DaRkL3AD3R
Member
Greetings!
This is my first post here, this seems like a great board and looks very helpful
First I would like to say that I am a brand new Bearded Dragon owner. I have a baby, approx 4 inches long. I have everything setup very well. Using a 45 gal. tank 36"x18"x16". I have a 150 watt basking lamp on a dimmer, at about half its max output, this yields a basking spot temp of about 116F and about 90F on the hot side. The cool side is anywhere from 75-80 depending on ambient temp, at night it drops to 70F in the tank. Right now I'm keeping things simple in the tank. I have a water bowl, food bowl, a hide (hollowed out half log) and a climbing decoration in his basking spot, to get him half a foot off the ground. I am using a reptile carpet that fits the floor perfectly. Also I had an Exoterra Reptiglo 15w 10.0 UVA/UVB fluorescent, but I read bad things about it so I returned it and ordered a Zoo Med Reptisun 20w 10.0 24" for my fixture. Hopefully I get this tomorrow as its very rainy where I live so no outdoors sunshine soaking for my poor little Spike.
Well so far everything seems good with him. He is very accepting when it comes to being picked up. He doesn't squirm away, he lets me pick him up and he sits still for the most part in my hand. I am trying very hard to leave him be in his enclosure most of his awake hours. I want him to become fully comfortable and stress free in his new home. I've had him for about 3 days now and he seems fairly acquainted in his home. I do have some concerns though.
1) He doesn't climb up to his basking spot. He may climb onto the object but hides out in a spot thats shadowed, without full light hitting his body. Temps are "ok" on that side so he shouldn't be too cold. Just concerned about why he won't bask.
2) Feeding. He only eats 3-6 crickets a meal. He refuses veggies, and I don't want to put him on worms or anything but crickets until he grows a little. I think he's only about 4-5 weeks old, so I should wait till at least 2 months for worms right?
3) He's very lethargic. He sits around on the hot side all day, doesn't move much unless its feeding time. Even then it's hardly anything to get excited over.
I just am doing my best to make sure any issues that may arise are not from me failing him. Since I've got him (3 days ago) I've made a total of 15 trips to various pet stores, trying to get more information and purchase the right things for him. I can't believe its true, but Petsmart initially sold me a 12x12x12 7gal. enclosure for him O_O I got home, set it up and said "no" and swiftly packaged it up and returned it for my new 45gal long tank. It's so nicely setup now that I am actually starting to feel content with my setup. I was always looking at things with a level of intricacy that I hardly put into my own health and life :lol:
Just wondering if what I'm experiencing is normal so I can be at rest and know that my baby beardie will grow up big and healthy. I haven't taken him to a vet yet because A) I don't feel its necessary, yet and B) I am not sure what to expect if I even did take him. Cost, procedure, etc all mysteries to me.
If anyone can give me some insight on all of this, I'd greatly appreciate it. Hope I didn't post this in the wrong place, and please let me know if you see anything wrong! (besides not having a UVB light at this time, like I said it should hopefully be here tomorrow)
Thanks!
Here's a picture of his tank:
And here's my baby, Spike:
This is my first post here, this seems like a great board and looks very helpful
First I would like to say that I am a brand new Bearded Dragon owner. I have a baby, approx 4 inches long. I have everything setup very well. Using a 45 gal. tank 36"x18"x16". I have a 150 watt basking lamp on a dimmer, at about half its max output, this yields a basking spot temp of about 116F and about 90F on the hot side. The cool side is anywhere from 75-80 depending on ambient temp, at night it drops to 70F in the tank. Right now I'm keeping things simple in the tank. I have a water bowl, food bowl, a hide (hollowed out half log) and a climbing decoration in his basking spot, to get him half a foot off the ground. I am using a reptile carpet that fits the floor perfectly. Also I had an Exoterra Reptiglo 15w 10.0 UVA/UVB fluorescent, but I read bad things about it so I returned it and ordered a Zoo Med Reptisun 20w 10.0 24" for my fixture. Hopefully I get this tomorrow as its very rainy where I live so no outdoors sunshine soaking for my poor little Spike.
Well so far everything seems good with him. He is very accepting when it comes to being picked up. He doesn't squirm away, he lets me pick him up and he sits still for the most part in my hand. I am trying very hard to leave him be in his enclosure most of his awake hours. I want him to become fully comfortable and stress free in his new home. I've had him for about 3 days now and he seems fairly acquainted in his home. I do have some concerns though.
1) He doesn't climb up to his basking spot. He may climb onto the object but hides out in a spot thats shadowed, without full light hitting his body. Temps are "ok" on that side so he shouldn't be too cold. Just concerned about why he won't bask.
2) Feeding. He only eats 3-6 crickets a meal. He refuses veggies, and I don't want to put him on worms or anything but crickets until he grows a little. I think he's only about 4-5 weeks old, so I should wait till at least 2 months for worms right?
3) He's very lethargic. He sits around on the hot side all day, doesn't move much unless its feeding time. Even then it's hardly anything to get excited over.
I just am doing my best to make sure any issues that may arise are not from me failing him. Since I've got him (3 days ago) I've made a total of 15 trips to various pet stores, trying to get more information and purchase the right things for him. I can't believe its true, but Petsmart initially sold me a 12x12x12 7gal. enclosure for him O_O I got home, set it up and said "no" and swiftly packaged it up and returned it for my new 45gal long tank. It's so nicely setup now that I am actually starting to feel content with my setup. I was always looking at things with a level of intricacy that I hardly put into my own health and life :lol:
Just wondering if what I'm experiencing is normal so I can be at rest and know that my baby beardie will grow up big and healthy. I haven't taken him to a vet yet because A) I don't feel its necessary, yet and B) I am not sure what to expect if I even did take him. Cost, procedure, etc all mysteries to me.
If anyone can give me some insight on all of this, I'd greatly appreciate it. Hope I didn't post this in the wrong place, and please let me know if you see anything wrong! (besides not having a UVB light at this time, like I said it should hopefully be here tomorrow)
Thanks!
Here's a picture of his tank:
And here's my baby, Spike: