New Beardie Owner - I have questions!!

[anon1013s]

I just took in a family friends adult male bearded dragon. He came with a little bit of things but not much. I'm new to reptiles but this beardie wasn't living the best life and I want to be able to give it a good life.

My biggest question is heating and lighting.
1. Do I get a dual heat fixture with 2 bulbs for heat and a separate single one for the uvb lighting bulb?
2. Also for the UVB, he came with a reptisun 10.0 Bulb. Is that fine? Or should I switch out to a tube? (and hood for the tube?)
2. Do the UVB and Heating all go on the basking side?
3. Should I get one of those heat rocks?

I've researched a bunch but it seems to get a little confusing with all the terminology. A shopping list (using simple terms) including light fixtures to put my bulbs in would be great!

Also, been debating what to put in the bottom of his tank. He came with that reptile carpet stuff but his feet keep getting caught in it and its so hard to clean. Really thinking of doing sand.
1. Is sand a good idea?
2. If so, what kind of sand? (including brands, etc)

Lastly, does he need calcium powder and multivitamin powder for his food or just the calcium powder?
If you have any other tips and tricks to add on please do! Thank you.

 

[xp29]

Hello and welcome. You'll get the best advice and answers here. Feel free to ask about anything at all
It is imperative that the ubv be a long tube, the compact bulbs are wholly inadequate.
Basking bulbs should be in individual domes to prevent overheating the bulbs.
Try to arrange the basking and uvb with overlap, offering multiple distances from the lights. He will pick what he needs at any given time.
Sand is usable but it makes a mess and a ton of dust. The dust will coat the uvb tube and block somec of it's effectiveness. You'll need to wipe the bulb down often.
Calcium should be offered 5 to 7 days per week. If you have good uvb d3 isn't necessary, but some use it anyway. Multivitamins should be given 1 to 2 times per week. To much can become toxic.
Heat rocks should NOT be used. Beardies don't understand heat from the bottom and can get burned or worst case cooked. A good bright white basking bulb should be sufficient.
If you need night time heat use a ceramic heat emitter, no colored bulbs under any circumstances. Beardies need it dark to sleep and colored bulbs can injure the eyes.

 

[KarrieRee]

I just took in a family friends adult male bearded dragon. He came with a little bit of things but not much. I'm new to reptiles but this beardie wasn't living the best life and I want to be able to give it a good life.

My biggest question is heating and lighting.
1. Do I get a dual heat fixture with 2 bulbs for heat and a separate single one for the uvb lighting bulb?
2. Also for the UVB, he came with a reptisun 10.0 Bulb. Is that fine? Or should I switch out to a tube? (and hood for the tube?)
2. Do the UVB and Heating all go on the basking side?
3. Should I get one of those heat rocks?

I've researched a bunch but it seems to get a little confusing with all the terminology. A shopping list (using simple terms) including light fixtures to put my bulbs in would be great!

Also, been debating what to put in the bottom of his tank. He came with that reptile carpet stuff but his feet keep getting caught in it and its so hard to clean. Really thinking of doing sand.
1. Is sand a good idea?
2. If so, what kind of sand? (including brands, etc)

Lastly, does he need calcium powder and multivitamin powder for his food or just the calcium powder?
If you have any other tips and tricks to add on please do! Thank you.

