Might be Getting A Bearded Dragon! HELP?

[Enderess]

So, firstly, I'd like to introduce myself, my name is Emily, but you can call be Enderess if you like. (Or you can call me anything in general.) I am here for an obvious reason. I might be getting a bearded dragon. My first pet was a rat, (I know, it isn't a reptile, so yes, this will be like stepping into new territory for me. I love my rats) more like all of them that I have owned, but my main problem, is that they die in about a year or two. Trust me, it is really annoying and sad when a rat dies, because you get so attached, and then, poof, it is gone. So, I went on the quest to find another pet that was social enough that you could take it out for at least a half hour, and that is when I found out about bearded dragons. The have many benefits, like:
- No allergies, since my dad and my sister develop allergies for practically anything that has fur.

- They can be held, since that is one of the most fun things to do with animals, hold them, and see what adventures can be had together.

- They are not nocturnal, unlike rats, who keep me up at night.

- They can live for 8 - 12 years (under proper living conditions)

And to be honest, there are many more things I could add, but I don't want to make it too long though. Overall, my parents seem very supportive of this, and later today are taking me to the pet store to look at one, not get one though (I am not fully ready yet.) I am currently still doing research though, since I want to give it decent living conditions, and a whole lot of love. I did take the quiz on this site (or another one, I don't remember) and got 10/10, but I still don't think I am ready, so I am still researching. I still have some questions, that would make me very happy if you could answer them.

- Can I use a 50 gal. fish tank?
I'll post pictures so you can see the size, but currently I cannot, since it is in my families' storage unit.

- Is reptigrass better than sand?
I'm positive that it is, but this is a burning question that I have.

- How much are you supposed to feed an adult dragon in one day?
I really would like to know this one, since it is my first reptile I might get, I'm probably getting an adult (or close to adult) dragon.

- If I can't use the fish tank, how much would a good sized tank cost me?
Since I live in Spokane, Washington, It is hard to find much on craigslist for me, of course, I still will keep looking.

- What time should the tank's light source be turned off?
I normally turn off my bedroom lights at 9:00 PM, so if I get a beardie, should I turn off his lights at 9:00?

- Male or female?
I only want one (as of now), so which should I get.

- Finally, do they have to eat live bugs?
This is for my mom, since, well, I don't really mind, but, can the bugs they eat be dead? Probably not, but my mom just HATES live bug eating, but she says it is my responsibility, so she wont care too much because she wont have to feed it

Sorry for the heap of questions, but as everyone I know says, I am a curious person. I'm getting exited for if I get one (probably, since my mom and dad seem fine with it.) Also, thanks for this site, it has taught me a lot about bearded dragons, and thanks to the members and beardie owners, for replying to people's questions, and helping others! Thanks for your time, and feel free to ask questions about any of my questions! Thanks! 8)

- Emily (or Enderess, if you prefer)

 

[Enderess]

- UPDATE -
We finished at petco, and think we might have found some things. First of all, we found a 40 gallon tank on sale for $60 usd, which is pretty good, considering it normally was over $100. Next of all, we found a nice, alert beardie. I don't know it's gender, but I assume that it is a guy, judging by it having a wider head than the other one in the tank, and the fact that it was longer. It was also on sale, since it was younger, and it was selling for about $30. I'm currently thinking on when to get one, but hopefully it will be soon, because I got to hold one (the most alert one) and it was so cute! It half closed it's eyes on me.

My only concern now is the lighting, and other things I need.
(uvb lights, basking light, hide, basking spot, food dish, water dish, food)

Thanks for your time, and wish me luck, I am really eyeing this one beardie, he/she is so cuteeeeeeeeeeeee

(PS, I'll be sending pics soon!)

 

[AHBD]

Hi Emily, it sure is exciting to get a new pet, and you will fall in love with a beardie. Is the one you have your eye on a large juvenile ? And yes, do post pics , here's how if you don't know :
https://www.beardeddragon.org/useruploads/ Then use the XIMG to upload to your post

When you get him/her, post pics of it's rear end with the tail in the air [ like a happy dog ] and I can tell you what it is.

A 40 gal. is about a minimum size for a beardie, you might keep on the watch for a larger tank later in the year by searching Craigslist or elsewhere. Emily, you can save money by collecting a few nice small logs or thick branches that can fit in your oven. Dust them off if need be [ avoid pine ] and pop them in a pre-heated 225 degree oven to kill any potential pests. It's very safe , just be sure the wood doesn't toch any of the heat elements. You can also get a few nice large rocks, these only need to be washed in hot soapy water and they are good to go . Voila, ALL FREE cage decor, I've collected most of mine from outside.

