Beardie Advice?

lorlor · July 2010

Hey there =] I recently got a baby bearded dragon and was wondering if anyone here had/has one and has any advice on caring for him. We were told that he is only a few weeks old. He's only about 5 inches long and is the cutest thing. The person at the store didn't seem interested in helping us, but I've looked all over and read all about them and I know you guys love to help with animals. Soo, I decided to post. =P Anyway, any advice/questions/etc. are welcome and appreciated! Also, his name is Zephyr, pronounced like Zuh-fear. Aaaand, pictures: <a href="http://i26.tinypic.com/v6u820.jpg"; target="_blank" class="bb-url">One.</a> <a href="http://i25.tinypic.com/24wulc5.jpg"; target="_blank" class="bb-url">Two!</a> Thank you for any help! =]

Garnet · July 2010

Okay, honestly I know nothing about them so this post isn't any help.. But.. HE IS FRIGGIN ADORABLE!!! I want one now D=

lorlor · July 2010

Hahah, thank you! We're getting him a bigger cage today =]

Garnet · July 2010

update pics? =D

lorlor · July 2010

Of the cage? It's ugly right now, it only has newspaper on the bottom for now. We're going to the store tomorrow to get better substrate because we only had enough for the smaller cage =] But it's a 30 gallon long.

Garnet · July 2010

Ooooh =D Well, he's still super adorable *steals and huggles him*

RoyalRaccoon · July 2010

I currently own 2, and used to rescue them(among other reptiles) when I had the money and time to spare. For the most part they are very strong, and very friendly. Definitely the perfect beginner reptile if you can afford all the stuff that goes into them. Here's some of the basics I can tell you about owning them: Cage: Ideally an adult dragon should be housed in something no smaller than a 3 foot tank(40 gallon breeder). I favor 60 gallons, which is what my male is housed in. I house my female in a 20 long, but she's severely impaired due to really bad care. Your 30 long will probably last you up until about 6-8 months, and then you really need to get a bigger cage. Also, make sure your cage has a screen top, or you could run into some serious heat and humidity problems. Substrate: Don't use loose substrate, especially on a growing dragon. I honestly, don't see why people use it, unless they have a gravid female. Paper towels, reptile carpet, and/or ceramic tiles are your best option. Reptile carpet and ceramic tiles are washable, thus making them reusable and cleaner. I put ceramic tiles, from Home Depot, in my cages. They cost me less than $1 each, hold heat, and can be "thrown" in the sink when dirty. You can use grout them in if you want, but I prefer to be able to remove individual tiles. Measurement: Get yourself at least one digital probe thermometer and hygrometer(humidity gauge). Some companies actually make 2-in-1 devices, so you don't have to buy them separately. Those cheapo stick on strips and dials are completely worthless. A hygrometer wouldn't necessarily be required if you live in a dry climate, because it's always better to be too dry, than too moist with dragons. Heating and Lighting: In a 30 gallon, a 50 watt basking bulb is probably going to be more than enough. You want temperatures to be about 100, give or take a few degrees, in the basking hot spot. You'll want your cool side to be about 75-85 degrees. If your nighttime temperatures are dropping below 60, you should invest in a ceramic heat emitter. They release no light, only heat. Avoid heat rocks and heat pads if possible. I don't like under tank heaters, but when used properly they can be safe. Also, make sure any heat emitting bulbs are in appropriate ceramic socket and metal lamps, or you could cause melting, which could then cause fires. *I can't stress this enough, UVB is one of the most important things for your BDs health. Do not try to be cheap(as in, not buying or replacing them on time) about it, because it will effect your dragon's health greatly.* For UVB I highly recommend Reptisun 10.0 UVB fluorescent bulbs. From what I've heard and seen, they are the best out there for BDs. I don't believe Petsmart carries them, and my local Petco wants $50 a bulb. I order mine only from Big Apple Herpetological for half that. Buy a T-12 fixture that appropriately fits over your cage, and then make sure the bulb you get fits in it( a 24 inch bulb housing unit won't necessarily use a 24 inch bulb, so make sure you double check). I also ordered my fixtures from Big Apple Herpetological, and they are honestly some of the nicest fixtures I've seen for their price(about $30). Supplements: I recommend buying any brand of calcium with no vitamin D3(I use Jurrasical), RepCal with Vitamin D3, and Hertivite. The amount of times I dust for my adults depends on their weekly diet, but a growing baby would need it more often(particularly the calcium). I don't use both calcium supplements at the same time, and only occasionally I use a calcium and vitamin supplement together. I prefer to split them up by days(repcal one day, hertivite the next, and so on). Food: Babies should have a fair amount of live insects(preferably crickets, silkworms, or roaches). Be prepared to buy as many as 200 a week, if not more on some occasions. Here is the perfect website for finding out the best foods for your dragons(as well as what ones are toxic):<a href="http://www.beautifuldragons.503xtreme.com/Nutrition.html"; target="_blank" class="bb-url">http://www.beautifuldragons.503xtreme.com/Nutrition.html</a>. I currently give my adult dragons various types of greens(such as collard and mustard) and pellets(trying it out after talking to some breeders) for their main diet. They get eggs, other vegetable, fruit, and insects randomly mixed in. All of the above should get you started, but I encourage you to continue your research, because I have left some things out. Learn as much as you can, and enjoy your new little guy/gal(do you need help with determining the gender?).