Welcome to the forum and I am going to answer your questions as best as I can some others may chime in here as well -- first you can get a duel dome for two basking bulbs either or single or duel I use single - but you want 2 digital probe Zoo Med thermometers to get actual surface basking temps of 95-100 - so start out w/ a 100 watt bulb for a 40 gallon tank if you need to go higher wattage you can either go to a 150 watt or a lower wattage bulb - adding to the 100 watt - you need solid clear bright white bulbs for those basking bulbs like Exo Terra Flukers basking or Arcadia Halogens- No colored bulbs please--- cool side of the tank 80ish
Next NO coils so if that 10.0 bulb is in a dome please get rid of it - you want a long tube fixture like a Zoo Med -- Arcadia Pro T 5 12% bulb 24 watt or a Sunblaster Nano Tech w/ the Reptisun 10.0 T 5 bulb I can post links for those --'
It is recommended that both the basking bulb and UVB are on the same side of the tank - some people put the UVB in the middle of the tank that is where mine is and I use 3 domes for basking - 2 on the hot side of the tank one in the middle of the tank where the UVB is -
NO heat rocks please!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Dragons heat from the back and heat rocks can burn their stomachs
I dont like sand it makes too much of a mess - you can set up a sand box in the tank for them to contain the sand -play sand found at your local home improvement store is recommended for that--- I use a black matt from Zen Habitats that fits a 120 gallon tank 4x2x2 - you can also use some textured NON adhesive shelf liner cut to the size of the tank - clean w/ vinegar/ water 50-50 -
Dragons need calcium D3 one time per week dusted on the insects lightly coated and calcium w/ out D3 non phosphorus 2 times per week dusted on the insects lightly coated --
Fresh salads every day insects 2- 3 times per week
Nutrition Content ignore the kale info its outdated and a good staple feeder
Insects can be bought on line and are cheaper -- I can post links for sites for those if you like
anymore questions please ask

 

[anon1013s]

Thank you! Yes, give me all the links please!
Another question, should both the heat and the UVB go on top the mesh? I read some people mount one (which one?) inside under the mesh.

 

[anon1013s]

Hello and welcome. You'll get the best advice and answers here. Feel free to ask about anything at all
It is imperative that the ubv be a long tube, the compact bulbs are wholly inadequate.
Basking bulbs should be in individual domes to prevent overheating the bulbs.
Try to arrange the basking and uvb with overlap, offering multiple distances from the lights. He will pick what he needs at any given time.
Sand is usable but it makes a mess and a ton of dust. The dust will coat the uvb tube and block somec of it's effectiveness. You'll need to wipe the bulb down often.
Calcium should be offered 5 to 7 days per week. If you have good uvb d3 isn't necessary, but some use it anyway. Multivitamins should be given 1 to 2 times per week. To much can become toxic.
Heat rocks should NOT be used. Beardies don't understand heat from the bottom and can get burned or worst case cooked. A good bright white basking bulb should be sufficient.
If you need night time heat use a ceramic heat emitter, no colored bulbs under any circumstances. Beardies need it dark to sleep and colored bulbs can injure the eyes.

Thank you! That was very helpful!!

 

[KarrieRee]

Thank you! Yes, give me all the links please!
Another question, should both the heat and the UVB go on top the mesh? I read some people mount one (which one?) inside under the mesh.

UVB depends on the screen that will tell you distance and placement and I will help you w / that
3 good UVB's that are recommended these are all 24" fixtures good for 40 + gallon tanks
Zoo Med comes w/ a 5.0 bulb please get a Reptisun 22" 10.0 T 5 bulb posting link for that as well

Zoo Med ReptiSun T5 HO Terrarium Hood (24 inch)

joshsfrogs.com

Zoo Med ReptiSun 10.0 UVB Fluorescent T5 HO Bulb (22", 24 Watt)

joshsfrogs.com

Arcadia ProT5 12% UVB Bulb With Hood you want the 24 watt bulb
this one you need to change the bulb out to the Reptisun posted above and you want the 2ft or 24" fixture
Sunblaster Nano Tech https://hydrobuilder.com/sunblaster...mp.html?opts=eyJhdHRyaWJ1dGU5MDEiOiI2NjEwIn0=
here are links for insects and worms
www.dubiaroaches.com great horn worms and roaches - I recommend these for staple insect - the horn worms are a great hydrating worm and grow fast so feed off every day and order small amounts
www.reptilianarts.com good silk worms which is a good staple feeder
www.joshsfrogs.com
www.https://flukerfarms.com/live-superworms-buy-bulk-super-worms/
www.abdragons.com
www.symtonbsf.com
www.aafeeder.com
When you get the UVB please post back on here I will help you get it set up

 

[ChileanTaco]

1. Is sand a good idea?
2. If so, what kind of sand? (including brands, etc)

On the sand (as I'm also using sand):

