ideas for a great viv?

[Edwtampa]

my beardie Warlock just died.but i know the breeder i bought from has a new clutch ready to hatch in a few weeks.i'm determined to try again and do things RIGHT this time!but to do that,i want to make my cage as perfect as possible for the new arrival.i don't quite trust the pet store associates to give me the right information about what to use.the only thing i know i'll do at first is use newspaper for the bottom.but i'd like suggestions,please,for anything else.lights,backrounds,what kind of hidey places,even what shape of rock might be better!thank you for any help i recieve.

 

[jeritta]

Sorry to hear about warlock.
Could you go over your set up with us so we can see what may have happened and maybe help
you for your next little baby and help prevent any thing in the future. Sometimes petstore beardies
just arent strong enough to make it. Again sorry for your loss.
What types lighting? heat? and uvb? coil or tube?
substrate? type?
size of viv?
feeders? size of feeders?
salad?
calcium? plus d3?
vitamins?
how often on calcium and vitamins?
bath? how often?
temps in viv?
what are you checking temps with?
cool side?
hot side?

 

[Poke]

If you havent kept beardies for that long nor had any experience with hatchling beardies. I would suggest to buy a juvie instead of a hatchling. Also if you get it from a good breeder usually the juvies are already eating greens. So you dont have to worrie about if they eat greens or not. If your starting over I would also suggest to disinfect your tank and any accessory you were using with your past beardie.

 

[Edwtampa]

Sorry to hear about warlock.
Could you go over your set up with us so we can see what may have happened and maybe help
you for your next little baby and help prevent any thing in the future. Sometimes petstore beardies
just arent strong enough to make it. Again sorry for your loss.
What types lighting? heat? and uvb? coil or tube?
substrate? type?
size of viv?
feeders? size of feeders?
salad?
calcium? plus d3?
vitamins?
how often on calcium and vitamins?
bath? how often?
temps in viv?
what are you checking temps with?
cool side?
hot side?

thank you for the condolences.i'm not sure what happened,i have just a simple tank,not sure how many gallons but it was certainly big enough for Warlock at his age.i had newspaper on the bottom,a little shallow rock water dish,a wooden arch and a smooth rock i put against the wall of the tank so he couldn't get under it but could hang out ontop of it,which he did.at the end,i tried putting a little plastic egg for him to maybe play with a bit but took it out when he got sick.and he couldn't of been weak like that because he wasn't from a pet store but a breeder,but anyway.

i think i just used a regular round lizard bulb.don't know about uvb.
newspaper
i want to guess 30 gallons
crickets.pinheads.
iceberg lettuce every day
none
none
none
didn't use them
yes.once a day every other day
above 82 in cool side,somewhere above 90 in hot section
a sticker thermometer stuck to the glass

 

[Edwtampa]

bump for help

 

[CodyK]

not saying it was the cause, but iceberg lettuce was your first mistake. Use mustard greens, collard greens, stuff like that. Iceberg has too much water in it and not enough nutrients.

 

[TASTIGER]

you will need a UVB bulb i strongly suggest getting the Reptisun 10.0 the linear bulb not the compact
stick on thermometers can be off as much as 30-40 degrees
they also need calcium with D3 so or their body will steal it from their bones and that wont turn out good
baths help keep them hydrated they can get dehydrated easy
tank size is ok for a little guy but you will have to upgrade to atleast a 55 gallon
as long as the crickets are no bigger than the space between their eyes they should be ok
www.Beautifuldragons.com has a great page of what to feed and what not to feed your dragon

i think i coverd most of what you need to know if you have any questions just ask :wink:

 

[Edwtampa]

okay,a UVB lightbulb and bigger tank.anything else?

 

[Trogdorpheus]

Read the care sheets on here. It has all the answers you're looking for.

 

[iAdoptDragons]

Here Ill help you:

20 gallon long equarium ( they love longs )
Repti Sun 10.0 ( UVB ) Is a must Have.
All living thing basking bulb ( Trusted Brand )
News Paper ( Substare )
Fluker Cal ( Every day 5 times aweek calcium )
Zoo med Medium Hide ( The bigger the better )
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tank Temps : Were the Baking light is 100-110
Cool side : Were Lights are Not ( 80-82 )
No stick on Thermomiters
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Foods:

Crickets Make up 75% of there diet, because of there protein
Wax worms ( Good for Fatting up a beardie )
Silk worms are good for 1.5 Year old dragons +
Pinkys ( Good for Females coming out of Birth )

* All Worms But Meal worms and Earth worms Breed for fishing bait *

John Hewer

 

[Edwtampa]

thank you so much for spelling it out so plainly to me!so,do i have two lamps to one side where it basks,or do i switch out the lamps?

 

[iAdoptDragons]

Okay so, Here is what youll need and how to set it up.

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2753959

What ever wattage you need. Then a UVB: http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2752589
What ever size your bulb is.


* You cna get that reptisun bulb cheaper from trusted sites that are not petsmart or petco *

 

[Edwtampa]

ohhh...okay...so the basking light goes on the one sides,but the florencent lights up the entire enclosure.right?

 

[iAdoptDragons]

Yes

 

[Elijahsmom]

Ok, most of that set up info is correct. A 20 long is great for a baby but when they are bigger they will need a 40 gallon breeder or larger. I think most people on here use a 75 gallon. Go to the beautiful dragons website, it has great nutritional information. Make sure that you use thermometers with a probe or a temp gun. Make sure your beardie can get with in 6 to 8" of your UVB. The water dish is fine but you have to purify your water with either solution that makes it safe for them to drink it or use spring bottled water. Get a device that you can measure humidity with too especially when keeping water in the viv. You don't want it above 40% or they could get sick. I don't keep water in my beardies viv, he gets his hydration from 20 minute baths in warm water 4 days a week. Hope that this helps!