Hi folks, what would be the best equipment as in lighting UV etc, thermostat.. Also what is the most natural habitat decor to set out in the viv for a bearded dragon or is it all down to preference.....

Viv in depth will be 22 inches
44 inches at the back, then it will be angled to fit the contour of the window sill coming out 2ft ..
Front of the viv will be 6ft.


Is it best to have everything on timers as well?
All answers appreciated.

OK thanks for all the replies i presume with the feedback then there is no bad equipment, or certain equipment prefered to others.... Only with being a newbie 9 times out of 10, when i do go out and buy equipment some one will criticize on what i have brought, but remember i have asked... Many thanks anyway..

Sometimes you need more than 4 hours for the right people to find the thread.......

Thermostat wise you will need a dimming thermostat for the basking lamp, you can't really go wrong with Habistat or MicroClimate thermostats.

Lighting wise are fluorescent tube starter will be fine providing it's rated for the correct size bulb. I forget what kind of UVB rating you need for beardies, so some one else will hav to answer that.

Size of viv sounds great and yes usually best to wack everything on timers just so there's no chance of forgetting, plus it gives them a proper day night cycle.

Alot of people use sand with beardies, I have come large flat cobbles under neath the basking lamp to store heat then a large piece of wood for them to clamber on with some fake vines scattered aorund.

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1.0.0 Royal Python
1.0.0 Spotted Python
1.1.0 Amazon Tree Boa's

Paul many thanks for your reply m8, much appreciated.

Repti-glo 10% UVB..

Also, don't bother buying specific reptile basking bulbs, normal household spot bulbs are exactly the same and cost about a pound, compared to £6 they charge in rep shops.

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0.0.9 Bearded Dragons

Hiya

Always good to use timers. then if you are waylaid on way home etc, they still have their routine!. daylight hours should about match what we have, so at the mo ive mine on 12-13 hrs a day. you can pick up cheap timers for a couple of quid, they all work the same.

For spot heat, very important that whatever you use (rep bulb or house bulb) that its on a stat. you dont want to cook your dragons. I only use habistat, and theyve never let me down.

Background heat very important too, but in most houses, you can safely turn all heat off at night. to make sure your heat is accurately measured, i'd invest in a digital laser thermometer - you just point it at the area you want to know the temp of and it tells you instantly, and much more reliable than any other you can buy. you can get them on ebay, @15quid. best thing i ever bought!

As far as decor goes, they are a desert species, so they don't need much in the way of greenery for a naturalistic viv. they will need to bask, both under UV and spot. they also need hiding places, in the hot and cold sides. concrete slabs, roof tiles, branches from garden, rocks. all these are free, and once thoroughly disinfected and clean/free from nasties, are perfect. why spend lots when you can create something unique and for free?!

UV very important too, check out UV Guide UK - Ultraviolet Light for Reptiles - UVB reptile lighting on test for their opinions on the best UV to use for your rep. the tube has to be changed every 6-9mths or it wont kick out the right level of UV, so set a reminder!

Looking forward to seeing your finished viv, good luck !

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3 corns 1 milk 1 rat 3 dwarf boas 1 royal 1 dwarf retic 1 bosc 1 collared 1 leo 1 mdg 2 cats 3 dogs 1 green iguana 1 Cuban boa 1 yemen cham

Many thanks for your in depth explanation, when i have everything up and running i will gladly post pic's of my set up won't be until another 5-6 weeks yet long time i know but I'm sure it will be worth the wait.....