lorlor · July 2010

Wow, thank you for all the advice! The top of the cage is screen and right now, we have newspaper on the bottom. Is that alright? We were told to use that or paper towels. We have one thermometer on each side and a hygrometer on one side. They're the ones that have the arrow that spins, I don't know what they would be called xD. But, what should the hygrometer read? We actually have a 75 watt heat bulb, and it's only getting to be around 90 inside. It feels really hot on the outside to touch, but the thermometer only says 90. The cool side is around 77. I will check on the temperature at night and then see what needs to be done after that. The UVB bulb we have right now is a Critter Culture 13 watt bulb. Do you think that is alright for now? Also, the supplement that was recommended to us was Dragon Dust by T-rex. I think that is what it's called. This: <a href="http://www.t-rexproducts.com/products/superfoods/dragon-dust-vgf/"; target="_blank" class="bb-url">http://www.t-rexproducts.com/products/s ... -dust-vgf/</a> He's been eating crickets every day. Around 5-6. I put 7-8 in the cage and find a few dead ones the next morning and take them out. He wont eat the greens yet, but I've been offering them. They can eat mealworms too, right? And yeah! I do need help with the gender. I've just been calling it a him. Thank you so much for helping me and sorry for all the questions xD

RoyalRaccoon · July 2010

Those little round ones with the arrows are the worthless ones. When it comes to temperature, they can be way off, and they do not measure a single spot. That is most likely why it is reading 90, but feels much hotter. This more what you need: <a href="http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2752177&lmdn=Habitats+&+Accessories" target="_blank" class="bb-url">http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2752177&lmdn=Habitats+&+Accessories</a> or this(2 in 1 hygrometer and thermometer):<a href="http://www.bigappleherp.com/Big-Apple-Deluxe-Thermometers-Humidity-Gauges"; target="_blank" class="bb-url">http://www.bigappleherp.com/Big-Apple-Deluxe-Thermometers-Humidity-Gauges</a> ; I currently use the first thermometer above, though my dogs recently destroyed one(I still don't know how they managed to reach it). I'll be upgrading to the second device next time I purchase my UVB bulbs. Both thermometers above have probes which can be positioned directly in the hottest spot of the basking area, which gives very accurate readings. You wouldn't need to place the hygrometer probe in the basking spot; about the middle of the cage is a good spot in my opinion. If you can't get either of those just look for the key words "digital probe" at your local pet store. Your humidity should be about 30-35%. You can bump it up a bit higher than that, say 40-45% during a shed, but I personally just let my dragons soak more often when shedding, instead of misting the cage. If it's a bit lower than 30% that's ok, just make sure you are offering your dragon water(don't leave it in the cage), and weekly soakings. As I said, humidity isn't too big of a deal unless you have it way to high(above 50%) or your dragon is shedding. Your hygrometer will probably be fine as long as it's giving you decent readings that sound right. However, knowing the exact temperatures of your cage are very important, so do pick up a digital probe thermometer. Do you mean the lamp feels hot? Be careful, you can burn yourself very badly by touching the lamps when they've been on for awhile. The lamp will feel super hot because it is closer to the heat source than where your dragon will be basking(6-8 inches from the bulb). I tried looking up the bulb you have, and though I'm not sure I found the exact one you have, I can't see anything that says it produces UVB(are you confusing UVA with UVB?). Not to mention, the round and compact bulbs are horrible producers of UVB. What you should get is at least an 18 inch florescent bulb. <a href="http://www.fishandfins.co.uk/images/reptisun-10.0-uvb-bulb.jpg"; target="_blank" class="bb-url">Reccomended</a> <a href="http://www.petdiscounters.com/mc_images/product/detail/hagen_pt2189_reptiglo_26w_10_compact.jpg"; target="_blank" class="bb-url">Not Recommended</a> Please read this, or some of it, on the various UVB tubes on the market:<a href="http://www.uvguide.co.uk/fluorescenttuberesults.htm"; target="_blank" class="bb-url">http://www.uvguide.co.uk/fluorescenttuberesults.htm</a> ; Reptisun tube/linear bulbs produce the most UVB from what their tests say, and from what other owners report(including myself). Some compacts can actually be dangerous to your dragons(or any reptile). Feel free to read the other pages on that website as well, since they contain some great information. Lighting is probably one of the most expensive things about owning dragons since the fixtures can be about $30, and the bulbs are about $25-$30(which have to be replaced about every 6 months), but it's really something you can't skip out on or your dragon will suffer because of it. I'd return the dragon dust. I've heard various reviews about the stuff, and most are bad. A lot of people don't know why it causes problems for some dragons, so it's just better to stick to something known to have less problems such as RepCal's calcium with vitamin D3 and Herptivite. RepCal's calcium with vitamin D3 and Herptivite can be expensive(around $10 each), but they should last you a couple years. How big is he? Only 5-6 crix a day is concerning. Try putting sweet potato/yam shavings in his salad to tempt him into eating the greens. If he doesn't like that, then just keep experimenting until you find which type of greens and vegetables tempt him.

