Howdy folks. I took my 4 year old daughter to a reptile expo here over the weekend. I picked up a very young bearded baby. I didn't intend to come home with a dragon. Honestly I was going to get her a leopard gecko for Christmas. Except my wife, who hates reptiles and snakes. Suddenly fell in love with this little critter. I am still in shock. So we paid $20 for the beardy, $40 for a dual fixture mini deep done with 75 watt heat and a 10.0 UVB light. I had a spare ten gallon tank. I thought "heck this is pretty cheap"
Then reality set in. the light was too hot, the tank too small. the beardy was lethargic. I made the ***** mistake of trying to get ambient temperature in the basking area to 110. not the surface. It was 24 hours of bull in a china shop reptile keeping stupidity. The dragon didn't look good. I got some advice from a herp friend and spent an entire night just cramming my head with information from this site. My $60 initial purchase became about $300 in total after my wife told me "do what it takes to make it healthy" New tank, reptile carpet, large basking/hide rock. Cricket keeper, powders, water treatment. etc, etc, etc. Of course it doesn't mean anything if I can't help the critter. He was dehydrated and not moving or eating or opening his eyes. So I gave him a few soaks in a little container of water. It helped a little. still not looking good. Adjusted the tank to get the temps perfect, humidity under control, and everything possible to make it right, but still a sick beardy I had. So I got creative. I read that squash is good for them. I have a 6 month old son. I steal one of his organic squash babyfoods and put just a little on the beardies nose. He licks it off. I do this a couple times and manage to get the spoon in front of his face and he licks it for a bit. he didn't take much, but my thought was the higher water content of babyfood would help him hydrate. This was last night, I put him in his home and let him be till this evening. I came home and he was still where I left him. I picked him up and put him in the basking area of the tank because he had to be cold. Let him sit there for a few hours. I was pretty sure he was not doing well. My wife comes home and takes a look at him. He jumps off the rock and walks right up to the glass in front of her. This is the first real movement in 48 hours. she puts a cricket in the tank. The beardie runs across the tank and eats it. Then heads back to his basking spot. I was dumbfounded. Two hours later I check on him. He has the most textbook looking beardie poop (yes I google image searched bearded dragon poop.) firm stool, soft urate with some water around It. The beardie has been alert all evening. he closes his eyes if you move around, but if you don't get close to the tank he watches you. Not sure if im out of the woods, but I think I'm heading in the right direction. going to let him be for a few days and let him get adjusted. minimal handling and as much food as he will take. Just wanted to say Hi to the group and thank you all for the info. I've kept fish my entire life and I know I am the reptile version of the guy who just throw a fish in a tank and thinks everything will be fine. Its a little embarrassing, but as long as I keep "Coffee" alive I'll get over it.
Thanks for the great site.
Then reality set in. the light was too hot, the tank too small. the beardy was lethargic. I made the ***** mistake of trying to get ambient temperature in the basking area to 110. not the surface. It was 24 hours of bull in a china shop reptile keeping stupidity. The dragon didn't look good. I got some advice from a herp friend and spent an entire night just cramming my head with information from this site. My $60 initial purchase became about $300 in total after my wife told me "do what it takes to make it healthy" New tank, reptile carpet, large basking/hide rock. Cricket keeper, powders, water treatment. etc, etc, etc. Of course it doesn't mean anything if I can't help the critter. He was dehydrated and not moving or eating or opening his eyes. So I gave him a few soaks in a little container of water. It helped a little. still not looking good. Adjusted the tank to get the temps perfect, humidity under control, and everything possible to make it right, but still a sick beardy I had. So I got creative. I read that squash is good for them. I have a 6 month old son. I steal one of his organic squash babyfoods and put just a little on the beardies nose. He licks it off. I do this a couple times and manage to get the spoon in front of his face and he licks it for a bit. he didn't take much, but my thought was the higher water content of babyfood would help him hydrate. This was last night, I put him in his home and let him be till this evening. I came home and he was still where I left him. I picked him up and put him in the basking area of the tank because he had to be cold. Let him sit there for a few hours. I was pretty sure he was not doing well. My wife comes home and takes a look at him. He jumps off the rock and walks right up to the glass in front of her. This is the first real movement in 48 hours. she puts a cricket in the tank. The beardie runs across the tank and eats it. Then heads back to his basking spot. I was dumbfounded. Two hours later I check on him. He has the most textbook looking beardie poop (yes I google image searched bearded dragon poop.) firm stool, soft urate with some water around It. The beardie has been alert all evening. he closes his eyes if you move around, but if you don't get close to the tank he watches you. Not sure if im out of the woods, but I think I'm heading in the right direction. going to let him be for a few days and let him get adjusted. minimal handling and as much food as he will take. Just wanted to say Hi to the group and thank you all for the info. I've kept fish my entire life and I know I am the reptile version of the guy who just throw a fish in a tank and thinks everything will be fine. Its a little embarrassing, but as long as I keep "Coffee" alive I'll get over it.
Thanks for the great site.