This was originally posted on the reptileforumUK, was told this is a good USA site.
Hello all! First post
I'm from the United states in sunny warm california. Couldnt find any active good reptile forum so this will do.
I just got my new little baby water dragon. I have had it for about a week now. It doesnt have a name yet. I believe it is maybe a month old or so.
Its active and eats every day so far.
The bad news is that I got it at petco, sort of got it impulsively. I've always wanted one. Well I did research. Turns out my dragon is most likely wild cought and/or imported. Means they wont live as long and could most likely have different types of parasites. Well, I will give my dragon a decal exam and if it passes for parasites or eye problems, petco will pay for all veterinarian Bill's for the first month. They just wont pay the fecal exam. That's fine...
The good, I spent a considerable amount of money for this baby, I bought it a 40 gallon tank and made it into what I think is a sub aquarium enclosure.
My enclosure has branches big and small across the enclosure. I baked the branches for 2 hours at 250°F in the oven. I cut them off of a tree we took out yesterday in the front yard. The enclosure has a straw hammock where it basks at about 88°F or more. Humidity is acergly at about 75%. When I spray it goes up to about 90 for only a few minutes so i think i may have to invest ina. Good real fogger for humidity. It has a UVB tropical light bar. In the night I have a red light that keeps the enclosure warm and leave near the dragon depending where it sleeps so it can be warm.
The enclosure has a waterfall filter on one side and another normal filter on the other opposite side. It also has an water circulation air pump in the middle.
The enclosure has 20lbs aquarium rocks from petco. I cleaned them in a bucket. So far the aquarium is 4 days old and I have recycle the water 3 times already. The water is about 4-5 inches tall. Maybe the length of my finger.
My dragon does not rub its nose (since there is water) at all. I also have tiny feeder fish in the tank the size of its head. There is about 6 inside. I use Jungle start right water cleaner for the fishes and to keep the water clean and free of algae.
Sometimes my baby dragon will try to catch the little fish but it always fails. Its funny to watch try fishing. I have fed it 3 fishes so far and have cut them up in 3 small peices and it seems to enjoy them. I have also fed it crickets, small meal worms and once a red wiggle search worm although I dont think it likes those too much.
The dragon likes to climb up high and jump into the water and stay in the water for long periods of times. Then it slowly makes it's way to its hammock and warms up...under my hammock is a floating bark that it likes to go on and cool down I guess. It still is somewhat warm down there.
I think the dragon is happy so far. As you can see on my profile picture. It sleep on a vertical branch almost at the same time of day every day, like it knows its bed time. I turn off all the light and turn off the circulation pump off at night and leave its night time light on to keep it warm inside.
The tank is pretty big for the lizard for now. I know I will have to custom make my own in about a year.
What do you guys think?
Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk
Reply With Quote