For bulbs, don't buy ANY colored bulbs, it's unnatural light....you can buy halogen flood bulbs from the pet store or even Walmart or Home Depot. About a 100 watt should be good, but you might need a higher watt if your house stays cool. The best uvb bulbs are the long tube Reptisun 10.0 [ MUCH better than the coil or compact ] or you could go with a Zoo med Powersun mercury vapor bulb which is a large flood bulb that produces heat AND uvb all in one.

For flooring you can use non adhesive shelf liner, tan color looks good and most shelf liner can be cleaned easily.

Other posters may have some suggestions as well, but there are a few.

 

[Enderess]

Hi AHBD, thanks for the response! Thanks for all of the tips, and yes, thanks for clarifying that 40 gal. is the minimum requirements, but it is still a young little thing . I probably will look for a larger tank later on like you suggested. Sadly though, I do not have pictures of it's rear. (That's one weird thing to say :lol: ) but I do have pictures of it, but I'm not sure that they would be useful to determine gender.

As for decor, those were good tips, so thanks for that . I live near an arboretum (a park that mainly showcases trees) and I am going to go there with my mom for mother's day weekend, so I might try to find some branches there. I will also look for decently (not too largely sized) rocks as well. Here are some images, I hope they help. (sorry for the glare, the light reflected a bit too much!

here is the 40 gallon tank I was talking about. (sorry for bad picture..)

Thanks for your time!

 

[Fletcher]

Hey! It's awesome to hear that you might get a beardie! They really are the most amazing pets. I'd love to try to help answer your questions!

Can I use a 50 gal. fish tank?

Yep! 40 gallons is the minimum, but you may want a bit bigger. I currently have my beardie in a 40, and that's only because he's an incredibly small beardie.

Is reptigrass better than sand?

Pretty much anything is better than sand, because they, especially at younger ages, can ingest it and it can cause compaction. I'm biased, because I have tile in my tank, but personally, I find tile to be really great.

How much are you supposed to feed an adult dragon in one day?

I give my dragon a fair amount of veggies and greens, just so he can eat as much as he wants. As I said, he is a really small beardie, so he only eats around 15-20 crickets.

If I can't use the fish tank, how much would a good sized tank cost me?

The tank you have would probably work fine, but if not, I'd reccomend Craigslist, because tanks can be outrageously expensive.

What time should the tanks light source be turned off?

I turn my beardie lights on when I wake up to go to school, so normally around 6, and I turn them off at around 6-7 in the evening. They can adjust to almost whatever schedule you have, really, as long as it's consistant.

Male or female?

Unless you're planning to breed, it shouldn't really matter.

Do they have to eat live bugs?

I feed my beardie live crickets, but he wound up taking to freeze dried crickets, so I use them as a backup. It's a lot easier, but live is always better. I still give him some freeze dried ones every now and then, but for the most part, I just feed live.

Hope this helped!

 

[Enderess]

Thanks for the help Fletcher!
Yes, it is awesome that I am probably (unless something goes horribly wrong) getting a beardie! They are so cuteeeeeee!

Thanks for answering my questions as well, that clarified a lot for me!

Sadly, I am not sure that the fish tank would work, since it apparently is one of those fish tanks that is technically 50 gallons, but is mainly tall and narrow, so it would be like a hallway for a bearded dragon, so I'm probably not going to use it :?

But, to make things happier, I found a 40 gallon tank for bearded dragons that comes with a screen top (and a lockable door on it) for $60, that is a bargain if I must say so myself

The babies we saw at the petstore were adorable, so it is hard not to buy them, but I currently am working on a "Bearded Dragon Shopping List" type of thing, to see how much everything costs, and to organize things.

Thanks for the help, and most importantly, thanks for your time!

-Enderess (or Emily, if you prefer)

 

[fuchsiaSkies]

Hi there!

Bearded dragons are wonderful and lovable creatures! But, they are not 'beginner' pets as most pet stores make them out to be. It is fantastic that you are researching before you commit, and you have absolutely come to the right place! Lots of wonderful people here to help you out around here!

