Baby beardie questions

[Babybeardie2022]

Hello everyone

Me and my boyfriend just got our first baby bearded dragon about 3 days ago! So we have some questions I’ve called petco and PetSmart so many times to ask questions but I’m still freaking out wanting to know more
We haven’t picked a name yet we still do not know the gender his enclosure is 40 gallons and he has plenty of things to climb and bask on we have two lights for him one for heat and the other for uvb in two different areas of his tank we turn the uvb off at night and put in a red heating lamp bulb for night the temp usually remains about 80 which is pretty low since I know it is supposed to be 100 to 105 but I’m not sure if the temperature is even accurate because we have the stick on temperature gauges and I’ve heard they’re not accurate we feed him crickets about 10 to 15 a day sometimes he eat some. Sometimes he doesn’t the problem we’ve been having is that he’s not eating, grains or drinking water I’ve tried to soaking him and he still hasn’t touched it I noticed he also puffed up in the bath he’s not very active and kind of sits in one place all day. I’m not sure if this is normal. Some ppl at petco advised us to hold him and some didn’t but we’ve been holding him and when we do his stress marks seem to go away and he’s calm should we still be holding him? One last question I’ve heard that bearded dragons are only supposed to breathe 6 to 10 breaths a minute but our seems to breathe much more than that. I’m not sure if it’s a respiratory infection he seems to be doing fine and sleeping normal someone please help.!!

 

[Groggyfroggie]

Hi! So first of all can you specify the temperature remains around 80 only at night or all day? Day time temperature on the basking spot needs to be 100-110F for a baby. Night time temperature can be around 70s.

Pls purchase PROBE thermometers to take the temperature at the basking spot and the cool side. If temperature remains low during the day you have to get a higher wattage basking bulb (u don’t want any colored bulbs like red blue green bulbs). If temperature drops below 65F at night you’ll need a ceramic heat emitter (CHE) or other heating bulb that doesn’t produce light. The red colored nighttime bulb isn’t good for him.

Also what’s the uvb type and brand? You need a long tube uvb bulb. The distance between uvb bulb to his basking spot also matters. Upload pictures of your enclosure so we can help you figure out the optimal uvb lighting placement.

The right temperature and uvb lighting is crucial for his well-being. Without either of those he’s not gonna thrive. Experienced owners on the forum can help you with that so if there’s any more questions pls ask. Your beardie is very cute. If he gets stressed taking baths then you don’t need to bathe him. Unless he drinks from his bath. If he doesn’t, use something like a clean eye dropper to drip water on his snout so he drinks, avoid getting it in his nose.

 

[KarrieRee]

Hi! So first of all can you specify the temperature remains around 80 only at night or all day? Day time temperature on the basking spot needs to be 100-110F for a baby. Night time temperature can be around 70s.

Pls purchase PROBE thermometers to take the temperature at the basking spot and the cool side. If temperature remains low during the day you have to get a higher wattage basking bulb (u don’t want any colored bulbs like red blue green bulbs). If temperature drops below 65F at night you’ll need a ceramic heat emitter (CHE) or other heating bulb that doesn’t produce light. The red colored nighttime bulb isn’t good for him.

Also what’s the uvb type and brand? You need a long tube uvb bulb. The distance between uvb bulb to his basking spot also matters. Upload pictures of your enclosure so we can help you figure out the optimal uvb lighting placement.

The right temperature and uvb lighting is crucial for his well-being. Without either of those he’s not gonna thrive. Experienced owners on the forum can help you with that so if there’s any more questions pls ask. Your beardie is very cute. If he gets stressed taking baths then you don’t need to bathe him. Unless he drinks from his bath. If he doesn’t, use something like a clean eye dropper to drip water on his snout so he drinks, avoid getting it in his nose.