lorlor · July 2010

Of course everything we have is wrong

I'm going to look into getting one of the better thermometer and hygrometers. The little round one that's in there now says the humidity is at 65% o.O I think that is way wrong. And yeah, it is hot to the touch xD Learned that the hard way. These are the ones we have for heat: <a href="http://i.walmartimages.com/i/p/00/09/63/16/66/0009631666909_215X215.jpg"; target="_blank" class="bb-url">http://i.walmartimages.com/i/p/00/09/63 ... 15X215.jpg</a> I might be confusing UVA and UVB. Now I'm confused with which type he needs. The one that he has is of course the one that you said it not recommended. It isn't the exact one but it is swirly like that one. Really, everything that the store and another man I was talking to told me was wrong and could cause harm to him. I feel bad for it now >.< Even when I was looking it up, everyone is different with what they say. He's maybe 6 inches long, including his tail which is most of him. I'll try the sweet potato shavings as soon as I can get back to the grocery store! Thank you =]

RoyalRaccoon · July 2010

Don't think too much into it. Most people never start close to prepared. I know I didn't. It's all about learning, and bettering your environment to grow a healthy little dragon. It makes it a more enjoyable experience. lol. Yeah. They are so notorious for getting stuck and giving WAY wrong estimates. Some nicer ones do seem to be fairly reliable, but I still don't completely trust them, especially not for temperature. I've burned myself waaaay too many times. It kind of goes along with owning reptiles. Other than watching out for yourself, also make sure you don't set a hot lamp on anything that could melt or burn. If I have to set a hot bulb or lamp down I always put it on wood, a ceramic plate, or a spare tile. How many lamps are on the cage? I'm assuming you have 2; the heat emitting bulb and a normal one for light? Dragons need both UVA and UVB. A good light emitting incandecent bulb will release UVA and heat, while the fluorescent tube will release some UVA and some UVB. For UVA/heat: I use <a href="http://www.bigappleherp.com/Zoo-Med-Basking-Spot-Bulbs?sc=2&category=18"; target="_blank" class="bb-url">75 watt Zoo Med Repti Basking bulbs</a> to provided adequate heat and UVA. Which I house in a dome fixture(Brand unknown. It's just a generic ceramic socket spot lamp for bulbs up to 75 watts) since they are round. You want spot lamps because they allow you to focus heat in one spot, as opposed to heating the entire cage. <a href="http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2753959&ab=hp_ln_reptile"; target="_blank" class="bb-url">This looks like what I put my basking bulbs in, but I'm not sure if I have that exact brand.</a> For UVB: I use <a href="http://www.bigappleherp.com/Zoo-Med-Reptisun-Ten-10-0-Fluorescent-Bulbs?sc=2&category=19"; target="_blank" class="bb-url">Reptisun 10.0 UVB 24 inch bulbs</a> in <a href="http://www.bigappleherp.com/Big-Apple-Smart-Light-Fluorescent-Fixtures"; target="_blank" class="bb-url">30 inch flourescent fixtures for T-12 bulbs</a> to provide UVB. The link to the fixtures are the exact ones I bought not to long ago. Same price as what my local Petsmart and Petco charge, but they are soooo much nicer, and instantly turn the bulbs on. The generic ones that I had took 10 seconds or so to reach full brightness, flickered a lot, and eventually died on me. Don't trust most pet store employees. Do your own research. They don't mean to lead you in the wrong direction, but sometimes their info is just way wrong. A single employee can't know everything about all animals, so they are trained on what to sell you and, they themselves believe it to be the correct information. People online will all have different opinions on what is best. I know what works for my herps, and that is what I'm sharing with you, but I encourage you to continue researching dragons, and the products you buy so you can make well informed, and educated decisions. Wow, he's still a small one. Are you feeding the appropriate sized crickets? The generalized rule is to feed food no large than the space between their eyes. If his food is too large he is lightly to just chomp it until it's dead, and then leave it, because it's too large to swallow. That might be why you are finding dead crickets in his cage. Also, don't leave live food overnight, especially crickets since they will chew on your dragon. Leaving them in during the day is not so bad, since your dragon will most likely eat it if he sees it, but at night he won't notice. The best thing to do when feeding live insects is to feed outside the cage. You can use a shoe box, plastic bin, or whatever you can find deep enough so the crickets won't jump out, and wide enough so your dragon can turn about to catch them. Put him in the bin, and then put the crickets in. If he stops eating or 15 minutes go back, take him out and put any remaining crickets(assuming there are any) back in their cage to feed later on. My male is very picky, but sweet potatoes are like candy to him, so if I mix them in occasionally he'll dig right in. I also noticed I forgot to post the link so you could try to figure out what you have. You can determine their gender fairly young. Since you've never seen the difference first hand, it might be hard to figure out what you have while he's so small. If you can get a clear shot of his vent area and tail base I might be able to tell you. If you can't, then you'll just have to play the waiting game until he gets a bit larger. <a href="http://www.reptilerooms.com/index.php?categoryid=17&p142_id=121&p142_dis=3&p142_template=Simple"; target="_blank" class="bb-url">http://www.reptilerooms.com/index.php?categoryid=17&p142_id=121&p142_dis=3&p142_template=Simple</a> ; Also forgot to answer your question about newspaper as a substrate. It's commonly recommended, but the fact that ink is used on it always stayed away from it(unless I was out of paper towels for QTs). I suppose if he's not eating it, it's not getting wet, and you're replacing it when he potties, then it will be okay. I still highly recommend tiles once you upgrade your tank to an adult tank. They are seriously worth it, though not required. If you're still confused about things, then I can take some pictures of my tanks to help you visualize everything.

