Help me with baby bearded dragon

[fluxlizard]

What UVB bulb do you use? I was thinking one or two power sun bulbs ??

(((edited for beginner friendliness)))

(((The gist of it is use a UVB light but I don't believe exact brand too important)))

would you recommend a top or would I be safe to have an open top? Which I'd prefer if at all possible

Depends on the situation- no cats or dogs or naughty kids and tall smooth walls and no top is needed.

I'll tell you something funny- a couple years ago my little girl wanted a bunny. Well- mammals are a no go around here- wife has allergies. So I went out to the lizard building and picked out my tamest male and female and brought them in for the kids.

We have a 5' long bay window on the south face of the house so sunlight all day. I took a sheet of plexiglass and made a wall about 15" tall along the front edge of the bay window- tucking the plexiglass into the molding around the window (I think- I can't remember the exact height- it looks to be about that tall- might be 16"). I screwed a hook into the ceiling of the window and hung a light over a big rock. And hey presto- instant lizard cage. The lizards can't climb out, but the kids can reach in to pet, remove, feed, clean, etc. easily. Nothing between us and the beautiful lizards. On warm afternoons the south-west facing part of the window is opened for an hour or two and they get direct sunlight through the screen- That provides all the UVB they need.

The kids bathe the lizards every day and every night they remove them from the window and tuck them into- my daughter's doll bunk bed. LOL- and the lizards actually stay there tucked in with their heads poking out until morning when the kids take them out and set them back in the window and plug in the light before school. Two of the biggest babied dragons ever. Spoiled rotten- the kids grab dandylions and clover off the lawn on their way in from school, catch bugs for them, etc.

What are all the white things on top
Of the cages?

probably tote lids for shade

Yes- I used to raise babies in 30 gallon storage tubs, plus I've had other storage tubs for other things (insect breeding, and actually storing stuff LOL). I use the lids for shade. A lot of lids are going brittle from sunlight the past couple years- I'll have to do something else for shade soon.

at what temps outside did you noticed troubles with dragon or did you play it safe?

Actually I never have noticed temperature problems yet provided they have shade and hay. Remember the hay is an insulator- they can get beneath it and out of the heat or some cold. Usually even when days are in upper 90s the dragons are out though they stay in the shade at those temps. That is also why I want to keep them in inground cages- there they will be able to use the earth to escape the heat and cold.

Temperature is different outdoors I've noticed- they use sunlight differently than incandescents. They collect and retain heat much more efficiently- like bricks walking around. I've seen them in late summer breeding on mornings when temperatures were only in the 60s- indoors they would be groggy. For that matter indoors they usually choose to actually breed in the evenings.

(((edited for newbs)))

So there you go- maybe too much information that you can get into trouble with, but I'm feeling too chatty.

Go with what you know is safe when in doubt.

Here are some piccys -

Kids with Mr Lizard having a snack on halloween:

This is how poor Mr Lizard sleeps every night:

Loitering about the bearded dragons one summer:

30 gallon storage tubs of baby dragons one rainy day. I use 38 gallon reptariums nowadays instead.

A nice male outdoors- you can't get color like this indoors until they have been outdoors long term. Color remains indoors after that. Color gets better each summer outside too:

A nice female photo I had around:

Some bearded dragon reptariums stacked indoors back when I used sand- notice I built my own frames out of strong PVC to support the weight and save money:

Some baby tubs indoors back when I used tubs:

 

[fluxlizard]

Oh I forgot to say about outdoor temps- I normally treat them the same as my chameleons- when night temps remain above 50 in the spring, I bring them out. When night temps drop below 50 in the fall, I normally bring them in.

Cool and cloudy at the end of summer is no problem- but cold and wet together are a big problem. Actually constant damp substrate is a big problem in the sort of setup I use whatever the temperature- damp hay very bad- but with any artificial substrate like sand or whatever- constant dampness= bacteria = trouble. I cover everything with tarps. Humidity is surprisingly not a problem- it gets very humid here sometimes and we have lots of rainy days where the tarps are up each summer- not a problem. The tarps even help with heat somehow- it is warmer under the tarps- must trap solar radiation even when it is cloudy...

