I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M DOING. Help/Advice?

[Elora]

can we get a photo of your new baby!?

 

[haleygirl272]

Updates on the bearded one? :lol:

 

[Superfictious]

I don't have a camera yet! D; I think it's what my next paycheck will be used for.

I went to the store. Got some endive, butternut squash, prickly pear, and a jar of baby food.
He's rejected the endive and seems to just want to sit on his log. I'll try the other stuff tomorrow, because he's half an hour away from lights out.

 

[haleygirl272]

ok, good luck on new food! fingers xed!!!!! :shock:

 

[Elora]

haha you are already a beardie slave! You go all the way to the store to buy them some nice greens, chop them, wash them, put them piled up nice in his cage only to be greeted with the stink eye. "No, I dont think Ill be eating those today."

keep trying the vegetables and fruits. if hes young it will take him a while to want to eat them. but dont give up!

 

[Superfictious]

So, I'm about to head to work, and put him in the bath while getting ready, because I spend most of my getting ready time in the bathroom.
So I could give him a good long soak while getting ready.
He didn't drink, and was trying to climb on me to get out. I left him in, and left the room for a few minutes.
When I came back, he'd POOPED! Hurrah! 8D

Surprising amount. Like, I'm amazed it all came out of him. There was also this white, poop shaped 'plug'. It didn't separate when I put on a hard spray and hothot water to wash everything down the drain. O__o;

Maybe this is why he hasn't been going?

Anyway. Still not eating, but I think I ignored a factor in that. We're in a cold snap right now, and there's snow and cold. He can't see outside, and his cage is warm as ever, buuuuut I'm thinking the cold is affecting his appetite and behavior. He just basks and lugs himself around the cage.

Anyhoo. I have to run to work. I'll post that big long question thing when I get home late tonight, because I should really get around to it.

Hope your all having a good day!

 

[bexhill1]

the white part of his poop is nothing to worry about every poop has one, its just the urate.

 

[Ethelia]

/Cheer!
Im glad he's pooped. You've won half the battle now
And dont worry about the white, thats urate (solid dragon pee). It will be in every bowel movement.

Good on you for leaving him in the bath. Its hard feeling like a bad slave, but unless theyre in for at least 10-15 minutes they just wont get the benefits.
Also Im sure you only popped out for a second or two but I really wouldnt advise leaving her alone in the bath at all, especially if she is new to it. It can only take a moment or two for your beardie to slip, lose their footing on the slippy surface and inhale some water in a panic.
If it seems like he wont poop with you looking Id just stand at the other side of the bathroom, then they cant see you but you can keep a beadie eye on them. Bath time is definatly a time you need to keep a close watch on him.

Will check in later to eye-spy your tank set up.
Enjoy your day at work ^_^

Holly

 

[Superfictious]

Solid pee. Wtf. (Had no idea. Seriously. o_o)

Uhm. Okay. No more alone time in the bath for him.

Dodongo's Set Up:

How old is your dragon? About a year.
How long have you had your dragon? Since Nov. 13th, 2008
How long is your dragon? 13 inches.
What is the sex of your dragon? Probably male, not 100% on it.
What size enclosure do you have your dragon in? 55 gallon.
What type substrate do you have on the bottom of your tank? Sand/Terrarium Liner
Do you use UVB lights? Yes.
If so, Is it a coil, compact, fluorescent tube, or Mercury Vapor bulb? Coil.
What is the brand name and number of your bulb? Wattage (if MVB)? Repti Glo 10.0
How old is your UVB bulb? New.
How close can your dragon get to the UVB? 8 – 14 inches.
Do you use a separate basking bulb? What kind and what is the wattage? Zoo Med. 150 Wats.
What are the basking temps? 100-110*F
What is the cool side temp? 80-85*F
Temp taken with a stick on thermometer, a digital thermometer with a wire and a probe end or a temp gun? ‘Stick on’.
Where exactly are you taking your basking temps? On the basking rock and plank under the light, where he basks the most.
Do you use a heat rock or heat pad? Nope.
What do you feed your dragon? Please be specific. Crickets, superworms, endive, red leaf lettuce, broccoli, prickly pear, butternut squash.
How often do you feed and what time do you feed (morning, afternoon, night)? Twice on days I don’t work, morning and afternoon, once in the morning on days I do work.
Do you gutload (feed) your crickets, worms, etc? I give them food, but I’m not pumping them with vitamins.
Do you use vitamin or calcium supplements? What brand(s)? How many days a week do you use each of them? Repti-Calcium twice a week, Exo Terra water treatment in his water, will be using a vitamin supplement three times a week.
Is your dragon having regular bowel movements (poops)? Unsure. Has had one since I’ve gotten him.
Do you bath your dragon? How often? 5-7 times per week.
Do you mist your dragon or offer water other than in the bath? Water available in viv.

