Quote Originally Posted by xOXiDiZEx View Post
Hey guys, I will be getting my first bearded dragon in a few weeks from a friend who recently hatched his first clutch. I've read some books, and some care guides on them, and they seem like a really cool pet, but i have a few questions remaining. Since there not even a week old yet, about how long will I be able to keep it in a 10 G tank. I plan on using newspaper for a substrate for a easy clean up, but how often should swap out the paper? Also, I wanted to get one lamp, and i'd like some suggestions on the bulb i should buy for it so i can have its heat and everything else the beardie will need right in one lamp. I already have the tank, thermometer, newspaper substrate, what else besides the lamps would i need that i cant think of? Thanks everyone for your help .
Congrats! They really are great pets, I'm sure you'll have fun!!

A 10gal will be fine for the first few months. Then you'll want a 20 or 30gal. By the time your beardie is 8 months old, you will want to move him/her into a permanent cage. Many people use 40gal breeders for adult beardies, but I am of the belief that an adult beardie should be kept in no smaller than a 4x2x2' viv. They really appreciate extra space.

Avoid coils and UV compacts!! These bulbs can make beardies go blind. As far as UVB bulbs go, you have two safe options; a fluorescent tube or a mercury vapor bulb. Fluorescents give off UVA/B but no heat, MVBs give off both. However, MVBs are very hot and overheat easily, and should not be used in anything smaller than a 40gal due to fire hazards. So, you will need two bulbs until your beardie moves to his/her permanent enclosure.
For now, you will neat a heat bulb of some sort and a fluorescent UVB tube. Be careful when selecting one. There are many brands that can seriously damage your beardie's eyes. By far the best fluorescent tube is the ReptiSun 10.0, which should be replaced every six months and should be 6-9" away from your beardie's basking spot.
http://www.petmountain.com/product/r...-uvb-bulb.html
Once your beardie moves to his permanent enclosure, you can use a MVB. The best MVB out there is the MegaRay. MVBs should be at least 12" away from your beardie's basking spot and should be replaced yearly.
http://www.reptileuv.com/megaray-products.php

Solid substrates such as newspaper are the way to go. However, you will need to change the newspaper every time your beardie defecates, which may be several times a day. For ease of cleaning, I recommend tiles.

Aside from crickets, crickets, and crickets, you're good!

If you have any other questions, ask away!

Good luck, and have fun.