Soon to be owners

[Randeen]

Hello everyone,
My boyfriend and I have put in a lot of consideration and have officially decided on buying a beardie We are looking for any advice about tank set up etc...we already bought a screen cage (made sure that its claws wont get caught in the holes) and are trying to find out what is best for our new family member. Any help would be greatly appreciated...
Thanks
Randeen

 

[wizbee]

Welcome! Check out the vivs forum for great pictures of setups. Look over the care sheets at the top of the page, and ask alot of questions. It's important to get it right the first time so you don't have extra expense.
Not sure you will get the desired temperatures with a screen enclosure.

 

[TheWolfmanTom]

Welcome to your new addiction.
If you can return the screen cage. It wont work for a dragon.
The care sheet link at the top is a good jump off point.
Here is another.
Http://www.tnddragons.com

 

[Randeen]

Oh geez, this will be the second time we have returned the cage, the last time we were told by the pet store that this screen cage was the best because they wouldn't run into the glass....thank you for letting me know. I have downloaded and cross referenced almost every care sheet I can find, thank you so much for the help.

 

[Sherri]

Congrats! And no need to listen to the pet store employees...you have all the wonderful advice and info you could ever need right here on the board! LOL

We just got our beardie on the 8th but had I not searched out this site I would have done *everything* wrong for our little guy :shock:

Thanks to the amazing people (and...beardies!lol) here he is happy, healthy and has a proper viv

Don't forget to send pics right away! LOL

I can't believe how quickly our little guy began loving to be held......I kept reading how they *cuddle* and especially love to dig in and fall asleep on you.....I don't think I actually believed it could really be like that..............but WOW, he loves loves loves to cuddle and fall asleep on us before bed...or after a bath.

It will take a few seconds for you to fall in love with him/her LOL :lol:

 

[Eljay]

Sherri is right (again!)

Don't listen to pet shop employees, they know sod all. You might find one who owns their own dragon, but on the whole, ignore them!

do your research here before hand. There are some very experienced people here who know a lot!

I agree about the cage, get rid of that! you want a three sided wooden/1 side glass type thing, or a glass aquarium type thing with a screen top. I personally prefer the wooden ones. This is my big girls viv here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQpbePIZ3cc

have fun, post pics as soon as you get the little guy!

 

[Randeen]

Yep we packages the screen one up, we are having my boyfriend's step dad build us a cage...I just finished drawing up the plans it will be a 3'x3'x2.5' viv, the top will be have screen so there will be ventilation and two sliding glass doors for the front wall...and we are custom building our own ladders and food dishes...I have done so much research and reading I am probably considered well knowledged by now..the only thing I am still trying to figure out is the lighting...what all lights I need and what sizes and watts, but Yes I will indeed get pictures up ASAP of both the viv and our new little girl...I am picking a name for her as we speak...I have a few I am trying to decide between: Aurora (dawn/goddess of morning), Enyo (horror/waster of cities), Isis (queen of the throne), Kunti (to call,to invoke,to pray, Rajani (night)...I really like mythology, but I am going to wait to meet her again to decide who she shall be

 

[TheWolfmanTom]

Google crossfire enclosure and they have some nice plans to check out.

And not all pet store employees ignorant people. I happen to be a pet store employee.
I think its safe to say I know my way around reptiles.

 

[Eljay]

Google crossfire enclosure and they have some nice plans to check out.

And not all pet store employees ignorant people. I happen to be a pet store employee.
I think its safe to say I know my way around reptiles.

I was more referring to the large chain ones...sorry if I offended! did not mean to...
I have a reptile pet shop near me, and they also know their stuff. However, the big multi-stores don't really have experts from what Ive seen.

 

[Randeen]

Yes I questioned their knowledge as well at Petco because I asked what all we would need for lighting and she goes...well I think most people buy X, but you could tell she didn't know for sure...we will have to temporarily house her in a smaller aquarium but she will still have plenty of play room.