New Beardie Owner Here - Have Questions :)

[KarrieRee]

Thank you for the input. It's a 60inch tank. With two 24 inch T8 bulbs.

They're due an upgrade in two months. At that time I'll switch him to one t5 bulbs over his basking rock (from the roof about 20ish inches from rock) and give him d3 once a week.

I wonder if I could put a regular non uv bulb in the other light fixture two help with heat/humidity

You want distance for the T 5 12-15 inches- the long tube bulbs do not give off heat so to speak- you can use a regular house hold bulb no coil like a 40-60 watt depending on the temp your trying to get - what is the humidity in the tank? Optimal is 40-50% - are your using a dial hygrometer?

 

[Shotty.Sub]

You want distance for the T 5 12-15 inches- the long tube bulbs do not give off heat so to speak- you can use a regular house hold bulb no coil like a 40-60 watt depending on the temp your trying to get - what is the humidity in the tank? Optimal is 40-50% - are your using a dial hygrometer?

Depending on the time of day it ranges from about 33-43%

 

[KarrieRee]

Depending on the time of day it ranges from about 33-43%

That is good-

 

[blue11]

I’m a tile advocate as well … we are tile girls all the way. I feel like one of best things I ever did with her house was lay ceramic tile down … I took the floor dimensions to Lowe’s and awkwardly told them it was for my bearded dragons viv … they were like - oh,cool. So I picked out a slate grey colour - they cut random square and rectangles of different sizes - a few large squares, then some smaller / various widths of rectangles and voila.

We def went a little under the actual floor measurements so I would have a some space for my fingers to easily lift the tiles up and out when I wanted to do a full cleaning of her viv - I didn't have them fitting super tight b/c I prefer to be able to move them around / pull them out when I need to. Her tile is a a little bit textured, but def smooth enough to just wipe down anytime. I feel like tile is a win/win - it’s super functional plus nice to look at. Literally, it’s been the best thing.

 

[Shotty.Sub]

I’m a tile advocate as well … we are tile girls all the way. I feel like one of best things I ever did with her house was lay ceramic tile down … I took the floor dimensions to Lowe’s and awkwardly told them it was for my bearded dragons viv … they were like - oh,cool. So I picked out a slate grey colour - they cut random square and rectangles of different sizes - a few large squares, then some smaller / various widths of rectangles and voila.

We def went a little under the actual floor measurements so I would have a some space for my fingers to easily lift the tiles up and out when I wanted to do a full cleaning of her viv - I didn't have them fitting super tight b/c I prefer to be able to move them around / pull them out when I need to. Her tile is a a little bit textured, but def smooth enough to just wipe down anytime. I feel like tile is a win/win - it’s super functional plus nice to look at. Literally, it’s been the best thing.

Thanks for sharing! I think I'm going to do some non adhesive shelf liner at the bottom. Then cover most of it with large tiles.

I think I want to avoid grout

 

[KarrieRee]

Thanks for sharing! I think I'm going to do some non adhesive shelf liner at the bottom. Then cover most of it with large tiles.

I think I want to avoid grout

Yes I would avoid the grout -- make sure your tiles are textured not too coarse and not too smooth -- run your hand over the tile - you dont want something giving abrasions on the feet or the stomach

 

[Shotty.Sub]

Yes I would avoid the grout -- make sure your tiles are textured not too coarse and not too smooth -- run your hand over the tile - you dont want something giving abrasions on the feet or the stomach

Ok great. I was looking at some ceramic options that had a texture. But we're smoother, rather than the sharp edges and layers of a slate tile.

I'm trying to find a good shelf liner brand now that doesn't off gas too much to put underneath. Kind of overwhelming, since it's not a common/researched topic.

My wife and I appreciate everyone's help here

 

[KarrieRee]

Ok great. I was looking at some ceramic options that had a texture. But we're smoother, rather than the sharp edges and layers of a slate tile.

I'm trying to find a good shelf liner brand now that doesn't off gas too much to put underneath. Kind of overwhelming, since it's not a common/researched topic.

