hey!

[gobbles]

hey all,

my names mikey im 24 and on saturday i finally got myself some beardies after waiting for over a year.
i have 2 dragons one is more grey and called gobbles and the second is more citrus and called buddy, i believe they are about 6months old.
i currently have a 42'' viv with heat mat, heat bulb, bamboo log, hidey cave, foliage and other general equipment required.

im lookng forward to chatting to u all and absorbing some of ur wisdom!!

mikey

 

[duke11]

Hi and welcome to BD.org!

I wouldn't recommend using heat mats because beardies do not sense heat from their stomach and it can burn them. Also, are you using a UVB bulb? Those are necessary for growth and health. You have one viv for both dragons?

Make sure you are using proper thermometers as well (digital with probe or temperature gun; no stick ons or analogs!). I'd also steer clear of loose substrates and go for tile, reptile carpet, paper towels, etc for viv bottom.

I usually recommend this to new users because it has some great info: http://beardeddragoncaresheet.org/

Congrats on the new beardies! We love pictures here.

 

[gobbles]

hi duke, thanks for the welcome.
both dragons are in one 42'' viv i was told to section it off so its smaller for hunting reasons as they so small.
i do have the uvb bulb but cant fit it yet as the shop didnt have the fittings but they said the beardies should be ok without it for a week but after reading some info on this site i think i may have been mis sold this info and they do infact need it from day one.

the heat mat i have is mounted on the side wall under the heat bulb (as recommended by manufacturer) i leave it on over night and turn lamp off switching it back on before i go to work. this is is a grey area for me as im not sure where the best place to put it would be.

i have one exoterra thermometer and the heat bulb is on a thermostat

atm i have the viv lined with paper and sand on top but im intruged into these reptile tiles u speak of, what are the benefits of them? can the heat mat go under them?

cheers
mikey

 

[duke11]

I wouldn't recommend using the heat mat at all. If you need extra heat without a light, you can use a ceramic heat emitter.
When the beardies get older, they may each need their own viv because they can grow to be up to 24 inches long. Also, make sure your UVB bulb is a Reptisun 10.0 tube bulb, which is basically the only very reliable and effective bulb. If you can't find them in your pet store, you can find it here: http://www.petmountain.com/. The name of the bulb is Reptisun, not Reptiglo.

Your exoterra thermometer, is it a stick on or analog? Basically, if it isn't digital, it isn't accurate. You will need to get a digital thermometer with a probe on the end. They have cheap ones a the pet stores, or you can find nice ones at Walmart and other stores (the brand is Accurite). You can also invest in a temperature gun, which are also accurate.

Sand is not a safe substrate, especially for young beardies. If it is ingested, it can cause impaction in the digestive system. They don't make tile specific for reptiles, but you can get some nice slate or ceramic tiles at any hardware or home improvement store. Tile is a great substrate because it looks good and represents a natural habitat. Also, it helps file down nails and it can get warm under a heat bulb. Other great solid substrates are reptile carpet (found at pet stores), paper towels, newspaper, or non-adhesive shelf liner.

 

[gobbles]

I see, a lot of I go there I'll look into.
Is it a case of turning all heat off overnight then relying on what's been heated throughout the day to keep them warm?
The themomter is a stick on analogue one.
I'm gonna get some slate over the weekend do I use sand to fill in gaps or just try get a snug fit?
I'm baffled as to why the reptile place have me a heat mat if most people don't reccomend them I've only heard a few good things about them.
If I post a picture of how my vivarium set up tonight would u mind having a look and recommending how it can be changed? As it is it's partitioned off to about 3 foot heat bulb and mat on right log underneath wooden cave on left by partition and water and food bowls around the middle.

I'm sorry I seem a bit fence on this I thought the research and the I go the shop gave me was worth listening to but from what I have read on here and from ur advice they were not advising the eat for my beardies

Mikey

 

[gobbles]

Sorry about spelling errors and part words I'm using my phone and it's predictive is a bit random lol

 

[duke11]

Generally it's a good idea not to trust any pet stores, even if they are reptile stores. I did the same when I first got my beardie, and the people here helped me out quite a bit.

It's definitely fine to turn off all lights and heat during the night. As long as your room temperature doesn't drop below 65 degrees, you're totally good. If for some reason your house gets really cold at night, you can get a ceramic heat emitter, but most people's houses don't get that cold.

The stick on analog thermometer is gonna have to go. You'll need a digital thermometer with a probe or a temperature gun. This is the kind you will find at pet stores: http://www.petco.com/product/106227/Zoo-Med-Digital-Thermometer.aspx. It's a bit pricey, but it can measure your basking spot, cool side, and measure humidity. If you can't find it in stores, you can order it online.

For the slate, you don't need to fill it in with sand, just try for a snug fit. My tiles overlap just slightly because I couldn't get an exact fit, but it's ok. If you want it to be perfect, you can get your tiles cut exactly to the size of your tank.

I would love to see a picture of your viv and help you out with that, I'm a little bit confused on what kind of lighting and heat setup you are using. You will need a lightbulb (it can just be an ordinary household kind) for basking spot and a UVB tube bulb for "sunlight".

 

[gobbles]

How do I go about getting one of these sigs with a picture of my beardies that will then appear at bottom of every post I make?

 

[duke11]

You'll have to make one on photoshop or any other editing program and then upload it on your user control panel. I made my own. If you need help or don't have the right program, some people here can help you out here.