Bearded Dragon Ailments

Question
QUESTION: We bought a beardie a little over a month ago.  For the last week, he has acted funny.  We have fed him all of the things listed in your web page (crickets, mustard greens).  He eats, uses the bathroom (not runny), but for the last week he acts like he has absolutely no energy.  When we first brought him home he was lively when you held him (tried to run away, etc.).  Now he just lays there.  I have talked to a fellow locally who breeds them, and he walked me through some steps last week when I first noticed the odd behavior.  We thought he might be dehydrated, but I have made sure he is drinking, but the behavior continues.  

We have him on the green astro turf in the bottom of the cage, we dust the crickets with Reptocal, spritz him at least once per day.  For the first two weeks, I had a basking light on the cage for about 10 hours per day, but got worried that he was not getting the necessary UVB rays, so bought the UVB light.  Now for the last two weeks he has the UVB on for about 10 hours per day, but no basking light.  I have a heat pad under the cage which stays on at night.  His cage temperature ranges from 75 degrees F to 85 degrees.  Do you think he's too cool?  What can I do????  

PLEASE HELP!


ANSWER: Hello Penny,

You did the right thing by purchasing the UVB light.  However, which type & brand did you purchase?  Was it a flourescent tube or a compact or coil light?  How close is the UVB light to him?
The problem is that he is not warm enough.  He needs BOTH the UVB & the basking light on.  They need to be on 12 hours for the day & off for 12 hours at nighttime.  
The basking temps should be 95-110 & the cooler end around 78-82.  That is most likely why he is so lethargic.  Is your basking light a bright white one?  A colored one?
Make sure & get him calcium 4-5 times per week with him being a young dragon.
I would turn off the heating pad during the day but you can switch it on at night if you want.  They get enough heating with overhead heating that they don't need undertank heating, plus, they don't have heat sensors on their belly & can get burned easily.
What sized tank is he in?  
What are you measuring the temps with, a stick on thermometer, a digital probe or a temp gun?  
I do need the type & brand of the UVB, thanks.
Let me know how things are going.


Tracie

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you Tracie,
The basking light we have is a bright one one, not colored.  It is a 50 watt.  I measure the temperature on his basking rock and it is 100 to 102.    
The UVB we have been using is a coil and we keep it right on top of the screen on top of the cage kind of at an angle so the bulb is not touching the screen.  I bought it at the pet store (Petco) and it is a Zilla brand.  
He is in a 10 gallon tank right now and he is about 9 inches long (tail included).  I have a digital probe thermometer measuring temps.  
If not being warm enough is the problem, how long should it take for him to start acting normal?  Do you think we have caused any long term problems for him (by the way my son named him Spike).

Answer
Hello Penny,
I am happy to hear that you do have a bright white light.  The digital probe thermometer is great, so your temps are just right no problems there.
However, what the problem is now is your UVB source, I hate to say.  The Zilla or formerly known as ESU light is a very bad & dangerous light.  It emits very low wavelength UVB which is borderline UVC.  The quality of UVB is not good & is not favorable for D3 synthesis.  The only thing keeping him from squinting most likely is the fact that you have screen in between him & the light & you are using a bright white basking bulb.
Here is a report for you to read regarding those particular lights.
http://www.uvguide.co.uk/phototherapyphosphor.htm


The type of UVB light that you need to look for is either the Reptisun 10 flourescent tube or the Reptiglo 8 flourescent tube bulb.  Do not get any of the Reptiglo 10 products right now, as they are still being tested & some have had the photo therapy phosphor coating similiar to the ones that have caused the horrible problems previously.  Also, do not buy any compacts or coils either, as they are very poor quality.
Did you turn the heating pad off during the day?  You can turn it back on at night if it gets cool in there, but they enjoy cooling down at night.  They sleep better that way.  
Here are a few sites you can find the Reptisun 10 from:

www.reptilesupply.com

www.bigappleherp.com

www.petmountain.com

That should get you started.  :-))

Tracie