Considering a dragon. Questions!

Hey there,

We had a new friend over last night and she said she has a bearded dragon that she got for her son a while back but she feels bad because he doesn’t get as much attention as he should.

I’ve always really been into lizards (but have never owned one) so I expressed some non-committing interest. I think there’s a potential she might give him and her setup to me if I was really into it. I'm just starting to research to see if this is something I actually want to do. The more research I do, the more tempted I get.

I don't know anything about this guy really. Don't know age, sex, what size enclosure, quality of lights, etc. I do know he gets insects (not sure about veg) and has a heat light and UVB but that's it. I didn't know the questions to ask when I found out she had it so didn't ask about veggies. I am fairly sure it is an adult (>1 year? what is an adult?) but I don't know how old. We are going to their house for a dinner on the 16th so I will learn a lot more then. (And if I'm interested I think I will make the decision then, so that gives me just under 2 weeks to research!)

I was looking at videos today and saw something about using bioactive substrate. This REALLY appeals to me, as I'm a freshwater aquarium nerd and always do them with live plants - I love the natural / "realistic" look, the enrichment for the fish, and the way the systems eventually are lower maintenance becasue they attain a kind of balance.

I've found great info on bioactive setups on this forum. My main question related to that is how do you transition a dragon into a bioactive substrate? Let's say the current dragon is in an appropriate sized enclosure (who knows) that I will keep.... how do you do that? Just prepare all the supplies, and then take them out for a few hours to transition?

I think I am pretty good on feeding. Sounds like I should get a dubia roach colony going. Little grossed out by roaches but these are supposedly not bad. (Convince me).

There is a local reptile store but I've never been - will go tomorrow - so will see what they have now for food and supplies.

My other question that I can't seem to find a great answer to is how long can you keep your dragon out of their enclosure? How do you know when they're cold? I will buy a temp probe thing if the owner doesn't have one... do you use that or can you tell by behavior? My ideal situation would be handling the lizard a lot when I am home but I don't want them to get too cold. Also, same questions when you bring them outside in the summer.

For winter, we keep the house at 62 at night. Sounds like I'll need a ceramic heater? At what point should I check the temperature to see if I need it or not? The enclosure might be warmer than the ambient temp, I've read.

That's all I have right this second but I'll have more questions, I promise. I am a researcher and like to do pets right. I currently have 2 dogs - a Doberman (who is a therapy dog) and a Frenchie/Chihuahua mix, and the fish, as mentioned.

Sounds like these guys are interactive, fairly hardy if treated right, and like to be held for the most part, so can be a good first reptile pet?

Also, what should I look for when I meet the guy? What questions should I ask? I feel like if I'm into owning one I should get this one as he's not getting the attention he needs. I am sure everything was done with good intentions but what if they got petsmart info and haven't been doing proper care? Will that bite me in the butt later with vet bills etc?

Thanks in advance for the help! (And thanks for reading my super long post.)

I know going “bioactive” sounds really cool but this is a highly unnatural setup for these desert-dwelling creatures and bioactive tanks can cause numerous (sometimes fatal) health issues. My vet has treated a disconcerting amount of bearded dragons whose health was compromised by a bioactive tank.
Cons:
*increases humidity
*can work for more tropical species under very specific circumstances but not a natural environment for a desert-dwelling animal (beardies)
*increases risk of respiratory infection
*impossible to keep hygienic/clean
*easier for insects to hide, then crawl out at night and bite the dragon
*puts dragon at risk for yellow fungus and bacterial infections
Pros:
*looks cool
To me, the decision to forgo a bioactive setup is a no brainer. And bioactive tank concept aside, you want a safe solid substrate (newspaper, paper towels, reptile carpet, tile) and not a loose one, bioactive or not. Bearded dragons can become fatally impacted from substrates like sand and bark, so stick with the no-risk options.
Focus on making sure your beardie has cage accessories that will make him happy—good basking spots, a hide, quality UVB lighting.
As far as how long beardies can be out of their tanks, mine tend to be pretty active/high energy for about 20-30 minutes, at which point they’ll either crawl onto my lap to “snuggle” or look for a quiet place to curl up and nap. So 20-30 minutes playtime periods seem to work best for my guys. You can go longer but I find around 30 minutes tends to be the sweet spot.
I know the concept of roaches isn’t appealing but dubias changed my life. The small ones remind me of pill bugs, and even the larger ones are very easy to deal with (they aren’t as fast as other roach species and thus very easy to feed to your beardie). They also don’t have the unsavory odor crickets produce and have a much lower die off rate. And they’re one of the more nutritious feeder insects so honestly the only con to dubias is that they can be a little pricey.
I hope some of this information was helpful.

