new here!

[fishchiq]

Hi, everyone! I'm not new to herp keeping, but I am new to this site, which I've really enjoyed so far. I registered here because we've recently gotten a beardie, something my husband and I have been wanting for about 4 years now. Unfortunately our first venture ended in disaster, we adopted an adult beardie whose owners could no longer care for it properly. It died 3 days after we braught it home. After an exam we discovered 3 small masses in the intestinal tract. We know that the bierdie was fed exclusively crickets for about the last month (before we had it) and was kept on Vitasand, though it's possible that it injested something that was lodged there.
We really were very upset about this, as we're both experienced reptile keepers.
Our daughter was very attached to her "best friend ever the lizard" as she called it. So, we made the descision to get a juvenile. We found a nice sized juvie (about 8 inches or so from tip to tail) with wonderful color that was eating a variety of veggies and small prewing crickets. He doesn't have a name yet, as we'd like to see his personality first.
His habitat is a screen type that if glass would hold 100 gallons. He's got a nice water feature with a rock in it, some baked driftwood, critter carpet for substrate and of course the uv and heat essentials.
Anyhow, this was pretty long, but I'm happy to find this site, and looking forwad to learning more about and discussing beardies!

 

[ReptileMom]

do you know what your temps. are? i would think it would be hard to keep the enclosure warm enough since it is screen.

 

[fishchiq]

yep, basking is 105F, cool end is aprox 80F. Nightime cool end doesn't get below 65F. The enclosure is well recommended by many breeders.

 

[fishchiq]

I forgot to mention, it's called a Reptarium. I can't seem to find the link from the website we purchased it from, but I'll look. It's got some major lighting going on up top, and an exo-terra heat wave on the bottom to prevent the bottome from getting to cold.

 

[Ozzie_lady]

Sounds like you've got in under control, and congrats on getting a beardie. They are a lot of fun, and have so much personality. That said, your new addition probably doesn't need the water dish in his tank, unless you see him using it, but if you do keep it in there it needs to be removed and washed every day. They are a big breeding ground for bacteria. Most of us don't use one, except for the odd beardie that is attached it to, but they all get cleaned. If your 'tank' is a tall screen one, you need to either hang the UVB inside so he can get 6-8 inches from it, or make it so he can climb that high to get to it. If you don't see him going high to get to it, lower it. As I'm sure you know from keeping other herps, UVB is essential to a beardies health and growth. MVB's are great also, and don't need to be as close. Anyway, I've rambled on enough. Good luck with your new kid!

 

[fishchiq]

Thanks a ton for the water info, I'd been changing it twice daily so far and it's a pain in the rear. He's shedding nicely right now, so in my head I figured having easy acces to a bath would help, but i can always just bathe him myself too! Guess I was just nervous.
I'm not very familiar with MVBs, but I'll do a search for it before I bug you guys too much.