I know this question has been asked a lot.. BUT..

[Mirthy]

I know this is going slightly off the original topic and I hope AlanaB doesn't mind
Sweetiepie, do your roaming dragons find their own way to where your basking lamp is set up? I want to let my dragon out more. I think he is being too much of a lump and needs some exercise to really be healthy but I worry about the heat / uvb issues.

-carrie

 

[incorrigible]

My boy, Buddy, doesn't like other beardies, but gets on great with any other kind of animal (his bff is our kitten) - so I'm no help with the initial inquiry. I do have something to share about letting beardies roam the house though! lol

You can look up my introduction thread for the long story, but our boy hasn't had a tank for a couple years. He house trained himself, so we only have accidents if no one lets him out when he asks. He's a lot like a cat. He claimed a cubicle in a bookshelf as his cave, when we first bought it. So, he has a heat rock in there for night or whenever he wants. (just read about the dangers of heat rocks, so we're replacing it with safer covered heating pad next paycheck) Even when he had a tank and his own dish, he hated baths and considered the dog's water dish his personal hot tub. So, we just wash it out with vinegar any time Buddy takes a soak. We've never had any problems with this set up. I can't breath bleach fumes (chronic lung condition) so we also use vinegar on the patio where Buddy goes to the bathroom and does a lot of his sunbathing. We had been living in a hot climate, where he could sunbath outside even in winter, but now we're in a colder climate so we're also picking up a UV light out of the next paycheck. We were planning to set up a tank but it makes more sense to clamp the UV to the side of a bookcase, shining into an out of the way spot. That's the only part of a tank set up that he's missing.

Buddy has good instincts. He will jump off low places like windowsills, but not off high places like the back of the couch, or our 3rd story balcony. He likes to watch the neighbor kids play in the grass under the balcony, though. lol This set up works well for us because my kids are older (11 and 13), and our house is fairly calm. I wouldn't suggest it for someone with a lot of foot traffic or small kids. We also homeschool, but we aren't really home a lot. Buddy has our kitten to play with, so he doesn't seem to need much attention from us.

 

[AlanaB]

She won't get enought UVB if the natural light is through a window, so you really need to leave her in her tank for at least 5 hour a day under the UVB so she's getting enough. Without it she can get sick. I have experience with this, as I rescue beardies who haven't had sufficient UVB & it's not a good thing. I let my beardies roam one at a time but I have a power sun (mercury vapour light) at the top of a ramp on a lampstand, so even if they're out, they have a basking/UVB spot, so still get sufficient UVB during the day. It's really important for her, so please make sure she gets her UVB before she roams the rest of the house. I think it's great that she roams, gives her lots of exercise, but UVB is important for her health.

Whoops! I put some bad info in my last post. I'm Sorry I was in a rush when I typed it up. Her lights usually come on around 7, and she stays in her cage until 9-10, and she gets put away at 7 if we know where she is(we have lost her..three or four times now I think, lizard hunts are not fun, she's usually found within an hour.) and her lights stay on until 11pm or later. I don't believe beardies need to be on a 12 hour schedule? I was never informed of it, anyway.
Again sorry for the misinformation. :l

 

[RandyMarsh]

Yes they can roam together even live together if trained,me and my friends we put screens between the enclosures to get them use to each other,we did this for 2-3 months and after a while removed the glass screen we all have happy bearded dragons living together with no issues

This information is NOT strictly speaking accurate.

 

[sweetiepie9]

AlanB: I have a power sun UVB set up at the top of the ramp in the living room, which is beardie proofed. I live alone, so they have full run of the whole living room, plus when it's sunny outside I have beardie proofed my balcony. They only get out one at a time, because they would seriously kill each other if out together. So that's their running around time. Didi is out all day when I'm at work, because he loves to just bask under the power sun all day. I also have a small TV, so they watch TV all day, too. I have a young man, Jake, who's 17 & raises geckos & snakes, come in about 5p or so & he puts them all to bed. They're up at 7a, so they get plenty of UVB light. And no, as long as your beardie gets at least 5 hours a day (and she gets more than that), she'll get more than enough for good health. I live in a very overcast rainy area, so that's why I use power suns, as the UVB is stronger than a Reptisun 10.0 and I've found it's better for them.

