info?

[CB1125]

I really want a bearded dragon, i know a little about what they can eat and how much but not really on how often. Ive seen people carrying them around parks and stuff or letting them loose in the house but i was told they needed to stay under a light. I like to research any animal i would like to get before i start looking for one to buy so i can take the care of it as best as it should be

[AkHerps]

What is it you need to know? I have two beardies and they are just awesome

As young hatchlings, beardies mainly eat bugs, I feed roaches, but you should offer salad also, but salad isn't as important if they don't eat it, some don't start eating salad until they are adults. Some babies can eat up to 100 bugs in one sitting, my boy Yoshi ate about 30-60. Hatchlings should try to be fed at least once or twice a day. I found a great place that sells 1,000 Turk roaches for under 20 bucks. No smell, they can't fly, and they can't climb slippery surfaces, and there way better than crickets.

There are a ton of veggies/fruits they can eat, I fed a small salad every day or every other day.

As an adult, I only feed my beardie bugs a couple times a week, and salad the other days, he's a hog though so he'll eat everything all the time.

Mine loves Collard greens, mustard greens, a bunch of types of squash and any types of fruit like strawberries, melons, apples, etc...

The only thing that's complicated/expensive about them is the full spectrum lighting.

You need a regular basking bulb to heat up a spot where they can just soak up the sun and get warm. I have a cement block right under my heat bulb and he(Yoshi) sits on it and soaks up the rays. They need a hot side, and a cool side. So for mine, the basking bulb is on the left, nothing on the right. As adults, they will need about a 40 gallon breeder tank. Yoshi seems fine in his and he's full grown, about 18 inches.

You need a UVA/UVB bulb, which basically represents the sun. They usually don't emit heat. You don't want to get the new spiral kind as these are thought to damage the eyes. The best kind are just the long tube kind, kind of like flourescent lightbulbs for fish tanks. You need the high UVB kind, I believe its like 10.0, it's for desert reptiles. But you can also get a mercury vapor bulb, which are pricy, but they are heat and all the UVB you need in one bulb! They work great, cheaper online usually.

Most beardies won't drink out of a water dish, but I offer it to him anyways. Mist him occassionaly. And spary all his veggies before he gets fed.

Some can be bratty as babies, but after lots of handeling they tame down quickly. My Beardie Yoshi is a pretty nice sized male and he's never shown any aggression and just loves to chill out.

I only bring him outside when it's really warm, he doesn't mind chilling out on my shoulder and walking around.

Hope this helps

[zeke]

www.beautifuldragons.com great site lots of info..

As for the light, we use a MVB (Mercury Vapor Bulb) it does both heat and uvb/uva in one. Cost about 25$ at shows, you will need a dome that has a ceramic fixture, they get HOT and can melt the regular type of dome lights.. Good luck.

Cheers

[Briankm]

Hiii, Great job on doing your research BEFORE getting a beardie, lol.

for substrate go with paper towel, newspaper, a non adesive shelf liner, repticarpet, or even tile, like slate tile. For hides you can use about anything, half logs, fake plants for the corners, or even card board boxes with a little hole cut for them to get in to...For an adult, it should be fed 3 x a week as much as it will eat in one sitting. Fresh greens every day for life no matter what the age, like mustard greens, collard greens, dandelion greens, endive, escarol, all squash, etc, and fruit for treats. Staple bugs are roaches, crickets, or silkworms, and others for treats like horn worms, supers, butters, and wax worms, but those are for a rare treat due to the fat content...Phoenix worms are also great, but since they are well.. Pretty much tiny, it takes a lot of them to fill up an adult beardie
As a baby, they can go through 25-40 crickets 3 x a day, so do the math, lol, adults may eat the same, but you feed them less than babies, more like 3 x a week, once a day...

You will also need a pure calcium, without D3, and another with D3, and a multivitiman. Doses vary with age also...

You will need a digital thermometer with a probe, or a temp gun for acurate readings.

Get either the ReptiSun 10 linear tube, or a MVB, those are the best, and steer clear of compacts and coiled lighting as they have been causing health issues...

If you want the best UVB and heating, get either the Megaray MVB, or the T-Rex MVB flood, 100 watt. Those provide heat and UVB all in one. If you get a MVB, no other heating will be necessary as long as the basking temps are at least 110f (for a baby) The cool end should be 80-85f. If you cannot achieve these temps, you can add a regular house hold bulb, just to help raise the temps. And with a MVB, you do not need to offer any D3 at all, as these lamps help them produce enough D3 due to the high levels of UVB they emitt...To use a MVB though, you must have at least a 40 gallon breeder tank. These lights get hot... If you get the hundred watt one you will have to have it at least 12" away

I'm pretty sure that the linear tube should run the length of the enclosure and the beardie should be able to get about 6-8 inches from it. Someone correct me if i'm wrong there.

For more veggies go to beautifuldragons.com and go to nutrition content

MegaRay

T-Rex

Feel free if you have any more questions, and congrats on getting a new beardie, they rock! Sorry if i missed anything. Just ask about it


They do Not need a bulb at night as long as the temp doesnt drop below 65*