newbee help!
- Thread starter samb16
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Hi, sorry to hear that your beardie is worrying you. How long have you had him? How long has he been acting this way? Could you fill us in on a few things that would help us try to figure out what might be going on?
What size tank is he in?
What is the basking bulb wattage? Is it a colored or white bulb?
What is the brand of UVB? Is it a coil, compact, strip fluorescent or mercury vapor bulb? How close is your beardie to that bulb?
What are the tank temps and what type of thermometer are you using?
What substrate is on the bottom of the tank?
How do you keep him hydrated, by bathing, misting, offering drinks on nose for him to lick off? How often?
Are you using calcium & vitamins on his food, how often?
We can help further once we know these things. thanks
What size tank is he in?
What is the basking bulb wattage? Is it a colored or white bulb?
What is the brand of UVB? Is it a coil, compact, strip fluorescent or mercury vapor bulb? How close is your beardie to that bulb?
What are the tank temps and what type of thermometer are you using?
What substrate is on the bottom of the tank?
How do you keep him hydrated, by bathing, misting, offering drinks on nose for him to lick off? How often?
Are you using calcium & vitamins on his food, how often?
We can help further once we know these things. thanks
Hi
Thanks for the reply, but unfortunetely he died yesterday.
The shop replaced him with an older dragon approximately 6 months old and although the first one was very docile, i want to make sure the new dragon's environment is correct.
3 foot tank.
150 watts red bulb.
UVB exoterra, strip fluorescent bulb, 7 inches high from the base of the vivarium, but he likes to bask about 3 inches away from the bulb.
85 degrees at the hot end and we have a cheap thermometer which we are going to replace shortly.
The substrate is reptile sand.
We just have an exoterra drinking bowl.
Not using any calcium or vitamins.
Thanks for your help.
Thanks for the reply, but unfortunetely he died yesterday.
The shop replaced him with an older dragon approximately 6 months old and although the first one was very docile, i want to make sure the new dragon's environment is correct.
3 foot tank.
150 watts red bulb.
UVB exoterra, strip fluorescent bulb, 7 inches high from the base of the vivarium, but he likes to bask about 3 inches away from the bulb.
85 degrees at the hot end and we have a cheap thermometer which we are going to replace shortly.
The substrate is reptile sand.
We just have an exoterra drinking bowl.
Not using any calcium or vitamins.
Thanks for your help.
I'm sorry that your little beardie didn't make it. 
That's so sad.
It is a good idea to make sure everything is good for this one. A 6 mo old is a good age to start with.
You mentioned that you're using an Exoterra strip fluorescent UVB, so that means that it is the Rept-Glo brand. Can you look on the side of the bulb and see what % of output it produces, like 2.0, 5.0, 8.0 or 10.0? That would be very helpful. Being able to get 3" from it is too close and he should only be able to get a minimum of 6" from it unless it is a Repti-Glo 10.0, then the distance shouldn't be any closer than 10 inches, that's very important.
Using a red basking bulb is not a good idea because it can cause eye issues and it also doesn't help reduce the glare of the UVB light. A bright white basking bulb is best and it should be right alongside the UVB. A 150 watt bulb seems like an awful lot of wattage for only a 3 ft tank. I would suggest you remove the red bulb and replace it with a 100 watt white standard household lightbulb for now. It's very important that you find out what the temps really are because if the tank is too hot it can cause a heatstroke and rapid dehydration. I suspect the basking temp is a lot hotter than 85 degrees. The only 2 ways to get an accurate reading are with either a temperature gun or a digital thermometer with a long wire & probe end. Here's a picture of the digital that I bought at Walmart for about $12.00, it's the AcuRite brand and you should find it in the area where outdoor plastic thermometers are sold.
You mentioned that you're using reptile sand, if it's calci-sand, it contains calcium & encourages them to lick it causing a build up over time and hardening in their bellies like cement. And if it's vita-sand, it contains vitamins which is also an impaction risk. I suggest you remove it and replace with even paper towels for now then later on replace with either non-adhesive shelf liner, reptile carpet or slate tiles.
