help on bearded dragons

[tank4102]

ok i want to get a bearded dragon, so i want to know the basics on caring for them and a list on what i should buy, and how much a bearded dragon costs thanks.

[Crazy4Herps]

I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to do your research before getting a beardie. With a snake, you need to know heat, humidity, cage size, feeding. Done. With beardies, it's a lot more complicated. For one, their diets are more complicated than a snake's diet. You've got to work in a wide variety of insects, worms, greens, veggies, and supplements. Lighting and UVB are also major factors. I'll jot down a few basic things, but you really have to read as much as you can!!

Here's an awesome caresheet on an awesome forum. BD.org is the best beardie forum out there.
http://www.beardeddragon.org/articles/caresheet/


Okay. I'll start with caging.

Many say that an adult beardie is okay in a 40gal breeder tank, but I personally wouldn't keep an adult in anything smaller than a 4x2x2ft. My darling Budo uses every inch of his 4x2 and still begs to get out all the time. The bigger the cage the better with these guys! They really appreciate space.

Feeding:

Crickets, roaches, locusts, phoenix worms, silk worms, and butter worms are all good staple feeders. Feeders should be the size of the space between a beardie's eyes. Baby beardies should be fed 3x per day, as much as they can eat in 5 minutes. Juveniles (8mo+) should be fed as much as they can eat in 5 minutes daily. Adults (16mo+) should be fed 30-50 feeders per week.

Beardies also need greens and calcium and vitamin supplements. For info on good and bad greens, veggies, and supplement dosages, check out this site.
http://www.beautifuldragons.503xtreme.com/

Lighting:

12/12 or 14/10 hour photoperiod. You can do it manually, but it's so much easier to buy a timer. Beardies need UVB radiation. To provide this, you have two options: fluorescent strip bulbs or mercury vapor bulbs. NEVER use a compact bulb, these can seriously hurt beardie eyes. Be very very very careful about which bulb you buy. Pet stores will sell you anything. The vast majority of UVB bulbs out there do more harm than good. There are a few brands that I would vouch for. The fluorescent bulb ReptiSun 10.0 is the best on the market. As far as MVBs, the MegaRay and T-Rex are both great bulbs.

Choosing between fluorescents and MVBs is very important. Fluorescent bulbs give off UVB, light, but no heat, and should be within 8" of the highest basking point. MVBs give off a very high UVB output (meaning calcium supplements should not include vitamin D3), light, and heat, should be no closer than 12" from the highest basking point, and should only be used in enclosures 40gal+ due to how hot they get. So, it really depends on the beardie's setup.



Temps:

Cool side of 80-83*, warm side of 90-100*, basking point of 100-110*. Nighttime temps should go no lower than 65*.



Humidity & Hydration:

No higher than 50%. Beardies should be bathed 3-4x weekly. Personally, I bathe Budo every day. It's super dry here (10-20%) and Budo loves his baths. Dishes of water probably won't be used. And misting your beardie is okay, but should not replace baths.


Substrate:

Tiles, astroturf, reptile carpet, paper towels, newspaper, and non-adhesive shelf liner are all great substrates for beardies. Sand, bark, shredded paper, and soil are all bad choices due to beardies ingesting them and getting impaction of the intestines.



You could probably get a beardie for as low as $10, although $30 is more reasonable for a baby, around $100 for an adult. Go with a breeder or a rescue, not a pet store. They're not expensive. It's the setup and food you need to worry about. UVB bulbs are not cheap and need to be replaced every 6-12 months (depending on the type), and baby beardies can eat 200-300 crickets per day, which really does add up.


Good luck! Beardies are the BEST pets out there, it's a decision you won't regret!!

[tank4102]

ok thanks right now im still doing my research thanks for the help

[tank4102]

i was reading, an are these foods right for them?
Greens

* escarole
* kale
* collards
* bok choy
* Swiss chard
* parsley
* clover
* alfalfa pellets
* dandelion greens
* turnip greens
* mustard greens
* NEVER iceberg lettuce

vegetables



* broccoli
* okra
* peas
* green beans
* zucchini
* squash
* grated carrots
* sweet potato
* bell pepper
* frozen mixed vegetables

fruits



* figs
* kiwi
* papaya
* melon
* apples
* grapes
* dates
* peaches
* apricots
* strawberries
(seeds removed)
* plums
* tomatoes
* bananas (with skin)

what are turnip greens? mustard greens? and dandelion greens?

[LaFilleClochette]

check out this site:

http://www.beautifuldragons.503xtrem...nframeset.html

this has all the food info you could possibly need/want to feed yur beardie! this is the guide we are following... also a thing to know, you can feed them phoenix worms which are high in calcium and low in phosphorus, and also Dubia roaches which have good stuff in them too, if crickets are not yur thing. We are feeding our beardie mixes of romaine, cactus pear and phoenix worm salad

[Crazy4Herps]

check out this site:

http://www.beautifuldragons.503xtrem...nframeset.html

this has all the food info you could possibly need/want to feed yur beardie! this is the guide we are following... also a thing to know, you can feed them phoenix worms which are high in calcium and low in phosphorus, and also Dubia roaches which have good stuff in them too, if crickets are not yur thing. We are feeding our beardie mixes of romaine, cactus pear and phoenix worm salad

x2

I've got a dubia colony, they are great! Super easy to care for, breed, and Budo loves them!

[aifgm]

i have beadie almost 2 years
in the past before buying them, i look the care sheet in the internet
look like teory for me, the care sheet in the internet for us state that have 4 seasons
i live in jakarta, 2 seasons, the temperature at day in my town 32-34 celcius, goods for beardie, the temperature at night get 28-30 celcius
so i buy them, buy the tank and uvb bulb
i use the tank 1M x 50Cm x 50Cm
fill with bali sand and wallpaper for beautiful
i give them in the morning veggie, after 1 to 2 hours i give them cricket
after their age more than 6 months i give them cricket and superworm
one baby beardie from mouth to the end of the tail reach 30 Cm, they eat about 20-30 crickets im my house for a day.
i also give calcium+d3 3 times for a week and gutload the cricket
for baby give them water too
my opinion while they are baby, give them cricket as many they want to eat
because cricket more fast absorb by their body, and the get pup many time, it;s means for me they grow more faster
i'm sorry, my english bad
later i'll upload the room of my beardie, hope give you an ide for your enclosure

dody

[771subliminal]

what are turnip greens? mustard greens? and dandelion greens?

your whole family from the north huh?

they are a leafy vegetable similar to spinach but far bigger leaves all have a bit of a diff flavor from eachother,but great when cooked up all together with ham hocks or smoked neck bones.

i dont know where your from but if you cant find them in your local grocery store, try going to one in a area with a higher black population or southern influnence.

[dr del]

Hi,

Well if you look under his user name;

Location: jakarta



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jakarta


dr del

[771subliminal]

Hi,

Well if you look under his user name;

Location: jakarta



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jakarta


dr del

aifgm is from jakarta i dont see where it says tank4102 is also from there, i was answering his q