lorlor · July 2010

Hm, I'm pretty sure that the thermometer is actually correct, but the hygrometer isn't. We got a new lamp because my cats got on top of the cage and dropped our other heat one and the bulb broke inside it, so it made it unusable. The new one doesn't get so hot on the outside, which is good =P There are two lamps. We have one of the dome fixtures for the heat, which looks like the one you linked to, except that it is silver. We also had to get a new bulb because my cat broke the old one. TWICE. Both the 75 watt ones we had. This new one is only 50 watts, but we will be getting another 75 watt one. This one was just one we had on hand in case something happened to the other ones. It looks like this: <a href="http://www.juliespetmarket.com/images/rp68003_night-red-heat-bulb.jpg"; target="_blank" class="bb-url">http://www.juliespetmarket.com/images/r ... t-bulb.jpg</a> For the UVB light, we have a new hood fixture. When you said not to use the swirly one, I stopped using it and got this one. We got it from someone who said it had a UVB bulb in it. Then, I read it and it says it's an aquarium light...is that actually UVB? It's a 24 inch one. We are buying baby crickets and I've been picking out ones that are too big. Hm, the dead crickets don't seem to be chewed, but I'm not sure. We also changed places we were getting them from and they seem to be living for a lot longer. Maybe they were just unhealthy? I tried feeding him outside of his cage, but he just stood there and didn't catch them. I'm not sure why he did that. For now, I'm trying strawberries in his greens, which he still hasn't tried. Still have to buy some sweet potatoes =P Someone told me their dragons like strawberries and I had some on hand ^^ I am changing the newspaper when he goes. I'm actually putting paper towels on top of it now so it's easier to clean up. I got a picture of his tail base area, but it's only slighty blurry. Should I post it anyway so you can try to determine what it is? Thanks!

RoyalRaccoon · July 2010

You mean the temperature readings or the type? Regardless of whether the round stick on thermometer is giving correct ambient temperatures, it's not giving you anything on spot temperatures, and it's hard to know when the stick on kind malfunction. You'll need a <a href="http://lllreptile.com/load-image/StoreInventoryImage/image/6082"; target="_blank" class="bb-url">digital probe thermometer</a> in order to measure basking temperatures. They can be found for under $10 at petsmart and petco. You'll know it's a digital probe thermometer because it has a probe on a long wire, which is attached to the digital display. As long as your lamp fixture has a ceramic socket, then it doesn't matter if it's silver or black. I'd personally avoid colored bulbs. Generally when you use colored bulbs you have to have another lamp on the cage to provide adequate UVA(a regular low watt house hold bulb will work). The good thing about white/clear basking bulbs made for reptiles is that they provide good amounts of UVA and heat, thus decreasing the amount of fixtures you need. Zilla, Exo-Terra, Zoo Med, and All Living Things make good basking bulbs. Also, don't use red bulbs at night for heat. Invest in a ceramic heat emitter if you need extra heat. BDs can see red light, and it does mess up their sleep cycle. For the UVB, sounds like you got the right fixture, but I'm questioning the bulb. An aquarium bulb will probably provide UVA, but not a bit of UVB. Can you look on the bulb and find the brand/company name? You'll probably have to order your UVB bulb. I recommended Big Apple Herpetological or LLLReptiles. They are $24 from Big Apple Herp and $20 from LLLReptiles. Yes, it is possible the crickets were unhealthy. I've gotten my fair share of unhealthy, worthless crickets. His lackadaisical behavior really concerns me, and I imagine it might have to do with your lighting. I'd try to get your temperatures, and lighting perfect as soon as you can. My dragons go into feeding frenzy mode when crickets are given to them. Strawberries are fine, but try not to give too much fruit(don't make it his main diet). Once you get him eating his greens and crickets, cut back on the fruit. Gotta love paper towels. I put them under my tile, and I put a few sheets under my dragon's basking spots, since they tend to potty when warmed up. Here are pictures of my cages, and lighting. Lighting. <img src="http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r26/PrinceSushi/Pets/Lights.png"; alt="http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r26/PrinceSushi/Pets/Lights.png"; class="bb-image" /> Mango. Female. 20 gallon long. <img src="http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r26/PrinceSushi/Pets/Mango.png"; alt="http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r26/PrinceSushi/Pets/Mango.png"; class="bb-image" /> Izod. Male. 60 gallon. <img src="http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r26/PrinceSushi/Pets/Izod.png"; alt="http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r26/PrinceSushi/Pets/Izod.png"; class="bb-image" /> Go ahead and post the pictures. I can't guarantee I can tell due to his size, and the quality, but it's worth a shot.

lorlor · July 2010

The temperature readings, at least for the spot it's in. As soon as I get to Petco for crickets again, I'll probably pick a digital probe thermometer up. Just a question - Why does the socket have to be ceramic? The other heat bulb I had, the one the cat broke, was smoky white/greyish. Would that be alright for UVA? I'm not sure about it. If not, I'm just going to have to use a regular light bulb for a bit. I have an extra fixture =P It's this bulb: <a href="http://i.walmartimages.com/i/p/00/09/63/16/66/0009631666909_215X215.jpg"; target="_blank" class="bb-url">http://i.walmartimages.com/i/p/00/09/63 ... 15X215.jpg</a> [Except it was white/grey] I turn it off at night, the temperature doesn't really go below 70. The brand of bulb is All-Glass Aquarium, I think. Thats pretty much all it says besides the wattage. The man said it worked for UVB and that he used it for his dragons. I really think he didn't eat when I first got him because we didn't have the correct lighting. As soon as we got the warm lighting, he started to eat. Now, with the 50 watt light, he wont eat much again. I'm going to pick up the 75 watt light tomorrow as soon as possible. One thing is though, I don't think he can see the crickets or something. They crawl onto this little hole in the driftwood and sit there without moving. I think I'm going to try taking that piece of it out to see if he can see them better. He is really active though. I can hear his little feet constantly running around on the newspaper until he settles down for the night. Yeah, I'm just going to be trying a bunch of stuff to see if he starts to eat the greens. He never ate the strawberries today. Yep, I had the same dome fixture as yours, but the cats broke it. The longer one looks like yours too. Should I take a picture of my tank for you? I can't get that picture for you today though. My sister decided to take the camera to her friend's house just this one time. It's already on there. I'll get it tomorrow hopefully ^^

