Newb with newb beardies

Hello! This seems like it's going to be a very helpful site.

I just added two baby bearded dragons, about 6 weeks old to my family. Both are about 6 inches long, good weight, checked out clean at the vet, and very cute. Today is their second day at home, and I already have a concern. They didn't eat at all today.

I have them in a 20 gallon enclosure, a 50 watt heat lamp on one side and a uv-emitting standard light running the legnth of the enclosure. (Yes, I did take the glass cover off of the uv light). I have a temp reader on the cool side of the enclosure, currently reading at 92F, the heat lamp over a basking stone that is warm to the touch. I covered three sides of the enclosure with a dark blanket (I read this was good for babies???) They are in a sand substrate (Ive read both sides of that argument, and decided on the sand, so don't comment on it please), I keep the veggies in the enclosure fresh and spritzed with water...even the climbing foliage. Yesterday night after I brought them home, Kif ate about 4 crix, Amy the same. The crix were lightly coated with mineral powder.

They have pooped today...one of them two times. Two of the poops were huge, the third a not so huge. They were pretty solid and looked normal. I can show you pics if you want. Lol.

Is it relocation stress? I'm a bit worried. Thanks!

Hello! This seems like it's going to be a very helpful site.

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Yup it's definitely helpful! Alot of knowledgeable people here! If it weren't for the people on this site I'd have been so lost raising my beardie!

I just added two baby bearded dragons, about 6 weeks old to my family. Both are about 6 inches long, good weight, checked out clean at the vet, and very cute. Today is their second day at home, and I already have a concern. They didn't eat at all today.

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It's common for babies to go a few days without eating when they are first brought into a new home. They go through relocation stress sometimes and just need a few days to adjust.

I have them in a 20 gallon enclosure, a 50 watt heat lamp on one side and a uv-emitting standard light running the legnth of the enclosure.

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Do you know the brand and the UV output of the bulb? Alot of UV bulbs are totally useless. It should be either a reptiglo 8.0 or reptisun 10.0 (or even a 5.0 has been said to be ok, but 8.0 and 10.0 are best) if it's something like an ESU desert sun it's useless and will not benefit the babies.
Also the 20 gallon isnt gonna last very long
They'll each need their own tank, preferably around 75-gallons each in a few months

I have a temp reader on the cool side of the enclosure, currently reading at 92F,

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that's waaay too hot for the 'cool' side. It should be more between 75 and 85. Also is it a digital probe thermometer? The round dial ones and the stick-on ones are usually very innaccurate.

the heat lamp over a basking stone that is warm to the touch.

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Do you know the temperature of the basking spot though? Should be between 105-115 for babies.

They are in a sand substrate (Ive read both sides of that argument, and decided on the sand, so don't comment on it please),

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What kind of sand?
I know you don't want to hear anything about this but it is one of the most important issues for your beardies life.
The *ONLY* sand that isn't really fatal is children's playsand- BUT it does have a larger risk for baby dragons!

The sand issue isn't really a 2-sided argument. Sands from pet stores are dangerous and that is that. There is no argument saying that it is safe.
And for the childrens playsand... that can be risky as well. But if the beardie's are fed in a seperate enclosure so they do not swallow too much of it. But it is still not reccomended for babies since they are small enough to get the sand stuck in them still.

I keep the veggies in the enclosure fresh and spritzed with water...even the climbing foliage.

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How often do you spritz the climbing plants? Too much moisture in the enclosure can cause Upper Respiratory Infection which is fatal. Keeping the veggies wet is OK. You should also be giving them 'baths' once or twice a day as babies to keep them hydrated. (fill a tupperware with a little bit of water up to their shoulder)

Yesterday night after I brought them home, Kif ate about 4 crix, Amy the same. The crix were lightly coated with mineral powder.

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I am not sure what mineral powder is. Maybe someone else here knows.
It's usually recommended to use the Rep-Cal brands of Calcium with D3 5 times a week and herptivite 2 times a week.
Once they get comfortable in their new home they'll be eating way more than 4 a day

They have pooped today...one of them two times. Two of the poops were huge, the third a not so huge. They were pretty solid and looked normal. I can show you pics if you want. Lol.

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Hehehe normal poops is definitely a good sign

Is it relocation stress? I'm a bit worried. Thanks!

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Yea most likely. Most beardies do go through relocation stress at first, so not eating, etc. the first days is normal.

Wow...I mean, I read on these little buggers for WEEKS..both my finacee and I did, and I just learned more here than the weeks of reading and asking. Thanks!!! I guess we need to do more shopping tho... :?

The UV bulb is a ESU Reptile brand, 7.0. This is the brand the petstore carried, no others. The heat lamp's bulb is a Exo Terra 50 watt, with a metal cover.

The temp reading I gave you was with one of those round sticky things....(eeep ). The 92F I read for you was not in the cool spot (my bad) but in the back middle of the tank, not too far from the heatlamp. I don't know how to get a good reading on the temp of the basking stone, but it is nice and warm to the touch. How do you measure the temp of the surface of your basking areas?

The sand is a repto-sand brand my finacee tells me (we've thrown the packages in the trash since) but that's all the store carried as well. The babies (we were told) were brought to them in that medium from the breeder, and they were in that medium at the petstore. *shrug*

We spritz the plants maybe 2 times a day...With the outside temp around the tank easily 85 these last two days, they dry up FAST.

Baths? We had no idea. We'll be on it as soon as we're done here.

Rep-cal is what we use..the powder. They haven't really gotten to eating yet, but once we get a routine I'll be keeping to the one you recommended.

Hello and Welcome! :wave:

This is a great place and you'll find a many people here that know a lot about beardies and their care.

I know you don't want to hear about the sand.....so I only ask that you please read the care sheet before making a final decision at the following link: http://www.beardeddragon.org/articles/caresheet/?page=2

Again welcome to the site....I can't wait to see pictures of your little ones!

Day three morning... we're still waiting to see if they'll eat. I guess not. They sit and watch us on the basking stone like we're huge godzillas. We'll try again around lunch time.

I'll run the substrate concerns from this site by my better half. I certainly don't want anything to happen to our babies.

I am going to post more pics today, so be looking in the pics forum!!

Kif began to eat in the enclosure yesterday...in their enclosure, by hand, and in a seperate one where the crix had nowhere to hide...but Amy wouldn't respond to any of this.

We decided we were going to monitor feedings seperately for a couple of days...so this morning we put crix in the main enclosure for Kif which he immediately jumped all over, and Amy in a seperate enclosure where the crix would be easy to come by...and she went nuts!!! We think she ate about 15 crix...we lost count after 10, lol. Their lunchtime we put them both togeather in the smaller enclosure to feed, and they both ate at least 10 crix again. Kif isn't showing signs of agressive behavior towards her at all...so we're relieved. VERY relieved. They are both eating greens too...so here we go. We're off!!!