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  1. #11
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    Re: Slate under heat lamp in enclosure

    Quote Originally Posted by Cheesenugget View Post
    I don't use thermostats for my lizards, maybe for CHE just because I'm paranoid over the high temps.

    Slate should be fine. I had been looking for slate for years so that I can get that natural look too for my beardie. I use a large brick instead. No matter what you go for, use a temp gun to get as hot as 99F more or less for adults and 100-110F for babies. If it is a little over 100F for adults, it is fine. You should have it hot enough to see your beardie gaping its mouth slightly while basking.

    Most importantly, if your UVB light is on top of a mesh lid, your beardie should be basking about 10-12 inches from the heat source.

    If it gets too hot, your lizard will know to move away. Hence, make sure you have a big enough tank to create an ambient temp for him to choose and cool off.
    It’s the largest I can get at the pet store, the exo Terra 36 wide. Currently she has a carpet and a basking spot about ten inches, maybe nine, from the lamp. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen her gape her mouth though. I’m just super paranoid from horror stories of them getting burnt from too hot stone or metal.

  2. #12
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    Re: Slate under heat lamp in enclosure

    Quote Originally Posted by EldritchPreacher View Post
    It’s the largest I can get at the pet store, the exo Terra 36 wide. Currently she has a carpet and a basking spot about ten inches, maybe nine, from the lamp. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen her gape her mouth though. I’m just super paranoid from horror stories of them getting burnt from too hot stone or metal.
    Yea your big name pet stores will usually carry sizes up to a breeder and no more.

    How big is your girl? Most adult beardies would reach a size where a 4 foot tank would be more beneficial. Mine is about 18-20" and he is a male, so I picked up a ReptiHabitat 75 gallon tank from a local reptile store. You won't find these terrariums at PetSmart, etc. A small female may work in a tank like yours. I use the same one for my male corn snake.

    You can also use a 75 gallon aquarium, which is about 4 foot long and 18" wide/deep. Lots of beardie keepers use these tanks, especially picked up from ads for free or at deep discounts.

    Anyways the main reason for the proper size is to allow proper temp gradient. Your lizard will move back and forth throughout the day to warm and cool off. Cool end should be about 77-80F. If the tank is too small, and the lizard too big, she might have trouble moving far away to cool off. So check your temps.

    I would suggest adding hammocks, like the long hammock sold by Amazon for about $20. Beardies are semi-arboreal so she will enjoy some climbing as well as getting closer to the UVB light.

    I hate carpet. Had them, cleaning is a butt, and you know they are messy poopers. I use tiles for mine. Easy to clean and helps keep nails short.

    Your main concern with beardies is Metabolic Bone Disease. Meaning, make sure your temps are good, your UVB lighting is replaced every 6-8 months and strong enough to go through the mesh lid, and supplement food with D3. The symptoms are subtle and the disease progresses slowly, but the damage is permanent.

  3. The Following User Says Thank You to Cheesenugget For This Useful Post:

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  4. #13
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    Re: Slate under heat lamp in enclosure

    Quote Originally Posted by Cheesenugget View Post
    Yea your big name pet stores will usually carry sizes up to a breeder and no more.

    How big is your girl? Most adult beardies would reach a size where a 4 foot tank would be more beneficial. Mine is about 18-20" and he is a male, so I picked up a ReptiHabitat 75 gallon tank from a local reptile store. You won't find these terrariums at PetSmart, etc. A small female may work in a tank like yours. I use the same one for my male corn snake.

    You can also use a 75 gallon aquarium, which is about 4 foot long and 18" wide/deep. Lots of beardie keepers use these tanks, especially picked up from ads for free or at deep discounts.

    Anyways the main reason for the proper size is to allow proper temp gradient. Your lizard will move back and forth throughout the day to warm and cool off. Cool end should be about 77-80F. If the tank is too small, and the lizard too big, she might have trouble moving far away to cool off. So check your temps.

    I would suggest adding hammocks, like the long hammock sold by Amazon for about $20. Beardies are semi-arboreal so she will enjoy some climbing as well as getting closer to the UVB light.

    I hate carpet. Had them, cleaning is a butt, and you know they are messy poopers. I use tiles for mine. Easy to clean and helps keep nails short.

