Newbie viv info!

Peterpan842 · Jun 25, 2017

Hey guys i've attached a photo of my viv. Im kind of new so i was hoping you guys could let me know if im doing everything well! (Beardie is sleeping btw) He is 4 months old and is growing like a weed!

This is a 20 gallon long tank. I have a 100 watt basking light and a reptisun 5.0 terrarium hood. I also have a digital hygrometer. Temp at the basking spot ranges from 90-95F, humidity ranges from 35-40. I keep lights on 12 hours a day.

Feeding wise, I feed crickets and supers 30min after i turn the lights on. Usually 5-10 crickets and 5 supers. I do this twice a day. In regards to greens I use collard greens. He usually poops 1-2 times a day. I am dusting with calcium 5-6 days a week and dusting with a multivitamin 1-2 times a week. His tail is in a shed so im bathing him every 2 days. Going to switch over to silk worms soon!

Any suggestions?

kingofnobbys · Jun 26, 2017

...... recommend weighing regularly (weekly say)?

Can you give us a good rundown on the setup and schedules (light and feeding) :
Basking light
........ is it a coloured globe ? (BAD)
........ what is it's wattage ?
........ how far from the basking spot ?

TEMPERATURES ?
>>> daytime
.......warm zone
.......basking spot
...... how are you measuring your temperatures ?
TOO COLD = SLEEPY DRAGON
>>> overnight minimum viv temperatures ?

UVA AND UVB ADEQUATE ?
If the uv rated at 5%UVB it is totally INADEQUATE for a bearded dragon who would virtually have to ware the dome with the compact in for a hat to get enough UVA and UVB , beardies MUST HAVE AT LEAST 10%UVB ?
if a COMPACT (curly globe & WATTAGE) ? 13W is NOT STRONG ENOUGH, need the 26W version
Best to mount the compact
> under the mesh lid in a compact reflector hood (like a NANO HOOD)
http://www.exo-terra.com/en/products/compact_top.php
> so it is mounted HORIZONTALLY and NOT VIRTICALLY , will give a better spread of UVA and UVB.
> so the beardie can climb to inside 8 inches from the 26W 10%UVB compact.

Better choices are
or a T8 tube rated at least 12%UVB
or a T5 tube rated at least 10%UVB
or an MVB ?

VERY IMPORTANT : choose a GOOD QUALITY brand >>>
Not all UVB compacts and tubes are created equal or as well , many shops sell their own brand (Zilla, All Living Things, Reptile-One, Nat Geo , Natural Selections (in green boxes) which are cheap Chinese clones made very cheaply using very poor quality quartz glass and cheap phosphors ==> very poor UV spectrum produced incl UVC band and bad parts of the UVB band.

Your UV light IS sitting ontop a mesh top == BAD
so as well as being too weak in terms of wattage and %UVA and %UVB , it is too far , about 30% of the UVA and UVB is blocked by the lid's mesh , and the UVA and UVB WILL BE TOO DILUTE.

UVA FLUX TOO LOW where dragon is ==> a very lethargic dragon w/ a very poor apetite just in the short term , and neurological problems if this persists , not to mention MVB if UVB flux too low long enough with inadequate metabolisation of dietary calcium or inadequate intake out calcium

TANK
>>> size (L x W x H) and construction .

TOO SHORT A PHOTOPERIOD (lights are not kept on long enough each day , will make beardie think it is winter , recommend at least 14 HRS PER DAY)

kingofnobbys · Jun 26, 2017

binkskii":259hkx3n said:
Hey guys i've attached a photo of my viv. Im kind of new so i was hoping you guys could let me know if im doing everything well! (Beardie is sleeping btw) He is 4 months old and is growing like a weed!

This is a 20 gallon long tank. I have a 100 watt basking light and a reptisun 5.0 terrarium hood. I also have a digital hygrometer. Temp at the basking spot ranges from 90-95F
<<< 95F is a tad too cool, you need to adjust the position of the basking spot so he can get a basking spot at about 40-42 degC --- NO HOTTER !!

, humidity ranges from 35-40. I keep lights on 12 hours a day.
<<< 12 hour photoperiod is too short , he will perpetually think it's winter, I recommend bumping this up by 3 to 4 hours .

Feeding wise, I feed crickets and supers 30min after i turn the lights on.
<<< at his age he is too young and not yet developed enough to cope with mealworms or superworms , wont be suitable for him (even as a treat) until he is 12 months old because
>> juveniles have a tight turn in their gut that is prone to blockages
>> these worms have a very hard to digest exoskeleton
>> these worms are relatively poor in protein , calcium and high in fat

He needs time to wake up and warm prior to his first meal, not less than 2 hours (IMO)/
My schedule for hatchlings / juveniles is lights on 6am, first meal about 9-10am, ..... last meal about 5-6pm , lights out 10pm.

Usually 5-10 crickets and 5 supers. I do this twice a day. In regards to greens I use collard greens. He usually poops 1-2 times a day. I am dusting with calcium 5-6 days a week and dusting with a multivitamin 1-2 times a week. His tail is in a shed so im bathing him every 2 days.
<<< bathing frequently is not necessary , they are capable of dealing with their shed without human intervention unless there is an area of stubborn shed on his toes, fingers, feet, hands or tail.\
Going to switch over to silk worms soon!

Any suggestions?

Peterpan842 · Jun 26, 2017

Hey thanks for your responses.

The store i got him at told me he was 3-4 months old. He is currently around 12-13 inches including his tail. He weighs 101 grams.

I have stopped the supers and have changed to wax worms and crickets. About 10 3/8th crickets and 5 wax worms twice a day.

I just bought the 10.0 T5 HO reptisun bulb and I've just installed it. As for heating it may not be as accurate because he does open his mouth when he's basking and he also doesn't sit directly in the sun for a long period of time. I need to measure it with a heat gun.

I will start to leave the lights on for 14-16 hours and ensure i dont feed him too early.

Anymore suggestions?

neilkd21 · Jun 26, 2017

That's too many wax worms, they are very fatty and are fairly addictive to beardies which can cause them to stop eating other food. Should really only give one or two a week if at all.

If you can get Dubia roaches or calci worms they would be much better. I believe silk worms are great but haven't used them as not easy to get here in England. I prefer locusts to crickets but know they aren't always available is the US.

Another thing to consider is the 20gal tank will be fine now while 3to4 months old but will need to be upgraded to a 40gal tank in 6 to 8 months as gets bigger.

Peterpan842 · Jun 26, 2017

neilkd21":7va4bh10 said:
That's too many wax worms, they are very fatty and are fairly addictive to beardies which can cause them to stop eating other food. Should really only give one or two a week if at all.

If you can get Dubia roaches or calci worms they would be much better. I believe silk worms are great but haven't used them as not easy to get here in England. I prefer locusts to crickets but know they aren't always available is the US.

My apologies, ive been feeding him silk worms not wax worms, not sure why i said that. Theres no dubia roaches here in canada

im sticking to the silk worms he seems to enjoy them.

neilkd21 · Jun 26, 2017

Ah that's good then

Yeah silk worms are meant to be one of the best feeders so definitely stick with them, would love to use them myself but unfortunately I can't get them here. I believe Horn worms are also good for when he gets bigger but again havent used them as they are banned in England.

Newbie viv info!

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