Please check my set up

Please check out my set up. Full disclosure, we lost a young bearded dragon recently. We only had him about 40 days. He never ate well and appeared to have mbd even though he was under uvb and got calcium almost daily. I don't want anything with my set up to cause a problem with a new bearded baby.

I have a Nat geo tank which is 36 x 16 x 18. https://www.petsmart.com/reptile/habitats-and-decor/terrariums/national-geographicandtrade-reptile-desert-kit-27781.html

The lighting is an incandescent 100w and a ho t5 22 inch uvb which is about 30 days old.

The temperatures are about 85 to 93 on the hot side and it is about 75 on the cool side. The basking spots are 100 to 105 with the black probe thermometer. An it gives us 103 to 113. All temps in F.

There was an issue before of my uvb being too close to the basking spots. It is now a minimum of 10 inches from all basking spots.

I will order 1/4 inch crickets and Dubai roaches and gut load them with greens like collard and endive. I will also use carrots. I read that the gels were not good so I will not use them with the feeders. And will feed 3 to 5 times a day in a large Tupperware bowl.

As for supplements, my plan is to use Repashy Calcium Plus. It says to dust all feeding though. Is this correct? It is supposed to be calcium plus the vitamins. The others were used previously. Powers at first and liquids once I had to force feed with carnivore care.

We will bath initially 2xs a week and up it to once a day when he is familiar with us. Dripping water on nose and spraying from the back multiple times a day. I don't like spraying their faces.

We changed vets as well. I didn't see anything obviously wrong with our vet, but they didn't care when I called back 2 days before he died.

We also hope to get a bit of an older bearded dragon next time.

Please let me know if any improvements I should make. We want to have a happy and healthy dragon.

Your set up looks great!! and you have obviously done your research and followed all guidlines. I like that vivarium--much more convenient to access the inside than my old top access one. The lights are just right; temps look very good.

The plans for care are just fine. I would perhaps not plan to bathe my beardie, unless he was really needing it--if he dragged tail through poo, or having a big shed, or was constipated. This is just mt own personal opinion, that baths are not really neccessary for a desert animal...also, too much moisture on skin can invite skin fungus, bactera, etc., and if it causes the Beardie stress, it is not worth it. (my boy Dezi hates baths) But it is so individual; some Beardies like their baths!

Also, I do not spray my boy ever. Again, the damp skin fungus infection possibility. And that increaes the humidity of the environment, that we work so hard to make just right. Dezi gets his hydration through his damp greens, his live food, and when I offer it using a 1cc syringe by drops on his lips. I offer this every other day. If he wants it, he sits a moment thinking about it, then licks his lips with his cute pink tongue, and raises his little muzzle for more. When finished, he turns his head slightly to the side, or backs up a step. I think our interaction, along with daily hand feeding, makes our bond even stronger, and I can really know how much he is getting every day. But again, this will be a personal decision, depending on your time and other constraints.

So much of Beardie husbandry is about careful observation, every day. We learn what is "the norm" for our Beardie, and if that is suddenly different, we try to figure out what has changed. It sounds like you did everything in your power to save the one you lost, and sometimes, that just isn't enough. I am sorry that was such a sad experience. But, it is going to be of great benefit to the next Beardie!! You are doing a great job, already, by preparing so well in advance!

Getting a slightly older one is a good idea...they are so much more frail and easy to lose during their first year. But be sure that the one you get has had proper care--nutrition, UVB, etc., so you will not be inheriting some physical problems that can manifest themselves for years, even a lifetime, if they have poor nutrition during that crucial first year of such tremendous growth and bone development. There are older (adult) beardies out there that are perfectly sweet, healthy fellows, whose owners have simply realized they need way more time and cost than they can provide. If he has been properly socialized through handling, the adopted beardie will have no problem bonding to you. It will be an adjustment for him for a few weeks, but he will naturally want that emotional bond that Beardies are so famous for among our beardie enthusiasts. I have developed a close bond with one older fellow in less than a day! I seriously wanted to keep him, but his forever home had already been found, and I could not be selfish...

One little suggestion...if you do get an adult,initially try to imitate his old environment and habits as best as possible, even if you know that it is not perfectly the way you would do it. That will significantly reduce his stress from being transferred to a new home. I would leave it exactly the same for two weeks, then gradually change him over to what you want to do...the nutrition, viv, schedule, etc. slowly changed. That will be so much less traumatic for him.

Good luck in your beardie endeavor!! I hope you will find one as perfect and wonderful as my boy, DeziLu, and have many years of Lizard love for all your efforts! They are truly remarkable creatures. I am glad for the fortunate little guy that you adopt!

