Hi there!!

[RalphIsKing]

I just found this website, and I'm so glad I did! We've had our BD Ralph for 5 months now (he's 6 months old) and it looks like I've done quite a few things wrong. I've done a lot of fixing over the past few days, since reading the posts here in this forum. Here's a pic of Ralph when we got him, he was so tiny!! I was scared he woudln't live, he was so small. My son Jake bought him with his own money, but when we upgrade to a bigger cage, I'm going to kidnap him and move him down to our TV room so he will be more of a family pet. He doesn't get held enough, and I just love him, so I think he will be mine.

Here's Ralph now, and his cage showing the following changes: New digital therm. and a new basking stone and light (was only 80 degrees before! He did have an under cage heater that he laid on all the time.) New tiles instead of vita-sand (luckily he was on paper towells until just a few weeks ago) and a little fuzzy blanket and some plants.

The other things I've changed since reading posts here are: Stopped using only Kale & carrots for his veggies (adding mustard, collard greens and some apple, maybe get rid of the carrots), started dusting crickets (breeder told me that if I gave his salad to the crickets to eat, they would be gut-loaded properly and I didn't need to dust), removed water dish and now he gets little mist drops on his tongue every day (which he just loves!) and he got his first bath a couple of nights ago (which I'm not sure he really liked, he kind of just stood there with a freaky look on his face). I hope I hope I haven't done damage to him, he seems active and healthy so far, and I was buying fresh (hopefully) gutloaded crickets every 4 or 5 days, which he ate lots of. I still need to get him in a bigger cage soon (he's still in a 29 gal) and I guess my repti-Glow is the crappy brand. Anyway, thank you all for all of the previous advice you've given, it's helped me and Ralph alot!!

 

[ErinMeetsMachine]

I'm glad to see that's your dragon is going better!!

 

[3cherries]

Welcome! and Ralph is adorable!
Don't worry i think we all have done things wrong and thats why we are all here.. it's always great to get good advice from true beardie lovers vs pet stores ect.. but sounds like ralph is a very lucky beardie!

 

[RalphIsKing]

Thanks for the hello's, it's great to have a beardie!!

 

[Ethelia]

Welcome!
Its scary isnt it when you first come on here and find out you are doing things wrong.
I was exactly the same!

You have a hansome little boy there.

I must say though his skin looks a touch dehydrated so I would pop him on a daily bathing routine for now.
He needs 15 minutes in the water to feel the benefits.
Hehe Id just be happy he's just stood there looking perplexed.
Dex hated her baths but would stomp around, beard me, flick water everywhere with her tail.
Bath times were war zones!

Holly

 

[momtothreeboys]

Sounds like you are a great beardie owner. We just got our first beardie a few days ago and have received a lot of help on this website. Glad to hear I am not the only one who did some things wrong. Its hard to know exactly what to do because the pet stores give such bad advice. We are still working on our heating. Our little guy still isn't eating crickets. Overall he seems much happier though. Good luck!

 

[Freeie]

Welcome! Im another one who knew nothing about beardies. We made alot of mistakes but finding this site was the best!

 

[DistDrag]

Well done. Mistakes are fine as long as you can correct them and Ralph should be just fine. Keep gutloading the crickets and you may want to dust with vitamins a couple times a week also.

I agree with Holly, he does look like he'd benefit from some more bath time and keep giving him the water as long as he drinks it.

And welcome!

Kevin

 

[herpfreak]

Welcome! What a cute beardie!!!

 

[RalphIsKing]

Thank you!! I think he's cute ,too. His favorite change is the little blanket. I swear he's always under it, on it, or hiding in it. It's really cute, he's got a security blankie!! The only thing I don't like is that the crickets hide under it. I take it out when I feed him, but there's always a stowaway.

 

[herpfreak]

That happens to me too when I put blankets in the beardie house. But then again, if it wasn't the blanket, the crickets will always find someplace to hide. I hate crickets.

 

[RalphIsKing]

I wanted to say that Ralph is doing so much better, he has a lot more energy, and I think the changes have really helped already. Here's a new picture, he's loving the new climbing logs. He's still not into the baths, but we're committed to doing it at least 2 times a week. He's still taking drops from the mister every few days as well.

 

[RalphIsKing]

I wanted to say that Ralph is doing so much better, he has a lot more energy, and I think the changes have really helped already. Here's a new picture, he's loving the new climbing logs. He's still not into the baths, but we're committed to doing it at least 2 times a week. He's still taking drops from the mister every few days as well.