help with cage setup

Me my mom and my little brother went to a reptile convention today and we came back with a small bearded dragon. I have a heat lamp set up for the basking spot but I bought the bulb from home depot. Will a brooder bulb provide enough heat for the basking spot? Also can I use a fish tank light for the uv light?

Most fish tank lights I've seen don't emit a lot of UV. If you go to the reptile section of your local pet store they'll have the proper UV bulbs. If you have the the fish tank bulb housing, you can use that and just get a desert UV light from the pet store. You'll need to get it very soon though.

What kind of bulb from home depot did you get? Like how many watts, infrared or regular light, etc.

You'll need something to measure temperatures. Probes are good and can be found online and at some pet stores. Read over the caresheet here and you'll off to a good start with your new beardie!

I would just go with a regular 100 watt basking bulb from the pet store. Beardies like it nice and toasty! With hatchlings you may want to provide some heat at night time with a red bulb, maybe 75 watts.

You want your hot spot where they can bask to be 105-110.

What is your set up like, cage size, decor, substrate, etc..?

Young beardies should not be housed on loose substrate, paper towels or shelf liner works best.

They should be able to get within about 6 inches of the basking and UVB bulbs.

I went ahead and bought the bulbs but the basking bulb is only getting to 90 something will that be alright or do I need to lower the light in the cage? I have it housed on newspaper right now with a stick looking thing I bought from the store and a thermostat.

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Originally Posted by trikesorz

I went ahead and bought the bulbs but the basking bulb is only getting to 90 something will that be alright or do I need to lower the light in the cage? I have it housed on newspaper right now with a stick looking thing I bought from the store and a thermostat.

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Yea I would definately lower the light, you need at least 100 degree basking spot, more like 110 will do the trick :gj:

And is it an on/off thermostat? because the basking light needs to stay on all day and doesnt need to keep going off and on all day, which is what most thermostats do, but if it is a rheostat(dimmer) then you will be good

Congrats on the new addition! I have 3 bulbs for my beardie. For daytime, I have a reptiglo UVA/UVB bulb and a basking bulb, then a night time basking light. I recommend whatever you get, make sure you have UVA and UVB, but don't get a compact bulb.

Yes you'll need a different basking bulb. The basking temps need to be between 100 and 110 degrees.

my thermostat is a cheap thermometer with a humidity gauge it's not even electric.

I raised the stick up so he can get closer to the light. Would a under tank heater work for night time or will I have to go with the basking bulb?

Thanks for all the help.

Under tank heaters and heat rocks are bad for beardies because bearded dragons don't feel heat on their bellies so they will get a bad burn. You need to get the basking bulb.

The thermostat doesn't turn any of the bulbs off does it? They need to stay on all day.

Alright I think we have everything down. It has the lights and plenty of food. Thanks for the help.