However, and I most certainly do not mean to be rude in any way, please do make an effort to do some fact-checking and do not rely solely on advice people may give you on this or any forum, including from myself, of course!! There are quite a few newbie guides available on this site that are incredibly helpful when first starting out.

On enclosures- the general consensus is that a 4'x2'x2' is your best bet, but you can always start smaller with a smaller dragon and move up as they grow (though that is not the most economical choice, of course)

On substrate- Anything loose (like sand), is going to have the risk of impaction. Tile, non-adhesive shelf liner, and paper towels/newspaper (especially for baby dragons) are a much better option. Also, they are much easier to keep clean as they will not absorb moisture (or poo!!) and won't harbor bacteria when properly cleaned. (And absolutely, 100%, stay away from repti-sand/calci-sand, as this can turn into cement in your baby's intestines!)

On lights- The best option would be a timer that you can set to specific times for on and off, so even if you want to sleep in or go to bed early, your dragon will be on a set schedule, which will be better for him or her in the long run. In general, most people go with a 12-14 hour daytime light on, but it can vary by region and/or preference. Just make sure you have a top-quality UVB light to start with!!

On male or female- With either, you might have to worry about some seasonal or hormonal aggression or moody-ness, but with a female, you might also have to worry about egg-laying (even infertile eggs) and/or complications relating to egg production.

On live food- Although freeze-dried may seem cheaper and more convenient, live food is always the better option. Nutritional value and especially hydration deteriorate greatly when you opt for freeze-dried as opposed to live. An adult will need a few live -healthy- bug feedings a week as well as fresh beardie-friendly veg daily, and a young dragon will need at least 2 live insect feedings per day, in addition to an offering of fresh veg daily.

I wish you good luck, and we are always here to answer any and all questions!!

 

[Enderess]

Thanks for the advice FuchsiaSkies!

Yes, I have been looking up lots of the answers that I get to see if they are true

Thanks for the advice on the UVB lighting, I was thinking of getting a ReptiSun T5 10.0 UVB, and looking for a fixture for it!

I will also be getting a timer for the lights!

Thanks for your time

-Enderess (or Emily, if you prefer..)

 

[AHBD]

I agree, that uvb light would be a great choice. The babies are very cute + look pretty healthy, so you are going to get a baby rather than an adult like you were planning at first ?

 

[Enderess]

I will probably end up getting the babies I saw there, and yes, you are right, they are very cute. I do think that I can handle a baby, and those were the only ones available where I live anyways

Even though people say to not buy them at places like petco and petsmart, the ones near where I live are spot on, and the animals are healthy.

I did recently get my sister (Mobcraft101) make an account on here, and she was also considering getting one, :lol: (yes, she does understand the living circumstances, and I am helping her do research), but in general, we are probably going to get one soon!

Wish us luck!

Thanks for your time!

-Enderess (or Emily, if you prefer...)

 

[Enderess]

-UPDATE-

I'm going to start figuring out what type of items to buy, so soon I can possibly buy everything and start on my enclosure, because it is obviously bad to buy a beardie, and then take them home to an unfinished enclosure. Please, tell me any suggestions of items/additions to the tank once I get it!

I will start purchasing items soon, so be on the look out for new posts on this forum. I will post pics once there is something to snap a picture of

Thanks for your time!

-Enderess (or Emily, if you prefer..)

 

[BD99]

HEY man
First off, ADORABLE bubby. Good choice if you go with him. Its always amazing when you find your bub. Just clicks and you get remarkable bonds that can last up to 20 years, or so I've heard.

My advice would be to REALLY spend time with bearded dragons, especially the one you are looking at if possible. I spent 4 months working on my family for a specific dragon i met in the store. I'd visit her at all hours of the day. That really helped me get an idea of her body clock and routine. The pet shop LOVED that I showed such an interest and the owner told me stories of all his old reptiles, talked to me on what he knew. Admitted when he didn't. If you find a place that has people who can give guidance yet also admit where they have failings, don't waste the chance to learn.

My 2nd piece of advice is FIND PEOPLE ASAP. A thing I regret not doing is investigating my local area and the best vets. Most Vet clinics and exptic vets are not specifically trained for reptiles. You REALLY want to find a reptile vet as soon as you can. Also, find your local reptile sociaty and get the lowdown on your sellers and suppliers. They can probably tell you who has sold them ****ty grub. Who charges insane prices. All the gossip. They'll also share stories which are chances to learn. Link you up with helping hands.

