adopted a beardie

[IamKetchup]

We just recently adopted ketchup a few days ago and my 8 yr old daughter is loving him and wants to feed him crickets all the time(she thinks its so cool). My husband use to care for beardies when he worked at the bronx zoo when he was in school. This is his favorite reptile. I am fairly new to reptiles, never have owned one before. So I have been reading all I can about these little buggers and they seem quite easy to take care of, which is good I just have a few questions, The couple we got him from only fed him crickets and nothing else. how can I get him to start eating other stuff? He is not very active either, could this be because he is just laid back,? And his beard has turned a light gray color, what does this mean? any suggetions would be wonderful
Thanks
ketchups mom
Caroline

 

[destiny1998]

Hi. He probably has relocation stress. That can last for a couple of weeks. How old is he? If hes an adult he needs 80%salad 20% protein. Here is a good site for a list of what to feed beautifuldragons.com if hes a baby its the opposite. Also can you go over his set up?

 

[IamKetchup]

he is roughly 15 inches long so 9-12 months old. right now he is in a 25 gallon tank (we plan on getting a 40-50 gallon after we get our taxes back)with sand has the heating light and uvb at 105 and then he has his purple night time lamp and his cool side stays around 86.We have a log for him to climb on but I have never seen him up on it since we moved him to our house,plus a log with some fake grass,his water and food dish.
thanks for the info.

 

[destiny1998]

You'll probably want to get a bigger tank sooner if you can they need a 40 gallon breeder minimum. Also get rid of the purple light as colored bulbs cause eye problems and disturbs his sleep. Beardies need complete darkness at night and they like it cool at night. As long as your house does not get below 65 he'll be fine. Get rid of the sand as it harbors bacteria and can cause impaction. You can use paper towels, non adhesive shelf liner or tile. What kind of a uvb do you have? Coil/compact or tube? What brand? How are you taking temps?

 

[IamKetchup]

You'll probably want to get a bigger tank sooner if you can they need a 40 gallon breeder minimum. Also get rid of the purple light as colored bulbs cause eye problems and disturbs his sleep. Beardies need complete darkness at night and they like it cool at night. As long as your house does not get below 65 he'll be fine. Get rid of the sand as it harbors bacteria and can cause impaction. You can use paper towels, non adhesive shelf liner or tile. What kind of a uvb do you have? Coil/compact or tube? What brand? How are you taking temps?

well we cant afford the bigger tank at the time, but i have been keeping an eye out on a few websites for them. the nite light that I told you about is a 50w infrared spot bulb and was recommended by a petsmart owner of beardies. Ill try getting rid of the sand and the uvb bulb is a compact 26w zoo med brand. as of right now the tank we got with ketchup has stick on temp gauge, I have a Zoo Med ReptiTemp Digital Infrared Thermometer on order. Just have to wait til it comes in the mail.

 

[FireFoXX]

Just a quick post, PetSmart will have the 36x18x18 ExoTerra Terrarium for $99 on Black Friday. I think I've also seen a 40 gal tank at PetCo recently for around $69. Don't know if that is in your budget but just thought I'd give you the info.

And as far as buying lights, I've found buying everything online was cheaper than any Pet Store. I got all my stuff on Amazon for as much as 50% off store prices.

 

[destiny1998]

Pet store are notorious for bad information. Git rid of the purple light it is not good for him. I told you it distrubs his sleep. Remember in their real environment they don't have lights at night and it gets down to the 60s. The uvb is also very bad for the eyes it burns them now I know that from experience. Unfortunately. You need a reptisun 10.0 Tube mounted in the tank. I got an under the cabinet light fixture from Walmart and command hooks all for under 15. Infact turn off that uvb sa it does more harm than good he can go a couple weeks max with out uvb til you get the right one. As the previous poster said its cheaper on line. Also I got all 3 of my 40 gallon breeder tanks 2 off Craigslist for 40 dollars and the other at petco for 40 when they had a dollar a gallon sale.

 

[IamKetchup]

Pet store are notorious for bad information. Git rid of the purple light it is not good for him. I told you it distrubs his sleep. Remember in their real environment they don't have lights at night and it gets down to the 60s. The uvb is also very bad for the eyes it burns them now I know that from experience. Unfortunately. You need a reptisun 10.0 Tube mounted in the tank. I got an under the cabinet light fixture from Walmart and command hooks all for under 15. Infact turn off that uvb sa it does more harm than good he can go a couple weeks max with out uvb til you get the right one. As the previous poster said its cheaper on line. Also I got all 3 of my 40 gallon breeder tanks 2 off Craigslist for 40 dollars and the other at petco for 40 when they had a dollar a gallon sale.

I see two different watts for the reptisun 10.0 your talking about. a 15 &17 plus what lentgh I see a 18 and 24 inch bulb, And how do you run that inside mounted wire out of the tank for the light fitxture, i have a tank that has a sliding mesh lid on it. dont want him getting out. Id add a pic of his tank but I dont know how to do that. I have been looking on craigslsit as well as lejeuneyardsales and they all want more than we can spend right now for tanks. Our budget right now is tight, thats kind of why we were gonna get it after we get our taxes. We have a petsmart here in town but no petco. We are looking at the Exoterra tank that petsmart has for 160-170. and that when we were gonna buy all the new stuff for his tank.

 

[IamKetchup]

Just a quick post, PetSmart will have the 36x18x18 ExoTerra Terrarium for $99 on Black Friday. I think I've also seen a 40 gal tank at PetCo recently for around $69. Don't know if that is in your budget but just thought I'd give you the info.

And as far as buying lights, I've found buying everything online was cheaper than any Pet Store. I got all my stuff on Amazon for as much as 50% off store prices.

I dont see this one on there web site is this the biggest Exo they carry?? cause that is what we are looking at getting,.and I have been looking on amazon for things for ketchups home.
So I called petsmart and the link u gave me was for the bigger one and they will have 4 instock for friday, so guess where I will be early am???

 

[destiny1998]

My oldest has a sliding mesh top and has never escaped. The screen closes all the way the screen has the corners where the metal is shorter on the bottom so the cord can be underneath the screen.

 

[IamKetchup]

My oldest has a sliding mesh top and has never escaped. The screen closes all the way the screen has the corners where the metal is shorter on the bottom so the cord can be underneath the screen.

ok i'll take a look at the top of his tank you two have been helpful with all the info I really appericate it and so will ketchup

 

[destiny1998]

Always glad to help

 

[IamKetchup]

ok here are some pictures of ketchup and his new home, we are waiting for a new lamp fixture and a terrarium hood and lights to come in the mail plus some bigger pieces of wood. I know he looks to be skinny, we are aware of the problem and we have medicine i feed him everyday.


his tank of right now.


do you mind im trying to play the xbox mom!!


on the way to the doctors.


enough pictures mom...


bath time


ketchup and linda


are you done now???

 

[BrendaKay]

Awww love all the pix!! So cute how you put a stuffed duck in the box for the doctor visit. Heehee. Mine has a favorite stuffie in his tank, but tonight he snuggled on a stuffed porcupine to go to sleep. Silly boy.

Ketchup seems happy and is settling in nicely! Is he Linda's pet?

 

[IamKetchup]

Awww love all the pix!! So cute how you put a stuffed duck in the box for the doctor visit. Heehee. Mine has a favorite stuffie in his tank, but tonight he snuggled on a stuffed porcupine to go to sleep. Silly boy.

Ketchup seems happy and is settling in nicely! Is he Linda's pet?

I call him a silly boy all the time and my linda put the platapus in his box before we left the house, she said" so he doesnt feel alone mommy!" We mainly got him for her but has become all 3 of ours boy.