What I use will likely not be available to you - I use sand straight from the Atacama desert (as I live there). A commercial alternative would be desert sand from such as Zoomed, mixed with excavator clay from the same brand. Also Exoterra has similar products. A bit of play sand can be mixed in to make it less costly.
Please do not use: substrates that look like sand but are indeed ground-op walnut shells or plastic (really not good, can cause impaction!), any kind of sand intended for crafts.
On the dust: It not necessarily causes dust. It could, however, if it's always dry. If you use something like the above, or natural sand from a desert (if yes, check if it's allowed to take it), right when you fill it into the enclosure mist it heavily. (Filling in the dry sand is the only time it was really dusty - so recommended to remove the lamps while filling it in! I tried to fill it in carefully using a ladle.) After that, I continued with misting it daily a bit in the morning, to mimic morning dew. The intent is not to keep it wet/ damp, but to let its surface dry hard under the hot lamps - I'd say similar to what one might encounter in nature in similar environments: It's not fine sand that runs through your hands, but something that is hard and it takes some effort to dig. This gives a hard surface, but he dragon can still dig. (I once made a test whether I can insert a toothpick into the sand: only with a lot of force.) On the long run, not a problem if I can't mist it every day, but I try to mist it "often" in the morning.

Result: No problem with dust on the lamps. I have the setup as it is close to 2 years and had only to normally dust the fixtures on the outside (mine are on top of the enclosure) normally (normal household dust), nothing on the inside. Despite I checked and with now close to 2 years with this setup I of course had to replace lamps multiple times - no dust/sand on them.
With that: If I had to do another setup for a bearded dragon (or other desert species), I personally would go with the same again.
Regarding clean-up (poop): I scoop out the area around any poop generously. If you use sand, be prepared that a certain amount gets used up like "cat litter", and you will have to change out the complete sand at least once a year. For me it's easy as I can get the sand for free. If it's too costly for you, maybe do half and half: half is tile or shelf liner, half is a tray with sand.

And quickly on the "salads": "Salads" here means greens, veggies - not lettuce, it has only very little nutritional value. (I highlight this as it's a common misunderstanding.)

 

[xp29]

Thank you! That was very helpful!!

Your welcome

 

[Wintersedits]

I just took in a family friends adult male bearded dragon. He came with a little bit of things but not much. I'm new to reptiles but this beardie wasn't living the best life and I want to be able to give it a good life.

My biggest question is heating and lighting.
1. Do I get a dual heat fixture with 2 bulbs for heat and a separate single one for the uvb lighting bulb?
2. Also for the UVB, he came with a reptisun 10.0 Bulb. Is that fine? Or should I switch out to a tube? (and hood for the tube?)
2. Do the UVB and Heating all go on the basking side?
3. Should I get one of those heat rocks?

I've researched a bunch but it seems to get a little confusing with all the terminology. A shopping list (using simple terms) including light fixtures to put my bulbs in would be great!

Also, been debating what to put in the bottom of his tank. He came with that reptile carpet stuff but his feet keep getting caught in it and its so hard to clean. Really thinking of doing sand.
1. Is sand a good idea?
2. If so, what kind of sand? (including brands, etc)

Lastly, does he need calcium powder and multivitamin powder for his food or just the calcium powder?
If you have any other tips and tricks to add on please do! Thank you.

Hello, and welcome to this site!

To answer a few questions of yours- yes sand is a good idea, it can help strengthen joints when they are growing, if it's a really young beardie maybe use reptile mat, not carpet. If he is not a baby or after he's a baby and a older juvenile I would recommend a sand I recently got, it's mixed with some dirt and sand... I don't have the brand name but if you perhaps live in Nampa or Boise reptile alley should have it... be aware of calcium sand, walnut substrate and coconut substrate, I hear from others it's not a great choice and could effect your beardies health. I wouldn't want to get a heating rock, it could possibly burn your beardie I've been told, and automatically they will bask under the heat lamps and will lay under it like a pancake and also absorb heat from the ground. Beardies will sometimes also change to a darker almost black color to absorb heat and nutrients from light... I hope this helps! Feel free to ask questions to anyone here... and especially look into and hopefully take some of KarrieRees advice they are a light expert when it comes to your beardies UVB and heat lamps and their advice helps A LOT.... i hope you have a good time and find this site helpful for you, and have fun with your beardie!

