An Introduction of Sorts

[fallfromatree]

I've had my beardie for 3 years now, a male dragon named Dax - I bought him from the pet store when he was a few months old.

Picture of Dax taken a few minutes ago.

The pet store I went to closed shortly after getting him, and the others in the area, I've come to learn, aren't exactly known for being well versed in reptile care. As a result, I don't think I was feeding him as much as I should have been because of the (mis-)information I had. Dax is 7.5" from snout to vent, and his tail is 8.5"; from what I've been told he's small for his age. He's always been very active, but has some aggressive behavior issues (I'll elaborate in the appropriate forum).

The information on this site has already far surpassed what I've learned from the local pet stores, so thank you to all who post here.

-Mike

 

[beardieaddict]

hello and welcome 16 inches isnt that small its not avrage but its not small its good you found this website there is a lot of information on here anyways welcome

 

[fallfromatree]

Thanks beardieaddict. Some additional information...

• We just got done moving 16 hours away, so he's temporarily in a 20 Long - no way his old 55 gallon was coming with us.
• His basking temp is right around 100-105 - looking for a decent thermometer to get a more accurate reading.
• UVB is provided by a linear Repti Glo 10.0/T8 18" 15W bulb.
• Recently switched from calcium sand to repti-carpet, and both loving it.
• I have an under tank heater that's currently unused; are these recommended?
• I've been told all sorts of information on what to feed him over the past three years; thanks to this site I found a feeding chart (what you can feed, what not too, how much, etc).
• For a vitamin supplement I was recommended Dragon Dust - Veggie Growth Formula by T-Rex
• Bathing my dragon is something I've never read about nor heard of. Can anyone shed some more light here for me?
• I mist him a few times a week.

I realize some of these questions could be asked in another forum, but they're kind of tied in to my introduction so I left them in. I feel really bad that there are some things I didn't know about bearded dragon care, and other things I was doing were/are incorrect. I love the little guy, so I'm glad I feel like I've finally found a place that I can trust.

 

[Rachella]

Hello!

Not sure if these questions have been addressed, but I thought I'd clarify the bathing idea for you. Basically, it's placing your beardie in a warm bath that's no deeper than his shoulders. You can do this in the bathtub, a large sink or a container. Let him sit in there and soak for about 15-30 minutes with constant supervision. Some beardies will remain still and not move for the entire duration, while others enjoy their bath and splash around a bit. Sometimes putting a washcloth beneath them helps them feel more secure, as it's less slippery. This helps to them with their shedding and helps to keep them hydrated also, and in my opinion, is better than misting -- my only reason for that being that it's my belief that misting raises humidity and I personally wouldn't care much to have water spritzed on me. xP But that's me!

On some other notes, keep an eye on your beardie's eyes and activity level with the ReptiGlo. Some people use it without any problems whatsoever, but other times there are cases in which eye damage is caused or the UVB output isn't adequate.

I have no idea what's in the Trex formula, just make sure it also contains calcium with D3.

The under tank heater isn't required, especially since his basking temperature seems perfectly fine without it.

Hope this helps! Feel free to ask anymore questions!

 

[fallfromatree]

Thanks Rachella! The bathing info is definitely appreciated, and I think Dax will like the washcloth trick. I've given him two baths now in the kitchen sink and he didn't really seem to know what to do.

Regarding the lighting, my Repti-Sun 10.0 should be arriving today, along with a container of Zoo Med Repti Calcium W/ D3. He's typically active, but, since the bulb needs replacing anyway, I figured I'd take the proven route.

I mentioned it in other posts, but I, too, made the mistake of not handling him when he was younger - instead I gave in and let him be when he got angry at being picked up. Having started trying to tame him a few weeks ago, I thought it was hopeless, but the last two nights I've taken him out with out so much as a fuss! He's been more than content to curl up on my lap or rest on my chest while I work. I can't say I trust him 100% yet, but it's definitely a drastic improvement; it's like a switch flipped and he thought, "Oh, this is okay."