We have added a great new addition to our family

[CaptainRedbeard]

Hello everyone my name is Jason this is Khaos our families new addition to the house. My girl suprised me with him about a month ago. I did splurge and upgraded his viv without really researching or looking around and his lights as well. I have not gotten any thermometers yet seeing as how I spent 232 dollars at the pet store on his tank and UVb light and his basking light his uvb bulb is a reptisun 5.0 uvb and I bought the red basking light. And like I said my girl and I have four kids and they all just started school again. I do have some things was wondering about. My viv the screens on the top lock into place two different screens with three locks on each side my question is do or should his bulbs be inside the viv attached some how safely out of reach? Also he is a year and a half we we're told.do not know anything about how he was raised because my wife's friends found him on Craigslist for free. Just him no tank because his owner wasn't handling him and he was getting aggressive. I can say since we have had him he really hasn't shown aggression suree he may have his days where he puffs up but I fixed that but covering three sides of his tank his reflection was really messing him up. Anyways ya that's about all oh ya feeding him baby spring mix everyday and so far crickets about once a week but have started talking to someone about buying a colony start of some Dubai Roaches now its just convincing the wife lol. Anyways feel free to offer advice as this is my first reptile of any kind and I really love him.

 

[kyleena29]

So I have a few suggestions. Your uvb, should be a 10.0, 5.0 is not enough for a bearded dragon. You can order one and then swap it out, return the other to the store. They are way cheaper online. Make sure there is no lens cover on the uvb. I would use a bright white/daylight for basking not red. If you get the 10.0 T5 high output you could just set it on top of the screen. I don't know if you have a T5 or T8 fixture so then you would have to change that as well. If you can still return the stuff to the store I would change them. There is a way to mount inside if you want to stick with a T8 fixture. I never had to mount one before so hopefully someone else can tell you how to do it. I will post a couple of links where the bulbs/fixtures are petty cheap if you decide on the T5.

https://www.amazon.com/6500K-Aquarium-Light-Freshwater-Extendable/dp/B016X3LD4E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1474579600&sr=8-1&keywords=B016X3LD4E

http://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/zoo-med-reptisun-100-uvb-t5-ho-lamp
http://www.petmountain.com/product/reptile-fluorescent-bulbs/11442-580035/zoo-med-zoo-med-reptisun-t5-ho-10-0-uvb-high-output-bulbs.html

 

[CaptainRedbeard]

Thank you kyleena29 for the information and the links. I thought that that is what the uvb bulb was supposed to be but the guy at the pet store by my house came highly recommended by a few friends of mine so i didnt question him.

 

[kyleena29]

That's too bad I hate to think about other misinformed new beardie owners like myself in the past. If you see him again I'd would talk to him about it. So many people getting the wrong information. Good luck with your new family member!

 

[CaptainRedbeard]

Ya im kinda upset i splurged thought i was doing the right thing he doesnt seem to mind the red bulb so much as it isnt at night time but i definitely am going to say something to him next time im there. Becasue this is the guy who goes around to other pet stores and check their vivs and such. i have a question is it better to have the bulb off i thought i read somewhere if you have the wrong uvb bulb its worse then it is to not have one?

 

[kyleena29]

That is for the CFL or coiled looking bulb. I have seen people use the red bulb but I have read that it could bother their eyes as they see light differently than us. The 5.0 has a weaker uvb output and will not be good long term and is used for different reptiles that don't need the sun as much. It would be fine for now but I would give him additional sun time outside if weather permits. In fact, anytime outside is quite beneficial over a bulb. I have learned over the years to buy bulbs and supplies and food online, it is soooo much cheaper than the pet store.

 

[CaptainRedbeard]

ya not going to be able to go outside anytime soon as we are located in the pacific northwest. And ya Im going to be looking into getting him different lights soon. Maybe that would explain the not going to the bath room. i think in the month we have had him he has used the bathroom twice. I am feeding greens everyday baby spring mix and crickets about once a week. i am looking into dubai roaches as well trying to convice my girl into letting me breed a colony in the house. I have given like three baths and he always drinks the water. I did grab a spray bottle that has been used strictly for water (spraying the cat) and i put it on stream setting and barely pushed the trigger so it would drip out and he was licking it up did that for about a minute until he stopped drinking and walked away.

 

[VexLight]

Aww adorable

 

[kingofnobbys]

Hello everyone my name is Jason this is Khaos our families new addition to the house. My girl suprised me with him about a month ago. I did splurge and upgraded his viv without really researching or looking around and his lights as well. I have not gotten any thermometers yet seeing as how I spent 232 dollars at the pet store on his tank and UVb light and his basking light his uvb bulb is a reptisun 5.0 uvb <<<< 5% UVB is NOT ADEQUATE for a bearded dragon , you need to replace this IMMEDIATELY with a UV source rated at least 10% UVB
and I bought the red basking light. <<<< red basking globes are worthless for a bearded dragon, he needs a white / yellow sun-like colour clear colourless par38 incandescent globe or equivalent - cheaper to avoid "reptile" brand basking globes as they are waste of money UNLESS you choose to install a MVB bulb (these provide bright light, heat , UVB and UVA all in , and it will need to be mounted in a high temperature ceramic light fitting.

