Beardies

[summerseeking]

That's the 75 gal. It'll do for now if that's a recent pic., but eventually, he'll need a 120g (48 x 24 x 24) or larger.

For his setup the dimensions are 48x21x18. With floor space or 48x21. I read that floor space with some climbing area is most important for them. That’s why I turned the tank on its side and the glass + uvb became an issue. On the beardie forums 75g seems to be the go to size. Is this not accurate?

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

For his setup the dimensions are 48x21x18. With floor space or 48x21. I read that floor space with some climbing area is most important for them. That’s why I turned the tank on its side and the glass + uvb became an issue. On the beardie forums 75g seems to be the go to size. Is this not accurate?

There are some sources who are still clinging to the smaller sizes, but that is not the current thinking. There are also many sources that still claim they'll reach 24" when grown.

If you want to get it down to the nitty-gritty, there's:
http://www.anapsid.org/enclsize.html

By those guidelines, if we assume a 20" beardie when full-grown, the ideal size (averaging ranges) would be 50"L x 25"D x 25"H, which is pretty darn close to 48 x 24 x 24.

 

[summerseeking]

There are some sources who are still clinging to the smaller sizes, but that is not the current thinking. There are also many sources that still claim they'll reach 24" when grown.

If you want to get it down to the nitty-gritty, there's:
http://www.anapsid.org/enclsize.html

By those guidelines, if we assume a 20" beardie when full-grown, the ideal size (averaging ranges) would be 50"L x 25"D x 25"H, which is pretty darn close to 48 x 24 x 24.

That makes a lot of sense. Thanks again!

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

I mentioned earlier this month that Stinkeye is eating blueberries now.

Today, Stinkeye decided (after a year & a half) that he likes(?) blueberries.
I've probably gone through a pint of them trying to get him to eat one, but nothing...
Today he ate 3.
Wonders never cease.

Missus is all excited that Stinkeye is eating blueberries now so she hid 3 in today's salad, making sure they were covered so he'd eat some of the salad.

Nope... Uh-uh... nada. He found & picked out the berries and strew everything else all over the place—the little a**hole.

What I forgot to mention is that we hadn't actually seen him eat them—they just disappeared, and as A. Conan Doyle said (through Sherlock Holmes):

Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth.

Today, Missus hid another one in his salad, and when she checked a short time later, he had strewn the salad around again, and the blueberry....



Curious, I went to the fridge and got another blueberry. This time, I thought I'd try hand-feeding it. I've hand-fed him worms before, and I still have all my fingers, so what the hey...
At first, he tried to ignore the hand. Then I realized I was using the same motion as I do when taking him out for some "enrichment" so I waved the blueberry around until he noticed it.

That did the trick. He went for it and... GULP! Down it went whole, and like he's been doing it right along. The little bugger is swallowing blueberries WHOLE—not even chewing!

Another mystery solved.

 

[AmandaS]

That did the trick. He went for it and... GULP! Down it went whole, and like he's been doing it right along. The little bugger is swallowing blueberries WHOLE—not even chewing!

That is how Opal eats the blueberries and the occasional grape!

 

[summerseeking]

For some reason I’m overly excited for my Luno to eat his first blueberry. Getting him to eat his salad is a battle. I tried adding powdered dehydrated greens on his bugs…a no go. He only ate the ones not covered in veggie powder

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

For some reason I’m overly excited for my Luno to eat his first blueberry. Getting him to eat his salad is a battle. I tried adding powdered dehydrated greens on his bugs…a no go. He only ate the ones not covered in veggie powder

How old is he, and has he brumated?

 

[summerseeking]

How old is he, and has he brumated?

Not yet, he’s a baby still, 4 months

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Not yet, he’s a baby still, 4 months

OK, I couldn't get my male to touch greens before his first brumation—a little over a year old.
After brumation, things changed; he started eating greens, a few veggies (not as much as he should, but better than none) and recently—blueberries.

Continue to offer him salads daily, but don't be discouraged if he won't eat them. When he's done growing you might try the starvation route (don't feed him bugs until he eats some greens—I called this his steak & salad phase), but while he's growing, he needs the protein. He'll come around when he's ready; they're all different.

Some have success sprinkling salad with bee pollen.

 

[summerseeking]

OK, I couldn't get my male to touch greens before his first brumation—a little over a year old.
After brumation, things changed; he started eating greens, a few veggies (not as much as he should, but better than none) and recently—blueberries.

Continue to offer him salads daily, but don't be discouraged if he won't eat them. When he's done growing you might try the starvation route (don't feed him bugs until he eats some greens—I called this his steak & salad phase), but while he's growing, he needs the protein. He'll come around when he's ready; they're all different.