Thank you so much!

I am soaking up all the info I can so yes, very helpful. Thank you!

If I don’t do the bioactive substrate, are there more natural-looking setup pics I can look at somewhere? Or links?

It’s great that you’re willing to ask questions/do the research beforehand. It bodes well for your future beardie. As far as setups go, I’d peruse the enclosure forum here. A lot of members have come up with really creative ways to enrich their beardie’s habitat. Many of the terrarium interiors, while not bioactive, have a lot of naturalistic elements from DIY rock walls to DIY basking platforms. I know there are a couple “how to” pages in the DIY forum detailing how to build these. Pinterest can also be a great place for terrarium inspiration. It really depends on your personal design preference. A tile substrate gives a very clean look and many members choose colors to coordinate with their cage furniture/backgrounds, and by the time they’re done they have an enclosure that rivals a zoo exhibit.

Don't waste your time and money trying to establish a bioactive substrate for your bearded dragon , bioactive substrates are only good for going fungi, viruses, bacteria and will create more health issues for your bearded dragon than it's worth.

Many bearded dragons are diggers and will simply destroy the bioactive bedding an spread it all over the place.

Reserve the bioactive beds for your geckos, anoles, frogs, skinks and water dragons and crocodiles who will appreciate that kind of bedding.

kingofnobbys":2zb8h7eo said:

Don't waste your time and money trying to establish a bioactive substrate for your bearded dragon , bioactive substrates are only good for going fungi, viruses, bacteria and will create more health issues for your bearded dragon than it's worth.

Many bearded dragons are diggers and will simply destroy the bioactive bedding an spread it all over the place.

Reserve the bioactive beds for your geckos, anoles, frogs, skinks and water dragons and crocodiles who will appreciate that kind of bedding.

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So you're saying it has a place, just not with bearded dragons? Why would it be more likely to grow viruses/bacteria with a beardie vs. the geckos, skinks, etc?

Just trying to wrap my head around it - it seems like a very polarizing topic.

PodunkKhaleesi":1l2gm398 said:

It’s great that you’re willing to ask questions/do the research beforehand. It bodes well for your future beardie. As far as setups go, I’d peruse the enclosure forum here. A lot of members have come up with really creative ways to enrich their beardie’s habitat. Many of the terrarium interiors, while not bioactive, have a lot of naturalistic elements from DIY rock walls to DIY basking platforms. I know there are a couple “how to” pages in the DIY forum detailing how to build these. Pinterest can also be a great place for terrarium inspiration. It really depends on your personal design preference. A tile substrate gives a very clean look and many members choose colors to coordinate with their cage furniture/backgrounds, and by the time they’re done they have an enclosure that rivals a zoo exhibit.

Click to expand...

I've already started a pinterest board on care, so I'll have to search for enclosure ideas now.

I too was given a neglected beardie from a family friend. She had burn marks on her belly (poor baby) and died relatively early (5 years) because of the neglect. But, I wish that I had posted like this when I was in your situation, so here is some advice

First of all, you have to be prepared to take the beardie to the vet (worst case scenario). Depending on what the previous owners had set up wise, the beardie could be malnourished, have a vitamin/calcium deficiency, or even MBD (metabolic bone disease). You have to prepare for the worst and hope for the best.

As for the bioactive setup, I agree with you. I too have fish and like to create the most natural aquascape/hardscape I can, but a bioactive beardie setup really isn't the way to go. They look super cool and good for the beardie, but it is actually not good for them because it is too humid due to the plants, which could cause a respiratory infection (which is NOT fun because vet bills are EXPENSIVE! :lol: ). The best way to go would probably be reptile carpet, newspaper, or tile.

I can take my beardie out for a few hours at a time before he gets too cold. When my beardie gets cold, he gets pale, lethargic, and is (obviously) cold to the touch. And you definitely need a ceramic heater. I have one and it works great!

Sounds like you are really trying to provide the best care for your beardie. It's great that you are doing all the proper research and looking for other beardie owners advice. Welcome to the beardie-keeping hobby!

-Ellie

(I hope all goes well with your beardie! )

Thank you so much for that information!

I hope the beardie in question is ok... I guess we shall see! Either way, let’s say it has issues.... I can give it better care for the rest of its life.

No problem! Keep us updated

If you are looking for tank inspiration, check out this thread!! viewtopic.php?f=34&t=66704

JessPets":3etzadel said:

If you are looking for tank inspiration, check out this thread!! viewtopic.php?f=34&t=66704

Click to expand...

Thanks, I've been working my way backwards through it since most of the initial pages have broken links since it's been going on for so long.

Found a lot on Pinterest, too.