As asked in previous post please specify---- the surface basking temps and your UVB are the MOST important things in the tank --- if your using a coil UVB meaning its in a dome you need to replace it immediately-------- they are no good --- you will need the probe thermometers to get accurate surface basking temps --- place on the spot where he basks wait 10 min or so then get the temp -- I recommend NOT holding him for now - he is a little guy in a big world and needs to adjust to his tank and surroundings - he will not eat as much right now but we need to get those temps and UVB corrected so he can adjust --- if he stops eating all together there is a problem--- once this is fixed then we can work on his diet --- keep offering food -- I recommend getting him some BSFL / nutri grubs/ calci worms or phoenix worms all the same thing -- they are a great staple feeder and can be used as salad lures - drop in front of him at first feeding feed as many as you want - do not dust them --- you should be dusting the main staple feeder I recommend dubia roaches --calcium D 3 5 x per week ONCE per feeding - your little guy should be eating 2-3 times per day and 2 x per week vitamins w/ beta carotene ONCE per feeding dust -- www.dubiaroaches.com get him some small super worms and add 1-3 on his salads as well - another good lure to the bowl - feed every other day --- rinse the greens before serving he will get water thru them and gut load the roaches at nite (feed them) that will also help Nutrition Content ignore the kale info its outdated
Amazon.com'
great salad bowl and for keeping small - medium worms and roaches in
lets get the temps and UVB corrected first
Please do not go to the pet store for help --- they havent a clue as how to take care of dragons---
80 at night is too warm - dragons like cool and dark
surface basking temps 105-110
middle of tank 90's
80's cool side during the day

 

[Babybeardie2022]

Hi! So first of all can you specify the temperature remains around 80 only at night or all day? Day time temperature on the basking spot needs to be 100-110F for a baby. Night time temperature can be around 70s.

Pls purchase PROBE thermometers to take the temperature at the basking spot and the cool side. If temperature remains low during the day you have to get a higher wattage basking bulb (u don’t want any colored bulbs like red blue green bulbs). If temperature drops below 65F at night you’ll need a ceramic heat emitter (CHE) or other heating bulb that doesn’t produce light. The red colored nighttime bulb isn’t good for him.

Also what’s the uvb type and brand? You need a long tube uvb bulb. The distance between uvb bulb to his basking spot also matters. Upload pictures of your enclosure so we can help you figure out the optimal uvb lighting placement.

The right temperature and uvb lighting is crucial for his well-being. Without either of those he’s not gonna thrive. Experienced owners on the forum can help you with that so if there’s any more questions pls ask. Your beardie is very cute. If he gets stressed taking baths then you don’t need to bathe him. Unless he drinks from his bath. If he doesn’t, use something like a clean eye dropper to drip water on his snout so he drinks, avoid getting it in his nose.

From the pet store we got the 100 w heating bulb and uvb light that is not a coil light (I don’t think ) it’s more of a bar I will attach pictures of his enclosure and everything else 2 the PetSmart said to get a red colored bulb and he seems to hate it at night and sleeps in his cave to avoid it I was not aware there are night time lights with no color is that true

Also in the pet store they told us to get baby crickets and also meal worms later on I found out meal worms are bad for them as babies we have only feed him 3 but do you think this will harm him

We have also tried to put water on his mouth but he just won’t drink it we have tried greens but he barley touches them I think only one we probably have to find the exact type he likes

Lastly where do you think we should get temp probes from I’m a little confused on what they are is it like the temp guns you use when you are sick and how often do we have to check the temps with these

I am going to try to find a vet from him to get checked out and make sure he’s all healthy since we did get him from a pet smart he is super super stressed out and has dark stress lines what should we do ? We put decorative paper on the outside so he doesn’t see his reflection anymore which I know was a big stress

 

[KarrieRee]

From the pet store we got the 100 w heating bulb and uvb light that is not a coil light (I don’t think ) it’s more of a bar I will attach pictures of his enclosure and everything else 2 the PetSmart said to get a red colored bulb and he seems to hate it at night and sleeps in his cave to avoid it I was not aware there are night time lights with no color is that true

Also in the pet store they told us to get baby crickets and also meal worms later on I found out meal worms are bad for them as babies we have only feed him 3 but do you think this will harm him

We have also tried to put water on his mouth but he just won’t drink it we have tried greens but he barley touches them I think only one we probably have to find the exact type he likes