 

[LarryTheLizard]

I just took in a family friends adult male bearded dragon. He came with a little bit of things but not much. I'm new to reptiles but this beardie wasn't living the best life and I want to be able to give it a good life.

My biggest question is heating and lighting.
1. Do I get a dual heat fixture with 2 bulbs for heat and a separate single one for the uvb lighting bulb?
2. Also for the UVB, he came with a reptisun 10.0 Bulb. Is that fine? Or should I switch out to a tube? (and hood for the tube?)
2. Do the UVB and Heating all go on the basking side?
3. Should I get one of those heat rocks?

I've researched a bunch but it seems to get a little confusing with all the terminology. A shopping list (using simple terms) including light fixtures to put my bulbs in would be great!

Also, been debating what to put in the bottom of his tank. He came with that reptile carpet stuff but his feet keep getting caught in it and its so hard to clean. Really thinking of doing sand.
1. Is sand a good idea?
2. If so, what kind of sand? (including brands, etc)

Lastly, does he need calcium powder and multivitamin powder for his food or just the calcium powder?
If you have any other tips and tricks to add on please do! Thank you.

Welcome to the forum! Hope you’ll stay and become apart of our community!

Sand is about in the middle when it comes to maintanence from my past experience. Changing out the sand every couple of weeks isn’t necessary but it gave me comfort to know that Larry had fresh sand. again it’s not necessary, that’s just something I liked to do lol. Since then I’ve switched to dirt, but that’s a story for another time haha.
Other than that, sand is a great option. there‘s also newspaper you could lay down for him or just paper towels for the time being until you get sand. I would switch out the reptile carpet as soon as you can, you wouldn’t want him to snag a nail or hurt one As others have mentioned, it’s really important that you don’t put heating rocks in your beardies’ enclosure as it can get too hot and burn his stomach. Also, changing out the scenery in his enclosure every one or two months or so, just to keep things exciting for him. It’s not a must, but im sure he would appreciate that.

Something that’s helped me bond with my lizard is hand feeding. I just grab a mealworm and reach my hand into her tank, and she usually takes it and devours it like a monster lol. Giving them their space is good too, not constantly touching and holding them as that can create stress More often than not.

Feel free to ask any questions here! we value helping people give beardies their best life

 

[ChileanTaco]

Also, changing out the scenery in his enclosure every one or two months or so, just to keep things exciting for him. It’s not a must, but im sure he would appreciate that.

It might depend. I'm not doing this. As much as I love enrichment for a pet (and when I had birds, they had loved it!)- a changed scenery in his enclosure frightens my dragon and he then won't come out of his cave for days, has stress marks, doesn't dare to use things. So I keep it with the bare minimum of change, means, I switch out his live plants when he has eaten them down too much - with that he's fine (but can also hesitate), as it's food and it's just necessary. Sometimes I improved something when I really saw something is not working well, e.g. I once made a cave entrance narrower using a branch and now he's using a cave for sleeping he before only used during the day. But other things stay like they are in his enclosure and I won't switch out things just to make it looking different.

Something that’s helped me bond with my lizard is hand feeding.

I agree on that. It can depend from dragon to dragon how soon they take it - for mine it was many months (!). I guess the thought he would steal my food and thus didn't dare. But once he grabbed the first mealworm and recognized, nothing bad happens but even more insects show up, he understood

 

[xp29]

Welcome to the forum! Hope you’ll stay and become apart of our community!

Sand is about in the middle when it comes to maintanence from my past experience. Changing out the sand every couple of weeks isn’t necessary but it gave me comfort to know that Larry had fresh sand. again it’s not necessary, that’s just something I liked to do lol. Since then I’ve switched to dirt, but that’s a story for another time haha.
Other than that, sand is a great option. there‘s also newspaper you could lay down for him or just paper towels for the time being until you get sand. I would switch out the reptile carpet as soon as you can, you wouldn’t want him to snag a nail or hurt one As others have mentioned, it’s really important that you don’t put heating rocks in your beardies’ enclosure as it can get too hot and burn his stomach. Also, changing out the scenery in his enclosure every one or two months or so, just to keep things exciting for him. It’s not a must, but im sure he would appreciate that.

