Reptiles like bearded dragon look exquisite and they are pretty easy to look after too. Many people now love to keep this reptile as a pet in their household. They are calm and manageable as pets. They do not need much attention or elaborate feeding or bringing up the course. If you are thinking of keeping one as your pet, you should be aware that this pet of yours will be a joy to spend time with.
Other than illnesses, bearded dragon keeps a nice and warm company to its owner. They do not bond easily, but when they do, it is fun to see their actions and reactions. They behave in a friendly manner once it is accustomed to the new situation and accommodation. To ensure its liking for its shelter, you must arrange for the naturalistic environment that it had experienced in the wilderness.
UV lights are a must for reptiles like these. The UVA and UVB lights are part of their daily routine and it helps them indigestion, as well as the mites and bacteria, get killed when they come under these rays. So you must keep a source of UV rays inside its terrarium. But to follow if the ray emitter is working properly or not, you need to keep a meter.
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Why UV meter is required for Bearded Dragon?
Keeping the UV ray emitter is not enough to keep the bearded dragon healthy. Remember, they are not human and they are not even very expressive. So when the emitter does not work properly or not. The rays sometimes can be less or sometimes can be more than necessary.
When the rays are inappropriate in amount or quality, it will surely damage the health of your bearded dragon. You will surely not want to mess with that little thing, which you have kept so dearly at the shelter. To make sure that the UV rays are emitting in the proper amount, you need a UV meter. This is the only way you can understand that everything is going good for the bearded dragon.
To compare the light output with the bulb as there is the light index in the UV meter. When the index is 4 to 6, it means the dragon is getting the proper amount of UV rays.
Top UV Meters For Bearded Dragon Reviews
There are quite a few brands that are selling UV meters. We can help you in finding the right one to suit the bearded dragon’s terrarium.
1. Solarmeter Model 6.5R UV Index Meter
The brand solar meter has brought to us a few UV meters which come with different criteria. The one we are discussing is made from ABS polymer compound and thus will not break easily. This is a black coloured set.
This set is able to measure the UV light erythemal and it also shows you the vitamin D spectrum in the UV light that is required for your bearded dragon. You will be able to check the Ferguson Zone chart from the front panel of this UV meter. From 280mm to 400mm you can check the Erythemally weighted rays. The index shows 0- 199.0 UV.
There is a NIST traceable calibration certificate for this product. It is simple to use and you can operate it by a single hand. It shows you the combined effect of UVA and UVB rays. It is power sourced by a 9-volt battery, which is replaceable once it is used.
Pros:
- Effectively works
- Keeps the bearded dragon healthy
- Shows vitamin D spectrum
Cons:
- Expensive
UVC rays are not much helpful for the bearded dragons and sometimes it can cause them to harm too. When the UV bulb gets faulty it may release such harmful rays, and only the solar meter index will show you the amount, so you replace the bulb.
2. Solarmeter Model 6.5 UV Index Meter
This is another UV meter from the same brand but its measuring ability is somehow different. This one measures 280 to 400nm UV from a range of 0-199.9 UV. This gadget includes NIST traceable calibration certificate to make sure that your bearded dragon stays healthy.
This index meter measures 280nm to 400nm erythermally weighted rays. This meter is easy to use and it provides an accurate reading of the UV rays. This meter reads the total UVA and UVB rays. This gadget can measure natural sunlight as well as artificial lighting. Bearded dragon owners will be much helped by this meter.
This one is less priced than the 6.5R version and yet it works moderately well. It will help you to decide the lighting arrangements for the terrarium.
Pros:
- Helpful for the bearded dragon owners
- Measures UV rays accurately
- Bearded dragons are safe when you put this on the terrarium
Cons:
- Need to be calibrated once annually
3. Inc Solarmeter, Solar Light Company
This UV meter measures up to 6.2 and the wavelength is 280 to 320nm UV rays. This is a green coloured gadget. It comes with the calibration certificate as usual. A 9V battery makes it work. This meter makes it easy to understand how much UV ray is needed for the bearded dragon.
This meter checks UV emission of the bulb which is placed near this meter. Also, you can use this meter to check the UV rays of the sunlight. You can check the UV bulbs before throwing them out as some of the bulbs work well even after the expiry date.
This is somehow complicated to use but if you follow the direction you will be able to manage it. No scale is mentioned in the pack but you can get that information from the website of the manufacturer or product ratings on online portals. This is a safe product and will not harm the reptile anyway.
Pros:
- Nice and utility product
- Pocket-friendly price
- Checks the UV rays of bulbs and sunlight both
Cons:
- No direction mentioned in the packet
4. Solarmeter Model 8.0 UVC Meter
This is the product from Solar light company Inc. this is a compact radiometer which can be run singlehandedly. There are various solar meters with different measurement level. A pushbutton is there to offer easy access to its working ability. It operates to work on NIST traceable rays.
You can monitor UV rays via this meter and also decide the age and intensity of the UV bulb. Also if there is any leakage in the lamp fixture you will be able to understand that.
Pros:
- Smart gadget
- Accurately measures the amount of UV rays
- Can be monitored from the frontal screen
Cons:
- Narrow spectrum
5. RCYAGO RGM UVC Reptile UV Radiation Meter
This is a handheld gadget which works perfectly to measures the intensity of the UV lights emitting from the UV bulbs in the terrarium of the bearded dragon. There is also a UVC filter along with this device which can offer cutoff characteristics.
To use this gadget you can press and hold the button present in the front part of this gadget. The sensor window of the top panel should be aimed at the source of the UV radiating source. You will be able to read the measurement in the LCD panel of the gadget.
If you are not sure you can get several readings to be aware of the actual UV reading. The digital AD is of high precision and it displays accurate reading which means you will get only the stable result. It will not be affected by any stray light as well.
You can choose the best angle and distance from the UV source to know how much amount of UV will be reaching your bearded dragon.
Pros:
- Accurate original reading
- Not affected by stray light
- Contains imported sensor
Cons:
- Reading goes off once you take it away from the UV source.
FAQs
How much UV is required for the bearded dragon to stay healthy?
At least 8 to 10 per cent UV rays are needed to keep the bearded dragon healthy. You can get the bulbs which mention the amount of UV ray it emits. This is how you can get the right kind of bulb for your pet. However, you still need the UV meter to know if the bulb is working fine or not.
How long the bearded dragon can stay alive without UVB?
UV rays help the bearded dragon to assimilate vitamin D and thus they can absorb the calcium. Without the vitamin, the bearded dragons can stay normal for 2 days and then they must have UV rays after that. After that, your pet will start falling ill due to bone weakening and energy deficiency.
How long the bearded dragons need to be kept in UV rays?
When the bearded dragon does not get enough UV rays, it will cause them hypoglycemia, which is a disease caused by less consumption of calcium in their body. During the day they are supposed to under the impact of UV rays as it keeps offering them the composition of calcium.
Bearded dragons are creatures that stay under the sun all day long, only at the night, they do not need UV rays. So when they are in their terrarium you must keep the light of UV rays on for the whole day. When it is a night you can switch it off to imitate the natural phenomenon. Also in the night time, the calcium assimilation does not take place in their body.
Conclusion:
Most of the bearded dragon owners now know the importance of the UV meter and they use it to get the better result for their pets. This is much helpful when it comes to take care of the pet and make them healthy in their shelter.
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