New Beardie Mama- Take a look at our setup/questions & help?

[Jessa4746]

Hi all!

I'm new, but have been lurking for a bit. I've learned a lot here thus far but am looking for some specific answers and direction.

My 8 year old daughter begged me for half a year to get her a beardie for Christmas. I tried to deter her by making her write reports on them, do lots of research, put together her own care guide, quizzed her, etc. Needless to say she was diligent and won me over. I was hesitant because as I did my own research, I learned how expensive and involved their care can be.

I fell in love immediately. Totally worth it. I think I enjoy Emmy more than she does. We've had him for a month now and I want to fine tune how we're caring for him. I'm a huge animal lover (we have fish and an aquatic frog, 4 dogs...you get the idea).

Emmy is 6 months old (7/7/14), he (she?) is a tiger sandfire leatherback. Emmy was and still is a runt (I have attached a picture of Em with his brother of the same age before we took him from the breeder- huge size difference).

I have also attached a picture of Emmy, his habitat & his vitamins. 40 gallon tank, ZooMed Heating & UVB lamps.

Here's what we've been doing along with my questions:

7AM- Emmy's lights come on. Potential issue- daughter gets up for school at 6:15 and Emmy opens his eyes. I hate disturbing him; she is as quiet as possible leaving the room but he still wakes up for a moment. Should I move the timer to have lights on at 6:15 instead?
Side note: his basking temp is between 103-110- not the temp shown in the pic (I had just taken the light off for feeding, etc.)

11AM- I cut up whatever produce we have for him (we do a produce co-op and always have a variety of fresh organic veggies- butternut squash, radishes, apples, celery greens, spaghetti squash, collards, etc). I add "Baby Bites" to his veggies per the breeder's suggestion. Change water, say hello, etc. Offer crickets. 5-10 eaten. He can be lazy as far as "hunting" goes. I try not to straight up hand them to him, but I have occasionally.

6PM- More crickets (5-10).

7PM- Handle him. He doesn't seem to like being held. Some days he's more receptive to it than others, but he's so small and quick, I try not to push it. I'm terrified he's going to get out of the room and end up with the dogs. One second he's chilling on my shoulder, the next he's off and running.

8PM- Lights out. He goes right to sleep with no issues (lays his head down within 5 or so minutes).

Bath time- Live and learn. We were bathing once a week but I read that it needs to be much more often. What would you suggest as far as frequency for a 6 month old? Is 20 minutes sufficient? How many days a week?

Vitamins- another live and learn. We'd pick up 50 crickets from Petsmart, they'd dust them for us there, and that was it. We weren't dusting the crickets after that. From what I read I need to be dusting them daily? I have a lot of questions surrounding that. How do you do this? Just take a few from the "cricket keeper" and shake them in a bag before offering? How do you measure out the two supplements for such a small amount of food? Do I need to put vitamins on his greens?

Emmy sheds with no issue. He poops normally and often. His eyes are bright, his hearing and eyesight seem to be great. He looks as us when we come in. He looks at me when I talk to him. He's not super active, at least not when I'm in there, unless he's SUPER hungry. Otherwise he basks where you see in the picture, or hides under the hammock. He's been in the caves less than a handful of times.

I'm sorry this is so lengthy. In summary:

Lighting: Should I move the timer to earlier since he's being disturbed? So a 6AM wake up and a 7PM bedtime? Is 13 hours of light too much/not enough? Or do something different altogether?

Eating: Is 10-15 crickets a day enough for such a young beardie? How do you handle the supplement measuring and frequency with the crickets? Should I be doing something different with his food? Are the "Baby Bites" necessary with his veggies? Any other food suggestions?

General: Should I be worried about his size? The breeder said he'd get bigger once he had a large tank to himself, but honestly he doesn't seem to have gotten much bigger. I see him everyday so I'm not sure about this. Behavior-wise, should I be concerned about anything?

If you got this far, I cannot thank you enough for entertaining my novel and answering any (or all) questions. The people at the pet stores are too laid back about him for my liking and I don't want to bombard the breeder with a million questions (though she has emailed to check on him- very sweet).

