Bearded dragon cant see still crickets? Also need help.

[ETAonTime]

It seems like my bearded dragon cant see crickets if they stay still? I end up having to tap the cricket to make it jump or move before he eats them. Is this normal? I just got him 5 days ago so Im still new to this. He's between 6 and 8 months old. Also I feed him greens and dragon bites everyday in the morning (sometimes i have to hand feed him his veggies or he wont eat them) and then about 15 large crickets a day. Is this enough? Or should I give him more? I have to spray him daily because he doesn't seem to recognize still water either. I bought him a fountain but he won't drink that either. Will he eventually recognize still crickets and water?

On another subject he basks for about 10+ hours a day. Basically whenever I'm not feeding him or I don't have him out of the enclosure he basks. Whenever I take him out of the enclosure he always looks for little dark areas in my room to go sleep/hide. Is this a sign that he's trying to brumate? Or is it just he's scared of being in a new place? His lights turn off and he goes to sleep at 1 AM they turn back on at 11 AM he's awake usually before his lights even turn back on. That's why I wasnt sure it's brumation because wouldn't he be sleeping at least until his lights turn back on? It is a little cold in my room but I have a ceramic heat emitter to keep his cage temperature at around 70 degrees at night. Humidity is at about 20% and the cool side of the cage is at about 75-80 degrees He's 17 inches long and in a 36x18 right now (it's what I got him in 5 days ago) I ordered a 48 x 24 for him that should be here tueaday. I'm using a reptisun 10.0 but the bulb version not the tube. Along with a 150w basking bulb dimmed down to have the basking spot between 100 and 110. I ordered a uvb tube fixture and a reptisun 24" 10.0 that will also come tuesday. Am I doing everything right? Someone help! Haha I just want my new friend to be healthy, happy and comfortable.

 

[NBGwen]

The cricket thing is totally normal. My Charlie is the same way...if the cricket is sitting still and she sees me holding the cricket keeper tube, she wait for me to either move the cricket or put more in LOL - silly beardie. Also - you should feed him as many as he can eat in a 15 min period. As he becomes an adult, he will eat less, but a growing beardie needs lots of insects to grow. Oh and make sure to supplement him with Calcium w/ D3 and herptivite or a similar type of mix. Younger beardies should be done daily or close to it, older ones 3 or 4 times a week, sometimes less depending on the supplement (someone could totally correct me on that - I'm having an MS brain fog day, and the memory is a wee bit foggy).

Water - they don't necessarily need water in their enclosure. Some argue that since they are desert lizards, they don't need it. You have to be mindful of the humidity and try to keep it low (usually below 30%ish). In a smaller enclosure like that it's possible the humidity would be too high with a fountain. Also, they tend to only drink moving water, not stagnant.

It takes time for them to acclimatize to new environments. You've only had him for 5 days, give him another week or so and he'll be fine

Do you mind if I ask why the lights come on at 11 and off at 1am? Just curious. I'm assuming it's to fit with your schedule. They are most active during the day, so the 1 am bedtime may be too late at night. I have Charlie's timer set for 5:30 am and off by 8:30 am. The early time is due to me having to be up for work by 6. This way I can feed her by 6:30 and she'll have had a chance to warm up. Everything else sounds excellent! Sounds like you will have a happy beardie!

 

[ETAonTime]

The cricket thing is totally normal. My Charlie is the same way...if the cricket is sitting still and she sees me holding the cricket keeper tube, she wait for me to either move the cricket or put more in LOL - silly beardie. Also - you should feed him as many as he can eat in a 15 min period. As he becomes an adult, he will eat less, but a growing beardie needs lots of insects to grow. Oh and make sure to supplement him with Calcium w/ D3 and herptivite or a similar type of mix. Younger beardies should be done daily or close to it, older ones 3 or 4 times a week, sometimes less depending on the supplement (someone could totally correct me on that - I'm having an MS brain fog day, and the memory is a wee bit foggy).

