Hello, all! I'm a <very> new beardie owner. I have always wanted a beardie since I had 2 as class pets in 3rd grade, and now I'm 19 and finally have one! I got the little guy (Roy) yesterday. I know some stuff, but not too much. I've used this website for research before buying one, but I'd still like some solid answers. This post may dabble a small bit into health becuase I would like to know a few things, but this post also has my current set up and some questions. I'm fairly certain this is the correct forum for this since it is introductions which I assume includes newbie question (besides the bit of health), so let me start!
First up: My set up. It's really bad. I plan on buying a basking rock with a little cave under it until I can make a custom basking area when I get supplies and money. Here is everything I have for my cage and an image.
My current stuffs:
40 Gal tank
The temperature in the basking area SEEMS to be anywhere from 85 on the edges to 120 on the floor under direct sunlight. Again, my thermometer is bad and I have to place it on the area for 10+ min to get a reading. The cool side is about 70-80
Zoo med Reptitherm under tank heater
Zilla slimline desert fixture (I have heard these are bad, I'm planning on getting a reptisun)
Zoo med Repti Basking spot lamp (150w)
Terrarium green liner (I know sand is bad, but I've also heard adults can have SOME to dig in?)
Zoo med Deep Dome lamp fixture
A really bad thermometer I need to replace
Now for some questions. Please give me the most solid answer you can, because I've seen many different opinions but I'd like the most backed up ones if you can.
I have heard The zilla slimline desert fixture is bad and causes health issues, as well as the fact that reptisun is the best. Is this true? How soon would I need to change if this is the case?
I have heard that under heaters can short circuit and burn the beardie, and ceramic heaters won't do this. Is this true?
What thermometer do you recommend? I have no clue what the current humidity in the cage is and I'm worried. What should the humidity be anyway? I heard 30%.
How close should his UVB be to his basking spot until I can get a reptisun that covers a bit more than half the tank?
Any advice on how to generally improve his set up?
Now for some health concerns.... This is Roy.
He's 4-5 months old according to the pet store, and he eats about a dozen crickets in the afternoon and some veggies in the morning. The day I brought him back, he was scratching at the glass and a small bit black on his beard - as expected. He also had diarrhea, but that is most likely from stress. He seems very docile despite not being handled almost ever. He doesn't get angry when I move stuff in the cage, or when I was holding him while I was changing his water. (I held him to see how he would do.) Surprisingly, he is fine with it. Can't say he trusts me, and I don't want to bother him for another few days, but I thought that was interesting. He doesn't even run except when I tried to pick him up that one time. So this is my concern(s):
The pet store said they were feeding him lettuce, dusting his crickets twice a week (I've read it's supposed to be more), and were using the Zilla desert slimline UVB light. I have heard bad stuff about these things.
He seemed fine besides what I mentioned above, but today seemed odd. He won't leave the basking area. At all. He only moved to chase crickets and that's it. Not for veggies in the food bowl, not for water, not to sleep. I thought, "Okay, maybe he is just tired." Here we are 12 hours later and 28 hours later from when I got him and he refuses to move or go to the cool side with UVB. Again, maybe he's stressed, but about an hour ago, and again as I write this, his back leg twitched. I know that this could be a sign of calcium deficiency, so I'm wondering how possible it may be due to how the pet store cared for him. I have Rep-cal powder and dusted his crickets yesterday. He has also been pancaking almost the entire day despite the temperature supposedly being in range. He has been laying under the branch as well, which I don't understand why he would do if he has a nice dark wood house. He was also just trying to dig the green felt as well as I write this, so that may have been his "twitching". (Althought I could SWEAR the first time was a real twitch because it was only his back leg.) I accidentally fed him 17 crickets today (a few more were hidden in the tube I didn't see and he snapped them up before I could even try to catch them), could this be it? He is breathing heavily as well. Normally he is active so I'm very worried that I might have fed him too much and it's hurting him. He just seems like he's trying to sleep, constantly closing his eyes and pancaking under the branch. EDIT: Now he is just staring at the wall with his mouth opening and closing. He's done this a few times today. Not gaping, but still open.
A few more questions:
How often should I dust his crickets for his age? How much dust?
What are the best veggies and fruits and greens for beardies?
What insects? I've heard meal worms are a no-no.
