Researching before buying and have some questions

[Nmc8912]

I've been wanting a dragon for a few years now and have been researching habitats and food and I have a few questions. First off, other than the amount of water does it matter if the crickets and other insects are dead when fed? I can deal with live worms but I'm not sure about live crickets. Second- do you tend to use separate uvb lights and heating light or one that is a combination? I have seen from what seem like legit sources you can use a combination light or use a separate uvb light and regular light bulb for a heat source. Thanks!

 

[CooperDragon]

I'm glad to see you're doing your research ahead of time. It will make a big difference. I prefer to offer live bugs because they are a main source of hydration. Bugs that eat fresh veges pass that along to your dragon. I've also found that using roaches is much easier than crickets. If you have a few months you can get a colony started ahead of time so you don't have to keep ordering bugs which saves money and hassle in the long run. A roach colony is great for composting - just feed them plenty of veg scraps and they're happy. https://www.southtexasdragons.com/dubia-roaches.html

I prefer using a separate UVB light so you can mount that based on output then you can adjust the height or output of your basking light separately to manage temperatures. I suggest getting or building a large enclosure from the start and buying high quality lighting (especially UVB) right off the bat. Building a 4'x2'x2' enclosure is a good way to go. This is a walkthrough of a popular build. https://beardies.dreamwidth.org/2145.html. I suggest getting a high quality UVB light like this http://www.lightyourreptiles.com/22-t-5-ho-fixture-high-output-with-arcadia-d3-12-ho-bulb/ You'll want to set it up so it sits about 12'' above the basking area for best results.

 

[Gormagon]

I've been wanting a dragon for a few years now and have been researching habitats and food and I have a few questions.
First off, other than the amount of water does it matter if the crickets and other insects are dead when fed?
Yes, live is always best.
I can deal with live worms but I'm not sure about live crickets.
BSFL and, Silkworms are pretty much it for staple insects (if your not getting crickets or Dubai roaches) for babies. Mealworms and, superworms are not good for babies or sub adults and, should not be fed to them.
Second- do you tend to use separate uvb lights and heating light or one that is a combination?
I prefer the striplight reptisun 10.0t5ho for uvb and a separate basking light for uva and heat.
I have seen from what seem like legit sources you can use a combination light or use a separate uvb light and regular light bulb for a heat source. Thanks!