My beardies Enclosure (any advice is apreciated )

[heavensheros]

im new to bearded dragons and my knowledge is going off of what i know from iguanas but here are some pictures of my cage.

Little description first,

75 gallons 48Wx18Dx18H
2 100 watt basking lights
3 26 watt 10.0 UVB lights in the center

the wire mesh is covered in a plastick screen and all sharp corners are smoothed and covered in hot glue. he has crammed himself in there chasing crickets and has always never been hurt or gotten stuck
let me know what you think and any advice to make it look better, more functional, ect for my beardie let me know

 

[Beardednoob]

You can cover the wire mesh with a grouting and then paint it to look like stone. This will help smooth out the surface and give him a more walkable area. I suggest getting a longer UV source, should cover 75% too 100% length wise, right now it appears it is covering 50%. But, with 3 of them I may be wrong. Are they in their own separate fixtures or one fixture that holds 3? With the basking bulbs on either end is your dragon getting a cool side? I am judging from appearance but, is that lettuce? Here is some good reading on their diets and what you can use as a staple diet when it comes to vegetables.
http://www.beautifuldragons.503xtreme.com/Nutrition.html

 

[BadCon]

He is probably using a coil fixture in the center....its the only product I know that can hold 3 lights - http://www.reptilesupply.com/product.php?products_id=1875
Considering they're coils, I'm not sure allowing the dragon to get any closer would be safe. I'm not sure if the recents tests vindicated any of the coils in the US market, but my suggestions are to nuke those bulbs and that fixture, and instead use a traditional tube fixture (http://lllreptile.com/store/catalog/reptile-supplies/light-fixtures/-/49-fluorescent-hood-fixture/.

The other thing I can suggest is to double check your basking temps. With 2 100w basking bulbs, I'd be concerned there isn't enough of a temperature gradient...though the vivs long enough that the center might provide a suitable cool zone. Either way, get yourself a digital probe thermometer and check the basking spot temps. Should be roughly 105-110 degrees F. You can pick up one of these probes at any pet store for less then $10 (http://lllreptile.com/store/catalog/reptile-supplies/thermometers-thermostats-and-timers/-/zoo-med-digital-thermometer-with-probe/). Alternatively, you can use an IR temp gun if you have one.
The stick on thermometer you have on the wall isn't appropriate...you need to measure basking spot temps (where the beardie sits), not air temps.

The waterfall may or may not increase humidity beyond the realm of whats suitable for a dragon (around 55%). I am actually pro waterfall as it stimulates drinking behavior...and so many of our animals are dehydrated. However, if the humidity is too high it poses a serious health risk, so picking up a cheap hydrometer might be a good idea. If the humidity is below 55%, then keep the waterfall.

That looks like Romaine in the food dish. A diet consisting of varied greens and veg is ideal, and while there is no harm in adding some romaine to the diet, it shouldn't be fed exclusively. Pick up some collard greens and mustard greens at the store. The Beautiful dragons link posted is full of great info...that's pretty much the beardy food bible. Romaine tastes pretty darn good in comparison to other greens...and dragon can learn to avoid eating anything but romaine, so always mix it with healthier greens...that way, they get a little of everything.

I don't much see the point of that wire mesh platform. I'd be too worried about the little guy getting himself stuck on it. Considering it serves little purpose, I'd take it out of there. You might consider making a custom foam/grout platform for that side. Would let you custom tailor it to the viv. Might be something fun!


Other then the above, everything looks great. Kudos on the newspaper flooring...a much better choice then something like sand or wood chips. You might think about upgrading to textured ceramic or natural stone tiles as the the guy gets a little bigger. With an 18" wide viv, you could get 18" tiles and have a perfect fit with no cuts for most of the viv. The last 12" will need some custom work though, but there are lots of options to consider.

Little guy looks happy in there!

 

[Beardednoob]

To start you have plenty of really good points but, one thing stuck out to me, at 55% mold, mildew and fungus can start to grow naturally. In my personal opinion I wouldn't allow the humidity to raise over 45%. :wink:

 

[Claudiusx]

In my personal opinion I wouldn't allow the humidity to raise over 45%. :wink:

I will say 40 just to disagree with you.






(just joking lol) yeah when it gets up into 50 there can be some negative effects.

