New member

Status
Not open for further replies.
Hi all! I've lurked on these forums from time to time (when a Google search turns up a post for a question we have about our beardie) but figured I'd join now as I'm actually starting to have real questions.

This is Stubbs:
full


She's a little over a year old; we brought her home from the pet store on Christmas Eve, 2017. She's named after her stub tail, because the breeder that Petco got her from (Yes, we've since learned that Petco is a bad source of reptiles) kept her and her clutch mates in crowded conditions and one of them got nippy. It doesn't impede her in the slightest, and it got us a 25% "cosmetic discount" when we bought her. She's a little small for a beardie, because she had a nasty bout of coccydia when she was younger that seems to have stunted her growth (and also seems to have given her some trouble pooping; she tends to save it up for a week or so and then finally let out a massive dump. We suspect she has trouble staying hydrated, because her urate ends up being a little hard, so it's probably a little painful for her to pass.) She is generally either sitting on her log/ledge half asleep or demanding to be let out, where she runs around the house like a crazy lizard. There is no in between with her. She used to enjoy just sitting on my shoulder as I drank my morning coffee, but that seems to have become a bit passe to her now; I'm hoping that once the summer comes back on, she'll settle down and we can go back to having our little bonding time in the mornings. She's a little bit of a finicky eater, but she's gotten to reliably eating her salad, and she will eat as many blueberries as you put in front of her.
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Can you please post pics of Stubbs tank and her lighting set up--- when people say Petsmart and Petco we all cringe cuz we know they give bad advice

Karrie
 

ModernAlchemy

Member
Original Poster
The image uploader isn't working right, but I can tell you all about her set up. Don't worry, we only got her from Petco, and generally have ignored everything they told us. She's in a 40 gallon breeder, with a 75w incandescent heat lamp and a 100 or 120w (I can't quite remember off the top of my head) mercury vapor bulb right next to it on the hot side. Multiple things for her to climb on so she can vary her altitude near the basking light. Using reptile carpet as a substrate. She has her favorite hide, which happens to be a cut off paper sack (she's a weird lizard.) We check her temps regularly, gut load her dubias, and give her a wide variety of veggies. Most of our advice we receive from our vet's office that specializes in reptiles and other exotics (in fact, one of the doctors there worked specifically with reptiles at the Oregon Zoo. They're eminently qualified.) We've done a great deal of research in an effort to be good beardie parents, and she's not our only reptile; we also have two leopard geckos, a corn snake, and a crested gecko. I'll try to post a picture in a little while to see if the image uploader is going to work right.
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Are one of those a UVB? That is crucial - they prevent a lot of health issues-- the UVB should be or recommended on this site by all is a Reptisun 10.0 T5 or T8 T5 is best or a Arcadia 10.0 T5- it should be inside the tank around 6-12 inches from her -- the Reptisuns need to be replaced every 6 months while the Arcadia once a year-- its good that you have a good reptile vet on board but its funny they havent said anything about the UVB unless that subject has never come up-- the rays coming from the bulb should be 12% or higher-- and the bulb cover should be off -- so all you see is the bulb itself-
Karrie
 

ModernAlchemy

Member
Original Poster
Yeah, the mercury vapor bulb provides UVA, UVB, and heat, which is why we went with it. They tend to burn out a little faster, and they're a bit more expensive, but it's worth it. The hoods are sitting on top of a metal mesh top, and the mercury vapor is about 12" or so from her highest basking point (which is about what we've seen recommended, as MV bulbs tend to burn quite a bit hotter than a fluorescent tube so you don't want it to get too close to the critter lest they burn.) We've definitely consulted the vet about her UV requirements, and they gave us the big thumbs up when we decided to go with the MV. We want to get her a bigger tank at some point, but we're searching for the right one, and a big setup is kind of spendy - the one she's in now is perfectly adequate, and she gets plenty of exercise when she comes out to run around, so it's not like she's overly cramped.
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
I have the Zen Habitat-- its a 4x2x2 120 gallon-- it was $269 and free shipping - its a nice tank -- you can go see it at ZenHabitats.com ---- I guess I am not familiar w/ the UVB you have set up for her but if the vet recommends it I guess go w/ it -- I just know everyone on this board recommends the Reptisun or the Arcadia --- they are concerned about MBD-- so

Karrie
 

ModernAlchemy

Member
Original Poster
I totally get it, and I appreciate the concern. :) We've done our research, and we always do everything we can for her. We've sprung the money for insurance for her (as well as all the others - it's stupidly cheap for the peace of mind it's worth.) She's on a medicine regimen now (she decided she wasn't going to poop before going into brumation, so she came out of it full of parasites and a yeast infection in her little guts.) She is the single most obstinate creature, man or beast, I have ever met; she has the capability to clamp her mouth shut like it was a vise. She's been a bundle of trouble, but she's our little baby and we'd do anything for her.
 

AHBD

BD.org Sicko
It's nice to meet Stubbs. :) It sounds like you're doing a great job with her and she is a real rascal. :D
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Members online

Latest resources

Latest profile posts

I miss you so much, Amaris 💔
What is a quick way to warm up a cold beardie? His heating element went out overnight and now he's very cold.
Pearl Girl wrote on moorelori1966's profile.
i feel so sad reading your about me 😢
Clapton is acclimating okay I think. He's quick as lightning so I'm not sure how much I should bring him out of his house yet. He's not at all interested in his salad though. I wonder if I should change what I'm giving him. Least he's eating his crickets.

Things to do:
Buy calcium powder
Material to raise surface for basking spot
Scenery decals for back of tank

Forum statistics

Threads
155,899
Messages
1,255,683
Members
75,965
Latest member
williamyoung
Top Bottom