So don't worry, you're doing fine with your beardie. I'm glad you're not getting another one, as putting two out together is never a good idea, you never know what might happen. I know people who home 2 or more beardies together & have never had an issue, but I had 2 of mine out together by accident & they got into a big fight, two bloody tails to show for it & I really forgot the one was out & the other one wasn't out for more than a minute. So that made up my mind really fast.

incorrigible, I envy you having lived in an area where your Buddy could get all his UVB in sunshine, as it's the best UVB they can have. It must be so nice not to worry about him & to have him trained is great, too. I live near Vancouver, BC, Canada, very rainy (more than 1/2 the year) and alot of the rest of the time overcast. We don't get alot of sunny days, so UVB for my crew is absolutely necessary. I would so love it if I could have them out in the sunshine for hours at a time. So now that you're in Oregon, what type of UVB are you going to get him? I find it fascinating that he doesn't need a tank, I"m so used to having my house overrun with tanks (5 beardies & 1 gecko in a 1 bedroom apartment). It must be nice!
Deb

 

[bunnyrut]

That is fascinating that you guys can let them run around like that (claiming a section of the bookshelf is hilarious). Mr Dargon always finds the one spot that he would get stuck. I have to watch him the entire time.
Tasty Treat just goes straight for the food. The crickets are on the floor and she always goes there first. Then she nips my fingers when I take her away. She is content in her cage.

 

[incorrigible]

Deb, it was really great. He loved it out there. He seems OK here but he's not as active since moving. It's not hot and sunny all the time. I think a UV light will help a lot though. I haven't decided which one to get yet, actually. I still have another week to figure it out. I'll probably order online, though, because I haven't found any pet/supply stores locally that I like yet. My husband would love to have a whole reptile room. We have always had a house rule of "no more pets than people", though. There are two parents, two kids, two cats, a dog, and Buddy in our home. :wink:

 

[sweetiepie9]

If he's used to full sun, you'll probably want to get a Mega Ray or Power Sun, as mercury vapour bulbs have better UVB than the Reptisun 10.0 or Arcadia tubes. Plus the mvb can be set up on lampstands & if he's not in a tank with a top, he'll get full UVB all the time, like my guys. They're in tanks but with to tanktops, so get the full blast. Plus the mvb's have heat included, so no basking area necessary, just one bulb in a lampstand & it can be set up anywhere, not necessarily in the bookcase. More expensive, but they last a year & more flexible. So look into that. You can get them online through http://www.petmountain.com or http://www.lightyourreptile.com for much less than in a pet shop. Mega Ray has their own site, I just don't remember it. There are also T-Rex brand, too, so a few to look into. I'll send you a pic of the top of the ramp my hubby built. Didi, my little orange dragon, stays out all day when I'm at work & spends alot of time at the top of the ramp, watching TV & making faces at Leo and Lonzo, who's tanks are side by side:

This is the ramp:

Didi at the top of the ramp:

This is where he spends most of his day, they all like the ramp, but Didi will stay there all day, unlike the rest that will stay for an hour or so & then find a place to hide. :mrgreen:

 

[incorrigible]

very cool. thanks for all the info! What a spoiled boy! lol

 

[ShannyBeard]

If you intend on getting a silkback, I wouldn't let them out together. Since beardies are unscoial to one another, often fighting, and the silkback is a very delicate type of dragon, I wouldn't. I don't let my beardies out together in general paranoia, but that's just me.

This is what I would also have posted. Silkbacks are at a severe disadvantage because it doesn't have the spikes and thick scales to protect it.

I have two females who came from the same breeder. I got them in the same week and they have the exact same set ups in the same room. They have gotten along really well for many months until one day they were on the bed and one of the girls charged at the other and they both flattened their backs and bearded. I separated them immediately since I was standing right there, luckily. I do believe they would have injured each other.

Be safe with your decision and think it through. These dragons react very quickly and impulsively with very little warning when they get upset with each other. It all happens in the blink of an eye.

 

[dragonlover3]

Yes they can roam together even live together if trained,me and my friends we put screens between the enclosures to get them use to each other,we did this for 2-3 months and after a while removed the glass screen we all have happy bearded dragons living together with no issues

NO, they can't safely live together. They are solitary and prefer not to be with other dragons. They are an accident waiting to happen! Usually the accidents result in injury, amputations or even death. They can turn in a second seemingly unprovoked. It would be good to separate them before the accident happens. Here's some good info. viewtopic.php?f=6&t=154908
I hope you reconsider housing them together!
Amanda