Shotty.Sub
Member
- Beardie name(s)
- Fiona
Hi!
New bearded dragon owner here! We adopted a 14 month old Beardie. They were sexed as male at a young age, but we think they might be female. Taking to the vet to confirm. Wanted to share my tank setup and routine and see if I should tweak anything. One or two questions about substrate as well if you have any thoughts.
Vet Visit
-About 16 inches long, 16oz in weight
-Vet didn’t call out any health issues, though I wish they had of been more thorough in their check ups
-Did a fecal test, no parasites
Tank
-120 Gallon Tank
Lighting
-Lights are on 8am to 8pm
-Two “T8 ReptiSun 10.0 UVB, 24 Inch, 17 Watt” Bulbs. No Screen.
-150 Watt Heat Lamp Bulb
Temperature (Fahrenheit) & Humidity
-Varies slightly, but usually 100-106 on the basking spot and 78-81 on the far cool side of the tank.Using a IR thermometer, but also keep a general stick on that is around 80-85 most days.
-Humidity stays around 35% though at night it sometimes goes up to 42%.
Hygiene
-Bathing once every 1-2 weeks. Several times a week when shedding with a light toothbrush.
-Spot cleaning poop. Planning to gently wipe down everything every few weeks once we finish a new substrate.
Substrate
-Previous owner used a bioactive tank set up. They did their research, but I want to switch to something without particles that is easy to clean so I can keep it sanitary and worry less about impaction.
Diet
-4-6 crickets, 6x a week. Collards every day. Blueberries and hornworms as treats.
-Calcium 4x a week, Calcium with D3 2x a week, Multivitamin 1x a week
-Feeding crickets in large separate container for exercise and sanitation.
-Previous owner was feeding gut load super worms, collards, and occasional blue berries.
-Poops have a tinge of green (eating lots of collards) , been a bit wet with a tad bit of slime, but have been firm with white/ting of yellow urates. Urate is mostly soft, one small hard piece, but try reducing calcium. They’ve been drinking well and eating well. I looked online at “healthy” bearded dragon poop pics and it looks pretty similar.
Enrichment
-Stays in my office where I work remotely, so lots to watch.
-Let him sit in the window mid day
-Let him run around the office a bit if he seems like he’s glass surfing a lot
-After lights beardie snuggles
Questions
-Recommend any specific cleaning products? How long do they need to be out of the tank after a wipe down?
-I really need help with substrate. Want to get this bioactive dirt out of here. Looking into tiling the base with my dad, but worried about toxic substances? Also looking at shelf liner with some tiles placed in the tank, but again worried about putting in VOC plastic. Want to avoid reptile carpet because I don’t like that it’s spongy and could soak up poop bacteria. Any recommendations for safe shelf liner or tile grouts?
-We made a custom lid for the enclosure (the old one was busted) and painted the wood frame. Letting it off gas for 1-2 weeks. Is that long enough?
-How much should I dust food with supplements? Not sure what’s too little or too much?
-Do I need to give D3 with my setup? Finding mixed answers online.
New bearded dragon owner here! We adopted a 14 month old Beardie. They were sexed as male at a young age, but we think they might be female. Taking to the vet to confirm. Wanted to share my tank setup and routine and see if I should tweak anything. One or two questions about substrate as well if you have any thoughts.
Vet Visit
-About 16 inches long, 16oz in weight
-Vet didn’t call out any health issues, though I wish they had of been more thorough in their check ups
-Did a fecal test, no parasites
Tank
-120 Gallon Tank
Lighting
-Lights are on 8am to 8pm
-Two “T8 ReptiSun 10.0 UVB, 24 Inch, 17 Watt” Bulbs. No Screen.
-150 Watt Heat Lamp Bulb
Temperature (Fahrenheit) & Humidity
-Varies slightly, but usually 100-106 on the basking spot and 78-81 on the far cool side of the tank.Using a IR thermometer, but also keep a general stick on that is around 80-85 most days.
-Humidity stays around 35% though at night it sometimes goes up to 42%.
Hygiene
-Bathing once every 1-2 weeks. Several times a week when shedding with a light toothbrush.
-Spot cleaning poop. Planning to gently wipe down everything every few weeks once we finish a new substrate.
Substrate
-Previous owner used a bioactive tank set up. They did their research, but I want to switch to something without particles that is easy to clean so I can keep it sanitary and worry less about impaction.
Diet
-4-6 crickets, 6x a week. Collards every day. Blueberries and hornworms as treats.
-Calcium 4x a week, Calcium with D3 2x a week, Multivitamin 1x a week
-Feeding crickets in large separate container for exercise and sanitation.
-Previous owner was feeding gut load super worms, collards, and occasional blue berries.
-Poops have a tinge of green (eating lots of collards) , been a bit wet with a tad bit of slime, but have been firm with white/ting of yellow urates. Urate is mostly soft, one small hard piece, but try reducing calcium. They’ve been drinking well and eating well. I looked online at “healthy” bearded dragon poop pics and it looks pretty similar.
Enrichment
-Stays in my office where I work remotely, so lots to watch.
-Let him sit in the window mid day
-Let him run around the office a bit if he seems like he’s glass surfing a lot
-After lights beardie snuggles
Questions
-Recommend any specific cleaning products? How long do they need to be out of the tank after a wipe down?
-I really need help with substrate. Want to get this bioactive dirt out of here. Looking into tiling the base with my dad, but worried about toxic substances? Also looking at shelf liner with some tiles placed in the tank, but again worried about putting in VOC plastic. Want to avoid reptile carpet because I don’t like that it’s spongy and could soak up poop bacteria. Any recommendations for safe shelf liner or tile grouts?
-We made a custom lid for the enclosure (the old one was busted) and painted the wood frame. Letting it off gas for 1-2 weeks. Is that long enough?
-How much should I dust food with supplements? Not sure what’s too little or too much?
-Do I need to give D3 with my setup? Finding mixed answers online.