Hello. I'd been wanting a beardie since for years. I've been gleaning info on this site in preparation, and I've finally taken the plunge. I was originally aiming to get an adult, but I fell in love with this little guy as soon as I laid eyes on him. I brought him home Oct. 10th.
I was told he was a Hypo/Leatherback/Translucent type, and his parents were very bright red-orange, so he should be pretty bright as well (he kinda already is. Looks like someone took a red-orange crayola and drew lines on him). I was pretty much "shut up and take my money", so I forgot to ask how old he was Granted, this wasn't the breeder themselves, but a family-run pet shop owner who knows and is sourced by said breeder, so not sure if he'd have remembered the exact age off-hand anyways. If I had to guess, it's only 7 in. long or so...definitely a little guy.
Also, not sure if male or female. Too young to tell, though the guy at the shop said "probably male". Gonna make picking out a name interesting.
Anyways, here's my new, adorable scale-baby:
So majestic, lol
He loves his basking rock.
Here's his full set-up:
It's a Zilla 20g with the top-sliding lock lid (originally housed my young ball python). His light is a combo of a Repti-sun 10 mini and a 75w Repti-Basking Heat bulb. I've heard Repti-sun lights are good. Substrate is ceramic tile. He loves to climb his various rocks and decor, and loves his basking rock. I was lucky and caught a really awesome clearance deal on all the decor. The side panel backgrounds were painted by myself with acrylics. I had to make sure to cover the insulation I added to the sides and bottom of the tank (I have long since learned glass is a terrible insulator). My temp gun has been showing good temps, so it seems to be working well.
I've been feeding him dubia roaches. He refuses to eat his veggies (spits them out even if I trick him into getting them in his mouth), so I give them to his dubia to eat instead. Gut-loading ftw. I know I'll have to get him to eat veggies eventually though. I originally got him calcium with D3, but then heard they can overdose on it, so I got him calcium without it for dusting instead. Might still use the D3 stuff from time to time, just not as my main calcium supplement.
Handling is still a battle, but he's young yet. Even then, if I go slowly, I can usually get him to climb on my hand without too much of a fuss. I pick him up to move him to his feeding tub, so I'm hoping he'll associate hand = good food, and eventually outside-the-tank playtime when he gets less flighty.
Anyways, I'm hoping I can manage this okay. This is my first lizard, and a bit more advanced than a ball python, but I'll be here trying to learn. I want him to be as happy and healthy a lizard as he can be.
I was told he was a Hypo/Leatherback/Translucent type, and his parents were very bright red-orange, so he should be pretty bright as well (he kinda already is. Looks like someone took a red-orange crayola and drew lines on him). I was pretty much "shut up and take my money", so I forgot to ask how old he was Granted, this wasn't the breeder themselves, but a family-run pet shop owner who knows and is sourced by said breeder, so not sure if he'd have remembered the exact age off-hand anyways. If I had to guess, it's only 7 in. long or so...definitely a little guy.
Also, not sure if male or female. Too young to tell, though the guy at the shop said "probably male". Gonna make picking out a name interesting.
Anyways, here's my new, adorable scale-baby:
So majestic, lol
He loves his basking rock.
Here's his full set-up:
It's a Zilla 20g with the top-sliding lock lid (originally housed my young ball python). His light is a combo of a Repti-sun 10 mini and a 75w Repti-Basking Heat bulb. I've heard Repti-sun lights are good. Substrate is ceramic tile. He loves to climb his various rocks and decor, and loves his basking rock. I was lucky and caught a really awesome clearance deal on all the decor. The side panel backgrounds were painted by myself with acrylics. I had to make sure to cover the insulation I added to the sides and bottom of the tank (I have long since learned glass is a terrible insulator). My temp gun has been showing good temps, so it seems to be working well.
I've been feeding him dubia roaches. He refuses to eat his veggies (spits them out even if I trick him into getting them in his mouth), so I give them to his dubia to eat instead. Gut-loading ftw. I know I'll have to get him to eat veggies eventually though. I originally got him calcium with D3, but then heard they can overdose on it, so I got him calcium without it for dusting instead. Might still use the D3 stuff from time to time, just not as my main calcium supplement.
Handling is still a battle, but he's young yet. Even then, if I go slowly, I can usually get him to climb on my hand without too much of a fuss. I pick him up to move him to his feeding tub, so I'm hoping he'll associate hand = good food, and eventually outside-the-tank playtime when he gets less flighty.
Anyways, I'm hoping I can manage this okay. This is my first lizard, and a bit more advanced than a ball python, but I'll be here trying to learn. I want him to be as happy and healthy a lizard as he can be.