    Your main concern with beardies is Metabolic Bone Disease. Meaning, make sure your temps are good, your UVB lighting is replaced every 6-8 months and strong enough to go through the mesh lid, and supplement food with D3. The symptoms are subtle and the disease progresses slowly, but the damage is permanent.
    She is in a 36x18x18 which opens from the top but I plan on getting her a front opening one. She’s a mature female who is quite large. I hate the carpet too but I’m too scared of impaction as much first BD died of either impaction or the wasting disease so I kind of have a big fear now. I wanted to give her slate as it was a nice way to keep everything warmer and looking natural while also keeper her nails down because she scratches me a lot. I have a uvb on the left side and a basking lamp on the right with a green hammock that she spends most of her time in underneath it. Her water and food dish are on the left side as well. She seems like she wants out more but with her nails it isn’t as easy for me due to my job, she also tries to escape to places I can get her a lot or is dangerous for her. That’s part of the reason I want to make her a naturalistic enclosure so she can feel more at home in it and have more to do besides run around a box. I thought I found the perfect thing with the slate but someone pointed out that it could get extremely hot for her.

  5. #14
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    Re: Slate under heat lamp in enclosure

    Quote Originally Posted by EldritchPreacher View Post
    She is in a 36x18x18 which opens from the top but I plan on getting her a front opening one. She’s a mature female who is quite large. I hate the carpet too but I’m too scared of impaction as much first BD died of either impaction or the wasting disease so I kind of have a big fear now. I wanted to give her slate as it was a nice way to keep everything warmer and looking natural while also keeper her nails down because she scratches me a lot. I have a uvb on the left side and a basking lamp on the right with a green hammock that she spends most of her time in underneath it. Her water and food dish are on the left side as well. She seems like she wants out more but with her nails it isn’t as easy for me due to my job, she also tries to escape to places I can get her a lot or is dangerous for her. That’s part of the reason I want to make her a naturalistic enclosure so she can feel more at home in it and have more to do besides run around a box. I thought I found the perfect thing with the slate but someone pointed out that it could get extremely hot for her.
    Lots of beardie keepers use slate with no issues. It is all about checking your temps. Another option is stacking bricks like I do (Only because I can't find slate in my area) or tiles, if you want to keep the basking spot an area where she can climb up to keep her nails trimmed.

    Here is the thing: your beardie should not want to get out of the cage or 'tank surfing' other than it is breeding season or 'spring fever' which is common around March-May. Beardies would run around the tank, not wanting to eat as much and trying to get out because they are looking for a mate. That can happen a lot to some beardies, not so much for others. If your temps are correct like I previously mentioned, and she is healthy, she is probably going through her mood. Just make sure to offer her some food every other day, keep an eye on her and let her do her thing. It should stop soon. Mine did that last month for 3 weeks and he is back to normal now.

    Second reason it could be your tank's temps are too hot, too cold, too small and/or she needs to lay eggs. Females can lay without a male, so a lay hide should always be provided in case she needs it. If she is not provided that, and she needs to lay, the eggs can get stuck inside her and burst. This happened to my last beardie who I adopted after she had this happened to her, because her last owner did not know to provide lay boxes for her.

    Once you rule out the above, you should know what is wrong with your lizard or if it is normal behavior. Changing the 'look' of the tank might not stop her from tank surfing if she needs more space or the tank is too hot.

    I think it is a great idea to add enrichment in any reptile's enclosure. The green hammock, which I have too, is imo too small for a large beardie. Look into adding more hammocks, more climbing items, cheap plastic fake plants (away from the hot spot), etc. I line river pebbles across the front of my tank and Aegon would run around on them when he is about to poop. Whatever you do, no loose substrate.

    Lastly, yes, the nails are sharp. Even the tiles and bricks don't help much with my beardie nails. Trimming can be done, and I had tried, it is difficult for a nervous lizard and imo not worth it, because you can't trim much without reaching the quick (blood vessel), and the nail grew back in days. I place my lizard on a towel and I hold him like that when we go sunning outside, or he climbs on my shirt.
    Last edited by Cheesenugget; 05-18-2020 at 12:29 AM.

  6. #15
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    Re: Slate under heat lamp in enclosure

    Quote Originally Posted by Cheesenugget View Post
    Lots of beardie keepers use slate with no issues. It is all about checking your temps. Another option is stacking bricks like I do (Only because I can't find slate in my area) or tiles, if you want to keep the basking spot an area where she can climb up to keep her nails trimmed.

    Here is the thing: your beardie should not want to get out of the cage or 'tank surfing' other than it is breeding season or 'spring fever' which is common around March-May. Beardies would run around the tank, not wanting to eat as much and trying to get out because they are looking for a mate. That can happen a lot to some beardies, not so much for others. If your temps are correct like I previously mentioned, and she is healthy, she is probably going through her mood. Just make sure to offer her some food every other day, keep an eye on her and let her do her thing. It should stop soon. Mine did that last month for 3 weeks and he is back to normal now.

