new owner of a dragon

[sayinsorry1988]

alright im pretty new with bearded dragons, i own snakes but dragon care is different, right now im confused about about heating and U.V lighting i have a heat lamp on one side that i was using for my snakes and on the other side i have a U.V tube is this good enff or not?

thanks

is he a normal one or a morph? jw thanks

 

[MarkCheck]

i would say put tha UV and the basking light like this
basking UV
0_____________

i wouldnt spead them out unless u have one that run cross tha whole tank also can u answers these ?

What kind of UVB light do u have ?
And how are u checking the temp?

 

[Valex]

I see you have a water dish, and you should take it out. Most dragons will not drink out of a bowl and it just raises the humidity which can give them a respitory infection. Instead you should give it a bath 3-4 X a week or more if you can.

If you would like us to go over your setup just to make sure everything is correct we would be glad to, just say so and I will post up the questionare.


By the way WELCOME!!! I'm glad to see you have found the wonderful world of bearded dragons. hehe. They are so much better than snakes. shhhs. Dont tell mine I said that.

By the way the lights should be like this---

0 Basking
____________________ UVB

Although they should be closer.

 

[Valex]

Dragons colour up every shed, so we won't know until he is an adult and has shed A LOT. Although it looks like it might have some orange or yellow morph mixed in.

That tank looks pretty small.. what is the size?

 

[sayinsorry1988]

this is how i have the tank (i already took out the water bowl after reading post)

hes in a 20 gallon long tank
i have a zoo med strip at the bottom next to the rock
im not sure about the tube since i brought it about 4 months ago and didnt need it i think its a 5.0 sun?

this is the dad, i brought the baby from breeder

 

[zebraflavencs]

Since it is time to replace that 4 month old tube, get this instead of the 5%:
http://www.petmountain.com/product/reptile-fluorescent-bulbs/504983/zoo-med-reptisun-10.0-uvb-bulb.html
Janie.

 

[sayinsorry1988]

i brought the tube about 4 months ago but didnt use it until sat. i thought i needed it for something else but i didnt and i couldnt return it

 

[zebraflavencs]

The 5% isn't a bad tube, just has less than what is needed for a dragon.
You do keep other reptiles, yes ? If so, then just get the 10% and use the 5% on something else, or as a back up.
Janie.

 

[sayinsorry1988]

The 5% isn't a bad tube, just has less than what is needed for a dragon.
You do keep other reptiles, yes ? If so, then just get the 10% and use the 5% on something else, or as a back up.
Janie.

i need to get another heat lamp first for my pythons, they been without heat since sat. which triggered mating for them

 

[Valex]

Also switch out the red coloured light for a regular house bulb that is a bright white. Bearded Dragons need bright white light to protect their eyes from the UV rays.

Next is how you are measuring temperatures. Strips/stick ons/dials are very unacruate and cannot tell you a basking temperature. They are known to be off by about 20 degres. You should invest in a temperture gun($25+/-), or a handy digital thermometer with a probe(one at walmart called acu-rite for $12 flat)

With a dragon that young you should switch out that sand for paper towels, tile, non adhesive self liner, or newspaper since dragons can easily eat it and become impacted and kill them. When the sand hits the intestines it reacts with the stomach acid and becomes like concrete and is virtually impossible to pass, especially calcium sand. Which is besides the fact that coloured sand dyes their skin.