 

[Jessa4746]

One more important thing I forgot, if you can believe it. Emmy has consistent stress marks. Or at least I think he does. I just read about them today. I feel terrible. Maybe increasing the baths and vitamins will help this? Other ideas? Are they, in fact, stress marks? I just thought it was his markings but I've never had a lizard before.

 

[jacody]

I would do a 15 minute soak every other day and increase or decrease depending on how he's pooping.. if the urate and poop are sitting in a ton of water then you're well hydrated, although it can get messy. In that instance subtract a minute or two per soak. For dusting I wouldn't have the store predust, May shorten the crickets life span.. I have a salad size disposable dish with a lid and put the vitamins, calcium in and add the crickets, stick the lid on and shake to feed.. you should let him eat as much as he wants in a 10 minute session although I've always used my judgment and once they slow down per feeding wait a couple minutes and stop. I've never fed any bites, fresh is waaaaayyy more beneficial, perhaps as a treat if he cares for them. 12-14 on for lights, rest off.. they will adapt to time changes so set your timer however it fits your schedule the best. If that's a water dish in the viv and he does not use it get rid of it, may raise humidity levels which is not good... soaks and veggies are adequate for hydration. As for handling stick with it, short periods and increase.. if you have a couch or chair next to a window let him have perch there for a bit, May become his favorite spot/activity.. get a baby gate for letting him run around to explore or simply use one room at first so you don't have to worry about the dogs.. Have fun with your new beardie!!

 

[jacody]

Yes, those are stress marks, but don't necessarily mean that.. have you ever tested your temps with an actual temp gun?? How close can he get to his basking and UVB light, what UVB brand are you using?? He may be too cold, still getting acclimated.. are his poops runny or hard?? Do they go away when he's handled??

 

[jacody]

P.s. when was his last shed?? Complete or partial??

 

[Jessa4746]

I would do a 15 minute soak every other day and increase or decrease depending on how he's pooping.. if the urate and poop are sitting in a ton of water then you're well hydrated, although it can get messy. In that instance subtract a minute or two per soak. For dusting I wouldn't have the store predust, May shorten the crickets life span.. I have a salad size disposable dish with a lid and put the vitamins, calcium in and add the crickets, stick the lid on and shake to feed.. you should let him eat as much as he wants in a 10 minute session although I've always used my judgment and once they slow down per feeding wait a couple minutes and stop. I've never fed any bites, fresh is waaaaayyy more beneficial, perhaps as a treat if he cares for them. 12-14 on for lights, rest off.. they will adapt to time changes so set your timer however it fits your schedule the best. If that's a water dish in the viv and he does not use it get rid of it, may raise humidity levels which is not good... soaks and veggies are adequate for hydration. As for handling stick with it, short periods and increase.. if you have a couch or chair next to a window let him have perch there for a bit, May become his favorite spot/activity.. get a baby gate for letting him run around to explore or simply use one room at first so you don't have to worry about the dogs.. Have fun with your new beardie!!

Ok. So a LOT more soaking. Got it. And only dust the crickets that are just about to eaten. Good to know. The humidity ranges from 30-40%, never higher. Is that alright or still take the water dish out?

 

[Jessa4746]

Yes, those are stress marks, but don't necessarily mean that.. have you ever tested your temps with an actual temp gun?? How close can he get to his basking and UVB light, what UVB brand are you using?? He may be too cold, still getting acclimated.. are his poops runny or hard?? Do they go away when he's handled??

No, we don't have a temp gun. I just assumed since the thermometer says up to 110 and he can get pretty close (he hangs on the log which is the highest point. We're using ZooMed- this kit- http://www.petsmart.com/reptile/terrariums/zoo-med-trade-reptihabitat-bearded-dragon-40-gallon-terrarium-kit-zid36-5195101/cat-36-catid-500028?_t=pfm%3Dcategory

His poops are soft and a little runny. No, they don't go away when he's handled.

