I'm new and just got my First Beardie

[Fallencomrade2008]

Hello every one, i just got my first beardie today and was hopeing people might have a few tips on seting up his happy home. I think i did a good job but if you have suggestions or pictures of examples that would be awsome. Thanks!

 

[Ashleabdlover]

im not going to type up an entire caresheet for you, and im sure you've already read several.
but the most important thing, in my opinion, are the uvb lights and heating temperatures.
make sure you have both.
temperatures should be 105-115 on the hotside, and 80-85 on coolside.
make sure you either have a mercury vapor bulb, or 1 basking heat light and a flouresecent UVB lighting. reptisun 10.0 or 5.0 is best.

how big is your cage?
and what kind of substrate are you using??

 

[Ashleabdlover]

oh, and welcome

 

[Fallencomrade2008]

Carpet ground because he's still kinda young, wouldn't want him eating sand. My tank is a long 20L fish tank. Should last a wile but eventually he will need a bigger home.

 

[fresnowitte]

:wave: Hello & Welcome to BD.org!

If you look through the threads in "Enclosures" you might find some pic's an information
that will be helpful. :wink:
We look forward to seeing some pic's on your new beardie.

Oh, heck!
Where are my manners?
Congratulations on the New Beardie!

An Again Welcome Aboard!

 

[Fallencomrade2008]

thanks, im haveing a bit of trouble getting him to eat stuff too. He might just be scared of his new home ect. but im not sure.

 

[Ashleabdlover]

yeah a 20 gallon is okay to start off with, but soon he will grow out of it.
you could either get a 40 gallon later, but risk him out growing that too, or jump to a 50 or 55 gallon.
sometimes beardies that are smaller will do just fine in a 40 gallon.
good, you got him on reptile carpet.

oh and yeah, normally they'll take about a day to start eating. thats how my girl was,
but my boy, the second i put him in his cage and put crickets in there, he ate them...
so just all depends. if he doesnt eat for a few days, i'd start getting a little concerned.

so where'd you get him from??

 

[Fallencomrade2008]

He ate a cricket salad yesterday!i think he's calmed down from the move. I also just knoticed that he was only 1/2 wy done shedding, his tail was pale and now i realize he's droppin off his old coat lol. least i think he is a he.... I don't really know how to tell but it looks male to me. We think we are gonna name him Brock or Dusty but its still up in the air. We got him a petco or petsmart....i went to both so now i forget which. Does shedding affect their appitie? i thought it did but i can't seem to remember.

 

[Ashleabdlover]

um.. sometimes it can...
mine, they are usually fine when they shed, but others have said they have problems with their beardies getting cranky and not eating when they are shedding.
im glad he ate!
when i first started getting beardies and i would get them from petco or petsmart, and wouldnt know the sex, i generally tried naming them names that could be for both male and female. haha like sam, or kacey, etc.
if you ever get a second beardie you should try a breeder. they usually train there hathlings to eat greens and they get them extremly healthy before they go to their new homes. Beardies from petco sometimes will come with complications.
ive had bad and good experience with them.
ive had 2 beardies from petsmart or petco die within the first month, one even died within the first week.
but i got lucky with one, that lived for several years. i actually named him Kacey, haha.
so hopefully you get lucky like i did!
it sucks when one of your dragons dies. its very heartbreaking.
i hope everything works out, if you have any other question lemme know

 

[Fallencomrade2008]

Next time i will find a breeder, this little guy closes one eye alot. I think it might be bothering him but it looks normal to me.

 

[fresnowitte]

What type of UVB are you using please be specific. Wattage~Type~Brand

 

[Ashleabdlover]

haha, sometimes beardies do that. they will just close one eye :wink:
no need to worry

 

[Fallencomrade2008]

repti glow 10, 75watt i belive.

 

[Fallencomrade2008]

i lied, it's a 26watt

 

[Ashleabdlover]

ouch. take it out. repti-glo's can be very harmful.
try getting a repti sun 10.0 or 5.0
order it online though, they can get really expensive in petstores..
in the mean time, take your beardie outside as much as possible... if its not too cold.
if you do that, you'll be okay until you get the repti-sun