Hello new to bearded dragons

[Eddie789]

Hello my name is Edgar! I live in Kansas City. I am new to Bearded dragons and new to reptiles! I am looking forward to finding my first beardie! I would like to know what i need to safely house a bearded dragon! I recently bought a 20 gallon breeder critter cage at a garage sale and want to know if this is good enough for a baby beardie! Thanks.

 

[TasteTheRainbow]

depends on how young you want it. hatchies need constant care so don't get one if you don't have the time, get a juvi or sub adult. beardies can get to about 2ft long from nose to tail tip so around 1 and a half years a 3-4ft tank will be fine. just remember that as the beardie grows so will your collection (its the healthiest and cheapest hobby around) and so will your tanks.

some if you can find the book 'keeping and breeding bearded dragons' give that a read a few times and check into permits, im from south australia so laws are different i think.

 

[Eddie789]

depends on how young you want it. hatchies need constant care so don't get one if you don't have the time, get a juvi or sub adult. beardies can get to about 2ft long from nose to tail tip so around 1 and a half years a 3-4ft tank will be fine. just remember that as the beardie grows so will your collection (its the healthiest and cheapest hobby around) and so will your tanks.

some if you can find the book 'keeping and breeding bearded dragons' give that a read a few times and check into permits, im from south australia so laws are different i think.

Hello and thanks for the advice! I am looking for a juvi. I have a question though i am unemployed right now but i am going to start working here pretty soon will the beardie be OK without me for about 8 hours a day, 5 days a week? as far as lighting what do i need? I have a 75 watt infrared heat lamp. I also have a 100 watt infrared heat lamp. Do bearded dragons require an under tank heater? I have a small one for it but don't know if its recommended? Thanks.

 

[TasteTheRainbow]

a white basking heat lamp that gets the hot end to 30-35 degrees or having a timer so if it gets to hot it switches off and if it gets to cold it turns on would be best. i do have a caresheet for these australian native animals if you flick me a PM with your home email address. it is from another user on another forum who is a beardie expert. i would take a careful read of that

 

[sirenique]

Hello and welcome! Your beardie will be fine with you working a full-time job. I know from experience; I work full-time and sometimes 50+ hours a week, and when I come home my dragon (Bones) is usually basking and ignores me until he decides he wants to cuddle haha. If you get a juvi, since you will be working, I just recommend holding him and interacting with him during the times you are home. Bones was really temperamental at first as a juvi, but the more I started holding him, the more relaxed and tame he became.

As far as lighting goes, I have three bulbs for my little guy: an infared one for night, a basking daylight bulb, and a full spectrum bulb. I originally had just the full spectrum bulb and an infared bulb, but even though the tank was reaching an adequate daytime temp, Bones was soooo lethargic and showed disinterest in eating. I noticed he wasn't basking at all, so I bought the daylight bulb for while I'm away at work. So far this has worked for me and my juvi, and he seems extremely happy and started eating and being playful again after I bought him the daylight bulb:

Getting ready for work: Full spectrum bulb
At work: Daylight basking bulb
After work: Full spectrum bulb
Nighttime: Infared bulb

Other more experienced members might have more helpful suggestions, but this is just what I've noticed so far =) Heads up, buying all the startup equipment to maintain a dragon is expensive. I would recommend waiting a month or two into your new job so you can save up a little bit before purchasing a dragon. Also make sure you disinfect the tank you bought at a garage sale before you let your dragon live in it -- you never know where that tank has been before you bought it!

 

[Eddie789]

Hello and welcome! Your beardie will be fine with you working a full-time job. I know from experience; I work full-time and sometimes 50+ hours a week, and when I come home my dragon (Bones) is usually basking and ignores me until he decides he wants to cuddle haha. If you get a juvi, since you will be working, I just recommend holding him and interacting with him during the times you are home. Bones was really temperamental at first as a juvi, but the more I started holding him, the more relaxed and tame he became.

