Water Bowl?

[peeka]

Do I need to leave a shallow bowl of water available for my bearded dragon? or do they get all the moisture they need from misting and eating their greens. I do have a bowl in there currently but I wanted to make sure this was ok

Thanks

Ally

 

[Grogshla]

you should have a shallow water bowl on the cool side of your tank.
be sure to mist your dragon every few days and give him a warm bath/soak for 20 mins once a week.

 

[catUK]

I used to have a water bowl but saw many posts/articles saying it is not necessary. many beardies don't drink from a water bowl and get their moisture from salad and misting/bathing. I removed my water bowl because she didn't use it and it can raise humidity levels in the viv, which may cause respitory problems.

 

[jeritta]

We have very low humidity in our house so that is not an issue. All 4 of our dragons will drink from their bowls and all 4 will also "swim" in their bowls. Gobi also likes to put her squash in there and soak it before she eats it. she is strange.

 

[techdave]

Gobi also likes to put her squash in there and soak it before she eats it. she is strange.

Hehe She's a racoon in reptile clothing

 

[Slave2Scarlett]

I have a shallow water bowl in Scarlett's viv as well and she drinks from it occasionally... She really likes to drink at bath time..lol

 

[peeka]

Thank you for the replies. Skittles is not touching his/her greens at all as of yet so maybe I should leave it in until then.
I'm also worried he/she is not getting enough to eat, since he won't touch the greens and then he eats some of the crickets but alot of them end up hiding so I try to catch them and put them in front of him. He is in a 40 gallon is this too big for a baby I fear it is giving the crickets too much of an opportunity to hide. Any advice? should I take him out to feed him?

sorry for all the rambling

Ally

 

[Slave2Scarlett]

Thank you for the replies. Skittles is not touching his/her greens at all as of yet so maybe I should leave it in until then.
I'm also worried he/she is not getting enough to eat, since he won't touch the greens and then he eats some of the crickets but alot of them end up hiding so I try to catch them and put them in front of him. He is in a 40 gallon is this too big for a baby I fear it is giving the crickets too much of an opportunity to hide. Any advice? should I take him out to feed him?

sorry for all the rambling

Ally

My baby is only 8weeks and she's in a 4x2x2 and loves it however I do have a plastic bin that I put her in to eat that way she doesn't have to chase them and theirs nOne left in the viv

 

[techdave]

You will want to put her another bin to eat. If a cricket happens to escape notice and noght time comes around, they will sometimes eat parts of your beardie, eyelids, toes......

 

[peeka]

I will try doing it that way, if I can catch him. I can touch his tail and his head but he squirms if I try to hold him so hopefully I can transfer him to a smaller container for feed times without too much stress
Thanks so much

Ally

 

[william212]

... however I do have a plastic bin that I put her in to eat that way she doesn't have to chase them

I've wondered about that practice - how healthy can it be for them not to chase and hunt their pray as they would in the wild?

Granted that the wild does not equate to the healthiest reptile, but does giving your pet the "life of Riley" make them healthier and more content?

I remove crickets from the tank as I've read repeatedly how they can bother your dragon and have read horrendous posts of crickets who can feast on one's reptile, yet in the countless hours I've observed my dragon, I've never seen a cricket nip at him.

Could it be because my crickets are well fed and can eat the greens in the tank just as readily? Even then, they're so gut loaded by the time I place them in the tank that they rarely much on any greens.

Sometimes I've seen my bearded flick off a cricket but most times after he's satiated his appetite, he ignores them. Much as in nature, having a cricket or two in the tank gives him the ability to graze and hunt as wanted rather than having an imposed feeding schedule.

Nonetheless, I'm in the process of bulling a shelter and basking spot that I plan on making semi-cricket proof to provide a reprise from crickets and will see if it works.

 

[Slave2Scarlett]

I do this for Scarlett b/c she is only 8weeks old and her viv is quite large so she would never be able to find them all.. As they get older i'm sure its fine to feed them in the viv.. and a lot of people still do.. Everyone will do things a little different depending on whats better for you and your beardie...

 

[catUK]

Could it be because my crickets are well fed and can eat the greens in the tank just as readily? Even then, they're so gut loaded by the time I place them in the tank that they rarely much on any greens.

I feed my beardie the crickets in her viv. Crickets are omnivores and will much prefer eating the salad than eating the beardie. They will only eat the beardie as a last resort if they have nothing else to eat. I have accidently left an un-noticed cricket in the viv at night a couple of times and luckily there were no nips on my beardie.

 

[peeka]

Well after 3 days I have already decided I am so over crickets and have placed an order for reptiworms

Ally

 

[ailiah27]

Thanks for that great info,really helps on me....