New to Beardies

[OsiViper]

:study: Fairly Long Post! :study:
Have always wanted a Bearded Dragon since I was younger, and finally at a point in my life where I have the time to take care of one. So I have been doing research as well as starting to purchase supplies.

Stuff I have ordered so far:
Exo-Terra 36x18x18 Enclosure
Zilla Terrarium Liner
Exo-Terra Mirror Light Dome (7" and 5.5")
Hammock
Plants & Logs
Analog Thermometer and Humidify meter

Working on building an Atmega based Temperature & Humidity monitor for his cage so I can measure hot and cold sides of cage as well as humidity and see it via the internet while I'm at work and see trends.

For the light dome's I plan on running either a Exo-Terra, Zoo Med or Mega-Ray Mercury Vapor bulb in the large dome and maybe a Reptisun 10.0 CF in the small dome. For the cold side I plan on using a 24 inch Reptisun 10.0 Light. Will that be too much UVB? Should I go with a 24" Reptisun 2.0 (NatureSun) on the cold side? Or Swap out the 10.0 CF for a 5.0 CF next to the MVB and leave the 24" 10.0?

I also plan on ordering some crickets online before he shows up and I haven't picked out one yet (see next question) but I want to get some crickets so they're here. What size should I get? I know the general rule is nothing bigger than the width of their eyes, but I If I don't have one yet is there close guesstimate? And how fast do crickets grow? If I order 500 crickets and it eats 50+ a day, that is less than 10 days of food.. But If I order 1,000 crickets, will they grow to big before the beardie can eat all of them?

Last question! Where is a good breeder to get a Beardie from? Would like to get Red/Orange Leatherback.

Thanks for Any info!

 

[OsiViper]

Also, after doing some more research I plan on using Dubia roaches instead of crickets. And start a colony so I don't have to buy food.

I really don't like the cricket noise or the fact that you can end up with them around the house when they get loose.

 

[CooperDragon]

It's a good idea to start a dubia colony. I have one and it's much easier to care for than crickets. Give it a few months to mature and get established before you start feeding from it (you could start a second bin for feeders if you want). I started with a large mix of maybe 600 bugs and it worked well in a 20g tank with a mesh top for a while. You can use a rubbermaid bin too.

I have the same tank and advise using a dome fixture with a bright white basking bulb. I've found the ZooMed Repti Basking spot 150w to work pretty well. I also have some GE 90w PAR38 halogen flood lights that work. I would get a T5 UVB tube instead of using a coil because the distances in a tank that size won't provide effective UVB exposure. The T8 bulbs aren't really powerful enough to provide adequate UVB either. I suggest either of these:
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/

I use the Arcadia setup and like it quite a bit. Here's a photo of my setup. The basking light is on the left, the UVB runs across the front (I have the 36'' but would go with a 24'' if I had it to do again - lots of power from that light). I have a CHE on the right (cool) side for use during winter nights as needed. It's usually off.

 

[OsiViper]

Well just got my new guy in today!
I named him Joffrey! :twisted:

Tried to feed him today but didn't eat any greens and only ate 3 small Dubias. So hopefully tomorrow he will be better. He seems slightly timid (at times) but I had him out around feeding time and he likes sitting on my hand and doesn't want to get off.

Have a Dubia colony started and also have about 1000 small ones to feed with until it gets going.

 

[CooperDragon]

Great! Having fun with him so far? Give him some time to settle in and I'm sure his appetite will pick right up. Can you post some photos of him?

 

[OsiViper]

Will get some pictures of him and enclosure tomorrow.

Gotta hook up Herpstat 2 tomorrow. Have some Flexwatt that I am sticking under cage and a CHE over cage. My room can get kinda cold at night so I'm gonna have the CHE try and keep it about 70-75 and if it gets below 70 the under tank Flexwatt will come on just to provide a little supplemental heat to keep it above 70. And with the Flexwatt being on the Herpstat it wont ever get more than warm (its under carpet anyhow)

 

[CooperDragon]

Sounds good. Can you hook the CHE up to the Herpstat and just have that kick in if it dips below 65 and turn off once it hits low 70s? I think that would be more effective than a surface contact based tape. The Flexwatt would be good for a dubia tank but I would stick with a CHE for nighttime heat in a dragon enclosure.

 

[OsiViper]

The CHE is gonna be on the herpstat, but I only have a 60 watt CHE and can't really put it inside tank since its a glass tank so it will be limited in how much heat it can provide.. Chances are it can keep tank above 70 but if not I have the Flexwatt there just for emergency heat.

 

[CooperDragon]

That's fine. I found that my 50w CHE did the job at 19'' up and my 100w CHE was plenty at 25'' up from the floor of the tank (so I favored the 50w). Just enough for a little temp bump on the cold winter nights. The difference is that the CHE will heat the air in the tank while the heat strips will only heat what they're in contact with and in close vicinity.

 

[OsiViper]

How long should I wait before getting worried if his eating doesn't pick up? I know babies shouldn't go too long without eating. He's only about 7" long

 

[CooperDragon]

I've read about them going a week without eating much. They're all different though so just keep offering food and he'll pick up when he's ready. Your setup sounds good so I wouldn't worry too much.

 

[OsiViper]

Here are pics.

Also, was gonna ask.. How long does it take to tame a beardie? He is calm most of the time, doesn't flinch to much with my hand in the cage, but gets finicky when I go to pick him up. Also try to sit down with him and just have him lay with me when I watch TV but he tries to run off and I don't want him to get lost in the couch or jump off and get hurt.

 

[OsiViper]

He seems kind of sporadic right now.. Some times he's calm and lets me pick him up with no problems other times he tries to run away from my hand and get away from me if I do pick him up.

Wonder if its cause he's shedding or he's just not fully used to me yet.

 

[CooperDragon]

Could be a bit of both. Shedding can put them in odd moods for a while. I'd just roll with it for now.