picking up a beardie....need some help

[chetman7]

Hey

I got a butt load of graduation money so I am going to add a bearded dragon to my collection. I"m trying to compile a list of things i will need.so if i'm missing anything please add.

thermometer x2
thermostat x2
CHE
water bowl
UVB bulb...at least 10.0 tube
greens, crickets
50 or 75 gallon enclosure


I already have some spare thermostats from previous animals. I was going to use good ol newspaper for substrate. I also have a bunch of repcal calcium and multvitamin. I also have phoenix worms that my crestie didn't take..are these fine for him??

For the basking spot..I would need some sort of branch so the beardie can come within 6-8 inches of the CHE. this means I would need to measure temps from the highest branch and keep it at ~105F?????

Cold side should be ~85

How about hides??? do I need them?

Any advice is appreciated. I want to make sure I understand everything before I dive in.

[python.princess]

I'm pretty new in the beardie game so I'll let somebody else answer most of your questions but I will say that our beardie doesn't use the hide we put in for him. Except as an occasional basking spot. We do have some fake plant vines and he sleeps in those every night under the leaf cover.

[Beardedragon]

I can make this cheaper

Unless your night time temps get below 70 at night, dont get a Che. Get a T-Rex MVB bulb or a Murcury vapor bulb from Reptileuv.com.

Its Heat and UVB, so its perfect

No hides, they will either not use them or over use them. Get tile as the substrate for easy clean up. You dont need a thermostat either, or a water bowl; mist them and give them soaks because they tend to not use water bowls. Get the 75 gallon, that will be good for a good while.

Hope this helps, im in a hurry other wise id post more.

- Matt

[chetman7]

No thermastat? cant che get really Hot? Mvb bulbs are not readily available here so i would buy that after my initial setup. as for temps i think i should control them. . Piece of mind. all the pet stores here only have 40 breeders.

[Beardedragon]

No thermastat? cant che get really Hot? Mvb bulbs are not readily available here so i would buy that after my initial setup. as for temps i think i should control them. . Piece of mind. all the pet stores here only have 40 breeders.

Ah, do you not live in the USA?

[chetman7]

Ah, do you not live in the USA?

yea....and ur going where with this

[dr del]

Hi,

Well he was probably going to try and help you find a source for the parts you needed.


dr del

[chetman7]

When I say readily available I mean that I can't just go to the store and get this MVB bulb that he speaks of. I would have to order it. I was hoping to get everything done this weekend.

As of the MVB...is it a tube or bulb? I went on the given site and I am not sure what I am looking for. I have read that the UVB bulb should stretch the lenth of the cage..so if I am thinkin right..if the mvb both both supplies UVB and heat..How can I get the correct gradient?

[Beardedragon]

Its a bulb, and they are I think 10 times more powerful that a Tube uvb light. To get the heat right just move the bulb up and down, it will be far enough away to reach 100-110 and be the correct amount away for the UVB. Tubes only last 6 months, the MVBs last a full year ( Even more, but unless you have a UV tester its safe to replace at a year)

[CTReptileRescue]

This is an older PDF but I have a friend w/ a UV meter... Huge impact once I saw the results.. Just saying. For who ever is interested:
http://www.reptilesdownunder.com/ima...ghtuvlight.pdf
Not sure if it helps but the particular bulb you buy may not even reach your herp.
Rusty