I need to choose

[RolandKyramere]

Okay, I'm back with another question. I've heard that the solar-glo MVB is really bad, but is the Mega-Ray bad too?

I've heard mixed reviews, apparently they had a bad batch of them somewhat recently. Personally, I like just doing separate bulbs, I have a 24" reptisun bulb and a 100 watt basking bulb.

 

[Jess]

At this point, the only UVB I trust it the ReptiSun. In the future Im sure that the Mega-Ray will be "good" again, but all the MVBs have been having alot of issues lately!

 

[ColoradoRiverRafter]

What feeders do you feed your beardie and what greens do you feed? I heard avocado is bad for beardeds.

 

[Jess]

Check out the Beautiful Dragons site's nutrition chart. Dudleys staple is superworms since they are his favorite (and the cheapest LOL), and I give him crickets once a week or so and the occasional waxworm as a treat. Im hoping to breed a couple Dubia soon, but IDK. For veggies, he gets collards, mustards, and butternut squash as a staple, and Ill throw in other random things I find in the fridge- Cilantro, rasberries, watermelon, carrots, strawberries, red bell peppers, escorole, endive, ect... Variety is good

 

[ColoradoRiverRafter]

Thanks a lot. How much money has Dudley cost you?

 

[Jess]

Usually about $3/week, food wise. Hes brumating now though, so Ive probably spent about $5 on him in the last 2 or 3 months LOL. Hes pretty cheap

 

[ColoradoRiverRafter]

DANG that's nice. How much did he cost you at the start with the setup and stuff. Thanks for answering my questions.

 

[Trogdorpheus]

I adopted mine from a friend, so she was free. Came with an aquarium that was not quite big enough for her anymore, so I dropped about $100 on supplies to build her a larger viv, and maybe $40 on a colony of roaches from a local supplier that sold them to me for way cheaper than anything online (100 large to adult for $25). Since then I've spent about $3 on food for my bugs per month, and maybe $5-10 a month on veggies for her.

 

[Reeferman20]

i am only 22 but have had a fair few reptiles in my time but i have to say that snakes are far cheaper/easier to set-up/maintain. i have a garter snake and a corn snake. the garter is really really fast and hates being handled. the cornsnake on the other hand is elegant, chilled out, loves people. only real downside to them is that they are really god escapologists but thats easily sorted, just make sure your viv is secure(i learnt the hard way...she was on the loose for 6 weeks, had to smash a hole in the wall to get her in the end). but yeah cornsnakes are great amd easy to maintain. but my personal favourites are beardies and iguanas. yet to get an iguana.......yet

 

[Jess]

DANG that's nice. How much did he cost you at the start with the setup and stuff. Thanks for answering my questions.

I already had everything I needed, except for UVB lights- My hermit crabs were using my 40 gal, I had some extra heat lamps, extra reptile carpet, digital thermometers, decorations, hammocks, ect... I literally have 3 or 4 big storage bins in my garage filled to the top with reptile supplies, so I dont have to buy much when I get a new pet LOL. It comes in handy to have a ton of extra stuff laying around, especially since my first beardie was a spur-of-the-moment rescue!

If you get stuff used when you can, its pretty cheap. My 40 gal was $30, lid was $20, shelf liner $5, light fixture $9, ReptiSun was $20... You can get almost anything thats at a pet store at WalMart or Menards for 1/2 the price.

 

[ColoradoRiverRafter]

That's amazing, and I will be back with more questions.

 

[Jess]

OK, I hope you can get one soon!

 

[ColoradoRiverRafter]

Same here. I am trying to work my Christmas list to knock out the expensive things.

 

[ColoradoRiverRafter]

Dang time sure has gone by fast. So I was looking at Petland today and noticed that the turtles were up and swimming about. Before you start ranting me out, I will never buy any animal from Petland, I hate the place and I don't know why I even go anymore. Anyway, I really liked those turtles, and thought to myself, maybe I should ask if a turtle is really the worst starter reptile. So really is it?

 

[Jess]

Not to be rude, but if you are still not sure if you can afford a beardie, an aquatic turtle is NOT for you.
Although I've never had one, I had to do some research on them because my 4 yr old cousin got one, and they knew absolutely nothing about it. :x So of course I got to figure out how to care for it properly...

But, unless you are prepared to have a 100 gal + aquarium or a pond, an incredibly and constantly nasty tank to clean (they are probably THE messiest aquatic creature you can get), replace UVB lights every 6 months, and feed it and care for it for the next 50 years or so, don't even consider it.

Again, not trying be rude, but you can probably tell that I don't think a turtle is a responsibility to be taken lightly.