3rd. Don't use the fake grass for an enclosure. At least, not without caution. See, what can happen there, is when Dragons shed if the skin around their toes doesn't shed correctly or gets caught in the grass, it tightens. Eventually, this can lead to reptiles losing their claws. My bluey had a case of horrible grass and shedding issues and now is missing 3 toenails.
You'll also want to avoid sands, as if your dragon eats this it can cause impaction, which can be lethal. I actually use The All Natural pet bedding company. Www.naturalpetbedding.com ((only things on the logo to identify. Sorry for the linky stuff, I hope thats not counting as sales pimping))
The reason for this is that it is small, natural, and doesn't swell up when exposed to moisture or tempreture changes. It also breaks up easy. That means that if my reptiles eat it, it won't cause impaction. My girl has eaten it many a time when she drops her food, and it has never caused an issue. My vet put me onto it.

I use a dogbowl for feeding. A big one, then dig it into my substrate so that it doesn't seem as high for Nox. Then, I supply a constent food source there of her salad mix. I go between things like Bok Choy. Kale. Carrot. Mustard greens ect ect. I usually put it in a bag and shake it up with calcium powder dusting to get it all through. When I feel fancy, I put some natural cooking oil around the edge and drop some woodies in there too. Nox picks them out from the veggies, has a picnic. Otherwise, yes live food is a very good staple. A EPIC way to work with this is gutloading. That means starving the lot f bugs for a day, then feeding them, then feeding them to your lizard once they have munched enough. This can get you around a fussy lizard's diet needs without coming to clashes of a willful dragon and judgemental seeming staring.

As for caging. I actually do NOT like anything where you reach from the top. This is simply because you are like a predator, a swooping bird, coming from above and it can be frightening for the animal. I would suggest saving up for a cage with sliding side doors, giving the lizard better view of the humans poking at them. That said, I've seen countless people pull the open tops off epically. Its just a personal grevience for me to act birdlike. Plus its adorable when your reptiles come out the doors into your hands. Easier to bribe the timid bubs that way.

Cage wise for size, I'd suggest saving up for the big bang asap. Because it can very much be one and done, instead of constantly needing more.

My cage is 6ft long, 2ft deep, 3ft high. Somewhat overkill for 1 central beardie. A GOOD size in Australia is 4 x2x2. Usually that will set you back $400. American dollars that is $280 roughly

With furniture for the cage, thats a mix of you and your beardie. Ultimately, the fine tunings will reflect both of you and how you work together.

Personally, I have used a lot of wood for my girl given she loves climbing. I actually got driftwood pieces, which I've used to make a ramp up to an drilled in log. Plus a 2nd platform and hide underneath with a wider piece of wood. I've also used real rocks, which I scrubbed clean, then baked in the oven to ensure the germs were history before use. I also have hides for my other girl, but not yet for Nox. When I say this, I mean that I have caves VS the cusom caves I have made out of her driftwood formations. Make sure the entrance is big enough, yet not threatingly large, and that there is enough space for movement and sleep inside. No feet hanging out. I then have a waterwell up the hotter end, and a large water pool down the other she can fit her whole body in. The food bowl is by a rock, which lets Nox spring up onto her basking log. She also has lots of running room.

This is glammed up by some fake plants. Now, reptile specific ones will sting you a LOT of money fast. They look specifically like exotic plants. However, I cheat this. I use Aqua One plants. The difference is minimal in apperance. Quality is the same, its from the same factory. However instead of paying $50 for a plant I pay $12. As a broke 21 year old, I'd rather put the $38 of getting a 100% accurate plant towards keeping their heat runing.

As for gender, I would argue it does NOT matter unless you wish to ever attempt cohabitating, which i would not suggest given the agression risk and stress of the submissive one. If you ever wished to go a cohabitating route, females are a lot better to my knowledge.

I will say, don't judge a dragon solely on how they look and colour for gender. My girl was sold to me as a boy based on this. I remember going to the vet saying "I hope Nox isn't a girl. I don't want babies" and BOOM. 20 minutes later Nox was a girl.

And the final piece of this insanely long post. Everything I am saying is MY view and what I have been taught. Everyone has different views, ultimately YOU know your dragon and can weed out what works for YOU and your home. Dragons can vary across the world, given the quality of their breeding, their enviroment and many factors. An american vs an aussie dragon will be different. So take us online voices with a grain of salt.