Enclosure Questions and Breeder Question

[MrJeff]

First of all this is a wonderful place! I found it in Google and it is the best place for information in my opinion. I have searched the site for hours and decided to register. I am new to the world of bearded dragons and think I have the correct set up on paper but wanted to run by you here. I also would like to know if anyone has used a breeder I also found while conducting an online search. If I am posting to much in this section I apologize. I want to get it right before purchasing a beardie.

From what I can gather, I need a 20 gallon long tank - most I see measure 30"L x 12:W x 13"H. Where I am getting confused is the TYPE of tank or enclosure to buy. I see glass tanks, acrylic and even some that look like a PVC type material. I am looking at a tank from a company called Big Apple Pet Supply - Pro Series Granite Acrylic Cage - http://www.bigappleherp.com/Big-Apple-Pro-Series-Granite-Acrylic-Cages. I am not sure if that is over kill for a baby or not. I read that when the beardie reaches 10-12" they should be moved to a larger enclosure. Any other enclosures to consider????

Everything I have listed is from that company I found online called Big Apple, they seemed to have fair prices...

As far as everything else for the tank...
Zoo Med Deluxe 5 1/2" Clamp Lamp
Zoo Med Basking Spot 75 Watts
Zoo Med Reptisun Terrarium Hood
Zoo Med Repitsun 18" bulb 5.0 OR 10.0 - Not sure which one
Laser Infared Thermometer
A timer for the lights (recommend any??)
Digital Thermometers for temps in both the hot and cool sides of the tank
I am going to use paper towels for the bottom of the enclosure
Exo-Terra Feeding Dish - Medium 4.5" x 5.5" x 1"H
Exo-Terra Cave - Large 11.25" x 9" x 2.75:H
Repti Hammock - Large
Big Apple Java Wood Single Large Basking Perch
Rep-Tiles Stones Medium Starter Kit 14 pieces
Rep-Tiles Ledge - Medium

As far as supplements...
Rep-Cal Calcium
Rep-Cal Herpivite Vitamins

Zoo Med All Natural Gut Load For Crickets
Cricket Breeding Kit? Not sure if it's worth it or just buy them as needed?

As far as the breeder I found online, they are called Fire and Ice dragons - http://fireandicedragons.com/index.cfm
Has anyone had any experience with them? They have some nice colors and the prices seemed to be fair.

I gather the feeding schedule to be...
2-3 times a day, placing 1-3 crickets in at a time, never leaving any in the enclosure after feeding time is over
Dust the crickets once per day
Vitamin supplements once per week
How often do you give greens?
How often do you give Silkworms and Phoenix Worms?

Any help is appreciated!!! If I missed something OR if someone knows of a better way to do an initial setup PLEASE let me know. The last thing I want to do is purchase my first beardie and not have the appropriate housing for the little one. This is very important to me, I want to have a healthy happy beardie!

THANKS AGIAN!!!!!
JEFF

 

[Blind]

I would strongly recommend not buying a production viv. You can build yourself a nice 4x2x2 viv for about the same price as that 20 gallon, which is too small to begin with.

 

[FBradshaw]

Definitely go with the 10.0 UVB tube style lamp. The 5.0 is meant for jungle/forest animals and the 10.0 being for desert. Any timer will work. Cricket breeding creates a rather nasty odor that I couldn't handle, so I stopped breeding them. Phoenix worms, Calci-worms, and Repti-worms are all black soldier fly larvae and are an excellent replacement for crickets altogether. If you go with the 20 gal long aquarium you're going to be replacing it in 6 months. If you're handy with basic hand tools and a tape measure you can build a much nicer enclosure that you wont have to replace for alot cheaper, if buying is your only option I would recommend getting nothing smaller than a 40 gal breeder. When it comes to feeding live feeders, for a baby offer them as many as they will eat in a 10 to 15 minute period twice a day, but make sure your food choice is no larger than the space between his or her eyes, and some sort of veggies or fruit should be given every day. The calcium dusting and vitamin supplements will vary depending on what you actually choose as staple foods, the black soldier fly larvae are already high in calcium so no additional dusting is required. And you don't necessarily have to keep thermometers in the enclosure. Use a good digital thermometer with a probe to do your temp setups then just check them occasionally and you'll be fine.

 

[MrJeff]

I am glad I posted here! I thought a 40 gallon breeder was too big for a baby. Unfortunately I am no handy when it comes to building anything LOL. So I have to buy something pre-made and pay the cost. I will grab the 10.0 as suggested so thank you for input on that. If I read correctly Phoenix worms, Calci-worms and Repti-worms can replace crickets all together??? That would be nice honestly if I don't have to mess with crickets!

Thanks again for the input as it helped me in a few areas. I wish I had the skill to build something, but it's not in my bag of tricks. Any place on line for a nice enclosure with front sliding doors? I know there are a few online, wasn't sure if anyone knew of someone good.

