Beardie’s new mom needs Help!

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mac35

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Hey all! Came to this forum looking for some advice as a new baby Beardie owner and a newbie to reptiles overall! My son just turned four, and his aunt got him our new pet as a present along with a tank kit that has “everything you need”. We got him two weeks ago and I’ve been stressed ever since! He’s barely eating and seems very scared of us. We’ve tried handling him a little bit here and there, but not pushing it too much. He was eating crickets fairly well the first few days, but now seems disinterested. Same with waxworms and pheonix worms. He initially would take them out of our hands but now he won’t eat them at all. I’ve been reading everything I can about relocation stress and tank set ups, but it’s been two weeks now and I feel like maybe he should be settled in by now? Just looking for any advice or tips anyone can give. I do think his UVB set up is not right after a lot of reading tonight (he has a coil bulb in a dome fixture) and I am going to get a Tube bulb and fixture for mounting in his tank tomorrow ASAP. Just really want this guy to flourish. We’re all in love with him. Thanks for any help!
 

LuaBlua

Member
Well first of all, it's great that you're going to get rid of the coil bulb, they're never good news!
Where did you get him from? Which lights do you have and which do you plan to get? I personally have and would suggest getting the Arcadia Pro 24W UVB Kit, although expensive it's definitely necessary and worth spending the money on proper lighting. I'm sure others can also recommend some others, too.
What temps are your hot and cool sides, and what temp is your basking spot?
Him not eating and being afraid of you sounds a lot like relocation stress, it could just be him taking longer to settle in alongside possibly not really having the right environment. It's great you're doing the research to help him, patience and consistency is key with the little guy!
Keep offering the food, and keep getting him used to your voices, scents, and eventually your hands. Just having your hand sitting in there can help him get used to it. :)
 

mac35

New member
Original Poster
Thanks so much for your input! He came from a pet store (Petco) and he’s in a 40 gallon glass tank. I wish I had a better idea how old he was. He seems to be about 6-7 inches. Right now we have a double dome fixture that sits on top of the screen with a 75watt heat lamp in one side, and the UVB coil in the other. I’m going to be going to the pet store after I get out of work and get the UVB tube... I was planning on getting the Reptisun 10.0 tube because they have that in stock there, and then getting the fixture at Walmart that I’ve seen mentioned to mount it inside the tank. I can definitely order the Arcadia system if you think it’s worth it! I’m also going to pick up a digital thermometer because we currently have a stick on thermometer, which is reading 90-92 degrees in his basking spot, and 75 in his cooler side, but I’ve read that these aren’t really accurate, so hopefully I’ll have a better idea this evening when I get everything situated. I’m hoping this will help turn him around. Definitely going to keep trying, thank you for the encouragement. He did poop this morning and ate one cricket. I left some greens and veggies for him in his dish for the day. Fingers crossed we get this figured out. ?
 

Draven88

Hatchling Member
Welcome, always great to have new members its a great community.

At 6-7 inches long I would estimate 1-2 months of age. Length itself is not definitive as every beardie is different. The Reptisun 10.0 is a good choice and used by many, But let us know if its a T8 or T-5 tube as they do require different distance for correct UVB exposure. You are correct that the stick on temps are horrible. You are going to want a basking temp of 105-110 for a baby so you may want to consider grabbing a higher wattage basking bulb just in case maybe 100 over the 75 (if the digital probe confirms temps too low you can put it right in) as if his basking spot isn't warm enough food digestion will not be going well. You want to give ample time for the probe to read the temp it will not be instant, I usually wait for no change over 10 minutes to confirm its reached its accurate reading and isn't still being warmed by the spot its in. Also you want the UVB where it overlaps the basking spot so they get UVB while basking. If this leave the cool side dark you can put in a regular non UVB light like an led light that wont really effect the temps but it is not mandatory.

While all things are quite possibly relocation stress lack of good UVB and basking temps can cause lack of appetite as well so its great your sorting that out. Being from a chain store i would attribute somewhat to the lack of trust right now. Other than if some employees choose to take an interest in them they wouldn't see much socialization. Your presence near them alone so they see you is a start then working up to just having your hand in with them and hand feeding will lead to trust and curiosity where they will be more comfortable being touched/held. If he runs away don't chase, but I recommend not backing out right away either just stop so they see your hand isn't coming after them. They are quite smart for such a small creature and they will learn, and they all have their own personality and come around in their own time.
 

mac35

New member
Original Poster
I’m so happy to be here and talking to real people who know what they’re doing. Thank you.

I’ll let you know if the tube if a T8 or T5 after I get it and send a pic when we get it set up for pointers. I will also pick up a higher watt basking bulb. I do have a couple Exo Terra 100w basking bulbs coming in the mail but they won’t be here until Wednesday.

I was curious how accustomed to people he would be coming from the chain store, and my 4 year old is not the quietest and calmest. He’s very excited to hold him one day. It’s hard to be patient. :) We will keep putting our hands in and attempting hand feeding.

Thanks Again for the feedback. Can’t wait to see if we get some progress with a new set up.
 

LuaBlua

Member
It's great to hear you're trying to give the little guy a good environment.
The Reptisun 10.0 is definitely a great choice, it's good to hear you'll try out a higher watt basking bulb, and get more accurate thermometers!
It's beyond exciting getting a new pet, so I don't blame your son for being ecstatic! Time flies, he should get used to you all soon enough with the right treatment. :D Can't wait to maybe see him sometime! :lol:
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
You need a fixture w/ a reflector--- if you get one w/ no reflector you will haft to mount that T 8 approx 4-6 inches from basking decor- directly above it w/ NO plastic cover over the bulb it needs to be exposed-- please NO colored bulbs they are harmful to their eyes and can cause long term eye damage
Karrie
 
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