Need to start accumulating information

[icygirl]

I used a Zoo-med UTH as supplemental heating ONLY, and I did not use a thermostat for it. This was simply to keep temperatures up at night and because I had a layer of sand at the bottom, it did not heat the bottom up to the point that it would harm my dragon.

I've heard breeding roaches is not hard, but I don't know much about it, so maybe someone else can answer.

[Michelle.C]

Roaches breed like, well, roaches. They are extremely easy to breed and yes they can replace Crickets. Oh and a giant perk! They don't smell nearly as bad as crickets do. As a matter of fact, I have a huge colony and they don't really have an odor at all.

As for the UTH, I use basking bulbs. They are safer and you are less likely to get a burn. Bearded Dragons feel heat from above not below. So UTH aren't recommended.

[Jay_Bunny]

I would not mind using a UTH but I would like to know how safe they are to use on carpet and wood. What if I'm not using sand, is the UTH still safe to use even if there is not a layer of sand to protect the dragon's belly?

I will look at the feeder roaches. They are actually not that expensive. In comparison to crickets, how many would you give to a dragon per feeding session. I think you said 25-30 insects per adult per feeding and 30-100 per baby/juvie per feeding as far as crickets goes. Does this also apply for the roaches?

I'm really sorry for all the questions. I just want to make sure I have everything right. My last beardie died because I was stupid enough to let my mother care for him and I don't ever want to let that happen again.

[icygirl]

Hey Michelle, you're not from New England, are you? Because when I had to give up my beardie I adopted him out to a woman named Michelle who was a huge beardie lover. Although, I can't recall her ever having snakes. Just beardies and a few other lizards.

[icygirl]

In comparison to crickets, how many would you give to a dragon per feeding session. I think you said 25-30 insects per adult per feeding and 30-100 per baby/juvie per feeding as far as crickets goes. Does this also apply for the roaches?

It depends on the size of the roaches... you need to judge based on how large your roaches are vs. crickets and make a decision that way. For example, at one point I tried using silkworms, which for some reason arrived as mediums instead of larges... so I had to feed many more insects than I normally would have with crickets.

[Jay_Bunny]

Oh ok. gotcha!

Thank you everyone who is giving me such great information!

[Michelle.C]

I have read on several care sheets/forum postings that UTH are not recommended due to the risk of your Bearded Dragon getting burnt. IMO, I don't think they are as safe as spotlights. Bearded Dragons tell temperatures with their backs, not their bellies.

I feed my Bearded Dragon appropriately sized roaches until he stops eating them and that is usually 5-6 roaches a day.

[Michelle.C]

Hey Michelle, you're not from New England, are you? Because when I had to give up my beardie I adopted him out to a woman named Michelle who was a huge beardie lover. Although, I can't recall her ever having snakes. Just beardies and a few other lizards.

Nope, I'm from Tennessee with lots and lots of snakes and only one Beardie.

[Crazydude]

Just realized me Michelle and Icy all posted at the same time, im just slow.

Roaches-crickets depends on size, If you feed the same size roach as you would cricket then its the same amount, generally for a baby you cant overfeed them, so it will show you,

Dont feed anything larger then the space between your dragons eyes, and you are good.

As for adult, again, if the same size, then it should be the same.

But where it gets confusing, is soft bodied worms, like 1 hornworm is the equivilant to 20 or so crickets saposedly, all i know is 1-2 hornworms a day that were 6-9g filled my dragon up each day when she was 9 months old.

Anyway, it depends on size, a baby will tell you, you have to sort of do some guess work with an adult, once hes a good weight, then you try to keep him there, if he is loosing weight let him eat more, gaining, cut back a little, but thats with insects, they need a fresh salad daily.

Anyway, I would avoid a UTH, without a thermostat most get 115*F+ as you probably know, they sense heat from above using their "third eye" which is a light/heat sensing organ, anyway, they adjust their location/behavior depending on what they get from that, so a heat pad/rock can easily overheat and burn them without knowing it. And they could dig or push the sand away too. (also not to overdo it, but only use sand with an adult, they dont naturally live on sand in the wild, so its really not a hugely great choice IMO).

Also they thrive in bright white light, so heat in the form of a bright white lightbulb is best.

You only need use extra heat for the night if temps drop below 65*F at night, if you need to, a Ceramic heat emitter is better, they can see most colored light, so red/purple/black are not great either.

OT, Icy, nice to see another from MA. Reptiles seem to be rare around here, so another owner is always cool.

[icygirl]

I have read on several care sheets/forum postings that UTH are not recommended due to the risk of your Bearded Dragon getting burnt. IMO, I don't think they are as safe as spotlights. Bearded Dragons tell temperatures with their backs, not their bellies.

I feed my Bearded Dragon appropriately sized roaches until he stops eating them and that is usually 5-6 roaches a day.

Agreed - if you don't have a protective layer of sand on the bottom, and your temps dip down too low at night - think below 69 or 70 - then you may want to get a lower-wattage night time bulb. **by nighttime bulb I mean infrared or red so they can't see it.