New Dragon Mom!

IswearIsawadragon

Member
Original Poster
Beardie name(s)
Elliot
Hi everyone! I'm so excited to write on this forum instead of lurking in it haha😄 I'm going to be adopting a 6 month old bearded dragon in about a week and I can't wait! I've been doing non-stop research, plus I had old notes from when I was researching about a year or so ago, and I now have my list of what I think I want for this little guy. I wanted to run it by the experts though to see if these are okay choices or if I should change anything, and if so what would be recommended :giggle:

Tank: Zen Habitat 4x2x2 Original; 4'x2'x2' Original Wood Panel Bearded Dragon Enclosure | Zen Habitats

UVB Light Fixture: Bio Dude Solar Grow T5 HO Single Light Bulb 36"; The Bio Dude Solar Grow T5 HO Single Bulb Light Strip 36"

UVB Light: T5 Reptisun 10.0 34"

Basking Light Fixture: Fluker's Clamp Lamp with Dimmer 8.5" 150W max; https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/flukers-clamp-lamp-with-dimmer

Basking Light: Philips Indoor/Outdoor PAR30L Floodlight 75W (I'm wishy washy about this, I bought it when I first starting doing research and now I can't find this exact one for sale, it says its a bright light with 920 lumens, the top of the bulb has that mini hexagonal texture- would that hurt the beardie's eyes?)

Substrate: I was going to start with paper towels, then when he grew to adult size maybe switch it out for ceramic tile? I wasn't sure because I heard great things about this material but also that it could affect the joint health of the beardie. My other thought was to use non adhesive shelf liner like this one; https://www.amazon.com/HooTown-Non-...lja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ&th=1, but again I was going to wait until he was an adult so that the higher temperatures needed for him now won't crack the liner. I'm not sure, this is where I'm the most confused😅

Another question I have is should I hang the UVB light fixture inside of the tank or would placing in on top of the screen be okay? If it's recommended to hang it, what's the best way to go about that with this particular tank? Also, would the T5 10.0 UVB be too much if it's placed inside? I'm sorry if these questions were already asked and answered in other posts😅
 

xp29

BD.org Addict
Photo Comp Winner
Beardie name(s)
Zen , Ruby ,Snicker Doodles, Sweet Pea, Sinatra
Welcome, i love your user name lol 👍👍. Hanging inside is almost always preferable, unobstructed is best. Work with Karrieree she can help you get your lighting correct. It is the most important thing, if the lighting isn't right nithing else will be either.
Feel free to ask as many questions as you want and about whatever you need info on, we all want every beardie to thrive and will help as much as necessary to achieve that.🙂
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Welcome, i love your user name lol 👍👍. Hanging inside is almost always preferable, unobstructed is best. Work with Karrieree she can help you get your lighting correct. It is the most important thing, if the lighting isn't right nithing else will be either.
Feel free to ask as many questions as you want and about whatever you need info on, we all want every beardie to thrive and will help as much as necessary to achieve that.🙂
Welcome -- I would recommend getting the Zen Habitats mat that they sell - and you can also put in a couple of tile pieces to keep the nails down -- make sure its textured no real coarse or smooth stuff - I would go to the store and rub your hand across it -- you will need to hang the UVB inside the tank I would utilize the bars under the screen -- it will need to be 12-15 inches directly above the basking decor and you can use fishing line --- long plastic zip ties--- picture wire hangers-- or 3M Velcro fasteners -- what is the biodude solar glow light for? Please get 2 digital probe thermometers - you want actual surface basking temps - 95-100 for the 6 month old -- and you will need a digital probe hygrometer as well placed on the back center wall of the tank - optimal humidity is 40-50% nothing under 20 or over 70% - I am thinking your basking light is good but you must have those probe thermometers to get temps they are a must! the groove liner you showed is going to be hard to clean w/ the grooves in it -- I would look at Zens mat they have --
 
