my new beardie, (also my first)

i got this beardie about a month ago and is doing great...i did lots of research on this site asking all my questions and with many replies. So thanks to every on this conmunity site helping me out. here r some pictures i took with my phone just a few minutes ago.




http://s348.photobucket.com/albums/q360/nathanbs_2008/?action=view&current=07-07-08_1955jpglizzard2.jpg

http://s348.photobucket.com/albums/q360/nathanbs_2008/?action=view&current=07-07-08_1936jpglizzard.jpg


He is very active in the past few days...he cralws everywhere and i can keep him still...he is about 2 months old (i think) and he doesn't eat any greens even though i keep them in his tank. is that ok, that he doesn't eat them yet? HoPe YoU EnJoY!!!!!!

Hi, it's fine that he doesn't eat greens yet at only 2 mos old, but it's still a good idea to offer fresh ones daily. How many crickets is he eating in a day?

about 4 to 5...

Well, I would think he would be eating more than 4 to 5 crickets a day since you've had him for about a month. Are you feeding him all he wants 2 to 3 times a day? I have to say that he looks kinda thin in the pictures. Could you fill us in on his setup? Are you keeping him well hydrated?

yes i do give him daily baths in the sink....this is my first tank and I'm getting a new one on July 18 for my birthday. its going to be probably 40 to 50 gal. (don't know were I'm going to put it). ok here r some pics of his "setup".


http://s348.photobucket.com/albums/q360/nathanbs_2008/


oh um the pet store told me not to feed him more than 5 crickets a day and when i do feed him, he only eats 5 anyway cuzz I've tried to give him more, and i feed him around 5:00pm everyday. But no I do not feed him 2 to 3 times a day, should I if he only eats 5 at a time anyway?

Actually, babies have their largest appetite in the morning. That's too bad the petstore gave you wrong info, that happens a lot. Had you read on this forum about feeding babies 2 to 3 times a day, that's what we recommend. Just to make sure the petstore didn't give you any other wrong info, could you answer these questions for us? We want to make sure everything is setup correctly for your little one. He's so cute & we want him to grow up healthy & strong. :wink:

How old is your dragon?
How long have you had your dragon?
How long is your dragon?
What is the sex of your dragon?
What size enclosure do you have your dragon in?
What type substrate do you have on the bottom of your tank?
Do you use UVB lights?
If so, Is it a coil, compact, fluorescent tube, or Mercury Vapor bulb?
What is the brand name and number of your bulb? Wattage (if MVB)?
How old is your UVB bulb?
How close can your dragon get to the UVB?
Do you use a separate basking bulb? What kind and what is the wattage?
What are the basking temps?
What is the cool side temp?
Do you take the temps with a stick on thermometer, a digital thermometer with a wire and a probe end or a temp gun?
Where exactly are you taking your basking temps?
Do you use a heat rock or heat pad?
What do you feed your dragon? Please be specific.
How often do you feed and what time do you feed (morning, afternoon, night)?
Do you gutload (feed) your crickets, worms, etc?
Do you use vitamin or calcium supplements? What brand(s)? How many days a week do you use each of them?
Is your dragon having regular bowel movements (poops)?
Do you bath your dragon? How often?
Do you mist your dragon or offer water other than in the bath?
Does your dragon share an enclosure with another dragon?
Have you gotten a vet check and fecal done?

ok um i have one thing to say, i tried to feed him this morning and he only ate one so i left for school and now i'm home and there gone so i put 4 more in his tank and he ate 2 and the other 2 r running around. i used to feed him in a shoe box, and he had no problem eating 4 sometimes 5 but no more than that(at one time) so i guess i will just feed him in the morning and when i get home, cuzz i'm gone all day.



How old is your dragon? He is about 2 months
How long have you had your dragon? For almost one month
How long is your dragon? 6 1/2"
What is the sex of your dragon? N/A
What size enclosure do you have your dragon in? 15 gal.
What type substrate do you have on the bottom of your tank? Indoor outdoor carpet
Do you use UVB lights? YES!
If so, Is it a coil, compact, fluorescent tube, or Mercury Vapor bulb? Compact coil.
What is the brand name and number of your bulb? Wattage (if MVB)? repti-sun, forgot probably like 15 or 20 something...
How old is your UVB bulb? Almost one month
How close can your dragon get to the UVB? 7"
Do you use a separate basking bulb? What kind and what is the wattage? Yes, repti-glo(i think) it is 100watt
What are the basking temps? 110F
What is the cool side temp? 86F
Do you take the temps with a stick on thermometer, a digital thermometer with a wire and a probe end or a temp gun? A digital, and stick
Where exactly are you taking your basking temps? On and around the basking spot.
Do you use a heat rock or heat pad? none
What do you feed your dragon? Please be specific. Crickets, with lettuce (but does eat it)
How often do you feed and what time do you feed (morning, afternoon, night)? starting yesturday, morning and around dinner time
Do you gutload (feed) your crickets, worms, etc? I feed them fish food with out that phoporace stuff(idk how to spell it)
Do you use vitamin or calcium supplements? What brand(s)? How many days a week do you use each of them? I have a container with 75% calcium and 25% vitamins, i use that everyday, Rep-cal
Is your dragon having regular bowel movements (poops)? idk i guess, but there is alot of poop everyday
Do you bath your dragon? How often? everyday
Do you mist your dragon or offer water other than in the bath? yes a water bowl
Does your dragon share an enclosure with another dragon? No
Have you gotten a vet check and fecal done? No

you shouldnt use a uvb coil light just use a normal one

Very cool pic's i'm glad your happy w/ your new BD. I have always cut up my bd food. If I gave mine salad like yours has he would look at me like, um ma, why did you just put that giant thing in my tank?

hey, i like that list of questions, but i feel like a horrible mother when i say my answers to myself

Zeus92":fea02 said:

you shouldn't use a uvb coil light just use a normal one

Click to expand...

