Introducing Beebz

[Axil]

nope, i don't worry about it at all. the 6 inch area is slightly to the side of the uvb, so even if he is up there all the way it is not 100% direct. his usual hang out spot is in the 12-15 inch range. as for the coil you had earlier, the issue there had less to do with the distance and more to do with those bulbs are just dangerous and don't provide adequate uvb at any range. we've had this set up for 2 years and his vet is a full on reptile vet that has worked in zoos and stuff like that. i've never had a reason to not trust what he said and in our first visit with him, i talked to him about the advice i get on here which is what saved him at rescue time before we found the vet. he agreed with all that was said so that is the information i pass on to newcomers. we just have to drive almost 2 hours one way to see him.

the probe gun is highly inaccurate depending on what it is reading off of, but i am pretty sure that has been addressed with you. if i am remembering incorrectly, let me know and we'll get you hooked up with the "pros". and remember, surface temp has absolutely nothing to do with uvb levels. sir henry has a separate basking light and piece of decor directly behind his uvb and grape vine. there is space that has both, but he moves back and forth between the two most of the time and ignores that overlap area.

Sorry if it sounded like I was suggesting you were doing something wrong, I was just curious about it. Obviously you've done this for a lot longer than I have with success, and I'm always interested in others experiences and reasoning.

And yeah, I think I've got my UVB and heat sorted pretty well now. At least as good as it can be until Beebz is in her new enclosure.

Not sure I ever compared the probe to my temp gun on her climbing surface so it could've been reading a little high. The temp was definitely *way* higher than she needed though.

It's possible she was trying to cram herself as close to the coil bulb as possible because it put out so little. Thankfully that's no longer an issue. I bought exactly what the pet store I got her from was using for the enclosure she was in there thinking that made the most sense. Bad idea =/

 

[hdochow]

oh no no no, i never thought that was what you were suggesting. put that worry away right now. to me it sounded like a legit inquiry into my own experience.

so you do have probes right? i compared at sir henry's preferred heat basking spot and the temp gun is around 7° higher than the probe. the basking spot there is a resin hide that he hardly fits in but loves to lay on top of. so at that point i stopped using the gun and just went with the probes. i have 3, but that is only because i don't want to take the time to weekly move one to another spot to check the temp there. all i have to do is turn around from my desk and i can tell what is going on in the three enclosure areas at a glance.

as for her climbing high, to me that is what it sounds like from when you still had the coil bulb. she was trying to get to the ubv she needed and couldn't get to.

i really wish the pet stores wouldn't sell those kits. sir henry's previous owner fell into that trap too. it was a very fast and hard learning curve for us once we rescued him. you are by far not the only person that has fallen into the "kit trap".

and all of this is why i do my best to pass on what i have learned. because i've been there. the one with the dragon that is super sick, not thriving, or near death and did everything they were "supposed to" or bought "what was needed". i want to prevent that if i can by sharing my own experience.

 

[Axil]

oh no no no, i never thought that was what you were suggesting. put that worry away right now. to me it sounded like a legit inquiry into my own experience.

so you do have probes right? i compared at sir henry's preferred heat basking spot and the temp gun is around 7° higher than the probe. the basking spot there is a resin hide that he hardly fits in but loves to lay on top of. so at that point i stopped using the gun and just went with the probes. i have 3, but that is only because i don't want to take the time to weekly move one to another spot to check the temp there. all i have to do is turn around from my desk and i can tell what is going on in the three enclosure areas at a glance.

as for her climbing high, to me that is what it sounds like from when you still had the coil bulb. she was trying to get to the ubv she needed and couldn't get to.

i really wish the pet stores wouldn't sell those kits. sir henry's previous owner fell into that trap too. it was a very fast and hard learning curve for us once we rescued him. you are by far not the only person that has fallen into the "kit trap".

and all of this is why i do my best to pass on what i have learned. because i've been there. the one with the dragon that is super sick, not thriving, or near death and did everything they were "supposed to" or bought "what was needed". i want to prevent that if i can by sharing my own experience.

OK good, glad I didn't offend.

Yup, I also have 3 probes. Which really look kinda ugly with all the wires in Beebz little enclosure. Of course I got all hygrometer combos because they were only a couple dollars more and "why not, more information is better right?" *sigh* so many wires, but I digress.

My temp gun also reads a little high (But only 3-4 degrees) on the resin basking spot Beebz uses. I still like it because the probes take up to 20 minutes to slowly climb to a stable temperature. Rarely does Beebz leave them there that long. I
Sometimes I swear she punts them off on purpose. I do double check them when I can as sometimes the ambient temps in my daughter's room where Beebz lives do drift up a bit and I have to dim her basking light.