My wife and I appreciate everyone's help here

You can use some thick shop paper towels from Walmart to put under those tiles to catch the watery urate - easy clean up - I have them under mine and use vinegar / water 5050 to clean them w/ and also keep F10 on hand for better disinfectant --

 

[Shotty.Sub]

You can use some thick shop paper towels from Walmart to put under those tiles to catch the watery urate - easy clean up - I have them under mine and use vinegar / water 5050 to clean them w/ and also keep F10 on hand for better disinfectant --

I'll look into this as well, thank you

 

[Venutus1]

Hi!

New bearded dragon owner here! We adopted a 14 month old Beardie. They were sexed as male at a young age, but we think they might be female. Taking to the vet to confirm. Wanted to share my tank setup and routine and see if I should tweak anything. One or two questions about substrate as well if you have any thoughts.

View attachment 71032

Vet Visit
-About 16 inches long, 16oz in weight
-Vet didn’t call out any health issues, though I wish they had of been more thorough in their check ups
-Did a fecal test, no parasites

Tank
-120 Gallon Tank

Lighting
-Lights are on 8am to 8pm
-Two “T8 ReptiSun 10.0 UVB, 24 Inch, 17 Watt” Bulbs. No Screen.
-150 Watt Heat Lamp Bulb

Temperature (Fahrenheit) & Humidity
-Varies slightly, but usually 100-106 on the basking spot and 78-81 on the far cool side of the tank.Using a IR thermometer, but also keep a general stick on that is around 80-85 most days.
-Humidity stays around 35% though at night it sometimes goes up to 42%.

Hygiene
-Bathing once every 1-2 weeks. Several times a week when shedding with a light toothbrush.
-Spot cleaning poop. Planning to gently wipe down everything every few weeks once we finish a new substrate.

Substrate
-Previous owner used a bioactive tank set up. They did their research, but I want to switch to something without particles that is easy to clean so I can keep it sanitary and worry less about impaction.

Diet
-4-6 crickets, 6x a week. Collards every day. Blueberries and hornworms as treats.
-Calcium 4x a week, Calcium with D3 2x a week, Multivitamin 1x a week
-Feeding crickets in large separate container for exercise and sanitation.
-Previous owner was feeding gut load super worms, collards, and occasional blue berries.
-Poops have a tinge of green (eating lots of collards) , been a bit wet with a tad bit of slime, but have been firm with white/ting of yellow urates. Urate is mostly soft, one small hard piece, but try reducing calcium. They’ve been drinking well and eating well. I looked online at “healthy” bearded dragon poop pics and it looks pretty similar.

Enrichment
-Stays in my office where I work remotely, so lots to watch.
-Let him sit in the window mid day
-Let him run around the office a bit if he seems like he’s glass surfing a lot
-After lights beardie snuggles

Questions
-Recommend any specific cleaning products? How long do they need to be out of the tank after a wipe down?
-I really need help with substrate. Want to get this bioactive dirt out of here. Looking into tiling the base with my dad, but worried about toxic substances? Also looking at shelf liner with some tiles placed in the tank, but again worried about putting in VOC plastic. Want to avoid reptile carpet because I don’t like that it’s spongy and could soak up poop bacteria. Any recommendations for safe shelf liner or tile grouts?
-We made a custom lid for the enclosure (the old one was busted) and painted the wood frame. Letting it off gas for 1-2 weeks. Is that long enough?
-How much should I dust food with supplements? Not sure what’s too little or too much?
-Do I need to give D3 with my setup? Finding mixed answers online.

What are the dimentions of the tank?

Can you post a pic of the whole set up?

Depending on the heigth and length of the tank will influence my sugestions for a specific light!

How far is the animals back from the bulb in the light fixture?

 

[Shotty.Sub]

What are the dimentions of the tank?

Can you post a pic of the whole set up?

Depending on the heigth and length of the tank will influence my sugestions for a specific light!

How far is the animals back from the bulb in the light fixture?

I'll come back with all these measurements soon (next week probably) I replied to your other topic as well, but we're in the process of cleaning/updating the tank.