RoyalRaccoon · July 2010

The socket on the lamp should be porcelain(a.k.a. ceramic) because it's heat resistant. Your normal dome light for working outside, under cars, etc., are made for normal bulbs, which don't get that hot, so the socket is coated in plastic. Plastic has a low melting point, so when you use a 75 watt heat producing bulb in a socket coated with plastic, it's going to melt, which can be a fire hazard. Using porcelain/ceramic coated fixtures are a safety precaution. Here is a clamp lamp without a porcelain socket: <a href="http://http.cdnlayer.com/ec1images/225/products/3/31860h.jpg"; target="_blank" class="bb-url">http://http.cdnlayer.com/ec1images/225/products/3/31860h.jpg</a> Here is a clamp lamp with a porcelain socket: <a href="http://www.juliespetmarket.com/images/pr67059_reflector-dome-with-ceramic-socket.jpg"; target="_blank" class="bb-url">http://www.juliespetmarket.com/images/pr67059_reflector-dome-with-ceramic-socket.jpg</a> ; See the dome fixtures in my pictures? They are black(metal) with white(porcelain/ceramic) tops. I think mine are made by Flukers, or Zoo Med. Do you happen to know what brand your lamp is? I know Zilla makes silver ones with porcelain sockets. So the link to the bulb you posted is the one you have, but it produces white light? This one? <img src="http://i.walmartimages.com/i/p/00/09/63/16/66/0009631666908_215X215.jpg"; alt="http://i.walmartimages.com/i/p/00/09/63/16/66/0009631666908_215X215.jpg"; class="bb-image" /> I think the above is fine since it does say it is a basking bulb. Does it mention UVA at all? You should be good to use it, but I suggest switching to a more reputable brand like Zoo Med when it burns out. Is the bulb or fixture from All Glass Aquariums? I have a hood/fixture for my aquarium from All Glass Aquarium. If it says All Glass Aquarium on the bulb, then the guy that sold it to you must have some very sad little beardies with metabolic bone disease. It's made for fish, not reptiles. Seriously, the only brand you're going to want is Zoo Med's ReptiSun 10.0. Once you are able to appropriately monitor basking temperatures, and you get an appropriate UVB bulb on the tank, you should see a HUGE difference in appetite, activity, and color. Just use that website I gave you with all the foods listed on it. Try various things until you find his sweetooth. A picture would be very helpful, but if they look like mine, then they are probably the correct fixtures.

lorlor · July 2010

Ohh, I understand. This socket is black =\ I think it might be plastic. The brand isn't on there. I'm not sure what it is. The one the cats broke was the black and white correct one -.- Yeah, it was that light. I'm not sure if it mentions UVA because I threw the box out. The bulb and fixture are from All Glass Aquariums. Until I get the correct light, should I just use the smaller swirly light that I know is a UVB light? I put in some crickets a bit ago and he's been chasing them around trying to get them. I'll also get a picture of the whole setup when I get the camera back =] EDIT: I am buying the bulbs from Amazon. I'm pretty sure they are the exact ones you recommended, but I just want to make sure before buying them. Heat/UVA: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00025YW8E/ref=ord_cart_shr?ie=UTF8&m=A2BBUA7LL95L5R"; target="_blank" class="bb-url">http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00025 ... UA7LL95L5R</a> UVB: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009YJ3BE/ref=ord_cart_shr?ie=UTF8&m=A23OL8JSL3WUMN"; target="_blank" class="bb-url">http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009Y ... L8JSL3WUMN</a> Also, my fixture is 24 inches long, so the 18 inch bulb would be the right one to use, correct? And this light will fit in the fixture from All Glass Aquariums?

