Nervous Newbie!

[ZWT]

Hello all!
The more I read the more I am confused....I just sooo want to be a good beardie owner!!!
I have a baby of about 5 inches. The pet store wasn't exactly sure how old. Got everything (heat lamps, etc) set up Saturday and then brought my beardie home last night. The shop told me to put 6 crickets, kale, mealworms in...which I did. I have changed the water, kale, and mealworms so they are fresh but not sure he ate anything. The crickets I think are hiding??? The shop said I should start handling him today. I did twice, but he was pretty skittish (if I were him I would be too). Then I read about stress marks - what are those? Where would I find them? Should I just leave him be for a few days and keep offering food? Bath? PLEASE, I DON't WANT TO BE A POOR OWNER...I love him already!
Thanks for the advice!

 

[Drache613]

Moved by Moderator from General to Health

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

It is hard getting all setup & to feel confident with everything at first.
Let's review your tank setup first, such as the type/brand of the UVB light you have, the basking light, size of tank, supplementation, temperatures & what you measure them with & the substrate you are using.
Mealies are "ok" but should not be fed on a daily basis for babies especially. It's best to stick with small crickets that are smaller than the space between his eyes, calcium/phoenix worms, small dubia roaches, or small silk or hornworms. Just choose 1 or 2 feeders for him.
They many times do not start eating greens when they are babies, but, keep on offering them. Eventually he will recognize it as food.
He is likely going through relocation stress, too which affects most of them. So, it is somewhat normal that he has not eaten. You can go ahead & handle him for short periods of time 1-2 times as tolerated.
Do you have a nice soft fleece blankie for him to sleep in? To help get him used to your scent, you
can either use a soft sweatshirt of yours for him to lay on for him to go to sleep. Or, you can also let him fall asleep on your chest at night. That helps a lot with bonding.
Stress marks can indicate just relocation stress, or maybe he is too cold or too hot, etc.
Try not to leave any crickets in the tank with him for extended amounts of time & especially overnight as they could bite him & or stress him.


Tracie

 

[ZWT]

Thank you so much for your reply!!!

I am a science and engineering teacher and director of a new STEAM program. I wrote a pet grant for the bearded dragon through PetCo. I am not an animal newbie, though. I have the typical dog and cat combo plus have had rats, rabbits, and fish in the classroom. I also worked at a nature center and helped care for the snakes and small amphibians. I thought I had done quite a bit of research on beardies, but when you actually have an adorable baby one looking at you your heart starts worrying!!! So I appreciate all your advice! I read some of the other newbie posts so I know I am not alone in worrying!

So my set up: I have a 40 gallon tank - the grant provided for a starter kit, including dishes, lights, screen top etc. I think it is ok, but I hate the sliding top. I am sure my beardie thinks I am a bird of prey reaching in. Will he get used to that or should I buy the front opening one? I am understanding I will need to replace this tank within a year because it will be too small. If I do need to buy a front opening one can i jump to the larger size right now? I also didn't know I shouldn't leave crickets in with him. I hope he hasn't been bitten. I'll stop that ASAP. As for temps, etc. I have three lights on timers (daytime heat lamp, UVB lamp, and nighttime heat lamp) . Daytime time temps on the warm side are between 90 F and 100 F. On the cool side between 75 and 80 F. I also have an under tank heater on the warm side and keep that on all the time. I have a basking structure under the daytime lamp and a hide on the cool side. I keep his water and food (kale and mealworms - although I'll stop giving him the mealworms) on the cool side. I was using the alfalfa substrate that came with the kit, but I am going to switch over today to just the carpet. I did give him a bath yesterday but I got nervous and probably didn't leave him in long enough. I read that the water temp should be between 80 and 90 F. He has spent most of his time basking, which I understand is normal for a baby, but rarely is he at the top most part of the structure so I am thinking that he is not too cold. He is on a middle basking spot. He has never been in the hide that I have seen. Short of when I go to pick him up, he doesn't seem too nervous just alert. Love the idea of adding a bit of my sweatshirt to his tank - I'll do that today. I leave work around 6 PM so I have not observed all his nighttime behavior. I do know the lights are functioning tho because I have stayed long enough to see them switch over.

Even though I am in an elementary school and 410 kids plus adults will enjoy him, myself and one other adult will be the only ones handling him.