 

[Jessa4746]

P.s. when was his last shed?? Complete or partial??

A week ago, maybe. His tail took a little longer than the rest but it all seemed pretty uneventful.

 

[Taterbug]

Stress marks can be from a wide range of things - from husbandry problems to a moody lizard to a sort of camouflage for babies. A temp gun is a good idea and worth having. You want to measure the surface he basks on - your guage is good for air temp but won't measure right where he is sitting and that may be too warm of the wall/air is at 110. A linear tube is a better uvb - the small ones don't have a good size of beam. To use it out side the screen you get a T5. I'd try and square those thins away and see if they help him relax.

For dusting I also use a little cup, I have one for calcium (daily) and one for vitamin days (2x per week). Shake them up and offer them. I do fresh vitamin out each week as air/moisture can degrade them. Crickets quickly loose their dusting (it falls off or is groomed off in a few minutes) so it's important to apply the powder right before feeding them.

A well ventilated cage shouldn't see a humidity spike from a small water dish in the cool side. If you don't have a humidity problem (your range is fine) you can leave it in, though it may not be used. I offer water by a dripping it on my guys snout in the morning as part of the morning routine.

I only bath when my guy is dirty. It isn't harmful but if your little one isn't actively drinking the water bathing doesn't do much for hydration. It does encourage some dragons to poop, so it can help establish a routine.

 

[Jessa4746]

Stress marks can be from a wide range of things - from husbandry problems to a moody lizard to a sort of camouflage for babies. A temp gun is a good idea and worth having. You want to measure the surface he basks on - your guage is good for air temp but won't measure right where he is sitting and that may be too warm of the wall/air is at 110. A linear tube is a better uvb - the small ones don't have a good size of beam. To use it out side the screen you get a T5. I'd try and square those thins away and see if they help him relax.

For dusting I also use a little cup, I have one for calcium (daily) and one for vitamin days (2x per week). Shake them up and offer them. I do fresh vitamin out each week as air/moisture can degrade them. Crickets quickly loose their dusting (it falls off or is groomed off in a few minutes) so it's important to apply the powder right before feeding them.

A well ventilated cage shouldn't see a humidity spike from a small water dish in the cool side. If you don't have a humidity problem (your range is fine) you can leave it in, though it may not be used. I offer water by a dripping it on my guys snout in the morning as part of the morning routine.

I only bath when my guy is dirty. It isn't harmful but if your little one isn't actively drinking the water bathing doesn't do much for hydration. It does encourage some dragons to poop, so it can help establish a routine.

So something like this?

http://www.zoomed.com/db/products/EntryDetail.php?EntryID=1521&DatabaseID=2&SearchID=20&SearchContext=YTo1OntzOjQ6IlBhZ2UiO3M6MToiMiI7czo4OiJTZWFyY2hJRCI7czoyOiIyMCI7czoxMDoiRGF0YWJhc2VJRCI7czoxOiIyIjtzOjc6IkhlYWRpbmciO3M6OToiVGVycmFyaXVtIjtzOjE1OiJQcm9kdWN0Q2F0ZWdvcnkiO3M6ODoiTGlnaHRpbmciO30=

Will the heat lamp still fit with that on? Or is the above an all-in-one? Sorry, I'm so new to this and sometimes feel like I have no idea what I'm doing. I had to google husbandry. Ha.

How much water do you drip on his mouth per day?

 

[Taterbug]

No worries, many of us started from zero too and it's still confusing some days. I appologize if I over complicate things, just call me on it and I'll try to clarify.

Yes, that one would work nicely. There are other fixtures used for grow lights too but I'm not sure how different the sizes are. The one I have is pretty skinny. It will depend on the heat lamp fixture you have and how big the reptisun hood is - you could use the dimensions to see if it will fit next to your dome. If you don't think it will fit outside the cage you can get a T8 and mount it inside.

