Superman8411":b3443 said:
Hello everyone...just got a beardie for my birthday the g/f got it for me...]
Hello and Welcome! :wave:
Superman8411":b3443 said:
I got so what of a small tank for it right now gonna give it sometime to grow before I get all crazy and creative with the new encloser...I've got a 60watt bulb for the heat and right now it says that its 84 degrees F]
I didn't see a
UVB light in the pic :shock: . UVB is extremely important for your beardie (it aids in proper digestion and prevents metabolic bone disease - MBD). The UVB should run the entire length of your tank. The UV light should be placed over the cage and not directed through the glass, glass will deflect the UV rays. Reptisun 10.0 is a decent one to get. When you get it, use a sharpie marker and write the bulb so you know when to change it. It should be changed every 6-8months. The UV light should be placed over the cage and not directed through the glass, glass will deflect the UV rays.
Also, you should have a cool side and a basking side. This is very hard to achieve in a 10gallon tank though... a 20gal should be the minimum. Your basking area should be about 6-8" from the light and should be 105-115F. The heat is also important for proper digestion and to prevent respiratory problems.
Your lighting should be on 12-14hrs/day.
Superman8411":b3443 said:
...I've got mealworms and crickets...I've got Reptile vitamins that I put on his food..]
Mealworms are not very good for growing beardies. They have hard shells that are difficult to digest and can cause impaction. The are also low in nutrients. Crickets are good, but be sure they are no bigger than the space between your beardies eyes to prevent impaction. You should be lightly dusting the crickets once a day (5X/week) with a calcium suppliment like repti-cal and once a day (2X/week) with a vitamin. Be sure that the crickets are offered 2-3 times every day. He should be allowed to eat as many as he can consume in a 10-15 minute period. Be very sure not to let crickets remain in the tank with your beardie longer....as they can chew on him and leave nasty sores. Sometimes it's easiest to feed your beardie in a separate container like a large rubbermaid box so you don't have to worry about the crickets hiding. Also, if they seem too fast for your beardie, you can put them in the fridge for about 5 minutes before feeding to slow them down.
You can also feed appropriate sized roaches, silkworms, and phoenix worms. With the phoenix worms, you do not have to use the calcium dust...as they are very high in calcium.
Once your beardie is about 15" long, you can feed super worms too.
Its good to start feeding your little guy salad too. As he gets older his diet will consist more of the salad. An adult should get about 80% of their nutrition from greens and veggies. Here's a great site that tells what's best to feed and what not to feed and why:
http://www.beautifuldragons.503xtreme.com/Nutrition.html
Be sure never to let your beardie eat lightning bugs, rhubarb, or avacados - they are all toxic.
Ozzy absolutely loves butternut squash...you might want to try it. He also eats turnip, mustard and collard greens daily.
***Some people will say that you can also feed canned food and that their beardies love it. This is my opinion, but I will NEVERR feed anything canned to Ozzy again. I recently tried canned crickets for the first time. I didn't know what they were supposed to smell like and they weren't expired. However they were spoiled, and full of bacteria. Ozzy almost died from eating just a few of them. My vet told me this was very common with the canned foods.
Superman8411":b3443 said:
there is a sandy bottom and plants to climb around on.....
Most everyone here agrees baby beardies should not be kept on sand. They are curious creatures and like to taste everything. Ingesting sand can cause impaction and even death.
Most recommend a substrate of paper towels, newspaper, or non-adhesive shelf liner. The shelf liner is works great. It's quick and easy to wipe clean, it's re-usable, and it's cheap. About $4-$6 at Walmart.
Once your beardie gets older (usually about a year old) if you want to use sand, you should buy a bag of play sand (ex. the type from Home Depot). Be sure it's washed and sifted.
From your pic, it looks like you have your beardie on calci-sand. I realize the pet store probably recommended this....and the bag even has a pic of a dragon on the front.....However, you shouldn't use this at all.
Calci sand tends to stick together and get very hard when it gets wet, making it nearly impossible to digest. This causes impaction and often death in beardies. Please read the article about impaction on this site at: http://www.beardeddragon.org/articles/impaction/
Superman8411":b3443 said:
what types of behaviors should I look for to know that he/she is doing good in the new enviroment? right now its not really doing much just sits there and almost looks like it is sleeping....every now and thene you will get some good movement...I am still going to get a temp gauge and a humidity gauge for the middle of the tank...check out my pics and let me know what you think...]
Beardies are adorable creatures. Yours may be a little less active due to your low temps and no
UVB light. He's probably going through a little relocation stress. If you get him a basking area with higher temps, a
UVB light, and give him a few days ....he should perk right up. Having a probe thermometer to measure the hot and cool sides of the tank is important.
When he perks up, you may notice him arm waving, head bobbing, and/or glass dancing. These behaviors are normal. Enjoy the show and take lots of pics
You'll also learn that beardies can sleep in any position!
A behavior you should not see is twitching. This usually occurs, beginning with the hind legs, if your beardie is not getting enough calcium. This is often the beginning stages of metabolic bone disease. If you notice this type of behavior, it's time to see a good herp vet.
Also, crickets can carry coccidia and worms. It's a good idea to look around for a vet now and to start regular check ups...just in case. A lot of people like to get a fecal done every few months to make sure their beardie doesn't have any parasites. It normally runs about $30 for an exam and about $20 for a fecal. Most vets will run a fecal without the vet visit once you've had your beardie seen.
Superman8411":b3443 said:
Thanks alot any and all pointers please throw them this way!! "Torn" and I could really use the help! also how often do you need to give them a spray of water and will they swim or sit in the water?]
Your beadie should be misted a couple times a day. Be careful not to get your tank too humid though...as it can lead to respiratory infections...especially with low temps!
You should
bathe your beardie at least once a week, but most people do it more often. Ozzy gets a
bath daily. Use luke warm water to fill a container....not deeper than your beardies shoulders. You can put a washcloth in the bottom to prevent sliding and help him feel more secure. Never leave him unattended while in the
bath.
You're very welcome. You've come to a great site. I just got Ozzy a couple months ago....as an adult, but I have learned so much from the people here. All the advice I've given has come from posts on this site and the care sheets here.
I hope this helped some. Please read over the care sheeets on this site in case I left anything out at:
http://www.beardeddragon.org/articles/caresheet/
Also, feel free to post specific questions anytime.