 

[ataraxia]

One thing i can also note to fluxlizards advice. If you do decide to keep a 1.1 or a 1.2 group. The colors of the dragons will be drab compared to if they were kept alone. When you feed you will also have to make sure they all get food.

I dont recommend keeping in groups but that just my opinion. 0.2 female is about all i will recommend if the situation is suitable. From my personal limited experience with keeping a 1.1 groups. i get maybe 2 clutches a year. If you keep them separated. The willingness to breed is 10 fold. You can also control the number of time they breed separated. Those groups that produce 2 times a year will at my control will produce 4 times a year. You have a short window of opportunity after she lays to breed again for consecutive clutches.

 

[fluxlizard]

I sort of agree with your thinking, but not completely-

Coloration with mine depends a lot on time of day and the weather that day. But I get excellent color whether in groups or not. I cannot say that I notice a difference singly or in groups color wise, other than males become vibrant when they decide to court or do a dominance display. But I have enough around here and always have a surplus of males that I keep enough singly long term at any given time to say I can't see a coloration difference.

(((edited to keep things beginner friendly)))

All that said- I agree that your method is the safest. If someone doesn't have enough experience or ability to read their lizard- single is the best. And for a pet, a single male is the best pet IMO.

 

[ataraxia]

Pm sent. I normally dont give this information out as it can kill your female if you are not doing a good job with husbandry. Repeat clutches this soon should only be done if your female is in great shape. My females vary from a rounded number of 450 -550 grams not gravid.

It is strange how we have two different outcomes of almost the same exact trials.

The feeding baby trial.

In my experiences so far i find every clutch to have varying sizes based off of food consumption and im sure genetics. Our methods have to be very different as far as how many babies we put in the habitat, size of habitat and amount of feeders and types of feeders. Ill state mine. I use 10 gallon tanks on freshly hatched dragons. The first few days all of them are in that. I watch them eat and gauge which ones are most active, healthy and size and separate 6 to each 10 gallon for first month. newspaper only on bottoms and use cardboard egg carton angled at one end for the babies to climb to heat and to evade heat by going uder the carton.
they are bathed everyday in warm water (never skip a day), given greens and crickets. I never noticed the "beasts" as i call them. Feeding them two times a day. Not eating their fill two times a day. I throw in more than they will eat always and remove every night before lights out. After a month they are weeded into 110 qt sterilite totes 3 rows, 4 cages wide on 7 foot racks. At this point they are separated again by size. still kept at around 6-8 per tote (can be more depending on how many hatchlings we have). no doubt i see growth differences in each clutch using my feeding methods. Some are just shy period. Some are even picky eaters. I have had a few where they will pig out on dubia roaches but pick at crickets the whole time with me..Many factors play imo for growth rates. I would love to know your methods as i would like for all of them to grow at same rates.

Im not hatching dragons out in the quantities you are. i may have three to four clutches max of hatchlings in a given instance.

keeping in groups and producing clutches. I wonder if the weather outside made a difference. 1.1 kept indoors i have never and i mean never received more than 2 clutches. Being honest, i usually only received 1 clutch. i also never tried 1.2 so that may make a difference. Could your males see each other? Also what state are you from?

 

[fluxlizard]

I normally dont give this information out as it can kill your female if you are not doing a good job with husbandry.

Not a bad thought.

I'm going to edit my posts in this thread. Too much info that is not so great for beginners on my part, and too much info that I had to work hard to give away for those with more experience. Too many "trade" secrets that could help my competition.

Sorry if you latecomers missed out. LOL

Ataraxia- I'll continue our discussion on PM with you. It's been fun sharing some of this stuff with someone besides the lizards- they don't talk much!

 

[Whatcamo]

I already took it in also I threw you a pm I'm interested please get back to me thanks as yours seems there could be a possibility that yours could be healthier

 

[ataraxia]

Ataraxia- I'll continue our discussion on PM with you. It's been fun sharing some of this stuff with someone besides the lizards- they don't talk much!

Believe me i like reading what you post. id like to have a small portion of information in that head of yours

 

[Whatcamo]

Me as well as I'm not any ordinary beginner trust me I wouldn't go out and attempt breading first shot haha