new beardie
- Thread starter hyunho6
- Start date
allencg101
Member
you didn't ask when you picked him up??? go to reptiletv.com they got some good video's on how to take care of bearded dragons
I've kept beardies for a number of years and here's how I've done it...
I kept them in glass cages with screen lids. For hatchlings, I used no substrate to make sure that they couldn't ingest any by accident. I placed a long linear fluorescent Repti-sun 5.0 tube light on the screen lid. Exposure to UVB allows the dragon to produce D3 which allows it to use the calcium in its diet/system.
In one corner, I placed a regular household incandescent light bulb in a domed hood to provide a basking site. Placing it in one corner helps to create a temperature range in the cage. The wattage was determined by the temperature it needs to produce. I kept the basking temperature in the mid 80'sF for hatchlings. Appropriate temperature aid in digestion and thus indirectly nutrient absorption.
The cage can be decorated with pieces of wood or bark and rocks/stones. One piece of the bark should allow the dragon to reach the basking area. One curved piece can create a hide for the dragon. Make sure that whatever you use is not positioned so that it can move or fall over on the chameleon.
You need some thermometers to show the temperatures at various spots in the cage, a dish for food, supplements, etc.
The dragon can be fed crickets that have been gutloaded/well-fed. They should be dusted appropriately with supplements. (See further down for more information about this.) Make sure that the crickets are the right size to fit into its mouth readily. Using insects that are too big can lead to problems. As the dragon grows, you can use other insects too.
The dragon can also be fed greens (dandelions, kale, collards, endive, escarole, mustard greens, etc.) and veggies (carrots, squash, sweet potato, sweet red pepper, zucchini, etc.) and a small amount of fruit (apple, pear, melon, berries, etc.).
The above greens and veggies can be used as a gutload/to feed the insects.
Since many of the feeder insects used have a poor ratio of calcium to phosphorus, its important to dust them before feeding them to the dragon with a phos.-free calcium powder.
To ensure that it gets some D3 without overdoing it, I dusted the insects twice a month with a phos.-free calcium/D3 powder. D3 from supplements can build up in the system and lead to problems. D3 from the UVB light should only produce the D3 required as long as the dragon can get in and out of the UVB at will.
I also dusted with a vitamin powder that contained a beta carotene source of vitamin A twice a month. Beta carotene is a prOformed source of vitamin A and is converted by the dragon as needed. Preformed vitamin A can build up in the system and prevent the D3 from doing its job and push the dragon towards MBD.
Calcium, D3, vitamin A and phos. are all players in bone health and need to be in balance. When trying to balance them you need to look at the supplements, what you feed to the insects and what you feed to the dragon.
I hope that this helps! If you get the husbandry right and you are lucky enough to have a healthy dragon it could be with you for over 11 years.
I kept them in glass cages with screen lids. For hatchlings, I used no substrate to make sure that they couldn't ingest any by accident. I placed a long linear fluorescent Repti-sun 5.0 tube light on the screen lid. Exposure to UVB allows the dragon to produce D3 which allows it to use the calcium in its diet/system.
In one corner, I placed a regular household incandescent light bulb in a domed hood to provide a basking site. Placing it in one corner helps to create a temperature range in the cage. The wattage was determined by the temperature it needs to produce. I kept the basking temperature in the mid 80'sF for hatchlings. Appropriate temperature aid in digestion and thus indirectly nutrient absorption.
The cage can be decorated with pieces of wood or bark and rocks/stones. One piece of the bark should allow the dragon to reach the basking area. One curved piece can create a hide for the dragon. Make sure that whatever you use is not positioned so that it can move or fall over on the chameleon.
You need some thermometers to show the temperatures at various spots in the cage, a dish for food, supplements, etc.
The dragon can be fed crickets that have been gutloaded/well-fed. They should be dusted appropriately with supplements. (See further down for more information about this.) Make sure that the crickets are the right size to fit into its mouth readily. Using insects that are too big can lead to problems. As the dragon grows, you can use other insects too.
