New set up. Any good?

[Ventrata]

I'm looking into getting a Bearded Dragon sometime in the next few months (I live in the UK).

So at the moment I'm just doing some research to make sure I know what I'm doing beforehand.

I was thinking of getting a starter kit. I would be grateful if you experienced keepers could have a look over the contents and let me know what is good and bad about it. And what else I may need.


Vivexotic VX48 Reptile Vivarium, length 48",  depth 18",  height 20"

Lucky Reptile Vivarium Thermo Control Pro II Thermostat - To regulate day and night

Exo Terra Repti Glo 10.0 UVB Tube Light 25W 30in - To provide UVB

Arcadia Dry Vivarium UV Tube Controller 25/30W - To control your UV lamp

Exo Terra Ceramic Wave Heat Lamp Emitter 100W- Extra heat and night time heat

Exo Terra Sun Glo Neodymium Daylight Basking Spot Lamp 75W - To provide a basking spot

2 x Ceramic Bulb Holders* - To hold your basking and ceramic lights

2x Exo Terra Dial Thermometers* - To check temperature in the hot and cold end

Zoo Med Repti Rock Combo Dish pack Small - Bowls for food and water

Zoo Med Habba Hut Large - His place to hide and bask on

2 x Yellow Exo Terra Desert Sand - To provide substrate

I will not be using the sand as a substrate, I have some lovely natural looking textured ceramic floor tiles I can use instead. I believe I will need calcium powder, some kind of vitamin powder and of course some live insects. Anything else I'll need to get started?

Thanks for you help.

Ventrata.

[Mach10X]

Sounds pretty good.  We recommend using Arcadia 12% or zoomed Reptisun 10.0 tubes rather than the SolarGlo (make sure the tube controller will fit ther other bulb).  If you have central hearing and the night time temps don't fall below 65F then you don't need any night time heating.  Also we recommend all daytime heat come from a light bulb (normal household or halogen do fine) using a ceramic heater for daytime heat will cut down on light.  Dragons need a very bright enclosure during the day for psychological reasons and to
Stimulate normal basking behaviours.  You'll also find no need for a thermostat as long as you pay attention to basking temps.  You may want to invest into an infrared temp gun.  If you have lots of extra money I love my solartech SolarMeter 6.2.

If the kit is cheaper than just buying what you need individually then I say go for it, and keep the ReptiGlo as an emergency backup bulb.

[Ventrata]

Thanks for the info.
Pricing things up individually, there isn't much difference in price even with the Arcadia 12% UVB and tube controller to match. So I think I may as well pick and choose the items I need/want individually rather than going for the Starter Kit.
Can't guarantee winter night-time temps in my house would stay above 65F so would need to make sure I had adequate night heating anyway so may also go for the ceramic heat lamp for night use.

I'll give it all a lot more thought and read more on the forum.
Thanks.

[perfectly_flawed]

I've always found that the kits aren't nearly the bargain they seem to be.
The reptiglo bulb is second grade quality at best. The arcadia or reptisun that Mach mentioned are much better bulbs.
Dial thermometers are known to measure as much as 20* off in either direction. They would need to be replaced with digital thermometer with a probe or a temp gun.
Thermostats really aren't the best idea with these guys for daytime use, but can be wonderful for night time heat when it's needed.
The reptile sand is not only unsanitary, it can also be very dangerous to our dragons.
Household light bulbs do the same job as expensive basking lights. I use standard household flood bulbs for all of my dragons. They typically cost about 1/10th the price of a basking bulb.

I suggest just buying the pieces individually. When you consider what you'll need to replace for the dragons well being, it's actually much cheaper. Things like light fixtures, basking bulbs, and even substrate don't need to be specifically for reptiles - which saves you even more money.

[Mach10X]

Ceramic heaters can put lots of heat.  Consider a dimmer for you night heater and keep overnight temps 68-72F

[Ventrata]

Sorry for all the questions but I'm new to all this heating and lighting stuff.
With a 48" long vivarium, would you recommend a UVB tube of 30", 36" or 42"? I see the Arcadia 12% comes in these sizes.
Also is it a good idea to get a tube reflector as well?

It's quite difficult to get ordinary household incandescent light bulbs in the UK now, everything is Low Energy these days. They have been phased out so are not sold in high street shops anymore. They can be bought on the Internet but I've heard these tend to be cheap 'fake' imports that are not reliable. I could be wrong and would love to hear what other UK keepers use, but I may have to just pay the extra and get a basking bulb from a company I can trust. I suppose paying £5 or £6 for a bulb is worth it for peace of mind.
Also, would I be best getting a 75W or 100W heating bulb?

And lastly (for now) You mention a dimmer for the night heater. Can the lamps be bought with dimmers or can dimmers be bought separately and wired in to any lamp fitting?

Many thanks, you have both been very helpful, I am learning a lot.

[Mach10X]

You can buy extension cords with a dimmer built in at most hardware stores.  I'd go with the 42".  And you should still be able to buy halogen bulbs, again check at the hardware store.  Don't forget a timer too.