I will try to find a source for one of the other insects you mentioned other than mealworms. Mail order ok? I live in MN and typically we are pretty cold by this time of the year so that makes mail order insects difficult, but so far we are really warm still. I might check around at some specialty pet stores and see what they might have.

Again, thank you for your time. You love and passion for beardies is evident!
ZWT

 

[AHBD]

Hi there, just wanted to add a few things. You don't have to change the tank, he'll get used to you before you know it....definitely get rid of the mealworms. Unless they are what's called micro [ very tiny ] mealies or are just freshly shed you can use a few but they're not a good staple insect, esp. for a baby. A good staple worm would be bsfl [ black soldier fly larva ] sold at places like Phoenix worms , Linda's gone buggy [ she has many other types of insects for combo package deals] symton bsf to name a few. Other posters might add to that list. You can also use 1/4" crickets and tiny dubia roaches....just be SURE that all insects are smaller than the space between the baby's eyes.

 

[JessPets]

Is your UV a coil bulb or a tube? I'm assuming if it came in a kit it is a coil. If so, immediately change it to a tube like these:
https://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-ReptiSun
or
https://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-26061-Reptisun-Fluorescent/dp/B00AQU8HAO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1478615708&sr=8-1&keywords=reptisun+t5

 

[ZWT]

Wow!! The support on this sight is awesome and I appreciated so much! Yes, it is a coil light. Thanks for the advice on the switch - I will do that. I am also really glad to hear that he'll get used to the cage opening on the top. He was very skittery when I went to pick him up this morning - opened his mouth, which I can only assume was supposed to be a hiss. I was moving slow and it took me awhile to pick him up. Some of that I think is nerves on my part. However, he seemed to enjoy the bath and I put him in a separate container to eat some dusted crickets and he ate - so "momma" was happy! He's now basking and watching the world around him. While he was in the dishpan taking his bath I removed all the alfalfa substrate pellets and his tank just looks nicer now and I think will be easier for him to walk on. I am going to get some of those other worms...hope I could find a local source and just go pick them up.
Thank you!!! I am going to try to post and image of little Draco!
ZWT

 

[ZWT]

Sooo, I am on Linda's Gone Buggy...which size of black soldier fly larva? Small or extra small?

 

[AHBD]

Aw, very pretty little baby with nice orange tones. Did you measure him to get his exact length ? If he's only 5", small or maybe medium worms. If he's 6=7", medium would be fine....possiby even large because they're soft + easy to digest.

 

[ZWT]

Thanks!!! I think he's super cute, too! He is just 5 inches so this time I'll get the small. OK to put a few mealworms out each day until the others arrive? He really hasn't touched them - just crickets.

 

[CooperDragon]

The worms from Linda should arrive quickly. Her shipments usually get to me second day. The small is a good choice for such a small dragon but keep in mind they are very tiny. Even some of the larger ones may be OK because they don't get that big and they're soft as AHBD mentioned.

 

[Rankins]

Glad you got rid of the alfalfa substrate. Babies do best with newspaper or paper towels on the bottom of the aquarium. The carpet might be okay, I'm just not sure of what type you have. Artificial grass tends to fray and shed...which could be ingested.
It sounds like you got plenty of experience with reptiles, so you'll do fine with the dragon. They are one of the easiest reptiles to care for. I have only found a few reptiles that are even easier. My gila monsters and beaded lizards are much easier, just gotta feed them once a week. And they sleep for 4 months out of the year. I just turned off the heat and lights a few days ago. Its going to be boring until my beaded lizard eggs hatch in January.

 

[ZWT]

Thank you all for your advice! Worms ordered, new lamp in, substrate out, crickets being eaten, bath given! Both Draco and I are feeling more calm and confident today!! He actually let me reach in and gently take him out without going berserk. He snuggled with me three times today for about 10 minutes each. Whew!!!! Thanks for everything!
ZWT

 

[ZWT]

Sorry - me again! I have a question about handling. Draco is still pretty skittering when I reach in to hold him. On Wednesday I was able to hold him twice without him running away from my hand, but in general he still scampers when I try and pick him up. Yesterday, I tried, but I didn't pick him up at all. I move slowly and start by petting gently - for the most part he's ok with that. My intuition is to just go slow and not attempt to pick him up if he scampers away, but I am also reading that if beardies aren't handled they will not get used to it. I want to give him his bath also which would require me picking him up.

Advice would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks!!!

 

[JessPets]

I heard holding him right before lights-out is a good time