The dragon can also be fed greens (dandelions, kale, collards, endive, escarole, mustard greens, etc.) and veggies (carrots, squash, sweet potato, sweet red pepper, zucchini, etc.) and a small amount of fruit (apple, pear, melon, berries, etc.).
The above greens and veggies can be used as a gutload/to feed the insects.
Since many of the feeder insects used have a poor ratio of calcium to phosphorus, its important to dust them before feeding them to the dragon with a phos.-free calcium powder.
To ensure that it gets some D3 without overdoing it, I dusted the insects twice a month with a phos.-free calcium/D3 powder. D3 from supplements can build up in the system and lead to problems. D3 from the UVB light should only produce the D3 required as long as the dragon can get in and out of the UVB at will.
I also dusted with a vitamin powder that contained a beta carotene source of vitamin A twice a month. Beta carotene is a prOformed source of vitamin A and is converted by the dragon as needed. Preformed vitamin A can build up in the system and prevent the D3 from doing its job and push the dragon towards MBD.
Calcium, D3, vitamin A and phos. are all players in bone health and need to be in balance. When trying to balance them you need to look at the supplements, what you feed to the insects and what you feed to the dragon.
I hope that this helps! If you get the husbandry right and you are lucky enough to have a healthy dragon it could be with you for over 11 years.
Trin
New Member
Ah, another beardie lover, these are the sites I've been using to raise my one month old to his 14th month (he's doing excellently)...
An excellent nutrition list for them: http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Nutrition.html
And here's a pretty decent care list covering tanks and lighting: http://www.beardeddragoncaresheet.org/care-sheet.html
As for random tips?
Handle them a LOT, put your hand in the tank and let him/her walk over it, don't stress about picking them up if they're still finger sized/palm sized, they can jump off you faster than you think and get to the ground and take off... so just keep your hand in the tank until you both have gotten used to each other.
Once your little one is large enough, you can purchase a leash to safely bring them outside on walks with you, they freak out the first time or two, but get used to it rather quickly. It's best to only take them outside if it's 70+ and you keep them on you, if it's around 75+ you can set them down so they can wander... just make sure what you place them on hasn't been fertilized/sprayed for bugs recently, it can make them sick.
If you wish to get them outdoors as a young beardie do NOT leave them unattended even if they are in their tank, they can die if you just leave them out there... as learned by a friend of my bro's who lost her 4 month old.
All in all, just treat them like the baby they are and pet them often. My little boy got used to me petting him a lot, so he lets everyone, so much fun to take him to the park and freak out the kids!
An excellent nutrition list for them: http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Nutrition.html
And here's a pretty decent care list covering tanks and lighting: http://www.beardeddragoncaresheet.org/care-sheet.html
As for random tips?
Handle them a LOT, put your hand in the tank and let him/her walk over it, don't stress about picking them up if they're still finger sized/palm sized, they can jump off you faster than you think and get to the ground and take off... so just keep your hand in the tank until you both have gotten used to each other.
Once your little one is large enough, you can purchase a leash to safely bring them outside on walks with you, they freak out the first time or two, but get used to it rather quickly. It's best to only take them outside if it's 70+ and you keep them on you, if it's around 75+ you can set them down so they can wander... just make sure what you place them on hasn't been fertilized/sprayed for bugs recently, it can make them sick.
If you wish to get them outdoors as a young beardie do NOT leave them unattended even if they are in their tank, they can die if you just leave them out there... as learned by a friend of my bro's who lost her 4 month old.
All in all, just treat them like the baby they are and pet them often. My little boy got used to me petting him a lot, so he lets everyone, so much fun to take him to the park and freak out the kids!
hyunho6
New Member
thank you and I puted on-hold I am going to pick him up at auaust 13
my birth day is at auaust 14 lol
hyunho6
New Member
thank you your site is helping me.
