I think it’s a great setup, however, not trying to be negative I just think if she’s only a month and a half I would keep her in a 10 gallon for a few months or whatever you have her in now. They’re so tiny I had a three month old in a ten gallon, at about five months in a 20 gallon and around 11 months purchased basically the same 40 gallon you have now. I want to get her in a 75 gallon in a few months. Babies tend to get overwhelmed in such a big setting and have a hard time hunting. I wish you lived near Myrtle Beach SC, I would give you everything you need for a 20 gallon setup if you need one. Also I found out do not use the dome lamps for UVB. Buy a 36 inch hood for 40 gallon and reptisun T10 bulb. Pull the screen back about three inches so the bulb does not get filtered out by the screen. It takes about 30 percent of the uvb light your beardie needs to stay healthy. Good luck! She will be worth it in the long run. Love my Mocha
I actually live in Conway SC the only reason i want to get her into a bigger tank is because she lovesss to run around and climb on stuff and when it comes to feeding shes really good with hunting them down the cricket keeper is near her tank and she will let me know if she wants more but im definitely glad to have someone else so close!
Wow, we are neighbors. I found a vet in Mt. Pleasant area that will see beardies. I plan on taking mine in the Fall for the first time before she goes into her first brumation. Nervous about that and her laying eggs and getting them stuck. After reading the next post I apologize to have left out that I only leave crickets in the terrarium for 30 minutes and then remove because they will bite. We are allowed Dubai roaches in SC and they love them. I just could not afford all the time. I do switch up her insects between Dubai roaches, black soldier fly larvae ( very easy to take care of) and crickets. Let me know if you want Vet number for checkups and emergencies
If your tank tank has the coil please replace w/ a 24" fixture like a Zoo Med w/ a Reptisun 10.0 T 5 bulb this will come w/ a 5.0 bulb you can use that on a smaller tank like a 20-30 gallon tank - distance and placement would need to be different from the 10.0 bulb -- you can partition the bigger tank off till she is bigger like 3-4 months old then the 40 would be fine - you can also get a Arcadia Pro T 5 w/ a 12% bulb - but if your using a smaller tank I would recommend the Zoo Med - then when you have a bigger tank swap the 5.0 out for the 10.0 bulb - also when you upgrade to a bigger tank like a 75-120 gallon the 24" can go into that as well - you dont want a UVB fixture the length of the rank they say 2/3 of the tank or 1/2 the tank - I use 24" fixtures in my 120 gallon tanks - you want the dragon out basking not hiding from the UVB if he wants out of the rays
Okay quick question, I was told 36 inch hood along the back side of tank with screen pulled back to expose without being filtered was what was needed. By doing this the uvb rays are able to reach all area of my 40 gallon? Should I pull the hood off the side of tank some to keep rays from running all the way across the whole back side?
Your dragon needs to be able to get out of those rays- if I was you I would cover w/ a towel or something to block about half of the fixture - she needs to be able to sit in her tank w/ out being exposed to the rays all the time- is it on the back wall?
Yes runs across the back wall so I thought at least 50 percent would be out of the UVB rays. Just pulled back the screen a week ago when I was told it filtered too much of the rays out
Can he sit directly under it? Sometimes placement on the side will blind them that is why we always recommend the uvb be directly above them
Anything less than 36x18x18 is difficult to maintain the correct temperature gradients. Even a small baby must have correct temps and every time you upgrade, your beardie is going to go thru stress adapting to new tank so best to get the size you want to have when full grown which is only a year old. Even better to get a 4x2x2 if possible.
I would nix the sand for babies go w/ the other suggestions - sand any kind for a baby is not good they are clumbsy eaters and will end up eating alot of it --- the other suggestions are better
It runs horizontally on the back stretch of terrarium. Is that the spot that can blind him. Should I pull it out of the back towards the middle?
I would pull it out towards the middle -- we dont recommend back walls because of blinding them in the eyes
