well, I am back after about a 4 year hiatus. Lilly my sweet female beardie died suddenly a few years back. she was fine and well one day and then so sick the next that I didn't even have time to take her to the vet. I miss her terribly.
However,
I am now in the process of purchasing another female off kijiji ( hopefully shes as healthy as she looks in the pics, though she is living on sand) I plan on naming her Pheobe
I regret selling my set up and all my accessories and custom cricket keeper. having to purchase all that stuff over again is going to be a pretty penny. But I am looking forward to being a beardie owner again.
I used to bring Lilly every where with me. lol even wal-mart... yup, surprised I didn't end up in one of those "people of wal-mart" pics
Anyways. I am back. and will probably be looking for updated info on correct beardie care. I was very particular with Lilly but I know that UVB and heat requirement understanding has probably come a bit farther . I will most likely be stearing clear of the mercury vapor bulbs as I ended up wasting about 300 $ on those. I'm hoping the repti-sun 10.0 florescent is still a good second best.
any tips pointers will be greatly appreciated :0
Hi there, sorry to hear that you lost Lilly but I know you're excited to get a new one. The Reptisun comes in a t8 and the t5. The t8 is the older model, still good but not as strong as the t5 so you might go wit that one.
So do you already have pics of the new dragon ? One question to ask is whether the dragon has any sores or patchy areas not shown in the pics [ like on her tummy on vet area ] Some sellers don't know or disclose that their beardie has skin problems that can potentially be trouble. Hopefully that won't be the case, but it's good to cover all bases and you also want to be aware of the current diet so you can ease her transition by offering a similar menu.
I agree that the T5 is the way to go but the size depends on the dimensions of your enclosure. I also really like the Arcadia T5 bulbs. The 22'' will work well for most enclosures. This is what I use http://www.lightyourreptiles.com/22-t-5-ho-fixture-high-output-with-arcadia-d3-12-ho-bulb/ The optimal output is at about 12'' below the bulb. Much cheaper than $300. For that you could get a bulb and a dimming programmable thermostat too =)
Thanks ! I'll definitely look into both of those lights. I'll see what light fixture she comes with. The owner said he has not changed her light in over 2 years ?? but from the pics he sent me she looks surprisingly healthy. Though I'm sure she'll appreciate some good uva and uv been from a new bulb and some good quality outside time. He also has her on sand, but says she has good poops. I'm betting if I weigh her and measure her when I get her she'll grow a lot in about 3 months.