Water - they don't necessarily need water in their enclosure. Some argue that since they are desert lizards, they don't need it. You have to be mindful of the humidity and try to keep it low (usually below 30%ish). In a smaller enclosure like that it's possible the humidity would be too high with a fountain. Also, they tend to only drink moving water, not stagnant.

It takes time for them to acclimatize to new environments. You've only had him for 5 days, give him another week or so and he'll be fine

Do you mind if I ask why the lights come on at 11 and off at 1am? Just curious. I'm assuming it's to fit with your schedule. They are most active during the day, so the 1 am bedtime may be too late at night. I have Charlie's timer set for 5:30 am and off by 8:30 am. The early time is due to me having to be up for work by 6. This way I can feed her by 6:30 and she'll have had a chance to warm up. Everything else sounds excellent! Sounds like you will have a happy beardie!

Thank you! Just wanted to make sure I was doing everything ok. I do put the crickets in a baggy and shake them with calcium before dumping them in there. If I only gave him as much as he could eat in 15 minutes that'd be like 4 crickets though. He's a slow eater and I basically have to keep either moving him to the crickets or move the crickets to him or else he won't really go after them (once I do that if they run he will chase but if he's on one side and I dump them in the other he will just stare at them until I bring them closer)

The schedule is like you said to be closer to mine. If I had his lights set at 5:30 he would be sitting alone for 7 hours with no food cause my work schedule is later and I like to be able to spend time with him before and then come home later and feed him and watch TV with him. Do you think the schedule is effecting him at all?

 

[ETAonTime]

Also I just checked the calcium the person gave me when I got him and it says without d3. Can you recommend what I should get? Also I feed the crickets the orange cube. Is there something else I should be feeding them?

 

[NBGwen]

The schedule could be throwing him off, but they are really adaptable, so I am sure he'll get used to it especially since that's when you can feed him and have time with him

Any calcium that says 'with D3'. There's a few brands out there. I live in Canada, so I usually hit Petsmart for some Repti Calcium http://www.petsmart.ca/reptile/food...ium-reptile-supplement-21812.html?cgid=500007 and Herptivite http://www.petsmart.ca/reptile/food...amphibian-multivitamins-4460.html?cgid=500007 - I like to cover all my bases

 

[CooperDragon]

I found that crickets can have a hard time molting after eating the orange cubes. I prefer offering them vegetable scraps which will give them hydration and nutrients.

A good all in one supplement option is Repashy Calcium Plus https://www.store.repashy.com/calcium-plus-4-oz-bag.html

 

[NBGwen]

I found that crickets can have a hard time molting after eating the orange cubes. I prefer offering them vegetable scraps which will give them hydration and nutrients.

A good all in one supplement option is Repashy Calcium Plus https://www.store.repashy.com/calcium-plus-4-oz-bag.html

I'll have to try this as well next time I need some...I see PetSmart has it online, just not in store...so that's decent.

 

[ETAonTime]

I found that crickets can have a hard time molting after eating the orange cubes. I prefer offering them vegetable scraps which will give them hydration and nutrients.

A good all in one supplement option is Repashy Calcium Plus https://www.store.repashy.com/calcium-plus-4-oz-bag.html

Thank you! Just picked some up.

I found that crickets can have a hard time molting after eating the orange cubes. I prefer offering them vegetable scraps which will give them hydration and nutrients.

A good all in one supplement option is Repashy Calcium Plus https://www.store.repashy.com/calcium-plus-4-oz-bag.html

I'll have to try this as well next time I need some...I see PetSmart has it online, just not in store...so that's decent.

I don't know if there's a petco where you are but they sell it in store for about the same price as online. Cost me 9.99 for a 3 Oz jar.

 

[NBGwen]

The only thing nearby is PetSmart, PetValu and Global pet foods that carry some limited reptile items - and big box stores that I would never buy something for my baby in LOL. I'm on the East coast of Canada...our - uh - amenities are a bit lacking in the reptile side of things.