Lighting
Bearded Dragons need their lights to mimic all the good things the sun gives them. These can be divided into 3 things; heat, UVA and UVB.
Heat and UVA - The Basking Light
The light that provides heat and some of the UVA (visible light) is called the basking light. The bright light of the basking light is needed for day-night cycles (12-14 hours on and 12-10 hours off) and to heat the surface of a basking spot to 100-110 degrees F., the optimal temperature for a Bearded Dragon's digestion and necessary for their well-being.
Note on heat: young Bearded Dragons prefer 105-110 degrees F., while older prefer 100-105. That's for the basking spot. They should also have access to a cooler area across the tank from the basking spot, and this is called the "cool side". The cool side should be 70-85 degrees F for all ages.
You can experiment with the wattages till you find one that produces the correct temp gradient. Or you can get a dimmer so that you can use one wattage and adjust with the dimmer rather than switching the bulb out for a lower wattage one all the time. You can also adjust the height of the basking area to get the right temp.
Bearded Dragons do best with a bright white light. In other words, they do poorly if they do not have this type of light. You can get bright white light with a typical household bulb. Most pet stores bulbs do not produce the correct color of light, nor are they generally as bright, so I do not recommend them. I also suggest getting clear household bulbs rather than the white bulbs, as the clear ones are usually brighter and their light is purer. Another good basking bulb you can use are Halogen floods, as these provide a whole lot of heat and a good spectrum of light.
Thermometers
Not all thermometers are created equally. The stick-ons can be up to 20 degrees F. off in either direction. Your best bet for accurate temps is a digital thermometer with probe or an infrared thermometer. You can get really nice ones at Target and Walmart or online. The very best way to test if a thermometer is accurate is checking it against a mercury thermometer (since if they are broken they are poison and they don't usually go up very high, mercury thermometers shouldn't be in tanks permanently). A mercury thermometer is extremely accurate, and if yours shows the same reading as a mercury one, it is too.
Note: You will probably have to change your heating with the seasons, as in spring it will be too hot all of a sudden, in winter too cold. Keep an eye out.
UVB and UVA - The UVB Light
UVB light is needed for your Bearded Dragon to synthesize vitamin D3. Vitamin D3, in turn, is needed to utilize calcium. Without UVB your Bearded Dragon can develop Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD), a nasty disease that involves the weakening of bones. Multiple fractures, breaks, paralyzing, handicaps, and a slow and painful death are some of the results. Other effects of not having a UVB light are lack of appetite, lethargy, and severe stunting of growth.
Some believe that providing D3 in a lizard's diet prevents MBD. However, many studies have been done on this and it has been found that D3 given orally does NOT prevent MBD.
The UVB light should be on for the same amount of time as the basking light.
Interestingly, if you have a fluorescent UVB and a normal basking bulb, the two complement each other so that you have better UVA then either gives alone.
There are three main types of UVB lights. They are Mercury Vapor Bulbs (MVBs), Fluorescent/Linear Tubes, and Compact/Coils.
Mercury Vapor Bulbs (MVBs)
These have the highest UVB output. They have a UVB output comparable to a sunny area, and your Bearded Dragon moves in and out of it to regulate their UVB exposure. MVB's should be roughly a foot away from your Bearded Dragon. The distance varies with the particular lamp chosen. They are only suitable for large tanks, and they need to be replaced annually. Suitable ones are the Megaray (best), the T-Rex, and the Powersun. Of the three, the Megaray and T-Rex are far superior to the Powersun. The Powersun has UVB more comparable to shady areas on a sunny day, rather than full sun. It also has problems with burning out quickly.
Fluorescent/Linear Tubes
These have a decent UVB output. They go through a large part of the tank, so that the UVB is evenly distributed, with an amount of UVB comparable to a shady area outdoors. Linear tubes should be about six inches from your pet. They are suitable for any size of tank, and should be replaced once every five months or so.
Suitable ones are the Reptisun 10.0 (best), the Arcadia D3+ 12% (similar in output to the Reptisun 10.0, but found more often in Europe than in the U.S.), the Reptisun 5.0, and the Reptiglo 8.0.
Note: the 8.0, 12%, etc. are measures of how much UVB is there compared to the total light output, and are fairly useless. What is important are the micro watts of UVB, not the 5.0, 8.0 numbers or the 12%.
Compact/Coils
Compacts/Coils are NOT suitable for your pet. They are mentioned here because there are many currently on the market, and pet owners should be educated about them. They stop producing UVB after a month or two. They also have been linked to health problems. These include eye problems, lethargy, and anorexia. Even respectable companies and models (there is a Reptisun 10.0 compact) have been linked to these health problems. It is wise to stay far away from these bulbs.
Lighting Accesories
Light Timers
Light timers are a godsend. They make things so much easier for the owner. What timers do is automatically turn the lights on and off at certain times, which you can set yourself. They can be found at places like Home Depot and Lowes. Plug them into an outlet, an extension cord into the timer itself, and the lights into the extension cord and then you can have multiple lights on one timer.
Night Lights
Night time heat is only needed if the temperature at night gets below 65 degrees F. The best source of night time heat for Bearded Dragons are Ceramic Heat Emitters (CHEs). CHEs produce no light, only heat. Bearded Dragons are kept awake by many lights, such as those that produce red light, but CHEs don't have this problem. Bearded Dragons can burn themselves on heat pads and heat rocks, so these are not a good solution. Ceramic Heat Emitters, however, work wonderfully.
Dimmers
Note: Dimmers can NOT be used on fluorescents or Mercury Vapor Bulbs.
Dimmers are another godsend. You attach them to the heat light and then you can control the amount of heat and light that it puts out. This allows you to get one wattage and use it all year round, adjusting as the weather changes, rather than to keep putting in and taking out multiple bulbs of different wattages. You can get these at places like Home Depot or Lowes.
Akeath2@yahoo.com