-Brandon

 

[Beardednoob]

:wink:

 

[heavensheros]

You can cover the wire mesh with a grouting and then paint it to look like stone. This will help smooth out the surface and give him a more walkable area. I suggest getting a longer UV source, should cover 75% too 100% length wise, right now it appears it is covering 50%. But, with 3 of them I may be wrong. Are they in their own separate fixtures or one fixture that holds 3? With the basking bulbs on either end is your dragon getting a cool side? I am judging from appearance but, is that lettuce? Here is some good reading on their diets and what you can use as a staple diet when it comes to vegetables.
http://www.beautifuldragons.503xtreme.com/Nutrition.html

the greens in the food dish is collard and curly mustard i just went shopping today and got mustard, turnip, kale

 

[heavensheros]

He is probably using a coil fixture in the center....its the only product I know that can hold 3 lights - http://www.reptilesupply.com/product.php?products_id=1875
Considering they're coils, I'm not sure allowing the dragon to get any closer would be safe. I'm not sure if the recents tests vindicated any of the coils in the US market, but my suggestions are to nuke those bulbs and that fixture, and instead use a traditional tube fixture (http://lllreptile.com/store/catalog/reptile-supplies/light-fixtures/-/49-fluorescent-hood-fixture/.

The other thing I can suggest is to double check your basking temps. With 2 100w basking bulbs, I'd be concerned there isn't enough of a temperature gradient...though the vivs long enough that the center might provide a suitable cool zone. Either way, get yourself a digital probe thermometer and check the basking spot temps. Should be roughly 105-110 degrees F. You can pick up one of these probes at any pet store for less then $10 (http://lllreptile.com/store/catalog/reptile-supplies/thermometers-thermostats-and-timers/-/zoo-med-digital-thermometer-with-probe/). Alternatively, you can use an IR temp gun if you have one.
The stick on thermometer you have on the wall isn't appropriate...you need to measure basking spot temps (where the beardie sits), not air temps.

The waterfall may or may not increase humidity beyond the realm of whats suitable for a dragon (around 55%). I am actually pro waterfall as it stimulates drinking behavior...and so many of our animals are dehydrated. However, if the humidity is too high it poses a serious health risk, so picking up a cheap hydrometer might be a good idea. If the humidity is below 55%, then keep the waterfall.

That looks like Romaine in the food dish. A diet consisting of varied greens and veg is ideal, and while there is no harm in adding some romaine to the diet, it shouldn't be fed exclusively. Pick up some collard greens and mustard greens at the store. The Beautiful dragons link posted is full of great info...that's pretty much the beardy food bible. Romaine tastes pretty darn good in comparison to other greens...and dragon can learn to avoid eating anything but romaine, so always mix it with healthier greens...that way, they get a little of everything.

I don't much see the point of that wire mesh platform. I'd be too worried about the little guy getting himself stuck on it. Considering it serves little purpose, I'd take it out of there. You might consider making a custom foam/grout platform for that side. Would let you custom tailor it to the viv. Might be something fun!


Other then the above, everything looks great. Kudos on the newspaper flooring...a much better choice then something like sand or wood chips. You might think about upgrading to textured ceramic or natural stone tiles as the the guy gets a little bigger. With an 18" wide viv, you could get 18" tiles and have a perfect fit with no cuts for most of the viv. The last 12" will need some custom work though, but there are lots of options to consider.

Little guy looks happy in there!

The waterfall does not let it get to humid in there, humidity was 48 ish, temps are good, where he lays on his hammock is 102 and the cave rock because it is farther down reaches on top of rock 88ish, he has never been able to get under that wire mesh and has never gotten stuck, the wire rack is covered in a screen so that he can walk freely walk on it, i use that to make the waterfall accessible and keep the bowl under the mesh, he has never once gotten stuck. the fixture does use the coil lights and i will get a tube fixture, at the time that was the cheaper of the 2 and i could not afford and it seemed that was better than nothing. Thank you SOO much for the advice i plan in taking half the glass from the back wall and making mesh so that i can mount the tube UVB on the back, let me know what you guys think of that

 

[BadCon]

So your thinking about cutting off half the glass from the back wall? That seems like an awful lot of work. All you need to do is make some raised basking spots so the little guy can get within 8" of the bulb. It would probably be easier to make a second story on one corner of the viv, allowing the dragon to sit a big higher. You could use some large drift wood and make a higher basking spot. They don't need to be within 8" all the time, they just need the ability to get that close...preferably when basking. They are pretty good at regulating their heat and UV needs...just give them ability to and they will take care of the rest.

 

[heavensheros]

So your thinking about cutting off half the glass from the back wall? That seems like an awful lot of work. All you need to do is make some raised basking spots so the little guy can get within 8" of the bulb. It would probably be easier to make a second story on one corner of the viv, allowing the dragon to sit a big higher. You could use some large drift wood and make a higher basking spot. They don't need to be within 8" all the time, they just need the ability to get that close...preferably when basking. They are pretty good at regulating their heat and UV needs...just give them ability to and they will take care of the rest.

thank you for the advice !!! i was def. thinking about putting a second story on his cage but havnt figured out a good way to do it to make it look really nice but also functional. Will also be getting some tiles today to do the floor with tiles, what is a good tile for the job ?