Trying different varieties of animals, birds and reptiles for a pet is a natural human nature. The bearded dragon is found to be rather a docile creature and people love it for its manageable lifestyle. They need to be kept in terrarium, which means you need to make the terrarium a good place for the creature to live in happily. Hood is an important part of the terrarium and it makes sense when it comes to choosing the right hood for your dear pet’s well being.
Contents
What are the necessary things to be put in the terrarium of a bearded dragon?
Bearded dragons are among the easily kept pets, so many people with a busy lifestyle sought after bearded dragons when they decide to keep a pet. You can take care of them with minimal effort but lighting and food should be proper if you want it to live for years. Other than these you should also arrange for heating and thermometer to make sure that it stays healthy.
Top 5 Terrarium Hood for Bearded Dragon
Now we can suggest you a few best terrarium hoods that will come handy and easy on the pocket when you start to arrange for a new terrarium for the bearded dragon.
1. Zoo Med Naturalistic Terrarium Hood (18 inches)
There are two colour varieties available for the terrarium hood of this brand. Black and grey are those colour options from which you can choose the right one. This is a lightweight and pocket-friendly item which will not cost you a bomb, yet it will work fine for the bearded dragon terrariums.
It comes with two sockets and each one can consume 60 watts of power. There is an internal reflector that helps to increase the heat and also UV output is reflected and increased in this manner. The hood consists of various naturalistic accessories which are required if you plan to keep the terrarium in a better and appealing way.
The hood is made from special heat resistant quality plastic. It can get warm or even hot when the switch is on for a few hours, but it will not have the chance to melt or cause an accident. It has two switches for two bulbs so you can keep one on and the other off according to your bearded dragon’s necessity.
Pros:
- Nice user-friendly design
- Heat resistant material
- Two separate switches for two bulbs
Cons:
- Some users complain about getting defective pieces
2. Zoo Med Reptisun LED UVB Terrarium Hood
This one is costlier than the previous item of our list, though both come from the same brand. There are certainly a few extra features which we will discuss now. This is an energy-efficient hood which comes with LED lighting as well as UVB light. The UVB lamp is of great quality as it comes from the famous Reptisun brand.
The output of the bulbs is pretty naturalistic and it makes the terrarium a better place to live in. Colour rendering is improved when you use this hood in the terrarium of your bearded dragon. the lighting does not disturb the sleep pattern of the bearded dragon as the blue LED bulb offers a light similar to lunar effects.
One bulb comes with the package which is good as you can promptly start using the hood without bothering to buy a bulb along with it, also it saves your money. Some users complain about loose connections but that can be fixed as that is a small issue. There is no timer system though, which means you need to switch on and off the lights as and when required.
Pros:
- Nice and durable product
- Energy efficient
- Does not disturb the sleep cycle of the reptile
Cons:
- No timer for bulbs
3. Repti Zoo 20 Inch Terrarium Hood
This hood is exquisitely well fitted for the tropical and desert creatures like a bearded dragon. They offer T8 strip light fixtures and you can fix there one 18 inch UVB light bulb. This hood is certified by ETL which means you are buying a product with good trust.
This is a low profile hood with a sleek and modern design. A pretty looking hood which works well with the metal screen covered terrariums. This is convenient lighting for the bearded dragons as the output of the bulb will be pretty high. The switch is placed in easy to access place. You can order a rainforest or desert bulb with this product to use along with.
There is a curved reflector which comes with high polish and thus the efficiency of the bulb gets multiplied. The brand offers one year of quality warranty which means you will get good service from this product for long times.
Pros:
- Strong and durable
- Nice sleek design
- ETL certified
Cons:
- Bulb not included
4. Zoo Med 26362 Reptisun LED Terrarium Hood
This stainless steel made terrarium hood comes from the renowned brand which always offers good quality pet products. This is a fully assembled product and you can readily use it after unpacking. There is a red LED which stimulates the cells of the bearded dragon and energizes them. The blue LED light makes sleeping easy.
The product guarantees 20,000 hours lifetime, which is pretty good. You will get to use this product for months to come, so it will be a good investment for your bearded dragon.
This is a nice looking hood and it works fine for a moderate-sized tank. However, the users who own large-sized terrariums complain that the heat and light are not enough to reach the bottom and all corners of the terrarium.
The light colours are quite exquisite and it will surely be attractive for your pet dragon. the product is high quality and makes the terrarium a nice looking place with its presence.
Pros:
- Nice coloured LED lights
- Compact product
- High output
Cons:
- Does not work for large terrariums
5. Zoo Med Reptisun Terrarium Hood 20”
This is a budget product from this well-known brand of pet supply. It not only covers the need of the small bearded dragon’s owners but also makes the life of the bearded dragon healthy and hearty.
This hood works with a single bulb and it provides ample light to make a medium-sized terrarium lighted and warm. The packaging of the product is great and it will reach you safely and in one piece. While putting on the bulbs make sure that is connected properly with the wires, as loose connections can cause different kinds of accidents.
The hood is designed to streamline and it offers a stylish look to the terrarium. This one is pretty much durable and will last quite a few months. This is a good option for the first time pet owners.
Pros:
- Nice streamlined design
- Durable
- Offers a good amount of light
Cons:
- Bulb receptor is not secured
What is UVB ray?
The normal sun rays contain these special rays with a long wavelength and short wavelength. The short one is called UVB rays and longer is UVA ray. We, humans, are unable to see UVA light but reptiles do. Not only that, they can recognize the food based on the colourings.
However, UVB is not seen by the reptiles but it is effective as it kills all the bacterial and fungus present in their body. It also makes their skin better by improving the skin barrier function. Also, skin immunity gets better with the absorption of UVB rays. The cholesterol present in the food turns to pro-vitamin D3 by the effect of UVB rays.
So UVA and UVB lights are an important part of their healthy lifestyle.
How much UVB ray is needed for the bearded dragon?
When you get the UVB radiation bulb or light for the terrarium of the bearded dragon, check if the bulb emits 8 to 10 per cent of the UVB ray.
This is the adequate amount of ray required for bearded dragon. Also, you need to be sure of the placement of the bulb as this also increases or decreases the amount of UVB radiation. Place the light straight overhead so the bearded dragon can enjoy the full light.
What type of habitat is best for a bearded dragon?
Bearded dragons stay happiest when they are allowed to be in the natural environment. They are originally the creatures of desert or forest. So you must recreate the woodland type atmosphere within the terrarium. Walking through dense bushes and basking on the stones are natural habits of dragons.
Thus you can keep some foliages onto which bearded dragon will ride or move through. Keeping stone is necessary as that will be the basking spot for the dragons.
The terrarium that you get for the bearded dragon must have a good hood to protect the terrarium from outside insects and weather. Also, the hood will keep the dragon safely inside the shelter. While looking for hoods you can get confused as there are too many with different features.
Conclusion
To make the bearded dragon a healthy and happy pet, you must pay special attention to the lighting and warmth. These two factors decide how well the dragon will be in its terrarium. For the indoor enclosures, you need to be extra cautious as in that case, it will be lacking on natural sunlight. Also, you need to let the bearded dragon roam for a few hours outside in your garden, while being watched by you.