RoyalRaccoon · July 2010

Yeah, the ceramic can break real easily if dropped. My brother knocked one of my lamps off Mango's cage, and the top broke. No, those compact ones can cause skin problems and photo-kerato-conjunctivitis. It would be better to keep him with no UVB on his tank for a short time, than to use some of the compacts on the market. However, since he is a growing dragon, you need to try to get the proper lighting as soon as possible before irreparable damage is done. In the mean time, you can take him outside to get some sun. I'd let him sit outside for 15-30 minutes a day(it's good for your health too!), or longer if you have the spare time. Don't be too alarmed if he opens his mouth like he's panting. It's just a part of thermoregulation. They open their mouth to allow air to blow across, so they can keep their bodies at a good temp, while sitting in the sun. If it doesn't freak him out, you could even blow on him. If you think he is getting too hot, move to shade until it seems like he's cooled down, and then let him get some sun again. Offer water when you bring him in. It's good to hear he is chasing his food now. Maybe he was just really stressed out, which can sometimes happen when you buy them that small and move them around. The basking bulbs are the ones I use and should work fine. You don't have to get that brand though, but I do recommended them. I'm also worried about that high of a wattage on a small tank. If they are too hot, you'll need to lower the basking spot or raise the lamps. I'd use those for now, but if you can't find them in your area, try buying some cheap 50-60 watt halogens(regular light bulbs, not the energy efficient ones) to play around with. If you can get them to the right temperatures, then they can be used instead of the ones you have to order. However, the halogens I purchased(can't remember the brand) from Lowes/Home Depot never got warm enough(which is why I don't generally recommend them), so I went back to using bulbs actually made for reptiles, which reached the temperatures I wanted, even thought they are a few dollars more. The UVB bulbs look correct, and should work. Your fixture should say what size bulbs it takes. 24 inch fixtures generally tank 18 inch bulbs, but double check the length. The fixture should list what sized bulb it takes. A T8 bulb is 1 inch in diameter. If your fixture says it takes T12 bulbs, that just means it can fit a 1.5 inch diameter bulb in your fixture. It does not mean you have to have a 1.5 inch T12 bulb. I actually think Zoo Med no longer makes T12s. I checked my old bulbs and my new bulbs. Old ones are T12, new redesigned bulbs from Zoo Med are T8, which are a lot more energy efficient. The only thing I'm going to say about your fixture is that you might get flickering as it gets older. Flickering does not mean the bulb is necessarily bad, it normally means the ballasts(what start the bulb up) are bad(dying), or not strong enough. When your fixture dies, or when you upgrade your dragon's tank, I'd try to get electric ballasts. The fixtures I just upgraded to are electric ballasts, and they instantly start up my bulbs with no dimming or flickering. Electric ballasts supposedly last longer as well, but I haven't had mine long enough to say that yet. Do you have a Petco near you? I just wanted to throw this out there, because its a good deal. About once a year(seems to be around late August) Petco has a $1 per gallon tank/aquarium sale. It's a great deal for a 40 gallon breeder. Unfortunately I think the deal stops at the 55 gallon. I've been waiting for the sale so I can get my female a slightly bigger tank, hopefully a 40 gal breeder. I'd love to see pics. Post photos whenever you can.

lorlor · July 2010

Alrighty, I'll start bringing him outside tomorrow. =] The thing is, he's chasing the food, but he's not EATING it. I thought he had eaten 9 crickets today. I put 6 in this morning, saw they were gone, put in three more. Just now, I went to clean up a mess he made, and when I pulled up the paper towel, the crickets were there. He might have eaten one or two. I'm kind of worried =\ Maybe it's just because he isn't getting enough heat? Do you think I should get a lower wattage basking bulb? And what other brands are good to use if I couldn't find this brand? Either way, it wouldn't be a problem to raise the lamp from the tank. The regular light bulbs would be the ones you use regularly for the house, right? Sorry, I'm a tad paranoid sometimes xD I ask too many questions. I'd rather use the ones specifically made for reptiles, though. But this is good to know in case something breaks the light again. The fixture actually didn't say what size bulb it took, just that it was 24 inches long. I measured the bulb and it was almost 18 inches long. So the bulb I linked to before should fit in this fixture? There is a Petco near me. The 55 gallon would be large enough for him though, right? I did take a picture with my cell, but it's not good quality. I should now have the camera tomorrow. My sister decided to stay another night =\ Thanks so much =]

RoyalRaccoon · July 2010

If you take him outside, I'd recommend letting him sit in an open box. Some dragons can get very scared, and then dart off, while others are very relaxed. That's why I feed in a bin. The crickets would get under the raised tile when I fed in the tank. It could be a temperature problem(usually is), but you'll need a probe thermometer(or temperature gun if you can afford one) to get correct readings. Start taking a record of how much he is eating daily, remove crickets after 15 minutes, and then offer again in a few hours. Just keep repeating that process. Good brands for basking bulbs are Zoo Med, All Living Things, Exo Terra, and T-Rex. I've used the first 3, Zoo Med being my favorite, All Living Things being second, and Exo Terra being thrid. As for wattage, you'll just have to play around and experiment. People with BDs will use as low as 50 watt, and as high as 150 watt depending their cage and home temperatures. I'd go ahead and start with a 75 watt, especially since you are able to move it up if it's too hot. I took the time to look up what other owners are saying about halogens and regular incandescent bulbs since I don't want to be giving the wrong advice/info(I don't use them, so I don't remember a lot about them). Both halogens, and incandescent(what basking bulbs generally are) actually work, but you'll have to play around with wattage. Most people don't buy high watt bulbs for using around the house because they boost up the electric bill, so the one's you keep for lamps and what not, probably aren't good enough, even if they are halogen or incandescent. The style of bulbs for flood lamps is the best, but your typical round ones can work as well if that's all you can find. Avoid the coiled energy efficient ones because they are generally very low wattage, and provide no heat. Since halogens naturally get hotter than incandescent, you won't need as high of a wattage compared to incandescent. A 45-60 watt halogen flood lamp(bulb) might be enough, while a 70-75 incandescent flood lamp(bulb) might provide the same temperatures.

I'd rather use the ones specifically made for reptiles, though.