With a 6 month old beardie, you should be dusting his live food 5 days a wk with calcium with D3 but is phosphorus-free with a product like this on 5 days a wk but only 1 feeding a day: http://www.petmountain.com/product/supplements/105551/rep-cal-ultrafine-calcium-with-vitamin-d3.html
Keeping babies well hydrated by bathing 3 to 4 times a wk is a good idea with the vent area (where they poop) right down in the water for about 15 to 20 min. Test the water by the inside of your wrist, should be warm but not hot, be sure to put a washcloth or dishtowel down in the bottom of sink or transparent container to help keep them from sliding around.
I know this is a lot of information but want to make sure everything is perfect for your beardie. If you have any questions, let us know. Oh, and we LOVE to see pictures.
That's so sad.It is a good idea to make sure everything is good for this one. A 6 mo old is a good age to start with.
You mentioned that you're using an Exoterra strip fluorescent UVB, so that means that it is the Rept-Glo brand. Can you look on the side of the bulb and see what % of output it produces, like 2.0, 5.0, 8.0 or 10.0? That would be very helpful. Being able to get 3" from it is too close and he should only be able to get a minimum of 6" from it unless it is a Repti-Glo 10.0, then the distance shouldn't be any closer than 10 inches, that's very important.
Using a red basking bulb is not a good idea because it can cause eye issues and it also doesn't help reduce the glare of the UVB light. A bright white basking bulb is best and it should be right alongside the UVB. A 150 watt bulb seems like an awful lot of wattage for only a 3 ft tank. I would suggest you remove the red bulb and replace it with a 100 watt white standard household lightbulb for now. It's very important that you find out what the temps really are because if the tank is too hot it can cause a heatstroke and rapid dehydration. I suspect the basking temp is a lot hotter than 85 degrees. The only 2 ways to get an accurate reading are with either a temperature gun or a digital thermometer with a long wire & probe end. Here's a picture of the digital that I bought at Walmart for about $12.00, it's the AcuRite brand and you should find it in the area where outdoor plastic thermometers are sold.
You mentioned that you're using reptile sand, if it's calci-sand, it contains calcium & encourages them to lick it causing a build up over time and hardening in their bellies like cement. And if it's vita-sand, it contains vitamins which is also an impaction risk. I suggest you remove it and replace with even paper towels for now then later on replace with either non-adhesive shelf liner, reptile carpet or slate tiles.
With a 6 month old beardie, you should be dusting his live food 5 days a wk with calcium with D3 but is phosphorus-free with a product like this on 5 days a wk but only 1 feeding a day: http://www.petmountain.com/product/supplements/105551/rep-cal-ultrafine-calcium-with-vitamin-d3.html
Keeping babies well hydrated by bathing 3 to 4 times a wk is a good idea with the vent area (where they poop) right down in the water for about 15 to 20 min. Test the water by the inside of your wrist, should be warm but not hot, be sure to put a washcloth or dishtowel down in the bottom of sink or transparent container to help keep them from sliding around.
I know this is a lot of information but want to make sure everything is perfect for your beardie. If you have any questions, let us know. Oh, and we LOVE to see pictures.
Thank you very much for all the help.
I made some mistakes with the measurements. The fluorescent bulb is 10 inches away from the base of the tank and the highest point that can be climbed is 6 inches away from the bulb.
The fluorescent bulb is a 5.0.
Im sorry, i dont know how to get pictures into the text. If you could help me with that too, that'd be great.
I made some mistakes with the measurements. The fluorescent bulb is 10 inches away from the base of the tank and the highest point that can be climbed is 6 inches away from the bulb.
The fluorescent bulb is a 5.0.
Im sorry, i dont know how to get pictures into the text. If you could help me with that too, that'd be great.
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