Bearded dragon lighting for hatchlings

Getting lighting right from the very start is the smartest thing you can do for a hatchling — bad lighting is the most common husbandry mistake with bearded dragons, and the damage from incorrect UVB or basking temperatures often shows up as metabolic bone disease weeks or months down the line, by which point it's already serious. At five weeks old, your dragon's bones are developing fast, so there's no margin for error here. To give you the right setup, can you tell me: what size enclosure are you using, what bulbs do you currently have or are planning to use (brand and wattage if you know), and is this a first-time setup or are you upgrading from something?

Perfect — you're in the best possible position because you haven't bought anything wrong yet. For a 4x2x2 with a hatchling, you need two separate light sources: a UVB tube running along most of the enclosure length, and a dedicated basking bulb. For UVB, hatchlings need a 6% or 12% T5 HO tube — I'd go 6% for a 4x2x2 since the basking spot will be fairly close to the bulb at this age. How are you planning to mount the UVB — inside the vivarium or on top through a mesh lid?

Mount it inside if you can — mesh blocks a significant percentage of UVB before it even reaches your dragon, sometimes up to 30-50% depending on the mesh gauge. Inside mounting with a 6% T5 HO means your hatchling gets the UV index it actually needs at the basking distance. The product I'd recommend without hesitation is the Arcadia Dragon Lamp 6% T5 HO — it's specifically formulated for bearded dragons, gives a strong, clean UVB output across the full tube length, and Arcadia are the most consistently reliable UVB brand available in the UK. Get the 39W 850mm size for a 4x2x2. Pair it with a simple 75W halogen flood bulb for basking — not a reptile-branded one, just a standard PAR38 halogen — positioned so the basking surface hits 40-42°C for a hatchling. The Arcadia kit comes with a controller unit that mounts cleanly inside the vivarium. Do you have a temperature gun to check your basking spot accurately?

Not really for basking — probe thermometers measure air temperature, and basking is all about the surface your dragon is sitting on, which can be 10-15°C hotter than the surrounding air. A temperature gun (infrared thermometer) is essential and cheap. The Etekcity Lasergrip 774 is under a tenner on Amazon and does exactly what you need. Point it at the basking slate or rock surface and you'll get an instant accurate reading. This lets you dial in the halogen wattage properly — you might need a 60W or 100W depending on how high you mount it, so having the gun first means you adjust the bulb rather than guessing.

That's the core of it. One thing to add: put both lights on a timer so your hatchling gets a consistent 12-14 hour photoperiod — same on, same off every day. Inconsistent light cycles stress young dragons and disrupt their appetite. A basic plug-in mechanical timer for each circuit is fine. Also mark the date you install the Arcadia tube — T5 HO UVB output degrades before the tube visually dims, so replace it at 12 months regardless of whether it still looks lit. That's the one mistake even experienced keepers make. You're starting this dragon off properly.