New Owner

[MyAmigoTigo]

So, I had seen a post on Facebook beginning of June about someone recently having a newborn baby so they had to let go of their 5yr old beardie. I didn't hear back till a few days ago. Unfortunately I don't get paid till this Friday so I couldn't purchase a daylight or food.

It came with the tank, a basking light, 3 water dishes. A dome rock enclosure thing. A stick enclosure and a slate rock with a big piece of wood attached.
And an exoterra cheap thermometer and humidity thing. He came with some sort of red sand also and what looks like mossy dirt idk. She also gave me superworms for him. I have questions about caring for these guys.

Question 1: I have read that it is better to line the tank with Tile or something flat, he has sand in it and seems pretty contempt so I dont really want to change the substrate.

Question 2: He is located in my room, which isnt small but also isnt big. It gets really cold in the winter and really hot in the summer. Today it spiked at around 41 Celsius with the humidity and its only supposed to get worse. I know he is cold blooded and like humid temps but I am unsure if he will be alright till i get paid this friday to purchase a proper lid and temp readers. His current lid only covers 3/4 of the tank. I have his "cool spot" on the open side. I put the humidity/thermom on the cool side aswell, it is reading around 80-90. I keep the basking light on a 12 hour cycle, it may stay on an extra hour or two depending on if i get held at work so I may be purchasing a timer. I am unsure of the Wattage but he does seem fine with it. I turn it off at night and unfortuantely i have no other heating source for him while it is off that doesnt produce light until i get paid. His humidity level was reading around 80% today and i was worried so i googled and read it should be between 50-60% , i held a fan to his tank to bring down the humidity levels because the fan running in the room wasnt excactly working, it stabilised at around 40 but he is fine it seems.

Question 3: When i pick him up, he still kind of jitters backwards, but i have him by all limbs, hes fine once on my shoulder though. Just wondering if this is normal.

Question 4: How often should I bathe him? I did it today for the first time since i had him, he drank a bit which I also read is good. And I also brushed him down with a childs soft bristle tooth brush, i have read that it helps with the shedding.

Question 5: Dont know if im over reacting or never noticed at first but his bottom eyelid seems to be dark or got darker, is this normal?

Question 6: I smoke the good stuff and the bad. The previous owner did so while he was inroom/ on her shoulder and I REFUSE to make the little guys lungs suffer like mine are, so i stopped smoking in my bedroom to help, but we still smoke through out house. I keep door closed for most part but because as i mentioned previously, it gets hot, i do have it open to let a breeze through.

Sorry for the novel, I had a baby one die on me back in the day and have only owned aquariums since but I saw this guy and couldnt resist so I want to finish raising him in the correct circumstances/ environment.



Any advice on what to purchase or change is accepted.

Below are images of him and his set up. Im making due with what i have given to me until friday. Thanks again!

PLEASE NOTE THE TEMPERATURE YOU ARE READING IS THE NIGHT TIME TEMP, TURNED LIGHT ON IN ROOM FOR PICTURE

 

[MyAmigoTigo]

Also, it is a 75 gal tank. Has a mirror glued to back.

 

[CooperDragon]

A 75g tank is a good size, so that's a good place to start. There can be several improvements made to ensure he's healthy. If he doesn't have proper lighting, he'll probably be OK until Friday but try taking him outside for a bit if the weather is nice. The natural sunlight is very good for them.

1) The solid substrate is easier to keep clean/sanitary which is why it's often recommended. Non adhesive shelf liner or ceramic tile are good options because they're easy to clean. Sand can harbor bacteria and become unsanitary especially if he poops in the tank. There are some other options that are a bit more natural but I suggest using a solid substrate for now for sanitation and simplicity.

2) A fan should help cut humidity a bit, but I really wouldn't rely on the readings of those stick on thermometers. They just aren't that accurate and you want to get surface temp readings along with the ambient temperatures. In my experience, regular room humidity is OK for them so I don't bother measuring it. If you have extra money leftover then picking up a digital hygrometer will give you a better reading than the stick on dial you have. The more important thing to have an accurate measurement of is temperature. I suggest picking up a temperature gun so you can read surface temps throughout the tank. You'll want to adjust the basking light so you get a basking area the size of your dragon or a bit bigger of around 38C. There should be an area around that of slightly lower temperatures of 32-33 or so and then a gradient down to about 24-29 on the cool side of the tank. I suggest getting a dome fixture for your basking light (bright white light with heat) and putting it on an adjustable lamp stand. Being able to easily change the height of the basking bulb will help you regulate the temperature in the enclosure. If the temperatures in the tank stay above 18 overnight, you don't need any nighttime heat. If they drop below that, I'd get a second dome fixture and put a low wattage ceramic heat emitter in it that you can run overnight to bump the temps up a little bit. The key to this is getting a temp gun or good digital thermometer with a probe so you have accurate readings. Something like this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JA3BMDW/


You'll also need a good UVB light. For a tank that size, I suggest getting a T5 bulb with reflective fixture. You can mount this on top of the tank next to the basking bulb. Here are some good options:
This fixture http://www.amazon.com/Sunblaster-904296-NanoTech-Fixture-Reflector/dp/B00AKKUBDQ
With this bulb http://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-ReptiSun-10-0-Lamp/dp/B00AQU8HAO/

Or this combo set http://www.lightyourreptiles.com/22-t-5-ho-fixture-high-output-with-arcadia-d3-12-ho-bulb/

3) It's normal for them to be timid if they aren't used to being handled. Just be gentile with him, give him full support as you mentioned you're doing, and be patient.