Some have success sprinkling salad with bee pollen.

Ok, that’s reassuring. I give him salad daily but he just picks the bugs out lol. I was worried if I don’t get him on the salad train now it would be a struggle when he is an adult. This was good to hear.

 

[summerseeking]

Luno’s new light fixture come in today. Getting some sun in the meantime. What he doesn’t know…he’s also getting a bath today lol

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Ok, that’s reassuring. I give him salad daily but he just picks the bugs out lol. I was worried if I don’t get him on the salad train now it would be a struggle when he is an adult. This was good to hear.

Mine is eating clover from the yard (no pesticides) and in the past he's nibbled different herbs.
This chart is pretty good.
http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Nutrition.html

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Just because...

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

HEY, kids... He's eating fresh carrot—wouldn't do that before either. I was feeding the roaches some baby carrots yesterday, so I tried a thin slice longitudinally and put it in his bug bowl after he pigged out on roaches & worms (as he is wont to do every Sunday), and it disappeared.

Today I put 5 slices in his salad. No reaction, so I wiggled one in front of him and his feeding response kicked in and he ate it. A couple hours later I noticed....




He didn't eat his salad—he just picked through it and strew it around and ate the carrot.

 

[MissSkittles]

Beardie diary
Tuesday: Ahh…it’s so good to poop! I felt so good I ran all around and made modern art! I don’t think Mom liked it though as she removed it. Hey! Where did my hide and rocks go?
Wednesday: No poop today. Got a couple of silkworms so maybe can poop tomorrow. Did get my hide and rocks back, all clean and sanitized. Everything was cleaned and sanitized and I even got a bath.
Thursday: Guess the silkworms weren’t enough as no poop today.
Friday: Got some more silkworms but don’t feel anything happening. Maybe if I eat all of my salad it can bulk things up a bit.
Saturday: Eureka! It worked! I had a massive poo! I felt so incredible that I covered everything I could in it. Ahh…I love self expression! Wait…noo…I don’t want a bath! Nooo…stop taking all of my stuff away. Not my favorite hammock! It’s only a little dirty…I don’t mind. What the heck is that? You’re giving me a cardboard box hide? Seriously?! What am I supposed to do with the big stick? Wait…I know that stick…it’s ‘Stick’, from my younger days. We used to lay in the sun together. Ok, fine…but I want a real hide ASAP. Just get yourself on over to the Nile or Amazon or whatever it is and find me a new hide.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

I know exactly what you mean.
Somebody has been standing vigil at the "gate" waiting to come out and sit in his window (or on Missus' lap) for 3 days.

He knows the rules... No Poop—No Freedom!

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Not sure what's going on here...
Yesterday, Ol' Stinkeye decided to lay on his plants (the pothos in particular).

He's been there over 24 hrs now; hasn't moved more than 2".
He slept there all night, and hasn't basked yet today.
He hasn't gotten into anything. He had a bath 2 days ago—everything came out fine.

Any thoughts?

 

[MissSkittles]

Not sure what's going on here...
Yesterday, Ol' Stinkeye decided to lay on his plants (the pothos in particular).

View attachment 310679

View attachment 310680

He's been there over 24 hrs now; hasn't moved more than 2".
He slept there all night, and hasn't basked yet today.
He hasn't gotten into anything. He had a bath 2 days ago—everything came out fine.

Any thoughts?

Spike has been spending more of his mornings inside his hide and I’m wondering if we’re getting geared up for brumation again.

 

[AmandaS]

Not sure what's going on here...
Yesterday, Ol' Stinkeye decided to lay on his plants (the pothos in particular).

View attachment 310679

View attachment 310680

He's been there over 24 hrs now; hasn't moved more than 2".
He slept there all night, and hasn't basked yet today.
He hasn't gotten into anything. He had a bath 2 days ago—everything came out fine.

Any thoughts?

Spike has been spending more of his mornings inside his hide and I’m wondering if we’re getting geared up for brumation again.

Opal has been laying under her hide and sleeping a lot. I have been wondering the same thing!!!

 

[CasqueAbove]

Not sure what's going on here...
Yesterday, Ol' Stinkeye decided to lay on his plants (the pothos in particular).

View attachment 310679

View attachment 310680

He's been there over 24 hrs now; hasn't moved more than 2".
He slept there all night, and hasn't basked yet today.
He hasn't gotten into anything. He had a bath 2 days ago—everything came out fine.

Any thoughts?

I think it is a natural behavior. Mine has gone into his plant and just sat. I have read many reports of Beardies going up into trees and sitting for days, but that is to avoid the heat on the ground. I think we just get to see some lingering bits of this behavior. We don't get it hot enough for them to need to do this so I think it is a once in a while.