Just got my first beardie!

[chazerous]

I work at a locally owned, small pet store and we had someone bring in a couple baby beardies almost 2 weeks ago, and I decided I wanted one. Never having had a reptile before I started reading ALOT, and found this discussion forum the best source of info. I finally got the tank to the right temps and in a livable condition so I brought my beardie home last night. I dont have a UVB bulb yet because my store didnt have one on the shelf, and I get everything at cost, so the order comes in tomorrow with my reptisun 10.0 and I will get it up. I havent named it yet, Im leaning towards Falkor but Reptar is still in the mix. Anywho, this is my beardie, and Ill get pictures of the light bar I built and the basking/ climbing spot I built tonight too.
Im using a zoomed 100 watt standard bulb for the heat and a regular flood bulb for general light/ heat on the cool side. The basking ares is right at 102 and the cool side about 83, and gets to 65-68 at night, using a digital probe thermometer(you can see the probe in the pic just because I was so worried about bringing the little guy home I was monitoring the temps all night. Its a 40 gal tank, I think a breeder tank, measures 36x18x16, I have about 1 foot sectioned off so he is not overwhelmed with the size of it, as well as covered 3 sides of the tank so that only the front is open. Im Feeding crickets and mustard greens/ yellow squash so far. I have some phoenix worms ordered and should be here tomorrow. And like I said will have the 24" reptisun 10.0 UVB flourescent bulb in tomorrow.

Question though, do I need to keep feeding calcium with D3 with the uvb bulb and phoenix worms, or can I cut that out?

 

[Jcdaniels2]

Welcome to the forums and enjoy your new little friend, they are the best

you need to feed him reptical w/ d3 M-F and reptivite Sat & Sun, if you have a mercury vapor bulb then you need reptical w/o d3

also if he eats like 10 crix at one feeding then thats how many to dust that day, only dust one of his feedings

 

[itsfish321]

good post all around i can tell you care for your little dragon like i did when i first got mine about a month ago haha cant wait to see more ill be looking forward too them but you need to put a better picture of him up !!! and keep up with the powder as well. and dont rush the name it will come to you... i waited two weeks to name Ace. i picked that because ace in latin means one, and hes my first dragon. and of course the best dragon so ace is the best in cards with i love to play

and a helpful tip, get him used to drinking from a syringe, it will be helpful!!

 

[chazerous]

Here's a closer up look at him. It looks like there's some orange in the pic, but it's just from the flash, t those spots are tan in person.
And here is the whole set up with the completed stairs and platform/light bar.

 

[itsfish321]

give him somewhere to run away from the heat of the lamps, a cool side. if they get too warm they usually run over to the cool side too cool off real quick. he might be big enough where u can take the divider out or move it back further. and get your reptisun up!

 

[chazerous]

give him somewhere to run away from the heat of the lamps, a cool side. if they get too warm they usually run over to the cool side too cool off real quick. he might be big enough where u can take the divider out or move it back further. and get your reptisun up!

Did both of those things tonight! I started to think of either getting a smaller dish or taking the wood out, but took the divider out instead. He finally moved his bowels for the first time tonight too, it was starting to worry me, but he dropped the load and started moving around like a champ.

 

[itsfish321]

you have yourself a happy dragon then!