About when should I try to hand feed him or handle him? He doesn't appear to get angry when I initially handled him when setting up the tank.
So sorry for the long post but I'm very worried! I'm excited to be a beardie owner and want only the best for him but I really hope there already isn't something wrong!
First up: My set up. It's really bad. I plan on buying a basking rock with a little cave under it until I can make a custom basking area when I get supplies and money. Here is everything I have for my cage and an image.
My current stuffs:
40 Gal tank
The temperature in the basking area SEEMS to be anywhere from 85 on the edges to 120 on the floor under direct sunlight. Again, my thermometer is bad and I have to place it on the area for 10+ min to get a reading. The cool side is about 70-80
Zoo med Reptitherm under tank heater
Zilla slimline desert fixture (I have heard these are bad, I'm planning on getting a reptisun)
Zoo med Repti Basking spot lamp (150w)
Terrarium green liner (I know sand is bad, but I've also heard adults can have SOME to dig in?)
Zoo med Deep Dome lamp fixture
A really bad thermometer I need to replace
Now for some questions. Please give me the most solid answer you can, because I've seen many different opinions but I'd like the most backed up ones if you can.
I have heard The zilla slimline desert fixture is bad and causes health issues, as well as the fact that reptisun is the best. Is this true? How soon would I need to change if this is the case?
I have heard that under heaters can short circuit and burn the beardie, and ceramic heaters won't do this. Is this true?
What thermometer do you recommend? I have no clue what the current humidity in the cage is and I'm worried. What should the humidity be anyway? I heard 30%.
How close should his UVB be to his basking spot until I can get a reptisun that covers a bit more than half the tank?
Any advice on how to generally improve his set up?
Now for some health concerns.... This is Roy.
He's 4-5 months old according to the pet store, and he eats about a dozen crickets in the afternoon and some veggies in the morning. The day I brought him back, he was scratching at the glass and a small bit black on his beard - as expected. He also had diarrhea, but that is most likely from stress. He seems very docile despite not being handled almost ever. He doesn't get angry when I move stuff in the cage, or when I was holding him while I was changing his water. (I held him to see how he would do.) Surprisingly, he is fine with it. Can't say he trusts me, and I don't want to bother him for another few days, but I thought that was interesting. He doesn't even run except when I tried to pick him up that one time. So this is my concern(s):
The pet store said they were feeding him lettuce, dusting his crickets twice a week (I've read it's supposed to be more), and were using the Zilla desert slimline UVB light. I have heard bad stuff about these things.
He seemed fine besides what I mentioned above, but today seemed odd. He won't leave the basking area. At all. He only moved to chase crickets and that's it. Not for veggies in the food bowl, not for water, not to sleep. I thought, "Okay, maybe he is just tired." Here we are 12 hours later and 28 hours later from when I got him and he refuses to move or go to the cool side with UVB. Again, maybe he's stressed, but about an hour ago, and again as I write this, his back leg twitched. I know that this could be a sign of calcium deficiency, so I'm wondering how possible it may be due to how the pet store cared for him. I have Rep-cal powder and dusted his crickets yesterday. He has also been pancaking almost the entire day despite the temperature supposedly being in range. He has been laying under the branch as well, which I don't understand why he would do if he has a nice dark wood house. He was also just trying to dig the green felt as well as I write this, so that may have been his "twitching". (Althought I could SWEAR the first time was a real twitch because it was only his back leg.) I accidentally fed him 17 crickets today (a few more were hidden in the tube I didn't see and he snapped them up before I could even try to catch them), could this be it? He is breathing heavily as well. Normally he is active so I'm very worried that I might have fed him too much and it's hurting him. He just seems like he's trying to sleep, constantly closing his eyes and pancaking under the branch. EDIT: Now he is just staring at the wall with his mouth opening and closing. He's done this a few times today. Not gaping, but still open.
A few more questions:
How often should I dust his crickets for his age? How much dust?
What are the best veggies and fruits and greens for beardies?
What insects? I've heard meal worms are a no-no.
About when should I try to hand feed him or handle him? He doesn't appear to get angry when I initially handled him when setting up the tank.
So sorry for the long post but I'm very worried! I'm excited to be a beardie owner and want only the best for him but I really hope there already isn't something wrong!