Are heat pads safe for bearded dragons and how should I use them?

The fact that you are asking the question demonstrates that you are not being neglectful, so no judgement here. Temperatures exceeding 100F can be dangerous for them, but it definitely depends of Loki's ability to hide in cool areas. If the enclosure allows for good airflow and the hiding places are cool (usually need to be somewhat underground and covered very well, then it would be fine to keep him in the outside enclosure. I would put a thermometer in the hiding places to see if the temp gets below 100F during these really hot days. If they don't get cool enough, then you may consider designing some cooler places to hide, or keeping him inside during the day when temps are above 100. I hope that helps and all is well with Loki.

The tank looks fine, but geckos absorb heat better through their bellies than through their back, as they tend to be more active at dawn and dusk, rather than other lizards that are active during the day and would bask in the sun in the wild.

Thanks for reaching out. Heat rocks are bad. One recommendation is to utilize under tank heat as the background heat source, keeping the environment at 70-75 F 24-hours a day, then an overheat lamp can be set up as a timer to turn on for 12-14 hours/day and raise the day time heat to the appropriate level. Timers work great for the UVB bulb and extra heat. Good luck.

The addition of an under-tank heater can change the temperature of an enclosure significantly. To determine what the temperatures are within Ladon's enclosure, I would recommend utilizing digital thermometers. These should be located on both the warm and cool end of the enclosure, and should be located at Ladon's level (not higher or lower than him). With that information, you can tell if the temperatures are now too hot or not. I would also recommend that you have hides present on both the cool end and on the warm end - this will provide Ladon with choices within his enclosure as well. With the water bowl, this may also be related to his enclosure temperature. I would recommend monitoring for any changes once you have determined if the temperatures are appropriate for his species. You can refer to a care sheet if needed to gather temperature information. I hope that answers your question, and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

An appropriately sized plastic carrier would retain heat much more effectively. Pad the carrier with towels for protection. If you are traveling any distance, consider wrapping a hand warmer in a towel and placing it in the bottom to provide heat.

Thanks for your question about Smaug, and thanks for the photo as well! I think that you have a good start to your set up, and that we can tweak a few items. First, your lighting situation appears adequate - I see a UVB light (please change this bulb every 4-6 months), a basking light, and a ceramic heat bulb. I would ensure that your temperatures are appropriate for this species, and that you are monitoring them using digital thermometers (I think that you see both a digital and analog thermometers currently) at the level of Smaug. Analog thermometers are inaccurate, so I don't recommend using them (also, they are high up on the sides of the enclosure, so they wouldn't be giving an accurate temperature read for Smaug). For the cage furniture that you have, I like that you have places for Smaug to climb and hide. However, I would recommend having a hide on both the warm side of the enclosure and the cool side so that Smaug has choices. Same for the climbing structures. I may have missed a food and water dish in the enclosure - I would recommend that both of these be shallow, and be large enough for Smaug's entire body to fit within them. I cannot tell what type of shavings that you have on the bottom of the enclosure, but the only wood shavings that I recommend are aspen shavings. If they are pine, these can be irritating to the respiratory system. I hope that gives you a place to start, and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

As long as the room temp doesn't drop below 70 F overnight, Lincoln should be fine. A nighttime drop in temps is normal in a beardie's natural environment anyway. Be sure to pick up a spare along with the replacement tomorrow. In a pinch, a hot water bottle wrapped in a hand towel can be used as a heat source.