    Second reason it could be your tank's temps are too hot, too cold, too small and/or she needs to lay eggs. Females can lay without a male, so a lay hide should always be provided in case she needs it. If she is not provided that, and she needs to lay, the eggs can get stuck inside her and burst. This happened to my last beardie who I adopted after she had this happened to her, because her last owner did not know to provide lay boxes for her.

    Once you rule out the above, you should know what is wrong with your lizard or if it is normal behavior. Changing the 'look' of the tank might not stop her from tank surfing if she needs more space or the tank is too hot.

    I think it is a great idea to add enrichment in any reptile's enclosure. The green hammock, which I have too, is imo too small for a large beardie. Look into adding more hammocks, more climbing items, cheap plastic fake plants (away from the hot spot), etc. I line river pebbles across the front of my tank and Aegon would run around on them when he is about to poop. Whatever you do, no loose substrate.

    Lastly, yes, the nails are sharp. Even the tiles and bricks don't help much with my beardie nails. Trimming can be done, and I had tried, it is difficult for a nervous lizard and imo not worth it, because you can't trim much without reaching the quick (blood vessel), and the nail grew back in days. I place my lizard on a towel and I hold him like that when we go sunning outside, or he climbs on my shirt.
    So her surfing goes on and off so I’ll try to tend to her needs. What size of hide should I get as she currently has her hammock and now I feel bad for not giving her a hide for her eggs and in general. How can I regulate her temps better as all I have are her two lamps but I don’t know how to keep temps constant as I thought the bulbs could only do so much. I feel like I’m not doing enough for her but I’m trying my best. So I guess what I need now is a hide size, how to regulate the temps, and any knowledge that general research can give.

  7. #16
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    Re: Slate under heat lamp in enclosure

    Quote Originally Posted by EldritchPreacher View Post
    So her surfing goes on and off so I’ll try to tend to her needs. What size of hide should I get as she currently has her hammock and now I feel bad for not giving her a hide for her eggs and in general. How can I regulate her temps better as all I have are her two lamps but I don’t know how to keep temps constant as I thought the bulbs could only do so much. I feel like I’m not doing enough for her but I’m trying my best. So I guess what I need now is a hide size, how to regulate the temps, and any knowledge that general research can give.
    Let's go back to basics. What is your hot spot temp? Cool end temp? Use a temp gun to measure your temps. Do not go check temps by the feel of your hand: it is not accurate

    What brand and type of UVB lighting are you using (T8 or T5)? Is it on top of a mesh lid or inside the tank?

    You can pick up a kitten litter box or small plastic container that is large around for her to go in, turn around and dig without being too crowded. If she wants to lay eggs, it has to be comfortable for her. Use play sand as laying substrate. Here is a thread from the bearded dragon website with details on what to do:

    https://www.beardeddragon.org/forums...p?f=75&t=96976

    FYI, that website has a lot of experienced keepers who are very nice and helpful, if you ever need more help or questions.

  8. #17
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    Re: Slate under heat lamp in enclosure

    Quote Originally Posted by Cheesenugget View Post
    Let's go back to basics. What is your hot spot temp? Cool end temp? Use a temp gun to measure your temps. Do not go check temps by the feel of your hand: it is not accurate

    What brand and type of UVB lighting are you using (T8 or T5)? Is it on top of a mesh lid or inside the tank?

    You can pick up a kitten litter box or small plastic container that is large around for her to go in, turn around and dig without being too crowded. If she wants to lay eggs, it has to be comfortable for her. Use play sand as laying substrate. Here is a thread from the bearded dragon website with details on what to do:

    https://www.beardeddragon.org/forums...p?f=75&t=96976

    FYI, that website has a lot of experienced keepers who are very nice and helpful, if you ever need more help or questions.
    Sorry for the late reply but I’ve been going through thermal guns because they are reading low. Every one of my tanks thermometers read about them degrees higher than my thermal guns and I’ve tested it on myself compared to a thermometer used to take temps medically. It all shows higher than the guns. What ones do you use to get accurate temps?

    I have a T5 uvb and a 100w basking lamp that her hammock rests under. I can
    get a higher wat one tomorrow if need be.

    Im also looking into setting up a lay box for her just in case as well using the guide on the bearded dragon site you gave.

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