As far as lighting goes, I have three bulbs for my little guy: an infared one for night, a basking daylight bulb, and a full spectrum bulb. I originally had just the full spectrum bulb and an infared bulb, but even though the tank was reaching an adequate daytime temp, Bones was soooo lethargic and showed disinterest in eating. I noticed he wasn't basking at all, so I bought the daylight bulb for while I'm away at work. So far this has worked for me and my juvi, and he seems extremely happy and started eating and being playful again after I bought him the daylight bulb:

Getting ready for work: Full spectrum bulb
At work: Daylight basking bulb
After work: Full spectrum bulb
Nighttime: Infared bulb

Other more experienced members might have more helpful suggestions, but this is just what I've noticed so far =) Heads up, buying all the startup equipment to maintain a dragon is expensive. I would recommend waiting a month or two into your new job so you can save up a little bit before purchasing a dragon. Also make sure you disinfect the tank you bought at a garage sale before you let your dragon live in it -- you never know where that tank has been before you bought it!

Thanks alot TasteTheRainbow and sirenique! You have helped me greatly! I am a newbie so getting into the hobby is quite something! lol. I will start looking for equipment in the coming months and doing my homework on research before i go ahead and get my first beardie! This site is wonderful! I love it so far and have got some good info off of it! I sure will disinfect the tank before i put anything in it. I just wanted to know what was necessary to keep a healthy beardie! I am debating whether to feed him reptiworms rather than crickets! Is it a good source of vitamins and calcium? Or do i need crickets as a staple food? Sorry for all these dumb questions but i would rather ask than buy a beardie without knowing how to care for it! Thanks.

Edgar

 

[Eddie789]

Would anyone recommend a good basking bulb? I am not sure which one is best?

 

[christina590]

powersun its 60 dollars 1 yr warranty

 

[christina590]

if u have any other concerns you can let me kno i will try to help

 

[NavyxWife]

Would anyone recommend a good basking bulb? I am not sure which one is best?

I use the zilla halogene combo zone. I think it's about $30 but I love it. It has 2 switches & 2 different bulbs inside. One is for the UVB/light & the other is for heat.

Also, remember to use reptile carpet at first & when you do choose to switch to sand try to a get a calcium base sand. It's still dangerous for them if they swallow it but it will pass somewhat easier. When you first feed your beardie using the sand, watch him to make sure he's not getting any mouthfuls.

 

[Roja]

Would anyone recommend a good basking bulb? I am not sure which one is best?

I use the zilla halogene combo zone. I think it's about $30 but I love it. It has 2 switches & 2 different bulbs inside. One is for the UVB/light & the other is for heat.

Also, remember to use reptile carpet at first & when you do choose to switch to sand try to a get a calcium base sand. It's still dangerous for them if they swallow it but it will pass somewhat easier. When you first feed your beardie using the sand, watch him to make sure he's not getting any mouthfuls.

I'm glad your Zilla combo is working for you, NavyxWife, but both you and Eddie189 should be on the lookout for any symptoms.. it was this exact bulb that nearly killed Roja in August. Please read this thread:
http://www.beardeddragon.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=45&t=133065&hilit=roja

Also.. most people here will highly recommend not using any sand at all.. but tile or reptile carpet. I switched my sand out right away after reading through the many horror stories on here of impacted beardies and sand. Its much easier to just not have it then to worry about whether or not they are getting mouthfuls when you aren't watching them.

Good luck and welcome!

 

[christina590]

the powersun is a heat and uv in one lamp.

 

[NavyxWife]

I'm glad your Zilla combo is working for you, NavyxWife, but both you and Eddie189 should be on the lookout for any symptoms.. it was this exact bulb that nearly killed Roja in August. Please read this thread:
http://www.beardeddragon.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=45&t=133065&hilit=roja

Also.. most people here will highly recommend not using any sand at all.. but tile or reptile carpet. I switched my sand out right away after reading through the many horror stories on here of impacted beardies and sand. Its much easier to just not have it then to worry about whether or not they are getting mouthfuls when you aren't watching them.