All in one bulbs would be a Mercury vapor bulb (megaray is the brand I usually see recommended) or a metal halide (I've read about sunRay and megaray) so those are options too. Some people find they still need an extra heat bulb. They are more expencive per bulb but the light produced is closer to sunlight than florescent tubes.

For water, I drip it until he stops lapping it up or moves away. Some days he will lick up a few droppers full and other days he just gives me the stink eye.

 

[Jessa4746]

No worries, many of us started from zero too and it's still confusing some days. I appologize if I over complicate things, just call me on it and I'll try to clarify.

Yes, that one would work nicely. There are other fixtures used for grow lights too but I'm not sure how different the sizes are. The one I have is pretty skinny. It will depend on the heat lamp fixture you have and how big the reptisun hood is - you could use the dimensions to see if it will fit next to your dome. If you don't think it will fit outside the cage you can get a T8 and mount it inside.

All in one bulbs would be a Mercury vapor bulb (megaray is the brand I usually see recommended) or a metal halide (I've read about sunRay and megaray) so those are options too. Some people find they still need an extra heat bulb. They are more expencive per bulb but the light produced is closer to sunlight than florescent tubes.

For water, I drip it until he stops lapping it up or moves away. Some days he will lick up a few droppers full and other days he just gives me the stink eye.

Haha @ stink eye. I've gotten that from mine. Ok so I need a temp gun, a dropper, and a longer UVB light. Do you have any suggestions on where to buy? We've spent so much $ in the past month on this little dude. Which was expected of course, but after some trial and error with things, it's really adding up.

 

[Jessa4746]

And also, thank you so much jacody and taterbug for all of your help. It's so appreciated.

 

[Taterbug]

Happy to be of help
I get almost all of my supplies from Amazon.com.

For UVB the reptisun was shipping with a 5.0 UVB, it might still be. That could save you the cost of the bulb until it's time to replace. The 5.0 is less output than the 10.0 that is usually recommended. The T5 are much stronger than the T8. (T5 and T8 are the sizes of the bulbs, the T5 are skinnier but higher power so more uvb output, they are also brighter) Thru screen 10 inches away from the basking spot would be fine. http://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-ReptiSun-Terrarium-Hood/dp/B00AQU8F2O/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1421976113&sr=8-2&keywords=Reptisuns+t5

I use this one, but it needs to be suspended. http://www.amazon.com/Sunblaster-904296-NanoTech-Fixture-Reflector/dp/B00AKKUBDQ/ref=pd_sim_lg_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=13PY1TMQ3C12YXS17XYX

I use this inexpensive temp gun, and it seems accurate (it is within a couple degrees of my other one at least). http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DTXRU5S?psc=1

A baby medicine dropper would work, or a little spray bottle to just dribble water. Most stores that sell medince would have a dropper.

 

[Jessa4746]

Happy to be of help
I get almost all of my supplies from Amazon.com.

For UVB the reptisun was shipping with a 5.0 UVB, it might still be. That could save you the cost of the bulb until it's time to replace. The 5.0 is less output than the 10.0 that is usually recommended. The T5 are much stronger than the T8. (T5 and T8 are the sizes of the bulbs, the T5 are skinnier but higher power so more uvb output, they are also brighter) Thru screen 10 inches away from the basking spot would be fine. http://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-ReptiSun-Terrarium-Hood/dp/B00AQU8F2O/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1421976113&sr=8-2&keywords=Reptisuns+t5

I use this one, but it needs to be suspended. http://www.amazon.com/Sunblaster-904296-NanoTech-Fixture-Reflector/dp/B00AKKUBDQ/ref=pd_sim_lg_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=13PY1TMQ3C12YXS17XYX

I use this inexpensive temp gun, and it seems accurate (it is within a couple degrees of my other one at least). http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DTXRU5S?psc=1

A baby medicine dropper would work, or a little spray bottle to just dribble water. Most stores that sell medince would have a dropper.

THANK YOU for the links- so helpful! Another potentially silly question. Is that first light going to be long enough? The 40 gal I have is 36" long. Is it ok that it doesn't stretch the entire length of the top?