4) If he's drinking in the bath, that's good. I provide baths every day because it offers a chance for a drink and a poop. You don't need to do it that often though. A weekly bath is fine. It really just depends on your schedule and what kind of routine you want to set up.

5) It's hard to say without a clear picture. It's possible that the area is about to shed. It could also be a symptom of dehydration (sunken eyes).

6) Smoke isn't healthy for them but as long as there is air circulation and you aren't smoking in the same room I don't think it will be an immediate danger to him.

Hopefully this helps. Please let me know if you have any further questions.

 

[MyAmigoTigo]

A 75g tank is a good size, so that's a good place to start. There can be several improvements made to ensure he's healthy. If he doesn't have proper lighting, he'll probably be OK until Friday but try taking him outside for a bit if the weather is nice. The natural sunlight is very good for them.

1) The solid substrate is easier to keep clean/sanitary which is why it's often recommended. Non adhesive shelf liner or ceramic tile are good options because they're easy to clean. Sand can harbor bacteria and become unsanitary especially if he poops in the tank. There are some other options that are a bit more natural but I suggest using a solid substrate for now for sanitation and simplicity.

2) A fan should help cut humidity a bit, but I really wouldn't rely on the readings of those stick on thermometers. They just aren't that accurate and you want to get surface temp readings along with the ambient temperatures. In my experience, regular room humidity is OK for them so I don't bother measuring it. If you have extra money leftover then picking up a digital hygrometer will give you a better reading than the stick on dial you have. The more important thing to have an accurate measurement of is temperature. I suggest picking up a temperature gun so you can read surface temps throughout the tank. You'll want to adjust the basking light so you get a basking area the size of your dragon or a bit bigger of around 38C. There should be an area around that of slightly lower temperatures of 32-33 or so and then a gradient down to about 24-29 on the cool side of the tank. I suggest getting a dome fixture for your basking light (bright white light with heat) and putting it on an adjustable lamp stand. Being able to easily change the height of the basking bulb will help you regulate the temperature in the enclosure. If the temperatures in the tank stay above 18 overnight, you don't need any nighttime heat. If they drop below that, I'd get a second dome fixture and put a low wattage ceramic heat emitter in it that you can run overnight to bump the temps up a little bit. The key to this is getting a temp gun or good digital thermometer with a probe so you have accurate readings. Something like this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JA3BMDW/


You'll also need a good UVB light. For a tank that size, I suggest getting a T5 bulb with reflective fixture. You can mount this on top of the tank next to the basking bulb. Here are some good options:
This fixture http://www.amazon.com/Sunblaster-904296-NanoTech-Fixture-Reflector/dp/B00AKKUBDQ
With this bulb http://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-ReptiSun-10-0-Lamp/dp/B00AQU8HAO/

Or this combo set http://www.lightyourreptiles.com/22-t-5-ho-fixture-high-output-with-arcadia-d3-12-ho-bulb/

3) It's normal for them to be timid if they aren't used to being handled. Just be gentile with him, give him full support as you mentioned you're doing, and be patient.

4) If he's drinking in the bath, that's good. I provide baths every day because it offers a chance for a drink and a poop. You don't need to do it that often though. A weekly bath is fine. It really just depends on your schedule and what kind of routine you want to set up.

5) It's hard to say without a clear picture. It's possible that the area is about to shed. It could also be a symptom of dehydration (sunken eyes).

6) Smoke isn't healthy for them but as long as there is air circulation and you aren't smoking in the same room I don't think it will be an immediate danger to him.

Hopefully this helps. Please let me know if you have any further questions.

OK thank you for all the advice. I will be doing ceramic tiling throughout the tank, but will still leave some sand. Only because, I would imagine since he is five, he was in sand for the majority of his life and I don't want to adjust his living habits to much to fit my needs if that makes sense lol.

But I will add an updated picture Friday after work. Here a few of him and his eye. I believe he is shedding.

 

[MyAmigoTigo]

 

[CooperDragon]

Poor little guy looks pretty skinny. Definitely keep up with offering extra fluids. How is his appetite? If he's going after bugs or will eat fresh veges, great. Just gutload the bugs and rinse the veges. Otherwise I'd try some baby food on his nose and see if he licks that up. Green beans, squash, and sweet potato have worked best for me. They will provide some nutrients and hydration and hopefully get his weight up a bit. I'd use a kitchen scale to measure his weight (I used a shoebox top to hold Dundee in and get a good measurement) and just keep a chart so you know how he's trending.

