cages
Providing sufficient light for bearded dragon enclosures is critical in regards to sustaining optimal health within your pet. Most owners provide some sort of light to their lizard, but a lot of them are just trying to "get the cage hot." Many don't know what the correct temperatures should be, the best way to check them, or their scr888 importance. It's also very common to find owners who don't have a source of UV light for their dragon, which will eventually lead to severe health issues. Fact is, the Pogona vitticeps needs a full spectrum UV bulb,
basking light and the correct heat gradient throughout their habitat to keep them healthy and happy.
UV light produces the vitamin D3 within the beardie's body. It is D3 that enables calcium to be absorbed into their bones to keep them strong. If a lizard is deprived of vitamin D3, then he is not absorbing calcium. If no calcium is being absorbed, eventually metabolic bone disease will set in. To prevent this painful disease, you want to have a fluorescent UVA/UVB bulb that spans the entire length of your cage. This light should be no further than 8-12 inches from your pet and should be replaced every 6-12 months to maintain optimal UV output.
You need a basking bulb that is able to kick out temperatures up to 115 degrees Fahrenheit. This basking area should be around 110 F for babies and closer to 100 F for adults. This allows them to properly regulate their body temperature and digest their meals in a timely manner. If a meal sits inside of their stomach too long, bacteria levels will increase to a dangerous level and a trip to the vet will be required. There are many different basking bulbs to choose from, and which will best suit your needs depends on many different factors. Test out a couple different brands and adjust the distance of the bulb from the basking area until you reach the desired temperature.
How exactly do we know what the temperatures are? Very good question. An ideal habitat has a temperature gradient from 95 F on the warm side, to around 80 F on the cool side, plus the basking area. Get yourself an indoor/outdoor thermometer. These are fairly cheap and they give you a digital read-out of two areas in the cage along with humidity at all times. You may need to get an additional colored heat bulb, or a ceramic heat emitter to obtain the correct climate.
There are a few items to consider that will make the whole process a bit easier. The first thing everyone should get is a light timer. I found one for around $3 and I never have to manually turn the lights on/off, unless I am accessing the cage. The second item I recommend is a "temp gun". This is an infrared digital thermometer that takes a precise reading of any surface with the click of a button. If you have deep pockets or plan on getting multiple beardies someday, you might want to save up and get yourself a UV meter for around $250. This will let you know exactly when your UV light needs replaced. Sometimes they will last much longer than the box says.
Supplying sufficient light for bearded dragon cages is crucial. Without it don't expect to have a very active lizard for very long. Their well-being depends on UV lighting, a good heat gradient, and a nice hot basking area. As long as you adhere to the simple guidelines, and are feeding your lizard correctly, you can be assured that they will be in the best of health for years to come.
UV light produces the vitamin D3 within the beardie's body. It is D3 that enables calcium to be absorbed into their bones to keep them strong. If a lizard is deprived of vitamin D3, then he is not absorbing calcium. If no calcium is being absorbed, eventually metabolic bone disease will set in. To prevent this painful disease, you want to have a fluorescent UVA/UVB bulb that spans the entire length of your cage. This light should be no further than 8-12 inches from your pet and should be replaced every 6-12 months to maintain optimal UV output.
You need a basking bulb that is able to kick out temperatures up to 115 degrees Fahrenheit. This basking area should be around 110 F for babies and closer to 100 F for adults. This allows them to properly regulate their body temperature and digest their meals in a timely manner. If a meal sits inside of their stomach too long, bacteria levels will increase to a dangerous level and a trip to the vet will be required. There are many different basking bulbs to choose from, and which will best suit your needs depends on many different factors. Test out a couple different brands and adjust the distance of the bulb from the basking area until you reach the desired temperature.
How exactly do we know what the temperatures are? Very good question. An ideal habitat has a temperature gradient from 95 F on the warm side, to around 80 F on the cool side, plus the basking area. Get yourself an indoor/outdoor thermometer. These are fairly cheap and they give you a digital read-out of two areas in the cage along with humidity at all times. You may need to get an additional colored heat bulb, or a ceramic heat emitter to obtain the correct climate.
There are a few items to consider that will make the whole process a bit easier. The first thing everyone should get is a light timer. I found one for around $3 and I never have to manually turn the lights on/off, unless I am accessing the cage. The second item I recommend is a "temp gun". This is an infrared digital thermometer that takes a precise reading of any surface with the click of a button. If you have deep pockets or plan on getting multiple beardies someday, you might want to save up and get yourself a UV meter for around $250. This will let you know exactly when your UV light needs replaced. Sometimes they will last much longer than the box says.
Supplying sufficient light for bearded dragon cages is crucial. Without it don't expect to have a very active lizard for very long. Their well-being depends on UV lighting, a good heat gradient, and a nice hot basking area. As long as you adhere to the simple guidelines, and are feeding your lizard correctly, you can be assured that they will be in the best of health for years to come.
Comments
Post a Comment