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IswearIsawadragon

Member
Original Poster
Beardie name(s)
Elliot
@xp29 @KarrieRee Thank you for the quick responses! :D
Ah half and half on the substrate! I like that idea! Gotcha, I'll definitely hang up the uvb light inside the tank 😄 As for the solar grow light, I was hoping to use the fixture as the holder to put the reptisun uvb light in. Oh I forgot to mention that! I have the thermometer/hygrometer probes and a temp gun on the way- thank you for all of the suggestions!! I really appreciate it! I'm so excited to set this all up for him:giggle:
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
@xp29 @KarrieRee Thank you for the quick responses! :D
Ah half and half on the substrate! I like that idea! Gotcha, I'll definitely hang up the uvb light inside the tank 😄 As for the solar grow light, I was hoping to use the fixture as the holder to put the reptisun uvb light in. Oh I forgot to mention that! I have the thermometer/hygrometer probes and a temp gun on the way- thank you for all of the suggestions!! I really appreciate it! I'm so excited to set this all up for him:giggle:
The uvb fixture has a reflector in it? Never mind it looks like it does
 

xp29

BD.org Addict
Photo Comp Winner
Beardie name(s)
Zen , Ruby ,Snicker Doodles, Sweet Pea, Sinatra
Where are you getting your new pal? If you haven't picked out one yet, there are some fantastic online breeders and morphmarket.com is great as well. That's were i got my last dragon.
 

IswearIsawadragon

Member
Original Poster
Beardie name(s)
Elliot
Where are you getting your new pal? If you haven't picked out one yet, there are some fantastic online breeders and morphmarket.com is great as well. That's were i got my last dragon.
It's funny, I'm actually getting him from a hair stylist at a place I just happened to stop in at on a whim. She was looking to rehome him and I told her I would take him😄 Thank you for the link! It's really interesting to look through all the different morphs, I'll definitely keep that website in mind for the future!
 

IswearIsawadragon

Member
Original Poster
Beardie name(s)
Elliot
Oh! I just remembered there was something else I wanted to ask: I know that relocations can stress them out, so I was wondering if I should keep him in the enclosure that he's coming in for awhile for him to get acclimated to his new surroundings before moving him into the enclosure that I've prepared for him? Or should I do it all at once? I'm not sure what one would be harder on the little guy😕
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Oh! I just remembered there was something else I wanted to ask: I know that relocations can stress them out, so I was wondering if I should keep him in the enclosure that he's coming in for awhile for him to get acclimated to his new surroundings before moving him into the enclosure that I've prepared for him? Or should I do it all at once? I'm not sure what one would be harder on the little guy😕
What size tanks?
 

Rocky2022

Sub-Adult Member
Beardie name(s)
Rocky, Ruby
Welcome and lurking is a good thing- see how you're coming prepared for your new beardie baby!!! Congrats. We are so excited for you. Don't forget to come back with pictures.

If you can trust your hairstylist with your hair and she trusts you with their beardie, that's love!!
 

IswearIsawadragon

Member
Original Poster
Beardie name(s)
Elliot
Thank you! I'll definitely send pictures soon!😄 As for the tank, now that I've picked him up I can see that I would like to move him to his new enclosure, unfortunately some of my items aren't going to make it here until tomorrow and the next day:confused: but I also have a new question: so I know that moving wasn't fun for him and he could be pretty ticked about that for awhile- I noticed that he was doing this puffing thing with his beard and then would open his mouth, but what concerns me is that whenever he opened his mouth there was an audible popping-esque noise? is that normal? or could it be some sort of mouth infection making it all mucus-y in there?
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Thank you! I'll definitely send pictures soon!😄 As for the tank, now that I've picked him up I can see that I would like to move him to his new enclosure, unfortunately some of my items aren't going to make it here until tomorrow and the next day:confused: but I also have a new question: so I know that moving wasn't fun for him and he could be pretty ticked about that for awhile- I noticed that he was doing this puffing thing with his beard and then would open his mouth, but what concerns me is that whenever he opened his mouth there was an audible popping-esque noise? is that normal? or could it be some sort of mouth infection making it all mucus-y in there?
No that popping sounds like a RI-- what is the humidity in the tank? Digital probe hygrometer is the most accurate placed on back center wall - did you get your uvb properly placed? Can you post a video of the popping noise please YouTube then post link - if he does have a RI it's best to keep overnight temps around 80- do you have a ceramic heat emitter?
 

IswearIsawadragon

Member
Original Poster
Beardie name(s)
Elliot
No that popping sounds like a RI-- what is the humidity in the tank? Digital probe hygrometer is the most accurate placed on back center wall - did you get your uvb properly placed? Can you post a video of the popping noise please YouTube then post link - if he does have a RI it's best to keep overnight temps around 80- do you have a ceramic heat emitter?
When I received him he didn’t have a hygrometer in his tank, and my probe won’t be here until Tuesday unfortunately☹️ I do have a hygrometer that sits on the desk, I’ll put that in there and see what it says in a couple minutes. I just ran to the store and bought a CHE just in case this is an RI. I got a good video of the popping while I was trying to get him to eat:
 

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