Help, my beardie isn't moving too much!

[eel88]

I have a 3ft by 2ft by 2ft home made cage. The back left has a 100 watt mercery vapor bulb that creates a hot spot of 90 to 100 degrees usally around 96 or so. Then on the right side in the middle on the inside of the cage i installed a regualar ceramic light fixture. I usually have a 100 watt bulb in it but have never really had to use it yet because the temps were always all right. But this past week it has been cold i mean really cold 40 degree or less and night and highs of 54 or so. So i went out and bought a 120 watt spot light but it isn’t making the whole cage too much better. The side of the cage where the light is it gets to around 80 but the other side is around 72 or so. My little girl won’t eat won’t move and just seems lifeless. Its really worring me. I’ve been taking her out when i have a chance warming her up in my hands for around 15 mins and then placing her in a bucket of luke warm water and she gets her color back but still doesn’t act like herself. What do i do, i don’t want to lose her?

[ladywhipple02]

Have you tried a UTH---under-tank heater? A large heating pad under the tank might create enough heat coming off the substrate to keep her warm.


Also, do you have a UVB light for her? Beardie's do require UVB light.

[eel88]

I have a mercury vapor bulb it gives off uvb and heat in one bulb. And ill try a human heating pad with a blanket over top of it and see what happens.

[ladywhipple02]

Keep an eye on the heat... human heating pads can get too hot too quickly sometimes! Might be orth it to return the recently purchased bulb and get a reptile heating pad?


I was just wondering if maybe her listlessness was due to UVB deficiency... but guess not. I hope she gets feeling better!

[chris B]

The cool side is fine, the warm side need's to be quite a bit hotter *as you know lol* are you using the mercury vapor bulb and the 120? or just the 120 right now? since its a homemade cage im assuming its wood or pvc or melimine *sp?* trying adding another ceramic socket, with a bendable socket and but it closer to the basking area. For example attach it about 1ft above the area or so, bend the elbow down, screw the bulb in and viola! you should have highers temps.

Another option would be to build your basking spot up about 1ft *with the MVB you want them to be atleast 12" away* and the temps should heat up from there.

[8b8ll]

http://www.animalnetwork.com/Reptile...earch&cid=3977

A good quote from Her. "If your beardie is not sitting in the hot spot, gaping with its mouth open, then it probably isn’t hot enough."


Mike

[West Coast Jungle]

Is the beardie outside? How old and big is it?

[zimbabwepegasus]

sounds like you need another light.
You could upgrade your MVB to a 160w.
You could get another dome fixture and toss in another heat light or a CHE.
Beardies tend to sense heat from above and tend to climb for their basking site, so I would explore those options before a UTH.

How old is your beardie?
What are you taking your temps with?
What is your cage made of?