Yeah it's too bad pet shops use poor husbandry practices. The one we got Beebz from was a well respected local shop specializing in reptiles and fish. They had large (20+in) Beardies as well as babies and they were all under coils.

This site is wonderful and it's a real credit to the people here that they help people and provide better information than the places where it's literally thier job.

Speaking of, if you have any idea what's going on with BeardieFather04's little guys hand, he needs some help. Unfortunately whatever it is, if anything, is outside my current level of familiarity

 

[xp29]

I was in a petco yesterday, a woman and her kind had one of the "kits" loaded into their cart, and the little girl was telling them it had EVERYTHING they needed to get started. My girlfriend grabbed my are and asked where i was going in such a rush. I simply told her "to educate some people" and that's exactly what i did to. They where a little taken aback at first but pretty quickly appreciated the info. The salesperson i think was mortified but i really don't care. I showed her pictures of what mbd does to reptiles and explained to her that was what she was pushing. I doubt she'll ever call me a friend, but i bet she doesn't try to push that crap again. (I nearly had her in tears with the pics).
Personally i think it should be law that petstores have to provide adequate training on every pet a salesperson is going to sale. That would do tons to help stop misinformation.

 

[Axil]

Poor Beebz is still shedding. Almost done though. Just a couple patches on her back and her nose are left.

This is her feeling sorry for herself after breakfast:

And this her mad at me for telling her 23 roaches is enough for lunch:

So happy to see her pretty post-shed colors again.

 

[xp29]

She is very pretty, and looks like attitude for days lol

 

[Axil]

She is very pretty, and looks like attitude for days lol

Thank you. My wife says I fawn over "the lizard" (by which she means my Gorgeous Dragon Princess ) more than I did the kids when they were little. No idea why she thinks that *cough*

 

[xp29]

My girlfriend complains all the time i pay more attention to my beardies than i do her, I don't know what she talking about..... (i had my beardie out lmao)

 

[Axil]

My girlfriend complains all the time i pay more attention to my beardies than i do her, I don't know what she talking about..... (i had my beardie out lmao)

Ha! At least they are actually your beardies. Beebz technically belongs to my 12yr/o daughter, and is housed in her room. Consequently I get sometimes get kicked out, and lose precious Dragon Baby time. However this is somewhat offset by the fact she is responsible for cleaning most of the dragon poo.

 

[xp29]

Lol that seems fair.

 

[Axil]

Beebz has seemed a little off the past couple days. Darker beard. Stress marks. Didn't bask after breakfast this morning. She's been spending a lot of time in or half in her hide.

She is still eating the same, poops every day, well formed. Double checked temps and it's 106 on her basking rock, 81 on the cool side.

Is this something I should worry about, or is it normal for beardies to get a little sulky?

Her new enclosure should be ready within a week, she's getting moved to a different room so we can paint my daughter's room, then once it stops smelling she can move into her new home, but I'm a little concerned moving her around if she's already stressed about somthing

 

[xp29]

They do go through spells like that, if nothing has changed in her room or environment to cause stress she is probably just being a beardie lol.

 

[Axil]

They do go through spells like that, if nothing has changed in her room or environment to cause stress she is probably just being a beardie lol.

Thanks. I'm probably worrying too much. Is trying to find a vet that will let me bring a fecal sample for parasite testing worth doing?

On a happier note, her stand just needs a few screws added, which I'm waiting to receive today (because of course I have every conceivable length of screw aside from the one I needed)

Then my wife will stain it (because I am incapable of painting/staining without making whatever I'm working on uglier than before)

Then it will be done!

The top is missing from the photo. Need to screw in the bottom shelf so I can reclaim my clamps and attach it. One day I may add some 1/4 cladding to the sides and some nice sliding doors to the front but it's already so heavy there's no way I'm gonna try to move it upstairs with any more stuff attached.

Now I just have to assemble the enclosure, which arrived today.

 

[xp29]

That looks really sturdy. It's gonna be nice when done.
I bought the imitation barn lumber at i think 3/16 inch thick and encased mine, i also routered the edges on the top to counter sink the whole habitat at 1/4inch so it couldn't be pushed off.

 

[Axil]

That looks really sturdy. It's gonna be nice when done.
I bought the imitation barn lumber at i think 3/16 inch thick and encased mine, i also routered the edges on the top to counter sink the whole habitat at 1/4inch so it couldn't be pushed off.

Yeah the frame is overkill as it was originally built to hold a 125g fishtank. Those things are ~1200lbs when full.

Sinking the enclosure is smart. I couldn't do that as the top is actually 6.5ft long, and my enclosure is only 4. Hopefully it sitting in the corner will keep is pretty secure. Beebz new home will sit next to her old one. Eventually we will probably either add another critter (any ideas for a permanent resident in a 18x18x12 welcome) or we won't and I'll build Beebz something massive.