First Time Beardie Owner-Meet Spyro

midoriskyz":1etq76nn said:

I am a first time beardie owner of what we think is a boy named Spyro. We (my fiance and I) got him from Petco despite having put our name on a list with our local reptile pet store because we fell in love with him. He is between 3 to 5 months old from what the pet store said. We do have a vet visit this Sunday and maybe they can determine his age better. He's such a good little boy, he loves his greens and dubia roaches. He's a little hesitant on baths but is tolerating short ones. Any time I've had questions (which is a lot, I worry and just want Spyro to have the best life) I've found the most helpful answers on your forums so I thought I'd join.
Welcome to the forum--------- please do not let him ride on shoulders etc--- please keep your hand over him at all times as you found out they do jump --- if hes not black bearding and acting normal that is a good thing most do not end up so lucky ---


I did have a few questions.

1. Spyro loves his greens as much as his dubia roaches and sometimes I worry about the balance as I know he needs more bugs than greens at his age. The local reptile pet store has recommended 1/4 of large collard green leaf a day and 15 small dubia roaches twice a day, so 30 a day. He always eats his greens right when I put them down and he always eats all of his bugs at both feedings. Am I underfeeding him or is he just trying to trick me into giving more than he needs? He needs salads every day even if hes only eating a little http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Nutrition.html ignore the kale thing its a good staple feeder -- please do not listen to the pet store people most times they give bad advice ---


2. He took a small fall last Sunday when he ran to my back and then leapt off to try to get on a ledge. He missed and fell about 2 feet onto carpet and landed on all four. He immediately kept moving like nothing happened for the few seconds before we picked him up and put him in his enclosure. He showed no signs of being hurt, then or in the days after. No swollen limbs, no change in behavior (in fact he seems more bold in trying to run up my arm onto my back when I hold him, licking my arm all the while). He seems to be pooping normally,, no blood in it. He's eating all of his food and running with no hindrance. He has a vet appointment in a few days, should I mention the fall and get x-rays to be safe? If hes black bearding and acting off then you would need to get him into the vet from this fall


3. Is there and ideal age or size to move him into his adult enclosure? I've read 3 times the length head to tip of tail. Not really --- we recommend a 75-120 gallon tank

I posted a picture of Spyro and his enclosure below. We are aware that the uvb should be on the inside, his old fixture stopped working when we changed the bulb so we got this bigger fixture because it was all our local place had and this one will fit on the inside of his adult enclosure. I also just got a carrier for him for vet trips that I can also take him outside to to get natural uvb. The temps and humidity are good this time of year where I live. Also the water bowls in his tank are specifically to raise the humidity because our apartment is extremely dry. What is the humidity in his tank -- you want it optimal 30-50% --- nothing over 70% and I would recommend a digital hygrometer place on the back center wall of the tank it will read the whole tank -- as far as the UVB we often do not recommend the whole length of the tank they need to be able to get out of the rays w/ out having to hide from it -- his tank looks great but the decor he will out grow --- its best to get things that are big so you dont haft to re buy stuff -- decor pieces bought from pet stores are good if you can find what your looking for --- things like supplies UVB fixtures bulbs etc and insects are better bought on line -- I can give you a whole list of feeders / worms if you like -- the UVB needs to go inside the tank or be unobstructed if your screen is a fine mesh like a screen door -- the screen blocks 30% of the rays and you dont want that --- distance should be 12-15 inches directly over the basking decor piece for a T 5 -- your reptile store should of told you that and not sold you that long fixture -- I recommend a 24" Zoo Med or Sunblaster or Arcadia fixture they are easier to work w/ and will go into a bigger tank -- so what is most important here is the basking temps taken w/ a digital probe thermometer and they should be 105-110 for a baby --- it will change as they become juveniles and the UVB---- they are what controls the over all health and behavior of the dragon -- please get you UVB situated --- if your using a T 8 bulb then the placement and distance is different --- they are not as strong as the T 5

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