BSFL - new dragon owner

Hello! New dragon owner, have been researching for a year now! Promised my son a beardie last Christmas - better late than never! We finally got Charmeleon (Charm - she’s a girl!) , a juvenile 4-month old beardie, this weekend. We’ve been feeding her the crickets and super worms (I think??) that the pet store owner gave us when we purchased her (a locally owned exotic pet store).

After reading more about what to feed her, I decided to purchase 500 BSFL from Symton - I signed up for auto delivery every 2 weeks. Is that too much? How many should we feed her at a time? Do we continue to feed crickets at a different time?

Right now I think she’ll be fed twice a day - morning and evening. Does she need a third (afternoon) feeding? She’s mostly going to be my 9 year old son’s responsibility so he’ll feed her before going to school and at night but can also feed her after school. I was planning on leaving chopped veggies in her tank during the day - we’re going to introduce them this week.

I appreciate the info and any suggestions! Thank you!!

Brianne

Welcome to the forum ------ You will really haft to take care of the dragon -- they are not really a childs pet I am sorry to say- they are too complex and very hard to read as to their behavior meaning they hide their illness very well - can you go over your set up w/ us so we can give some pointers on the husbandry if need be --- the BSFL are a great staple and he will need more of them as the larvae are so tiny -- I would recommend you get some dubia roaches as well -- the BSFL can be used to lure the baby to the food bowl - you will need a glass bowl they cant get out of - here is a website for nutrition and I recommend you start this NOW-- http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Nutrition.html-- the salad needs to be fed FIRST thing in the morning before his bugs - other wise you will have issues getting him to eat vegies at all when he gets older--- past experience- so w/ that being said take your BSFL and maybe a couple of super worms medium size 3 of them - add to your salad on top and make sure he sees you doing this the movement of the worms will get him to that bowl -- you can add as many BSFL as you want - let him eat from that bowl for like 30-45 minutes or so -- if you get dubias you can add them to the bowl after that --it will give him a variety of bugs - they will need to be dusted w / calcium D3 5 x per week w/ vitamins 2 x per week -- please post pics of your tank and lighting I 'd like to see what the pet store sold you -- https://www.beardeddragon.org/useruploads/ click on XIMG at the top of message box then click on the pic and it should post
Karrie

I did a lot of research and asking questions on heat and light. It’s a CHE in the single and the long one is the uvb.

And here is Charm

oK CHE is used only when the tank is dropping below 60 at nite - they are no good for a basking bulb -- the long tube UVB is it a T 8 or a T 5 --- you would need the T 8 to be inside the tank approx 6-8 inches from basking area - a T 5 can go on top of screen but would need to be 6-8 inches from basking - if you place the T 5 inside the tank it can be 12-15 inches from basking area -- the screen filters approx 30% of rays--- please get a bright white basking bulb that will keep temps 105-110 for your baby - your gonna have issues here soon w/ him not pooping or not completely digesting his food -- this is crucial -- you will need to get a digital probe thermometer /and a Infrared heat gun to get accurate temps in that tank--- the digital probe can be purchased at Petco or Petsmart for around $5- the infrared heat gun at your local home improvement store for around $10-12 -- make sure you have those on hand when setting up your basking bulb - I would get a 100 watt to start off w/ --- you dont want to cook your dragon -- the cool side of the tank should be in the 80's during the day and not below 60 at nite --- you have a cute set up btw
Karrie

The uvb is a t5. The Che is 150. I’m in north Florida and we don’t typically run the heat much during the winter months like January and February, I know our home drops around 65 or lower, so the per store owner said the Che would be fine for both seasons however, I think it’s getting too hot in there. I just got the digital in the mail last night. I’m going after work today to buy a normal basking bulb but I will need the Che for winter nights. What wattage should the Che be for then? Will the 150 be fine or should I exchange for lower watt?

(It’s a 40 gallon not sure if I mentioned that previously.)

Also still wondering how much is too much to feed her the BSFL?
Thanks.

Let her eat as many BSFL as she can - and yes the 150 watt is probably going to be too hot-- I have a 120 gallon and only use a 100 watt and I live in MN --- so that 150 I would say would be too much --- you only need it on when the temp drops below 60 and then when you do have it on get a air temp on the cool side of the tank so you would need your digital probe set up on that side of the tank -- and I usually check it before turning the lights on in the morning- and your T 5 can either go on top of screen or inside the tank - your choice
Karrie