New to the forum! Couple questions!

[mtthwvlz]

Hey guys im new to the forum, Ive got a translucent bearded dragon named Frenchie! Hes currently about 2 months old (got him feb 5th from reptile shop and they said he was about a month old). Hes currently is a 20 gallon long terrarium with a custom environment I made. Quick question, about when do you think he is going to be due for a 40 gallon tank? As well as how many crickets should he be eating? He usually will eat about 40 a day with a horn worm or 2 if i have em as a treat. His body is currently in shed again, its been about the 4th shed since ive gotten him, is that normal?

 

[KeyBlu422]

Optimally, He should be fed 3 times a day and for each meal, give however many crickets your beardy can eat in a 10-15 session. Dust 5 times a week with calcium and 2 times a week with a quality multivitamin such as Herptivite by rep cal.

 

[KeyBlu422]

When he's around six months or so, I think it'd be a good idea to upgrade then, since you'd have to do it later on anyway. Once he is full grown, a four foot long tank or larger is best but some people just use 36x18x18 for fully grown beardies as well.

 

[mtthwvlz]

So I know he should be fed "optimally" 3 times a day but i leave for work at 730am and get home about 4-5pm so i currently turn on the light at 7 and try to throw about 25 crickets in at lunch time which he usually eats all of em. Then I feed him around 530pm and turn the lights off around 7-730pm. Does he look healthy for his age, anything to worry about?

 

[mtthwvlz]

The second feeding is about 30 crickets aswell with maybe a hornworm if I have one. Also I leave kale in a dish for him and I dust that aswell, when I get home it looks a little dried out but its moved sometimes so I think hes eating a couple leaves atleast at the moment.

 

[KeyBlu422]

For his age, he definitely looks like he's growing at a nice rate and how you mention he continuously sheds further proves it. If you can, for those two times you give him crickets, try and set aside more time each feeding than if you were to feed him 3 times a day. However, regardless of what you do or change, if you feed him like he is being fed right now, he likely grow up to be a healthy average dragon.

 

[mtthwvlz]

Awesome, thanks

 

[KeyBlu422]

Awesome, thanks

No problem! On a side note, you may want to switch your veggies and put them on a cycle. Like one week do kale and some other veggies, second week do collard greens and some other veggie, etc.

Here are some good charts

http://www.thebeardeddragon.org/what-do-bearded-dragons-eat.php

http://www.bearded-dragon-food.com/

http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Nutrition.html

 

[mtthwvlz]

Thank you for the info, one more question as well, hes a bit skittish when I go to pick him up and I saw somewhere that you shouldnt let them run away because they will think thats how they get their "freedom", and to kind of grab the tail if they try and jump just to secure them in your hand. Is there any downside to grabbing the tail? ( not pulling or hanging him by it obviously)

 

[KeyBlu422]

Thank you for the info, one more question as well, hes a bit skittish when I go to pick him up and I saw somewhere that you shouldnt let them run away because they will think thats how they get their "freedom", and to kind of grab the tail if they try and jump just to secure them in your hand. Is there any downside to grabbing the tail? ( not pulling or hanging him by it obviously)

Well, to prevent skittishness, then remove the hides and whatnot. Grabbing the tail, I would believe that to be an abdolute last resort because, while beardies don't drop their tails, it would still be extremely stressful. Baby dragons are usually skittish, with good reason. I at least, minimized contact with my beardy when he was a baby since I let him out once and he took off under a table, it was hard to get him out. Now that he's a 5 yr old adult, I handle him whenever and, as many places describe, he is as docile as can be(usually).