Howdy, new to breadies & need advise

[Rob]

Howdy, we just got my son a breadie (& one for me too!). Here's what we have, this was recommended by the pet store.

- A 40 breeder tank w/ locking top
- calcium substrate (they said this would dissolve if swallowed)
- a 8 1/2" heat lamp
- slate under the heat lamp
- a climbing stick (microwaved per pet store, they said I could
microwave or bleach the stick)
- and best of all, two roughly 4"-5" breadies

Is bleaching a stick ok? What else can anyone advise me to add to setup?

 

[Rob]

Quick add on, how many crickets should they eat & should they eat the salad I gave them? How long should the light stay on?

 

[tuurlijk]

depending on the age and size of the beardeds depends on how many crickets they can eat, and also their cricket to greens ratio.

 

[whiskersmom]

Welcome to the forum and good for you....I think you just bought two of the best pets in the world :lol:

I don't want to depress you but, alot of the petstore recommendations are crud....like the calcium sand! Because beardies need calcium they are going to be attracted to that sand and eat exorbitant amounts which in turn will not digest but turn into something like cement in their digestive system. For babies, the recommended substrate that most of us use here is either paper towels, non adhesive shelf liner and, my favorite, slate tiles. They are all easy to clean and don't pose the risk of impaction, slate heats up nicely and keeps their nails filed down so you don't have to clip.
Did the petstore recommend a UVB light? The heat light is necessary for the proper temps but they need sunlight. A UVB light will mimic the sun and provide them with D-3. Without it beardies will develop something called Metabolic Bone Disease. Reptisun 10 and Reptglo .8 fluorescents are very good lights.
Your beardies will also need supplements, I use RepCal Phosphorous Free Calcium with D-3 (pink label) and RepCal Herptivite Multi vitamins (blue label). Babies should have their crickets dusted with the calcium five feedings a week and the multi vitamin twice a week.
Crickets should be no bigger then the space between the eyes. Feed them at least once a day (depending on how young they are, you might need to feed them twice a day) letting them eat their fill for 15 minutes. Which means they can consume at least 30 to 60 crix in one feeding, depending on your beardie :shock: They should be offered a salad every morning and let them eat on it all day, periodically misting it to keep it fresh and to provide water.
I use a timer with my lights, they stay on 14 hours and off 10.
The temps for babies are usually higher than they are for adults....anywhere from 95-115 degrees on their basking site and 75-85 on the cool side, with temps being able to go as low as the mid 60's at night. Since the analog type and stick on type thermometers are off as much as 20 degrees either way, it is recommended to use a digital thermometer with a probe for a more accurate reading. You can pick one up at Walmart for real cheap.
I know you didn't ask this but you should bathe your babies often, at least three times a week (I give mine a bath at least every other day) to keep them hydrated. Even if you don't see them drink, they are able to take in water through their vents. Babies become dehydrated very fast and it can be fatal.
Last but not least, yes...you can bleach the stick. Using 1:10 (10% solution), letting it soak for 10 - 15 minutes. Make sure you rinse very well and let completely dry.

I hope I didn't leave anything out!
Good luck!