I know its just the pet store lady said she uses them and she has 10 in the store that are doing great, and she uses it at home....so i think its like getting bitten by a shark, the odds are are not very good that I am, and i live in Florida 3 miles from the beach, so....

BDMom22":5bc8f said:

Very cool pic's i'm glad your happy w/ your new BD. I have always cut up my bd food. If I gave mine salad like yours has he would look at me like, um ma, why did you just put that giant thing in my tank?

hey, i like that list of questions, but i feel like a horrible mother when i say my answers to myself

Click to expand...

Thanks, I try to do my best for him.

I know its just the pet store lady said she uses them and she has 10 in the store that are doing great, and she uses it at home....so i think its like getting bitten by a shark, the odds are are not very good that I am, and i live in Florida 3 miles from the beach, so....

Click to expand...

Are you serious? I'm just going to tell you that you can not trust everything the pet shop tells you. I never take my pet shops advice as true, many, many times they are wrong. They just want to sell you a product. Mine said the same thing, but after reading numerous studies and reports online and also talking to many other members online I would not touch a coil light with a 10 foot pole.

I suggest you research this further before assuming that the odds are not very good that you will have a problem with a coil bulb. Many of the beardies who come here with health problems are under coil lights and their problems resolve once the lights are changed. It's widly proven and documented that the coils cause serious health issues and it is most likely the reason that your baby is only eating 5-6 crickets a day, rather than the 50-100 that it should be eating.

I totally agree with Thor's Mom and Zeus92 that the coil UVB's should not be used. You need to read this dangerous info about them: [ Invalid URL Removed / p= t=65424 f=1 ] And having that bulb 7" from your baby is doing damage. I also noticed that you're using a product that has calcium & vitamins mixed together. That can also cause some problems because your baby should be getting more calcium than vitamins & you can't regulate it when they are mixed together. With your aged beardie, you should be dusting the live food with calcium with D3 but is phosphorus-free 5 days a wk but only 1 feeding a day and with vitamins the other 2 days a wk but only 1 feeding a day.

A 100 watt basking bulb is an awful lot of wattage for a 15 gallon tank, so I'm guessing that your digital thermometer DOES NOT have a long wire & probe end, because your temps are more than likely a lot higher than the 110 basking/86 cool side temps. This is the type you need, does yours look anything like this?

The only other way to get an accurate reading is with a temperature gun.

I will add some other info later, have to sign off for now.

diamc":90905 said:

I totally agree with Thor's Mom and Zeus92 that the coil UVB's should not be used. You need to read this dangerous info about them: [ Invalid URL Removed / p= t=65424 f=1 ] And having that bulb 7" from your baby is doing damage. I also noticed that you're using a product that has calcium & vitamins mixed together. That can also cause some problems because your baby should be getting more calcium than vitamins & you can't regulate it when they are mixed together. With your aged beardie, you should be dusting the live food with calcium with D3 but is phosphorus-free 5 days a wk but only 1 feeding a day and with vitamins the other 2 days a wk but only 1 feeding a day.

A 100 watt basking bulb is an awful lot of wattage for a 15 gallon tank, so I'm guessing that your digital thermometer DOES NOT have a long wire & probe end, because your temps are more than likely a lot higher than the 110 basking/86 cool side temps. This is the type you need, does yours look anything like this?

The only other way to get an accurate reading is with a temperature gun.

I will add some other info later, have to sign off for now.

Click to expand...

yes ur right it was a bit to hot so i down sized to a 75watt.......and i and like i said 25% vitamins and 75% calcium....i use rep-cal, i mixed them myself so its not pre-mixed......

Thor's Mom":f2e63 said:

I know its just the pet store lady said she uses them and she has 10 in the store that are doing great, and she uses it at home....so i think its like getting bitten by a shark, the odds are are not very good that I am, and i live in Florida 3 miles from the beach, so....

Click to expand...

Are you serious? I'm just going to tell you that you can not trust everything the pet shop tells you. I never take my pet shops advice as true, many, many times they are wrong. They just want to sell you a product. Mine said the same thing, but after reading numerous studies and reports online and also talking to many other members online I would not touch a coil light with a 10 foot pole.

I suggest you research this further before assuming that the odds are not very good that you will have a problem with a coil bulb. Many of the beardies who come here with health problems are under coil lights and their problems resolve once the lights are changed. It's widly proven and documented that the coils cause serious health issues and it is most likely the reason that your baby is only eating 5-6 crickets a day, rather than the 50-100 that it should be eating.

Click to expand...

WATTT???? THERE IS NO WAY THAT MY BEARDIE WOULD EAT 50 TO 100 A DAY!!!!!! HIS STOMIC EXPANDS ALOT WHEN HE ONLY EATS 5...