Something that’s helped me bond with my lizard is hand feeding. I just grab a mealworm and reach my hand into her tank, and she usually takes it and devours it like a monster lol. Giving them their space is good too, not constantly touching and holding them as that can create stress More often than not.

Feel free to ask any questions here! we value helping people give beardies their best life

I agree with you except on the newspaper. It can be used but it needs to be stored and dried for long periods of time before use to let the ink fade in fumes. I'm EXTREMELY sensitive to strong smells like perfumes or exhaust fumes. I absolutely can not read a newspaper because the smell of the ink jacks my sinuses up for days. Beardies have a much more simplified respotory system than we do. Living on that ink could literally be torture for them, so newspaper needs to fade before use. To me it makes it more trouble than it's worth. Paper towels are a better option imho

 

[ChileanTaco]

I agree with you except on the newspaper. It can be used but it needs to be stored and dried for long periods of time before use to let the ink fade in fumes. I'm EXTREMELY sensitive to strong smells like perfumes or exhaust fumes. I absolutely can not read a newspaper because the smell of the ink jacks my sinuses up for days. Beardies have a much more simplified respotory system than we do. Living on that ink could literally be torture for them, so newspaper needs to fade before use. To me it makes it more trouble than it's worth. Paper towels are a better option imho

I agree on this - and: Even if it's dried (e.g.: if I get it as packaging material and it looks faded), I can smell it. Smells of dusty paper and the ink. It itches in my eyes. And still, my nose is further away from the newspaper than a dragon's nose would be... and I would handle that newspaper for a short time, whereas the dragon would be all the time close to it.
So, please no newspaper. And in addition to the smell: A dragon might lick it.
I would over all not recommend using newspaper for any kind of pet.

I absolutely can not read a newspaper because the smell of the ink jacks my sinuses up for days

The same is true for me as well. I read the newspaper only online...
(Any kind of perfumes are also really bad for me - what for others might be a nice scent, for me it's horrible. I'm down to a very pragmatic usage of cosmetic products (scent-free soap, mild toothpaste, scent-free deodorant, that's it - none of all those sprays, lotions, hair products, creams etc. I see in most people's bathrooms). For clothes only detergent (scent-free) and for sure no fabric softener or those closet, bedroom, linen sprays. Also everything for cleaning the house, very pragmatic.)

 

[xp29]

I agree on this - and: Even if it's dried (e.g.: if I get it as packaging material and it looks faded), I can smell it. Smells of dusty paper and the ink. It itches in my eyes. And still, my nose is further away from the newspaper than a dragon's nose would be... and I would handle that newspaper for a short time, whereas the dragon would be all the time close to it.
So, please no newspaper. And in addition to the smell: A dragon might lick it.
I would over all not recommend using newspaper for any kind of pet.


The same is true for me as well. I read the newspaper only online...
(Any kind of perfumes are also really bad for me - what for others might be a nice scent, for me it's horrible. I'm down to a very pragmatic usage of cosmetic products (scent-free soap, mild toothpaste, scent-free deodorant, that's it - none of all those sprays, lotions, hair products, creams etc. I see in most people's bathrooms). For clothes only detergent (scent-free) and for sure no fabric softener or those closet, bedroom, linen sprays. Also everything for cleaning the house, very pragmatic.)

I'm right there with you. We can't burn candles or the plug in fragrance dispensers, even Freebreeze can mess me up.
That's why I always warn against newspaper, I think most people don't realize how harsh they are.

 

[ChileanTaco]

I think most people don't realize how harsh they are.

I guess so, from my experience - quite often people don't understand why it disturbs me and tell I "should not make such a fuss". I do, it's me

even Freebreeze can mess me up.

For me, it would not be "even" - these are really... oh no. Also the fragrance dispensers, for sure something I would not bring home.
At my workplace, they clean every day. (I would see no reason why a workspace half office, half electronics lab (for repair of computers and computer-like devices) would need to be cleaned wet daily, but they do.) Right after the cleaning is done, I open the window wi(iiii)de and leave it open for 30 min at minimum as I cannot bear the stench.