Dezi says, "good job, future happy beardie owner!!"

Everything looks good, hopefully your new dragon will become a happy + healthy family member. As was stated you don't need to spray multiple times a day, but once a day is fine. A light spritz twice a day while shedding is fine, too. It's not spraying that causes bacterial or fungal infections but a constantly damp + cool cage would. There's no chance of that with normal daily quick sprays for hydration in a hot tank. I never had a problem with the many babies I hatched + raised that were sprayed every day, that is the best way to keep them hydrated. You can use a dropper if you like as well. Some will drink more , some not so often.

Thank you for the advise about the water. I have had a hard time knowing exactly what is best for the water.

Spraying them causes no problem. I've raised beardies for 25 years. The thing that would be a problem is if a person were spraying + soaking the tank every day like you would for a tropical tank. This is much different and dries up quickly.

Thank you AHBD, for clearing up the spraying/ not spraying! I was trying to be on the safe side with Dezi being my first, and only "baby boy"...but if you say it is safe, then I will try it! I know you are a bonified Beardie expert, and I trust your advice! I have often wondered if Dezi might enjoy a little spritz or two...but was concerned about fungus. Had decided, better safe than sorry...???s

You're welcome ! Spraying is most beneficial for babies because they dehydrate so quickly. Also to aid in shedding but older dragons don't drink or she as often. My adult dragons drink about once every 10 days via spray bottle on the snout + get a quick spritz when shedding. Your fella may be shocked the first time you spritz him [ always do this in the tank where he is warm + can dry off ] so just gauge whether he likes it or not. He's an adult and and may or may not like it right off the bat.

I still am wondering about the vitamins. The Repashy Calcium Plus. It says:
Description
DIRECTIONS: Use with every insect feeding. Best applied by placing insects in a plastic bag or container with Calcium Plus and shaking to lightly coat insects. Feed insects to your animals shortly thereafter.
Features
VITAMIN AND CALCIUM powder Our “All-in-One” Calcium powder with added Vitamins, Trace Minerals, and Carotenoids for Dusting Insects. No need for a Separate Vitamin powder.
INFORMATION: Our Calcium Carbonate is mined from the Mohave Desert in California, where it was deposited 300 million years ago during the Mississippian Age as a large graveyard of marine animals. Our calcium is micro ground to an average size of 3.5 microns, and provides the ultimate “stick” when dusted onto insects.
Guaranteed Analysis: Crude Protein min. .2%, Crude Fat min. .2%, Crude Fiber max. 4%, Moisture max. 8%, Calcium min. 17%, Vitamin A min. 200,000 IU/lb, Vitamin D min. 20,000 IU/lb, Vitamin E min. 2,000 IU/lb.

Should I add to every feeding? Seems like it would be too much.

I have always had separate calcium (with vitamin D) and vitamins, because the calcium was needed every day, and the vitamins only 2-3 times a week....I do not add calcium to every single meal. I calcium dust his biggest meal, which is breakfast. On tues. and thurs., I dust with vitamin powder.

i have an excellent book on Beardie care that was written by several experts--vets, breeders, etc., and will get you the name and publishers. It has been quite valuable. I did not find it in a pet shop, I ordered it on Amazon...it covers all basic care, diseases, info on their natural environment, breeding and some genetics. It also has some very nice photos. They recommend using separate calcium and vitamin powders.

I use repashy calcium plus for my beardie and 2 leopard geckos. I dust every feed just like it says and have never had an issue. Everything I have read says it is a complete supplement and you don't need anything else. My baby has gone from 16g to 71g in the month I have had him and I haven't seen any problems. Both of our leopard geckos have been on it since they were tiny and done well.

dezismom":2irkux68 said:

I have always had separate calcium (with vitamin D) and vitamins, because the calcium was needed every day, and the vitamins only 2-3 times a week....I do not add calcium to every single meal. I calcium dust his biggest meal, which is breakfast. On tues. and thurs., I dust with vitamin powder.

i have an excellent book on Beardie care that was written by several experts--vets, breeders, etc., and will get you the name and publishers. It has been quite valuable. I did not find it in a pet shop, I ordered it on Amazon...it covers all basic care, diseases, info on their natural environment, breeding and some genetics. It also has some very nice photos. They recommend using separate calcium and vitamin powders.

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I know which book you are talking about I got it from amazon too. Its a great book with as lot of helpful advice, but it is a few years old. It was written before that repashy product hit the market.