Lastly where do you think we should get temp probes from I’m a little confused on what they are is it like the temp guns you use when you are sick and how often do we have to check the temps with these

I am going to try to find a vet from him to get checked out and make sure he’s all healthy since we did get him from a pet smart he is super super stressed out and has dark stress lines what should we do ? We put decorative paper on the outside so he doesn’t see his reflection anymore which I know was a big stress

Please tell me the brand and bulb of the UVB did you get the Arcadia pro T 5 ? --- placement and distance is crucial here- your screen is a fine mesh like a screen door or a wide hole type? You need two Zoo Med digital probe thermometers --https://www.petsmart.com/reptile/environmental-control-and-lighting/humidity-and-temperature-control/zoo-med-reptile-terrarium-digital-thermometer-14914.html?cgid=500113&fmethod=Browse NO RED BULBS they are no good --- please do not listen to Pet Smart people -- they do not know what they are talking about --

 

[KarrieRee]

You will need a Ceramic Heat Emitter that produces heat and no light - you only need this if the temps in the tank are falling below 65 at night --- dragons like cool and dark --- you want ambient temps at night 65-75-- surface basking temps 105-110 and middle of the tank 90's --- cool side of the tank 80's ---- please get those temp probes as soon as you can --- his stress marks will go away as the temps and UVB are corrected -- but we need to get this fixed first ---- the screen looks to be a fines mesh you will need to unobstruct it so he gets good UVB --- hand in the tank or cut the screen however you want to do it distance needs to be approx 12-15 inches directly above the basking decor --- you did get the 12% bulb?

 

[Babybeardie2022]

You will need a Ceramic Heat Emitter that produces heat and no light - you only need this if the temps in the tank are falling below 65 at night --- dragons like cool and dark --- you want ambient temps at night 65-75-- surface basking temps 105-110 and middle of the tank 90's --- cool side of the tank 80's ---- please get those temp probes as soon as you can --- his stress marks will go away as the temps and UVB are corrected -- but we need to get this fixed first ---- the screen looks to be a fines mesh you will need to unobstruct it so he gets good UVB --- hand in the tank or cut the screen however you want to do it distance needs to be approx 12-15 inches directly above the basking decor --- you did get the 12% bulb?

So we could get the ceramic heat emitter for a pet store right ? Because I’m not sure what the temp falls 2 at night without the heat lamp it’s really hard to detect the temp with the stick on temperature gauges we need to get temperature probes but from where ? I will insert a picture of what the temperature and humidity is in the tank I don’t think it’s correct also what do you mean unobstruct the tank and I’m really not sure what percent light it is we got the tank at pet smart for 50 percent off with all the stuff already open and no labels on it I only know the heat lamp is 100 w and the uvb lamp is not coil

 

[KarrieRee]

So we could get the ceramic heat emitter for a pet store right ? Because I’m not sure what the temp falls 2 at night without the heat lamp it’s really hard to detect the temp with the stick on temperature gauges we need to get temperature probes but from where ? I will insert a picture of what the temperature and humidity is in the tank I don’t think it’s correct also what do you mean unobstruct the tank and I’m really not sure what percent light it is we got the tank at pet smart for 50 percent off with all the stuff already open and no labels on it I only know the heat lamp is 100 w and the uvb lamp is not coil

You can read the temps in the morning w/ the stick on temp gauge thats going to give you ambient temps and will tell you if you need the heat at night---- the pic is of a hygrometer and is reading the humidity in the tank --- I posted links of the probes you need for temps -- please show me the box of the UVB or tell me what the brand is of the UVB-- look on the bulb itself it will tell you -- where did you get it? Yes you can get the CHE at the pet store you need a deep dome w/ a ceramic socket and make sure you get a dome that carries the wattage for the bulb - for you 40 gallon tank try a 60 watt for now I dont know how cold it gets there or if you have him in a cold room--- basking bulbs and CHE bulbs are trial and error w/ getting the correct temps -- unobstruct means you want the UVB w/ no screen inbetween him and the bulb ---- it needs to be open