This is exactly how I feel. My bulbs might cost $2-$3 more, but they were specifically made with reptiles in mind, which leaves a lot of the guess work out of buying bulbs from home stores. Also, try to keep extra basking bulbs available to avoid emergencies. I always try to keep 2(since i have 2 tanks), but I definitely always have 1 back up. If the fixture is 24 inches, and the bulb is measuring about 18 then, it most likely takes an 18 inch. It should be fine. I'd get a 40 breeder over a 55 if you can. 40 gal breeders are a significant amount wider. If a 55 is your only choice, then it should be fine. My 60 gallon is essentially a taller 55. It works great, but had I picked out his cage(it came with him), I would have bought a 65 gal, but anything over 55 gallons can be hard to find in some places.

lorlor · July 2010

I think any good glass cleaner(like windex) would remove the residue. I've heard rubbing alcohol works too. 6-7 inches sounds safe, but it worries me because he is probably facing the lamp head first? For basking, it's best if they are flat. Bearded dragons live on the ground, not in trees. I don't think it will necessarily hurt him, just that it would be easier for him, and more efficient if he could lay flat on a service(like the log decoration). If ever he manages to attach to the screen top, move the leaves before he burns himself.

Now that I just realized I could see the old posts from before the forums were updated, I'm going to reply to this one xD Sometimes he is head first, but other times he sits right flat on top of the leaves and because he is so small, they don't move. Haha. I did move the log directly under the light so he can lay flat, though. I will definately move the leaves if he attaches to the top. Anyway, an update on him: The UVB light came in friday and already he is eating his crickets soo much more. I'm pretty sure he actually ate some greens yesterday, too. Nobody touched them and it couldn't have been the crickets. They weren't spilled at all and half were gone so it must have been him. And guess what must have made him eat? The sweet potato =P I put it in there and apparently he liked it =]

RoyalRaccoon · July 2010

Yup, just keep an eye on the leaves. I'm so glad he's eating better with the new UVB light. lol, I'm telling you. Sweet potatoes are like candy to dragons. Just don't give him too much. I use a cheese grater to cut mine. It makes nice thin strips that can be mixed in. My male tries to pick out just the sweet potatoes, but because they are small and thin, he also picks out greens with them. He can be picky, so that's how I trick him into eating his greens.

Frostbight8 · July 2010

Errr theres a type of bug your not suppose to feed them... it can kill them... i can't remember but I think it's beetles, don't feed him beetles.

lorlor · July 2010

Haha, I used one of those peelers to cut off the skin from a vegetable =P He also shed today, it was weird. I looked in at him randomly and it literally looked like he had horns like a deer xD It was good because I has just had him in some water. And Frostbight, thanks. =]

RoyalRaccoon · July 2010

Frostbight8 wrote:

Errr theres a type of bug your not suppose to feed them... it can kill them... i can't remember but I think it's beetles, don't feed him beetles.

Some beetles are perfectly fine to feed, and thus are commonly given as treats. After all, feeders such as mealworms and superworms eventually turn into darkling beetles, and it's just a waste not to feed them. However, darkling beetles have no real nutritional value(they are just treats for your herps), and can be hard to digest. I wouldn't give them to a small dragon, just because there could be a slight risk of impaction if the beetle isn't chewed an digested properly. A large dragon should have no problem eating an occasional beetle if your mealies happen to pupate. Now the firefly, also known as a lightning bug, is a beetle that could very well kill your reptiles so quickly, that survival after eating one is slim. Not to mention, I believe it is illegal to collect them in some states. Tomato horn worms can also be dangerous if they have been feeding on tomatos. However, farmed hornworms grown specifically for feeding reptiles and other animals are not given tomato leaves, and thus are safe, and nutritious. In general, as long as you are buying live food from a farm or store, then you shouldn't have to worry. If you are collecting live insects outside there are a lot of concerns. Pesticides, and parasite can easily be transmitted to your reptiles by feeding wild bugs.

lorlor · August 2010

Yeah, I always buy the crickets from the pet store. But, I have a strange problem as of yesterday. Every time I put the crickets in his cage, a bit later they are upside down and their legs are wiggling all over and then they die. I've looked it up and can't find anything. Has this ever happened to anyone else?

RoyalRaccoon · August 2010

It's probably just a bad batch of crickets. Commercial pet stores tend to keep their crickets is horrible conditions, which makes them weak, and then they aren't super nutritious. I'd suggest getting a box or cricket cage to house them, and start gut loading them with vegetables and stuff. Another thing that could kill them really fast like that is heat. Are you cage temperature correct now? Really high temps, temps higher than what your BD should be around, can kill them in seconds. Also, if you brought them home in a bag, and left them in the bag to long they will also die from heat and humidity build up. There is also an insect virus still spreading through some cricket farms, which is killing their colonies. It's unlikely that your crickets are afflicted with it, but due to the virus there is a chance they had to be shipped to the store from farther away, which could make them weak and sickly by the time they get to the store.

lorlor · August 2010

Hm..I have vegetables and everything in there. Along with water, paper towel rolls and a little tupperware box filled with moist dirt to try and breed them. The store is always out of smaller crickets >.< They never have enough and sometimes I'd have to get really low on the crickets before they would get a new shipment. Otherwise, I wouldn't try and breed. I've looked it up and seem to have everything that's needed for them. It doesn't seem too complicated. The cage temperatures are correct now and Zeph already seems to be getting bigger =] He likes to be held but doesn't like baths. He actually will try to puff out his beard and open his mouth at you. I've looked up the virus and can't find too much on symptoms or anything. =\ But, do you think it's a good idea to try and breed my own? Yesterday I went out and bought 20 adults just to try it out and by the morning, 11 were on their backs flailing their feet. We went back to the store today and they gave us like 40 free ones because that happened. I really don't know what to do. I don't want him to starve or anything >.< I'm actually thinking about switching stores where I get them, or just ordering online. EDIT: I'm kind of convinced that there is SOME kind of illness spreading around the crickets from the store I buy them from. Of the new free ones that the store gave us yesterday because the of 11 that died, every single one was upside down and either flailing or they were already dead when I woke up this morning.