 

[MyAmigoTigo]

Poor little guy looks pretty skinny. Definitely keep up with offering extra fluids. How is his appetite? If he's going after bugs or will eat fresh veges, great. Just gutload the bugs and rinse the veges. Otherwise I'd try some baby food on his nose and see if he licks that up. Green beans, squash, and sweet potato have worked best for me. They will provide some nutrients and hydration and hopefully get his weight up a bit. I'd use a kitchen scale to measure his weight (I used a shoebox top to hold Dundee in and get a good measurement) and just keep a chart so you know how he's trending.

I asked her how often she fed him after reading your post and she said pretty much "whenever lol" -.-

She said she took him to vets and everything was fine. She also stated he doesn't eat greens. I have been feeding him everyday since getting him (past 5 or 6 days) and he has been eating quite a bit. I have been changing his water everyday but he doesn't seem to touch it. I check when I get off work. Tomorrow is pay day and I will be investing in a lot of goodies for him.

 

[CooperDragon]

Any vet worth their salt would know he's too skinny before they even touched him. I'm glad his appetite is up, that's a really good sign and will make it easier to bring his health back up. Don't worry too much about the water. They don't all drink from standing water. Provide him with baths and see if he'll drink from those. You can also try dripping some water on his nose and see if he'll lick it up that way. It's good to hear he gets spoiled now and has a bunch of goodies on the way =)

 

[kmc4392]

This guy is lucky to have you for a parent now :] Glad you chose this site to ask questions and consult for help. When I rescued my beardie I was so nervous and the people here, Cooper being one of them, really helped me understand and learn how to care for my pretty girl.

Hope everything goes well and welcome to the site!!

 

[MyAmigoTigo]

Yes. I unfortunately am running on a budget this cheque so I couldn't get exactly everything I needed. But I did get him a proper daylight. I got timers for the lights and a digital temp reader that also shows humidity levels. It is reading 40degrees Celsius in his basking area. If I'm correct that's around 100 F and his cool side is reading around 80. I couldn't afford to purchase a full mesh lid so I have placed Styrofoam 4 sided thing where the empty spot was and it has the day light on it on the far side of tank. I also got him calcium and vitamin supps as well as mealworms. Though the clerk at the store was telling me to make sure he eats them all or take rest out of tank, they can harm him. Not sure how true that is. But I need to run to store I'll be back to talk more.

 

[MyAmigoTigo]

Daylight: http://www.exo-terra.com/en/products/reptile_uvb150.php

I also wanted to get him a "sand mat" but wasnt sure. Any thought's cooper? http://www.exo-terra.com/en/products/sand_mat.php

He is only eating twice a day and usually 2-3 meal worms each feeding. i shake em in both the vita and calcium.

Picking baby food up tomorrow

 

[kmc4392]

mealworms are not a good staple diet source for Beardies. They don't provide enough protein and can cause impaction. The clerk was right by saying remove the ones your beardie doesn't eat because any insect will try to bite your beardie and can cause harm.

I give my girl crickets, which some people would still say aren't the greatest thing to feed them, but I don't want roaches in my house lol. Same thing goes for the crickets, whatever he doesn't eat, take them out so they don't bother your beardie when he's sleeping at night.

Hopefully Cooper can provide some more insight as to what the proper staple diet sources are for you, but if you can get crickets that's a start :]

 

[BeardieMommy3991]

Glad you took this guy in! He looks pretty thin, but otherwise okay.

I'm sure he'll gain weight in no time! As they said, meal worms have a lot of chitin which is hard to digest. I used crickets myself, but my now adult eats superworms (sort of like mealworms but a bit bigger, and bred for softer shells.

I promise your scaly child wont miss sand if you switched over. They live in the wild on hard packed clay, so living in sand is hard on their limbs and they sometimes can ingest it. The sand mat would be fine.

His eyes look normal, not sunken in or anything.

Someone else may chime in, but I know several issues have been recorded with coil lights, and the most reliable options are the Reptisun 10.0 tube or the arcadia 12. Keep an eye on your beardie for any strange behavior with the coil light, but I would recommend you get one of the mentioned ones. The Reptisun tube is only $22 on petmountain.com.

Best of luck nursing him back to full potential! Real sunlight does wonders for them, but they can get pretty fast when they are "sunned up" so keep watch!

 

[MyAmigoTigo]

Yea I did have 50 Crickets purchased but i didnt have anything to put them in when I got home. Thought they would be ok in Bag till i went to work next day. They chewed whole....and i lost about 40 of em around house lol.

But he seems to be having no problems digesting food, i found 3 piles after 2 days in his tank. I have seen the superworms, they look insane lol. I don't touch anything I feed him. I tong it all the way. Im a straight up softie when it comes to bugs lol. But with his size I wasn't sure if I should get them...

As for the light, this one is only temporary until my next pay (2weeks). I had to pay my rent as the first was today and had to purchase groceries for when my daughter came to visit . The reflectors were priced at $65.00 and the tubes were going for $22.00.

And as for the sand. Thank you. I will be switching immediately lol.

 

[MyAmigoTigo]

Well he seems to be more active with the new daylight in, always running around. But last night my area got hit by a storm (that toronto one) and the temp dropped to 24C in the tank, and this morning when i woke up he had his neck frilled out. normal?