Im in need of advice

[tattyteddy]

Hello.. Im in need of advice I recently bought a juvenile bearded dragon 3 days ago. I dont know a great deal and maybe should have done my homework before i bought one but thought that the pet shop owner may have advised me properly. I was told that he would give me a deal and he sold me a exo terra 45x45x45 tank and he give me a heating bulb 15 watts and coconut husk substrate and the beardie for £150. I went to another pet shop to get a few decorations for her tank and when he was asking me what type of tank and all the gear that i had he told me that it was the wrong set up and that she wouldnt be warm enough at all. So he gave me the uvb bulb and a heat mat to put underneath the tank. The tank sits between 80 and 90 degrees but most of the time doesnt go near 90. I was then told i didnt need a basking lamp if i had this set up. Im needing help because some people are telling me that i need a basking lamp and then some people are telling me that i dont need a basking lamp. Im really stuck and wondering if someone can point me in the right direction
Thank you

 

[CooperDragon]

It sounds like you've gotten some advice I don't agree with. I'm glad you came here to ask. I can help you get your enclosure set up properly to keep your new buddy happy and healthy. I suggest reading through the care sheet and newbies guide on lighting and what to buy to give you a general overview of what they need. I'll try to address as much as I can directly too.

The 45x45x45cm tank isn't really big enough. It's tough to get the proper temperature gradient going in a tank that small. For a baby I'd consider the minimum to be a 20g tank which is approx 60x30x30cm. They outgrow that quickly - after a few months. I suggest getting a larger enclosure and just picking one up that will work well for an adult so you only have to upgrade once. There are a lot of options for this. You can purchase one or build your own. If you want to build your own I can provide a walkthrough of one popular type of enclosure. You can also buy them online from places like Swell Reptiles. I'd get at least a large enclosure. Something at least 120x60x60cm or so. The more space the better though. Maybe something along these lines http://www.reptiles.swelluk.com/rep...estrial-vivarium-large-deep-beech-445464.html

Once you have a large enough viv, you can focus on getting the light and UVB gradient set up. To get the heating correct, it's important to use an accurate thermometer. I recommend a digital thermometer with a probe or an IR temp gun. You'll want to put a fixture in for a basking light (the standard screw type fixture will do, rated appropriately) and put in a fixture for a UVB light. Maybe something like this http://www.reptiles.swelluk.com/rep...arcadia-ceramic-lamp-holder-bracket-8899.html along with a bright white basking bulb. You can hook it to a lamp dimmer to control the output and get the proper temperature. You'll want to have a basking area that is around 38-43C with some slightly cooler areas around that and the cool side should be around 24-27C during the day. You can adjust the wattage/output of the basking bulb to achieve this.

I recommend using a T5 UVB fixture that runs about 1/2 the length of the enclosure - mounted on the same side as the basking light. The 22'' version of this kit should work nicely for just about any viv http://www.reptiles.swelluk.com/rep...lete-uv-light-kit-desert-reptiles-313865.html

For substrate, I'd use something solid that is easy to keep sanitary rather than a loose substrate. Non-adhesive shelf liner works well - it's easy to clean and cheap to replace.

I know this is a lot of info at once and may be overwhelming but once it's all set up it's not too bad. Give those care sheets a read through and let me know if you have any specific questions.

 

[Beardienatic]

Hi, congrats on your baby!

I definitely agree with CooperDragon!
Ok so, you DEFINITELY need a basking lamp. Bearded dragons, like most reptiles, use the heat to help them digest their food. If they do not have a warm enough basking spot, they can't digest their food properly, which can lead to serious issues such as impaction. So you definitely need a basking lamp. You need a bright white light, not a blue or red one, as these are more unnatural. You can even use a house light if it gets the temps high enough.
Next, coconut husk is a bad option for substrate. It is a loose substrate, which should altogether be avoided, especially with young babies. You might get lots of different opinions on this, as it can easily cause impaction, so some say better safe than sorry, while others say they'll watch carefully, but I definitely think you should avoid it. The best are newspaper, paper towels, ceramic or slate tiles, and non adhesive shelf liner. The worst possible is any type of loose substrate - bark, sand, coconut husk, sawdust, etc.
With the heat mat, be careful that it doesn't get too hot, as they have a gland or something on the top of their heads, so they can't sense heat from the bottom, and so can easily burn them self.
With the temperature, you should have three zones: warm side, cool side and basking spot. Your warm side should be between 90 - 100 degrees, your cool side should be between 80 - 90 degrees, and your basking spot should be between 100 - 110 degrees, for a juvenile it is better to stay at the higher end of these ranges, as they need more heat than adults do, so as your baby grows you can simply add a dimmer to control the temps, or leave it as is. At night, make sure it doesn't drop below 60 degrees, if it does you need to add a CHE (ceramic heat emitter). Do not use lights at night, as it disturbs their sleep. Some people keep their tank warmer at around 80 degrees at night, but again, this should be avoided. In nature, it gets cooler during the night than during the day, so you need to try and simulate that. Just keep it between 60 - 65 and you'l be fine.
How are you taking your temps? Dials are often inaccurate by 20 degrees, as are stick on thermometers. Digital thermometers with a probe are good, but a temp gun is the best if you can get one (you can order them on Amazon)
Lastly, what are you feeding your beardie? Remember that whatever you feed them it has to be smaller than the space between the eyes, or impaction can occur. Your baby will probably not be interested in salads just yet, but keep offering it anyway, as s/he won't learn to recognise it as a food source if it isn't constantly offered. Here is a great site to help you with what fresh food to feed. http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Nutrition.html

Wish you the best with your baby, feel free to ask lots of questions - its the only way to learn! And pics are always welcome :wink:

 

[tattyteddy]

Hello thank you so much for all the advice.I went and got a 50w basking bulb and I went out and also got a exo terra thermometer and it sits at 33 degrees now. She is a lot more active than she was. I feed her crickets coated in a calcium dust. I will start introducing salads stuff but been advised to mush it up what's the best way to give her it.

Thanks again