new beardie owner

[orsola83]

Hello. Just got my first beardie. I have one CHE, a basking bulb, uvb light, digital thermometer with temp probe, and he is on repticarpet. I have a cool side and a warm side so he can thermoregulate. He is eight months old and eats a ton of superworms a day. The girl I got him from said ten a day. Is that too much? I also offer him some fresh veggies from my garden and he does eat them but not as enthusiastically as the worms. I dust them with calcium and every few days the multivitamin. I just really need advice and to make sure I am doing everything right, i think he was kind of neglected at his previous owners. His lights are on ten hours a day and off at night but I do keep the CHE on at night since it does not give off life, also he poops once a day. And he is shedding. What do I do when he sheds? Everything good so far? Is there anything else I can do or change?

 

[AHBD]

Hi there....everything sounds good so far. Can you list the exact type + brand of UVB bulb you have, and if it's a tube, coil or compact ? Also you will not need any heat from the CHE at night unless it goes below 65F ....they need to cool off while they sleep. It sounds like he has a good appetite, what veggies are you offering him from the garden ? Superworms are O.K for beardies, but if you could switch it up once a week or so with crickets or dubia that would give some variety. You might cut back on the supers every other day, maybe 6 one day, ten the next....and offer more veggies and a different feeder insect once a week if possible. If not he should still thrive on his diet of supers + veggies. No help is needed during shedding but you can give him a soak 1-2X a week plus give a short light spritz in his tank. You can also see if he'll drink from a small direct stream from a spray bottle or dropper on his snout for extra hydration.

 

[orsola83]

Not sure, what brand, but it is a tube. A T8 I believe. I assume it is doing it's job because SHE (I just found out he was a she lol) is very active. She moves around. Responds to me when I talk to her. Watches people walk buy. The girl I got it from said it was a few months old so I think just as a precaution I will buy another. Just in case. From the garden she has yellow squash, zucchini, butternut squash, blueberries and peeled cucumbers. I know she should have more greens but I haven't been able to get to the store yet. Thank you so much for your advice I'm just so nervous and excited and I want her to be healthy. And I've noted during the day the basking area is about 95. Too cool?

 

[KendraA]

It sounds like you're doing a great job! You might want to bump the temperature of the highest basking platform a bit--in my understanding, juveniles do best with 105-110 (as the max temp they can access) while adults do best with 100-105. Offering a variety of heights of platforms seems to work well so they can self-regulate their temp.

10 superworms a day does not sound like too much to me for a growing beardie. Once he is a year old, you can cut down his protein (I offer protein twice a week and greens daily now that my guy is an adult).

 

[Drache613]

Moved by Moderator from General to Health

 

[kingofnobbys]

Only suggestions :

Reptile carpet is probably not so good.

Cucumber is zero nutritional value - is mostly just water.
http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Nutrition.html