New future owner

[twinim]

Hi all,

I have been around this site for the last week or two doing research for getting my first dragon with my daughter for her 8th birthday. It is the pet she chose, and it is a great opportunity to enter the reptile world. I am so glad that I found this site, there is such a wealth of knowledge to be found here it has really helped me with my search and expectations.

Just wanted to say hello, and if anyone in the Phoenix, AZ area knows of any good deals on equipment and/or knows of a reputable breeder in the area, I would really appreciate it, it is so difficult to find good information in most stores.

I look forward to sharing my setup and my beardie once we get everything.

Thanks,
Preston

 

[brittani299]

Hello . If you have any questions on beardies just post them

 

[twinim]

Thanks, everyone seems really friendly and there is such a wealth of knowledge and varying experiences. It is a great resource for my first dive into the reptile world. I am really looking forward to it, especially since I get to do it with my daughter. I will post more as I start to get supplies.

 

[twinim]

So, have been working hard on getting my enclosure ready and I think I am finally done, have never done anything like this before. My daughter and I went out and got the furniture for the little guy, and will probably get one this following weekend, just need to make sure we have a food source, crickets, for it. My wife is not keen at all on raising dubia so crickets it is, unless there is something else easy to raise that is not a roach, lol.

Anyway, here is the enclosure...

It is 4'x2'x18". I am using an 85W halogen bulb with a dimmable fluker's lamp fixture. Reptisun 10.0 24" UVB. 2 digital thermometers and I am getting 112.6 at the basking spot on the tree and about 81 on the cool end, though it will likely drop to around 65 at night, if that much.

Needless to say, we are getting pretty excited to get the little guy/gal. Will post more pics when we get him/her.

 

[twinim]

I do actually have a question about my basking light. Like I said in my last post I have an 85 watt halogen spot light bulb. Thing is I have to dim it down quite a bit to get the temp correct. Am I better off getting a lower wattage bulb so I can have it brighter for my beardie? Also, the bulb is not coated, but it is multi-faceted, is that an issue at all for his eyes?

Thanks for your help. I want to have this corrected if need be before we get our little one.

 

[brittani299]

nice cage I would use a dimmer light so it will keep the right temp in there. I personally just use regular light bulbs they are cheap and get good heat off of them

 

[twinim]

Thanks! I am really pleased with how it turned out. I did end up getting a lower wattage bulb and am dialing in the temps as I write this. It is able to give more light as I don't have to dim it as much. Will post more pics once we get it.