RoyalRaccoon · August 2010

I bred crickets for awhile. It's not complicated at all, just takes time to get a colony going. Since you have a small dragon, you can start small. The biggest tip I can give is to watch you temperatures and your humidity. If the soil the eggs are in gets too moist, and is made of the wrong stuff, then you might get mold. Temperatures that are too high will kill the eggs. Bath time can be scary for some dragons. Hopefully he gets used to it. My female will occasionally flare if I walk in to check on her, or reach over her while she is bathing, but she's never bitten or lunged at me while bathing. Your water isn't deep, right? I don't like to fill it up past their elbows, unless they are in a swimming mood. If they are in a good mood I'll fill it to their shoulders, and keep a close eye on them. Warm, not hot, water can also help encourage them into soaking or bathing. What you are describing doesn't really sound like an illness per say. Probably just a dehydrated, and malnourished batch of crickets. My Petco is horrible about giving out dehydrated crickets, so they are strictly my emergency place if the other 2 pet stores are out. I'd suggest switching, even if it's just to try them out for awhile. If you still get bad crickets, then ordering is honestly the best option, but due to the virus that spread through some farms, it seems like stock is limited in size and quantity on all farm websites. If you can't get crickets, roaches are a good alternative. I'm considering dubia roaches since they bear live young, and are supposedly easy to care for.

lorlor · August 2010

Yeah. Well, I only bought 20 adults. 15 females and 5 males. Do you think that is alright? I mean, I don't need thousands of babies. I got them today and they seem really healthy. They're from a different store and they seem SO much more healthy. They are all bigger, full grown. The ones from the other store weren't even full size when we got them. Actually, I got the new ones this afternoon and went in the room to check on them and there were six females in the dirt in little holes backwards. Could they really be laying eggs that fast? o.O I don't have any heat on the cage right now because the room I have them is always warm since we keep the door closed so the AC doesn't get in there. Yeah, he only puffed when the water was colder. When it's warm, he just walks around in it and sometimes drinks it. The water isn't deep. It's about that high, enough to cover his belly and part of his back. I've filled it too high and accidentally made him float in it. When I had just got him I didn't realize how small he was. =P He seems to puff his belly up and not his neck to make himself float o.O It's the weirdest thing. Those crickets were odd. I don't think I'm going to be buying from that store for a bit. It actually wasn't Petco that had the bad ones. That's where I got the new ones today that seemed really healthy. The cages were very clean and had food and lots of those little water jelly things. They just seemed to care about their pets, even if they are just feeder crickets, so much mor ethan the other store I went to. Bigger cages, less crickets in each. But I doubt my mom would even let a roach near our house xD I'll ask.

RoyalRaccoon · August 2010

15 females, and 5 males is a good start. I personally buy a couple hundred a week, and when I was breeding I had ordered 1500 adults. If they've dug holes, and are sitting in them, then they are not laying eggs. Sounds like you need to pick up some egg crates for them to hide in. Female crickets have a long "tail" like organ called an ovipositor, that they stick down into the ground in order to lay eggs.They will lay eggs all over the place, not in just one spot, and they do not stay and protect them. Actually, if momma cricket(or any cricket) gets hungry, and digs up the eggs she will eat them, so it's a good idea not to keep your adults on dirt all the time. What I did was keep my crickets in a big bin with no substrate. I would then take a tupperware container with coconut fiber(dirt) and place it in the bottom of the cage for a day or two. After waiting a day or two, I'd remove it, put a lid(with holes) on it, and set it in a warm place. Once the babies start to hatch out I would then place the container in the baby bin until I felt enough had managed to crawl out, and then the container would go back in the adult cage, so more eggs could be laid in it. Female cricket: <img src="http://gotroaches.com/blog/wp-gallery/crickets/female_cricket.jpg"; alt="http://gotroaches.com/blog/wp-gallery/crickets/female_cricket.jpg"; class="bb-image" /> Heat helps crickets grow, so if you need the babies to grow fast, just get a regular lamp to provide a little bit of heat. A normal bulb, probably even an energy efficient one, should provide enough heat. My dragons puff up while bathing to. It's just to help them stay balanced, and above water.

lorlor · August 2010

Huh, how do I know they are laying eggs then? I do have an egg crate in there and they seem to love it. I don't have any substrate on the bottom, I have a tupperware dish with the coconut fiber and that's where they're digging. They have their water, food, egg crate, and the tupperware in there. Yep, that's what the females look like. Also, Zephyr doesn't eat much. Sometimes he will only eat like 3 or 4 crickets a day. Usually never more than 6. Sometimes he eats some greens. I've read about mealworms and some people say to give them and some don't. I bought some tiny baby ones yesterday because he doesn't eat the crickets. I gave him some in a small dish today and he LOVED them, ate every single one. Do you think it's a good idea?

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