 

[peera]

What type substrate do you have on the bottom of your tank? Sand/Terrarium Liner
What kind of sand? Play sand is the only kind of sand a dragon should be on, and even that is up for some debate. Textured tile, newspaper, paper towels, or non-adhesive shelf liner are the safest, most sanitary way to go.

Do you use UVB lights? Yes.
If so, Is it a coil, compact, fluorescent tube, or Mercury Vapor bulb? Coil.
What is the brand name and number of your bulb? Wattage (if MVB)? Repti Glo 10.0
Please return this bulb. It's extremelly bad for your dragon's eyes. You never want a coil bulb for your dragon. The bulb you want is the ReptiSun 10.0 tube. It's expensive in stores, but off petmountain.com it's only $20. Remember that UVB bulbs need replaced every 6 months.

Temp taken with a stick on thermometer, a digital thermometer with a wire and a probe end or a temp gun? ‘Stick on’.
Stick on thermomenters can be off by as many as 20*. The best thing to get is a $12 Acurite digital thermometer with a probe from Walmart.

What do you feed your dragon? Please be specific. Crickets, superworms, endive, red leaf lettuce, broccoli, prickly pear, butternut squash.
Broccoli and red leaf lettuce aren't very good for him. They're a "once every couple of weeks" food. Very helpful color coded food chart- http://www.beautifuldragons.503xtreme.com/Nutrition.html Oh, he's not quite big enough for superworms just yet. They should be 16 inches, just to be safe.

 

[Ethelia]

Hi there,
Well Ms Peera has beaten me too it ^_^ and i agree with all her suggestions.

Dont beat yourself up about not knowing some things, our beardies can suprise us after years and years. Im sure I'll never stop learning things about these unique little monsters.

And Im sorry but i absolutely DEMAND pictures rotest:

 

[Superfictious]

xD Pictures should be ready by Friday. I guess I'm basically buying a digital camera for my lizard.

I'll get the UVB light sorted out today, when I go to the store. Can grab a better thermometer, too.

He's only eaten the broccoli once, and hasn't really gone for the red leaf lettuce since I got him. I'll just make sure not to include them in his daily list of veggies to turn down.
Didn't know the superworms had a size restraint. o_o He's gonna have to grow faster if he wants them I guess.

The sand is exo terra desert sand. I'm rather fond of sand, because hey, that's what they run around on in their natural habitat, right?

Thanks a bunch though, you two. 8] I'll be changing all that asap.

And thanks to all the other posters, too.


I had him on my bed last night, wrapped in this ridiculously soft blankie. He was not happy when I moved him, and glared about for about twenty seconds after I sat him down and wrapped him up, before he sort of went: "... This is... soft and comfy?!". Then he was out like a light until this morning. He's basking, and in a few I'll try food again.

 

[peera]

I'm rather fond of sand, because hey, that's what they run around on in their natural habitat, right?

From what I understand (I've never been on the Australian outback, but I've seen enough debates around here... ^_^). this is a common misconception. The ground in the outback is hardpan, and actually more similiar to tile than sand. Anyhow, the "natural environment" arguement (not that you're arguing with me) is flawed in at least one way- that being that wild dragons have a life expectancy of 3-4 years (with impaction being a leading cause of death behind predators), while properly cared for, our little friends can remain with us for a decade. My boy will be 9 this spring. Solid substrates are more sanitary and squash the risk of impaction. And with tile, they keep nails trimmed, and it's much cheaper- $15 once, or however much a bag of sand is every couple of months.

 

[Ethelia]

Peera is quite right. Sand isnt technically 'the best' for them.
Although sifted playsand is safe, with all particle substrate there is always a small risk it could be ingested, which is why if you use sand and feed your little one crix or locust its advised you do it outside the viv. This does pretty much eliminate the risk. But of corse this is a risk that is avoided with tiles/repticarpet etc.

I do use sand myself, mainly because my girl is missing two claws so is a bit of a clutz, and does often over estimate herself and does tend to slip off her rocks and climbers. Although they are low and it'd be super hard for her to hurt herself I like to use the sand as a bit of a 'buffer' for her.
To eliminate the risk with the sand I have her food in deep bowls so it cant to escape and be chased and eaten on sand, and also if Dex is treated to locusts I feed them to her in the bath or hand feed them too her like a good momma.

So to round it up Id say sand is fine, but only if you take these added measures.

Holly

 

[Superfictious]

I'll feed him outside, in a rubbermaid from now on, and maybe terrarium liner more of his viv. 8] I tried today, and got nothing. He didn't eat.
I gave him a bath after, and he flipped for a good ten seconds. Then he'd only drink if I was letting him lick water off of my hand. Somebody is a crabby boy.
Now he's on my shoulder in a towel, drying off. He isn't too happy with me. Heh.

I'm wondering if he could brumate. He was born last winter, so while he's only approaching a year old, this will be his second winter.