Thanks again!!!!
Jeff

 

[MrJeff]

This is one I found online and I believe it what you were pointing me too... http://www.customcages.com/index.cfm?do=detail&productid=74 If this is correct, they give a 5.0 bulb, is it because of the enclosure? Should I still get a 10.0 anyway?

Thanks!
Jeff

 

[FBradshaw]

Yes they can replace crickets altogether, no need to ever here one chirp or smell one nasty cricket. The 5.0 bulb as I said earlier is for jungle/forest herps where the tree canopy would filter out most of the UV that comes from the sun, the 10.0 is for desert animals such as bearded dragons, monitors, tortoises and many others. Oh, and that would make a perfect enclosure.

 

[MrJeff]

Yes they can replace crickets altogether, no need to ever here one chirp or smell one nasty cricket. The 5.0 bulb as I said earlier is for jungle/forest herps where the tree canopy would filter out most of the UV that comes from the sun, the 10.0 is for desert animals such as bearded dragons, monitors, tortoises and many others. Oh, and that would make a perfect enclosure.

Thank you!!!! I appreciate your help with this... I can't wait to get it and set it up and then choose a beardie! :mrgreen:

JEFF

 

[Trogdorpheus]

That second enclosure you linked is definitely an appropriate one, but that is awfully pricey. And rather than buying two different vivs for your beardie as it grows, you're better off buying the one, larger, permanent one, and sectioning off some of it if its too big for your little one. Although, I don't think a 4x2x2 would be too big for a baby even, considering in the wild... they grow up in a much larger environment.

 

[MrJeff]

That second enclosure you linked is definitely an appropriate one, but that is awfully pricey. And rather than buying two different vivs for your beardie as it grows, you're better off buying the one, larger, permanent one, and sectioning off some of it if its too big for your little one. Although, I don't think a 4x2x2 would be too big for a baby even, considering in the wild... they grow up in a much larger environment.

If you have any other suggestions I would gladly take them. If I can find a carpenter that can build me one, what kind of wood can we use? I have never built an enclosure so I would have no idea where to start. I agree that 400 is a lot of money but I don't know what else to buy. Building a custom enclosure is new to me so I have no idea what materials to use.

What is the ideal size for an enclosure for a full grown beardie? If I am going to build I would rather just build it now and partition it for the time being.

Jeff

 

[TheWolfmanTom]

Even if you build a large enclosure you can make it smaller with a cardboard wall and just move it as you need space for your new pooper to grow.
I used the plans for the crossfire enclosure and I simplified them. I bought 4 x 8 ft meleme sheets at home depot and they cut them to the size I needed.
If I can build one anyone can.....lol Sorry if im repeating info.

 

[MrJeff]

Thank you for the reply. I have decided to build my own with the help of a good friend who is a carpenter. I am going to build a 6x2x2 with a stand with 3/4 plywood. I am going to make a partition inside the enclosure so that when I get the baby, it will be an appropriate size. I will post pictures when it is complete. I don't know what color I am going to paint the exterior. I am going to browse the forums to get an idea as to what folks are putting in their custom built enclosures. I don't know what to use and I don't want to just leave the plywood inside.

Jeff

 

[Trogdorpheus]

Good place to look for ideas would be this thread, got a lot of ideas for my own from there.

viewtopic.php?f=34&t=66704

 

[MrJeff]

Good place to look for ideas would be this thread, got a lot of ideas for my own from there.

viewtopic.php?f=34&t=66704

THANKS! I am actually on page 60 of that thread as we speak!!!! A ton of great ideas for my set up, kind of info overload!!! But that is a good thing!!!!!

THANKS AGAIN!
JEFF

 

[MrJeff]

I have a few question with regards to my enclosure that I am building. I have been looking at the viv picture section and I can't seem to find an answer there or anywhere here. I apologize if I missed it... :-(

I am building the enclosure with 3/4" plywood. I am going to use tile as my substrate.

1st question: I don't want to leave the inside with just the normal plywood look. I want to paint it a color, or maybe put something in the background. If I decide to paint it, is there a sealer I can use? I am assuming you can't just leave the paint there just in case the beardie licks it. I would be using a water based paint. I have seen many different pictures that I would like to use, but they are on glass enclosures. Would it be ok to put something like a paper background?

2nd question: I am going to use tile as my substrate. I plan on putting the tile down on the plywood with a ceramic tile adhesive (will any brand due?) and then use grout to seal them. IS there another sealer that I have to use to seal the grout?

THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jeff

 

[Trogdorpheus]

1. Yeah, you can paint it, and you can seal it with a water based polycrylic sealant. I used Miniwax Polycrylic with the clear satin finish.

2. I wouldn't use an adhesive and grout for the tiles. I'd just put in 1' X 1' slate tiles, that way when they get soiled you can just take em out to clean. That and I'm not totally sure that the tile adhesives are non-toxic and that they wouldn't out gas. The tiles (if you use slate and 1 sq foot tiles) are more than heavy enough to stay in place. If you really wanted, you could put some non-adhesive shelf liner down under the tiles so they wouldn't slide around.