new guy in Ohio needs help

[grues]

My son wants a dragon and I need help. We have a 55 gal tank but nothing else. can anyone tell us what our set up would have to include. also we will have to buy supplies online so whos the best price wise to buy from? Money is a little tight but we still want a good set up and it seems everyone here says a prepackaged kit is the wrogn way to go. need help. thanks

 

[grues]

oh we will buy our dragon at a pet shop and it will be young. was told by one shop they are as long as your finger another said about 5 or 6 inches long. I have read some here but am still lost lol thanks

 

[daner923]

Okay so the 55 gallon tank isn't really appropriate for an adult dragon as it is too narrow. The baby could be in there for a while, but as it is only 12 inches wide, it will be a problem in a matter of months. The minimum floor dimensions for an adult should be 36" long by 18 " wide. However, here is the complete list of stuff you will need. You will need a LOT of crickets. Max was going through about 150 crickets every 4 days before he decided he didn't like them anymore (my fault, I introduced roaches and superworms). I personally hate them, and use dubia roaches instead. If I were you, I would research the roaches, and start a colony 4-6 months before you get the dragon. Then you don't have to worry about buying feeders (except as treats). Crickets are smelly, can bite your dragon, stink, escape, and die off in droves. Dubia roaches are quiet, don't smell much, can't really climb, can't jump or fly, and live for a long time. I would also suggest trying Phoenix worms - I was going through 1,000 of them every 10 days or so when Max was little.

Ok - everything you need:
a) tank - as explained above.
b) substrate of your choice (but nothing loose) - I would highly suggest slate tile. It is very similar to their natural habitat, is cheap, easy to clean, keeps muscles toned and nails trim. Other options are reptile carpet, non-adhesive shelf liner, and paper towel/newspaper. Your call really.
c) basking spot (rock or log, either from outside and sanitized, or bought)
d) hide (don't use this for the first couple weeks so your baby doesn't hide instead of bask and acclimate)
e) other tank furniture (a log, a fake tree, vines, fake plant... whatever you want. Just browse the pet store)
f) basking light (whatever wattage gets you to the right temps (105-115F basking spot)
g) basking light clamp lamp fixture
h) 3M command hooks
i) under cabinet fluorescent fixture (I got mine at Walmart - I had a heavier one from Lowes, but it kept falling)
j) ReptiSun 10.0 tube
k) Digital thermometer with probe (at least 1, and they should have a hygrometer built in to measure humidity) and/or temp gun
l) a food bowl for salad, and another for worms/roaches (no water bowl - they don't need a water bowl, and it will just raise the humidity. Just be sure to give baths. Do not feed mealworms a bearded dragon, but you can put phoenix worms, silkworms, dubia roaches, waxworms [treat], butterworms [treat], or hornworms [treat] in a bowl)
m) If the tank gets below 65F, another dome fixture and a ceramic heat emitter (do not use a red light)
n) (Optional, but really really useful) a power strip with built in timers for lights.

Make sure that you are offering baths. For a baby, that should be every other day for 15-20 minutes in shoulder high luke warm water. The baby needs to be monitored closely in the tub so he doesn't aspirate water.

 

[sweetiepie9]

The only thing Andrew forgot was supplements. You need a good calcium without phospherous and with Vit D3 that you would give this way, dust 1 feeding of bugs daily, 5 times per week.

Then you need a good vit/min supplement and you would dust 1 feeding of bugs 2x per week.

These are essential for your dragon to grow strong bones and be healthy.

For the food, babies normally need at least 2 feedings a day, everything they will eat in 15 min, then at least 2 hours basking to disgest their food.

I think that covers everything you'll need for set up and to get your baby settled. They sometimes go through something called relocation stress, and that's just them getting used to their new home. Please let us all know how it goes when you get your beardie. I have 5 adult males and just love them to pieces, they make excellent pets, but babies are a bit fragile, so need the set up to make sure they stay healthy. When you go to look for your beardie, make sure they're eating their bugs and hopefully salad and that their eyes are bright and they're very active. That's what you want in a baby.

Also here's a great nutrition site that is worth looking at www.beautifuldragons.com. It's a great site altogether, there's a store attached, too. It's run by a woman who runs a reptile rescue and she's great, very knowledgable.

If you want to buy your UVB light online, and you're in the States, here are a few sites to look at: www.petmountain.com; www.amazon.com and www.lightyourreptiles.com. There are other sites, too, but I can't remember them right now.

So good luck and welcome to the beardie world and to this site!
Deb

 

[rsmit02]

As a new owner here the best advice I can give you following my mistakes are...

1. Order your dragon baby online from someone here. Cheyrl on here is where I got my girl from it is the same price as a pet store at $40 for a baby plus approx $35 for shipping it equals the $70 you pay in store. That way you know the color and personality of your dragon plus you know it is healthy and been kept in perfect conditions before you got them. Cheyrls website is here...
www.beardeddragons.co/shop/index.php?route=common/home

2. Order your tank / dragon supplies from the link below the light for uvb was $50 in petsmart but $24.99 on here. Likewise the calcium and vitamin suppliments cleaner for the tank and dragon that will kill mites parastes and worse in your tank.

www.beardeddragon.co/index.php?route=common/home