Enclosure too big for baby?

[Camden17]

My new baby beardie hasn’t been eating very well so I called the place I got him from and they said that his enclosure is too big. I had read that an enclosure couldn’t be too big, was this wrong? I can’t attach a picture for some reason but his enclosure is 42x20x30. He said the number one reason bearded dragons die is because people place them in a 40 gallon right away and that that is too much for a baby. Do I need to downgrade him for now or will he eventually get used to it?

 

[KarrieRee]

Well yes and no --- first off please dont listen to the pet store people ---- and yes for a 100 gallon tank I would say to take you tank and divide it in half - or even a third for now - get your UVB and your basking bulb on one end of the tank along w/ his decor --- its going to be easier to get him hand tamed in a smaller tank and just all the way around care for him now - if you have a smaller tank like a 20 gallon or a 40 gallon would be fine - I dont know what you have on hand even a plastic tote would be good a 20 gallon - hes going to go thru relocation stress that is a given and his eating will be off but you want him eating something so w/ that being said we need to go over your lighting and basking temps--- please NO coils for UVB and you need a digital probe thermometer --
please post a pic of the tank https://www.beardeddragon.org/useruploads/ click on the XIMG at the top of the message box then click on the pic it should post

 

[AHBD]

Hi there, can you post pics of the baby and also of the entire enclosure ? Show pics of the lights as well. Did the baby come from a store and the enclosure is one that you ordered ? Here's how to poost pics :

https://www.beardeddragon.org/useruploads/ Then use the XIMG to upload them

 

[Camden17]

Well yes and no --- first off please dont listen to the pet store people ---- and yes for a 100 gallon tank I would say to take you tank and divide it in half - or even a third for now - get your UVB and your basking bulb on one end of the tank along w/ his decor --- its going to be easier to get him hand tamed in a smaller tank and just all the way around care for him now - if you have a smaller tank like a 20 gallon or a 40 gallon would be fine - I dont know what you have on hand even a plastic tote would be good a 20 gallon - hes going to go thru relocation stress that is a given and his eating will be off but you want him eating something so w/ that being said we need to go over your lighting and basking temps--- please NO coils for UVB and you need a digital probe thermometer --
please post a pic of the tank https://www.beardeddragon.org/useruploads/ click on the XIMG at the top of the message box then click on the pic it should post

It's not like a big chain pet store but yeah I definitely take what they say with a grain of salt. I don't think I can really divide it unfortunately because of the way I have it set up. I don't have any tanks on hand either but I could potentially use plastic tote, but if I do I'll still have to buy new lights and stuff because the ones I have now are gonna be too big. He's been eating a bit, just not as much as I read they would, but luckily his appetite does seem to be increasing each day and today he ate a decent amount of BSFL. I have a few digital probe thermometers and a gun one. Cool side is 70-75 depending on time of day, middle is around 80 and hot side is around 90 with 110 surface temp. I'm also getting him a new basking bulb tomorrow so hopefully that helps his energy levels and appetite increase a bit.

 

[Camden17]

Hi there, can you post pics of the baby and also of the entire enclosure ? Show pics of the lights as well. Did the baby come from a store and the enclosure is one that you ordered ? Here's how to poost pics :

https://www.beardeddragon.org/useruploads/ Then use the XIMG to upload them

I posted a pic of the enclosure above. Pics of my beardie:

I got him from a store but I talked to the owners and they get their babies from local breeders. The enclosure is a DIY. Lights are a 10.0 Reptisun UVB and a halogen basking bulb, but I'm getting a different basking bulb tomorrow.

 

[KarrieRee]

Please get a bright white basking bulb-- off colored and yellowish are not recommended- you will find him more energetic- his appetite should increase as well-

 

[AHBD]

It's good that his appetite has increased, he is just settling in then and should be O.K. He looks very alert/healthy and is not real tiny so he will most likely be fine. He looks to be around 8-9" long ? The enclosure is beautiful, very well done.

 

[Camden17]

Please get a bright white basking bulb-- off colored and yellowish are not recommended- you will find him more energetic- his appetite should increase as well-

I made a few posts about that, I am getting a new white bulb tomorrow as recommended : )

Do you think he will adapt to the big enclosure in time or do I definitely need to downsize?

 

[Camden17]

It's good that his appetite has increased, he is just settling in then and should be O.K. He looks very alert/healthy and is not real tiny so he will most likely be fine. He looks to be around 8-9" long ? The enclosure is beautiful, very well done.

Okay that is good to hear. I think he is around 9 inches long, he is about three months old. Thank you!

 

[AHBD]

He'll be O.K in the big enclosure, if he has started eating more he should grow quickly. Is he eating dubias or crickets at all ?

 

[Camden17]

He'll be O.K in the big enclosure, if he has started eating more he should grow quickly. Is he eating dubias or crickets at all ?

Okay that’s good. I’m using mainly black soldier fly larvae and some crickets to give him some variety. I give him greens too of course but he usually just eats a bite or two and then won’t touch it depending on the day. My mom said no dubias because she hates roaches lol.

 

[AHBD]

O.K, eating crickets and bsfl is good, keep offering greens at least a fe times a week. You can even try waving a leaf of kale, collard, turnip, mustard greens in front of him to see if that will get him interested.

 

[Camden17]

O.K, eating crickets and bsfl is good, keep offering greens at least a fe times a week. You can even try waving a leaf of kale, collard, turnip, mustard greens in front of him to see if that will get him interested.

Alright. I give him greens every day and yeah I always wave them by his face haha, some days he takes it others he just stares at me like I’m a weirdo. I’m not too worried since he’s still little, I’m guessing he’ll start eating more greens as he gets older.