Can you run a tape measure on the enclosure and tell us it's actual internal dimensions.
>>>>> The wattage of the basking light to get a nice 100F basking temperature will depend on the height and volume of air to be heated and distance to the basking surface from the front face of the basking globe.
And like I said my girl and I have four kids and they all just started school again. I do have some things was wondering about. My viv the screens on the top lock into place two different screens with three locks on each side my question is do or should his bulbs be inside the viv attached some how safely out of reach? <<<< I'd replace most of top screens with solid MDF or plywood and mount the UV and basking lights UNDER the lid , need some air flow in/out but a full mesh top will make it very hard to get a good thermal profile , will not be cat/dog proof ..
Also he is a year and a half we we're told.do not know anything about how he was raised because my wife's friends found him on Craigslist for free. Just him no tank because his owner wasn't handling him and he was getting aggressive. I can say since we have had him he really hasn't shown aggression suree he may have his days where he puffs up but I fixed that but covering three sides of his tank his reflection was really messing him up. Anyways ya that's about all oh ya feeding him baby spring mix everyday and so far crickets about once a week but have started talking to someone about buying a colony start of some Dubai Roaches now its just convincing the wife lol. Anyways feel free to offer advice as this is my first reptile of any kind and I really love him.

<<<< remove the sand bedding and replace with loose ungrouted ceramic tiles , sand is risky for beardies.
<<<< he'll appreciate a hide big enough for him curl up inside / under .

<<<< careful with shoulder sitting, larger adult beardies do not hang on like superglue or Velcro like they can as hatchlings and if he falls off while you are walking or standing on a hard surface or leaps off (something gives him a fright) he can do very serious injuries to his back , neck and legs , hits and shoulders

Put the lights on a 24hr digital timer , my beardies lights come on automatically at 6am, and off at 9pm.

Can you give us a run down on the basking spot temperature, the warm zone and cool zone day time temperatures , and temperatures overnight.

Can you tell what your feeding schedule is and what you are feeding him (what live insects).

Your best bets for staple feeder insects (he still needs AT LEAST ONE live insect feed per day IMO at 18 months as he's still not a full grown adult and will have some growth in him yet and will need the insect proteins and calcium to grow and develop properly) are
<<<<< BSF maggots (large for him) = phoenix worms
<<<<< silkworms (med = 2inch long - large 2.5-3inch long)
<<<<< crickets (I'd recommend 2/3 sized = medium crickets) or roaches similar sizes.

Superworms are OK as a treat, as the occasional mealworm - neither are suitable to be used as a staple insect.

 

[kingofnobbys]

ya not going to be able to go outside anytime soon as we are located in the pacific northwest. And ya Im going to be looking into getting him different lights soon. Maybe that would explain the not going to the bath room. i think in the month we have had him he has used the bathroom twice. I am feeding greens everyday baby spring mix and crickets about once a week.<<<< not enough food and likely too cool in his tank too , 1 feed of crickets per week even for an adult beardies (which your's IS NOT) is NOT adequate see my other comments, I also observed he's got sand for his bedding (PLEASE TELL IT"S NOT CALCI-SAND - that stuff is lethal) , in any case he is IMO based on the diet you describe malnarished (you've had some bad advice on feeding your beardie.)and likely impacted (can you feel his tummy gently and see if there are firm lumps - a sign of impaction).

My 2 sub-adult / teenage beardies Peppa and Toothless (11.5 months old) have two live insect feeds per day (about 20 medium crickets each per day) + greens and grated veg (carrot and sweet potato)
My 4 year old female Rex gets a daily ration of 8 - 12 medium - large crickets + her greens and grated vegs. She also gets 4 superworms once a week as a treat, and if I have silkworms , I will substitute some crickets each day for a large silkworm or 2 , or 4 medium silkworms.

I recommend you start weighing your beardie on a weekly basis to keep track of any changes.


i am looking into dubai roaches as well trying to convice my girl into letting me breed a colony in the house. I have given like three baths and he always drinks the water. <<<< that's a good sign , the drinking , but lay off on the baths , you only need to bath a beardie very infrequently and usually if
<<<< it's soiled itself
<<<< to help loosen a stubborn area of shed
<<<< to help move a mild impaction (associated with gentle tummy rubs for about 20mins)
<<<< it has a open injury that needs to be soaked in a weak butadiene bath to help fight infection

Some people try to train their beardies to poo in the bath , I wouldn't recommend that.

I did grab a spray bottle that has been used strictly for water (spraying the cat) <<<< cat and beardie should never be allowed to be out together - ever , it will stress the beardie and the cat is likely to attack it (and this will end in tears) , they will NEVER BE FRIENDS. and i put it on stream setting and barely pushed the trigger so it would drip out and he was licking it up did that for about a minute until he stopped drinking and walked away. <<<<I do that for my beardies