first time dragon owner

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We purchased a bearded dragon about a week ago, It is 6-8 inches, and I am guessing between 2 and 3 months old. he seems to be doing well. He is eating 2-4 crickets a day and 2-4 meal worms, and even a little kale. He poops every other day. I keep on reading 10+ crickets a day. He seems healthy, and after he eats one or two crickets he seems satisfied for a few hours. Is he getting enough or should I expect him to eat more. should he poop every day? or is every other day normal?
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Welcome to the forum------ Hes going thru relocation stress--- he should be eating way more - he should be eating as many as he can in a 10-15 minute time frame --- can you please go over the husbandry you have for your guy-- what size tank you have him in what UVB coil or tube your using and basking temps- how are you taking them? stick ons? infrared heat gun? digital probe thermometer? All this will play a huge role in his behavior eating and over all health -- you can post pics of the tank and him if you like --
https://www.beardeddragon.org/useruploads/ click on XIMG at top of the message box and pics should post--- we look forward to seeing your little guy
Your little guy should be eating salads every day --- fresh here is a website for nutrition
http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Nutrition.html
Karrie
 

newbielizardowner

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He is in a 40 gallon open front terrarium 18 inches tall with screen lid. We have a150w Basking light, 150 W ceramic heat element. The Ceramic heating element remains on 24/7. Both are on adjustable stands. I also purchased under tank heating pad, but found it got too hot so I discontinued its use. I spent 3 days working on the temperature adjusting the lights and ceramic heating element moving them up or down side to side to get temps right before introducing the lizard. Hot side day temps on basking rock are between 104 and 107. Warm middle ranges from 88- 95 degrees. Cool side is between 80 and 85. Night time temps run between 85-88 on the artificial stick near the ceramic heater. The rest of the tank is between 75-78 through out the night. In addition to the 150W heating light I have an 18" zoomed reptisun 10.0 UVB tube. Lights are set for 12 hours 6am to 6pm. I use an infrared digital thermometer for temperature and check the tank 2 to 3 times a day I use the stick on hydrometer and temps gauges to measure moisture. Moisture is between 30 and 40% during the day and 40 to 50% at night. although this can vary depending on the ambient humidity. We live on Maryland's Chesapeake Bay. Winters tend to have a wide range of temps and can range anywhere from low 20's to nearly 70 depending on the day. This has a large effect on how much the house heater has to work and subsequently the amount of humidity. the cooler the day the less humidity. In the summer the opposite is also true. The warmer the day the less humidity because the AC is working so hard.

I mail ordered dubia roaches and they arrived yesterday. He/she ate 4 meal worms, two crickets and 7 roaches and a little bit of Kale yesterday. He/she had poop for the second day in a row. I have introduced a calcium supplement that I have been giving him/her twice a week. It is a pump bottle that you spray on the insects let dry for a minute and then feed the dragon. This is new to me. I have always used the powder supplement when I have had lizards in the past. (Although I have not kept lizards in a long time, and many things have changed). The spray pump was the only thing that they had available at the local Petco.

I have set up a small aquarium for the crickets and working on getting something together for the roaches as well. I am feeding them the high calcium cricket diet. the crickets, meal worms and roaches are all the smallest I can get. I have the aquarium set up because the nearest supply is 30 minute drive. So, this saves time and leads to a lot fewer dead and dying insects being fed to the bearded dragon.

I have water bowl in the tank and mist him/her in the morning, In the afternoon I am give him/her a 10-15 minute bath in 95-85 degree water. I read in a few places that I should bathe them daily when they are this young to assist with shedding. his poop is removed as soon as we notice it to maintain hygiene. If you think pics will help I can put some up here.
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
It sounds great ---- your doing a good job - I would lay off the meal worms tho - they can cause impaction due to the exoskeleton and hes so young - if you need to feed him to get rid of them I would use one at a time - meal worms are mainly for older dragons -- you can feed other worms like super butter or small horn worms --- and I would use them in his salads and only a couple -- I have never heard of the spray on calcium --- he should be having it tho 5 x per week and vitamins 2 x per week - is the spray Calcium D3? The UVB is a T 8 and it should be inside your tank approx 8-10 inches from his basking decor w/ no cover on the bulb - bulb exposed - if its on the screen the rays are getting filtered by 30% so if its there move it to inside of the tank --------------- other than that I would say you should have a healthy little dragon --- if you need ideas on how to hang it in the tank please ask and we can help
Karrie
 

newbielizardowner

New member
Original Poster
Thanks, I will take a look into moving the uvb into the cage. I have begun to put the meal worms 1-2 a day in his salad o
Bowl and feed him the roaches and crickets 2-3 times a day. I like the meal worms as he/she is so young and we are gone 6-8 hours of his day light cycle. So, I want him to have food available. I am working on diversifying his salad a little as well. The list you sent will help me pick some better veggies, but some are tough to get at our market in the winter. But that is the fun and challenge of it all
 
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I miss you so much, Amaris 💔
What is a quick way to warm up a cold beardie? His heating element went out overnight and now he's very cold.
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Clapton is acclimating okay I think. He's quick as lightning so I'm not sure how much I should bring him out of his house yet. He's not at all interested in his salad though. I wonder if I should change what I'm giving him. Least he's eating his crickets.

Things to do:
Buy calcium powder
Material to raise surface for basking spot
Scenery decals for back of tank

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