Good luck and welcome!

Oh really? Wow. I've had this light for a long time and I've seen nothing out of the normal. But I will keep an eye on it & if I have to, will get something different.
As for sand, yes the stories are quite dreadful but something to always remember is that sand is part of their natural environment. At an early age, sand is definitely not a good idea but as they get older it can be used as long as you keep an eye out for them. I think it really depends on the dragon because some are more curious than others. Mine likes to burrow in his sand at night to sleep and I have yet to ever see him eat it... I've always used sand for all my beardies when they get big & old enough because they seem to like it more & haven't had a problem with it as long as they choose to not eat it... but I also feed my beardies in a seperate tank so he can move more freely to catch his crickets.

 

[Beardednoob]

I'm glad your Zilla combo is working for you, NavyxWife, but both you and Eddie189 should be on the lookout for any symptoms.. it was this exact bulb that nearly killed Roja in August. Please read this thread:
http://www.beardeddragon.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=45&t=133065&hilit=roja

Also.. most people here will highly recommend not using any sand at all.. but tile or reptile carpet. I switched my sand out right away after reading through the many horror stories on here of impacted beardies and sand. Its much easier to just not have it then to worry about whether or not they are getting mouthfuls when you aren't watching them.

Good luck and welcome!

Oh really? Wow. I've had this light for a long time and I've seen nothing out of the normal. But I will keep an eye on it & if I have to, will get something different.
As for sand, yes the stories are quite dreadful but something to always remember is that sand is part of their natural environment. At an early age, sand is definitely not a good idea but as they get older it can be used as long as you keep an eye out for them. I think it really depends on the dragon because some are more curious than others. Mine likes to burrow in his sand at night to sleep and I have yet to ever see him eat it... I've always used sand for all my beardies when they get big & old enough because they seem to like it more & haven't had a problem with it as long as they choose to not eat it... but I also feed my beardies in a seperate tank so he can move more freely to catch his crickets.

I am sorry to butt in here but loose sand is nowhere near their natural environment. This is why beardies have such issues with it. I have made a post before that shows dragons in their natural environment and they do not live in sand. They are considered a desert lizard but, the desert in which they speak of is not loose sand but, a clay/loamy substrate. Sand is not hygienically sound, as well as other health risks. Navyx does have a lot more time then other I suspect as I would need to watch my dragons constantly, to ensure there was never any sand eaten, if by the means of subsequent contact, like feeding. Curiosity, like getting to know their surroundings. When it comes to sand and the things to remember about sand, then always remember so many speak negatively about sand for a reason. If sand never caused anything bad to happen then it wouldn't be an issue today.
Here is the link to show pictures of bearded dragons in their natural environment.
viewtopic.php?f=30&t=136526

 

[NavyxWife]

I am sorry to butt in here but loose sand is nowhere near their natural environment. This is why beardies have such issues with it. I have made a post before that shows dragons in their natural environment and they do not live in sand. They are considered a desert lizard but, the desert in which they speak of is not loose sand but, a clay/loamy substrate. Sand is not hygienically sound, as well as other health risks. Navyx does have a lot more time then other I suspect as I would need to watch my dragons constantly, to ensure there was never any sand eaten, if by the means of subsequent contact, like feeding. Curiosity, like getting to know their surroundings. When it comes to sand and the things to remember about sand, then always remember so many speak negatively about sand for a reason. If sand never caused anything bad to happen then it wouldn't be an issue today.
Here is the link to show pictures of bearded dragons in their natural environment.
viewtopic.php?f=30&t=136526

I didn't say I watch my dragon constantly nor do I have the time to do so =/
I'm saying, from my personal experience, I have yet to have a problem with sand and I've owned & worked with many bearded dragons. If I didn't word it correctly, then I meant to say that if you do use sand, watch them in the beginning, see if they have trouble adjusting to it during feeding so they don't pick up sand with their food and throughout the day.