menagerie1
Member
Hi all,
I warn you I have a lot of questions so this is long post. Thanks in advance for your advice!
My daughter decided she wanted a bearded dragon and I have done a lot of research both before we got our dragon and constantly in the two weeks that we’ve had him.
First, lighting: we bought a 100 watt MVB and a ceramic heat emitter for heat gradient and night heat. But I have been researching a custom enclosure for him as he gets bigger, and all of these enclosures seem to be built with a heat bulb and reptisun tube uvb bulb, both inside the enclosure (ours our mounted above the screen top of the terrarium). Can I use the MVB inside an enclosure if the minimum distance of 12” is maintained? Or is it better to have UVB and separate heat source? And why (helps if I know the reasoning rather than just recommendations so I understand the circumstances).
Also, we bought our beardie from Petco (I know that may not have been the best place but didn’t know about any local breeders prior and we wanted to be able to hold the dragon first.) He seems to be in good health and is personable. He is 7 inches long. The first week transition was difficult because he didn’t eat much and then started to shed. Now he is eating, but avoiding veggies. Here’s our routine:
Salad bowl in morning. He doesn’t eat any of it but we leave in all day. One hour after waking we feed 10-15 Dubia before he is disinterested. (He will not even look at crickets and I have 1000 Phoenix worms that he also turns his nose up at). We get home from school and seems like he eats a few bites of veggies during the day but not much. Feed 10-20 Dubia.
At 7:30-8:00pm another meal of 10-15 Dubia. 1 hour later is lights out.
So questions: I have read forum after forum and articles to books but nothing I try gets him to eat greens. Tried hand feeding, tried putting Dubia in with greens (he picks out the Dubia), tried a couple pieces of cut up blueberries with greens (he picks out the fruit, leaves the greens), tried bearded dragon salad dressing (liquid vitamin supplement flavored like strawberries), tried a variety of veggies (only thing he has eaten a few pieces of is zucchini; avoids carrots, peppers, collards, kale). He is very disinterested in any food that isn’t animated and won’t eat moist dragon pellets, dried insects or dragon treats. We powder all Dubia with Repashy all-in-one.
Also, any way to interest him in the BSF larvae? These are much more convenient and cheaper than the Dubia and require no care. Or, thinking about getting Dubia colony started at home to save $50/week on Dubia shipments.
Other notes: he is very skittish when we pick him up. He does calm down and likes to explore eg: daughter’s bed, climb on shirt, etc. I’ve watched a hundred videos and the dragons are all super chill; will ours calm down when handled? Is it a juvenile thing?
Heat gradient is good 102-110 on his basking log. 90s under climbing tree. Shallow water dish side is about 85. Far corner 78-80. Nightly temps are about 78-80 where he usually sleeps. Goes down to about 73 on coolest section. Our current tank is 30x12x12. I am planning on investing in a custom tank 36x24x18. Thoughts?
Finally, we’ve been giving dragon bath about three times per week and keep shallow dish in his cage. He seems to like sitting in it.
We are a pet family and have two dogs and two cats. I am caretaker of all, but am teaching my daughter to also do feeding and maintenance of dragon too. Really want to get off to a good start so we have a happy and healthy dragon that likes being handled by his family.
Thanks so much for advice!
I warn you I have a lot of questions so this is long post. Thanks in advance for your advice!
My daughter decided she wanted a bearded dragon and I have done a lot of research both before we got our dragon and constantly in the two weeks that we’ve had him.
First, lighting: we bought a 100 watt MVB and a ceramic heat emitter for heat gradient and night heat. But I have been researching a custom enclosure for him as he gets bigger, and all of these enclosures seem to be built with a heat bulb and reptisun tube uvb bulb, both inside the enclosure (ours our mounted above the screen top of the terrarium). Can I use the MVB inside an enclosure if the minimum distance of 12” is maintained? Or is it better to have UVB and separate heat source? And why (helps if I know the reasoning rather than just recommendations so I understand the circumstances).
Also, we bought our beardie from Petco (I know that may not have been the best place but didn’t know about any local breeders prior and we wanted to be able to hold the dragon first.) He seems to be in good health and is personable. He is 7 inches long. The first week transition was difficult because he didn’t eat much and then started to shed. Now he is eating, but avoiding veggies. Here’s our routine:
Salad bowl in morning. He doesn’t eat any of it but we leave in all day. One hour after waking we feed 10-15 Dubia before he is disinterested. (He will not even look at crickets and I have 1000 Phoenix worms that he also turns his nose up at). We get home from school and seems like he eats a few bites of veggies during the day but not much. Feed 10-20 Dubia.
At 7:30-8:00pm another meal of 10-15 Dubia. 1 hour later is lights out.
So questions: I have read forum after forum and articles to books but nothing I try gets him to eat greens. Tried hand feeding, tried putting Dubia in with greens (he picks out the Dubia), tried a couple pieces of cut up blueberries with greens (he picks out the fruit, leaves the greens), tried bearded dragon salad dressing (liquid vitamin supplement flavored like strawberries), tried a variety of veggies (only thing he has eaten a few pieces of is zucchini; avoids carrots, peppers, collards, kale). He is very disinterested in any food that isn’t animated and won’t eat moist dragon pellets, dried insects or dragon treats. We powder all Dubia with Repashy all-in-one.
Also, any way to interest him in the BSF larvae? These are much more convenient and cheaper than the Dubia and require no care. Or, thinking about getting Dubia colony started at home to save $50/week on Dubia shipments.
Other notes: he is very skittish when we pick him up. He does calm down and likes to explore eg: daughter’s bed, climb on shirt, etc. I’ve watched a hundred videos and the dragons are all super chill; will ours calm down when handled? Is it a juvenile thing?
Heat gradient is good 102-110 on his basking log. 90s under climbing tree. Shallow water dish side is about 85. Far corner 78-80. Nightly temps are about 78-80 where he usually sleeps. Goes down to about 73 on coolest section. Our current tank is 30x12x12. I am planning on investing in a custom tank 36x24x18. Thoughts?
Finally, we’ve been giving dragon bath about three times per week and keep shallow dish in his cage. He seems to like sitting in it.
We are a pet family and have two dogs and two cats. I am caretaker of all, but am teaching my daughter to also do feeding and maintenance of dragon too. Really want to get off to a good start so we have a happy and healthy dragon that likes being handled by his family.
Thanks so much for advice!