Advice on my new bearded dragon I got 4 days ago.

[Tundrazz]

Hi, so my bearded dragon. I believe it's a juvenile, I just bought it on black Friday from PetSmart, has been acting strange.

It hasn't been eating regularly since I got it. First day it wouldn't eat any crickets, so bought some red wiggler worms and it ate one of those. I've been trying to feed it in the morning, but it doesn't like tong feeding for some reason. I tried putting it in a separate tub with a bunch of crickets, but just panics and start trying to escape with out eating any. On the 3rd day I noticed it got excited and was running around looking at it's reflection in the glass. I took this opportunity to drop 5 crickets in the tank and it ate them all.

In regards to the tank, it's a 4 foot 90 gallon with a T8 18" tube uvb light set up inside. Temperature seems fine, the basking rock usually hits in-between 110-115 degrees. Cool side 75-85. One problem I noticed is that the rope ladder goes higher than the uvb light, and for some reason he likes to chill right at at the top of that ladder all day. So I doubt he's getting enough uvb light. I think I could fix this by replacing the basking light with one of those 2 in 1 lights that give out uvb and heat right? Another thing is at night it gets a bit cool, like 65 degrees, but I put him on that plush cushion on the right when I shut off the lights.

So yeah give me some advice pls. I also realized I'm way more financially unstable than I thought, there's no way I can afford to take it to a vet anytime soon, so if I can fix this as cheaply as possible that would be great. Having to return him to the pet store would be embarrassing.

 

[Sadie]

Hi, so my bearded dragon. I believe it's a juvenile, I just bought it on black Friday from PetSmart, has been acting strange.

It hasn't been eating regularly since I got it. First day it wouldn't eat any crickets, so bought some red wiggler worms and it ate one of those. I've been trying to feed it in the morning, but it doesn't like tong feeding for some reason. I tried putting it in a separate tub with a bunch of crickets, but just panics and start trying to escape with out eating any. On the 3rd day I noticed it got excited and was running around looking at it's reflection in the glass. I took this opportunity to drop 5 crickets in the tank and it ate them all.

In regards to the tank, it's a 4 foot 90 gallon with a T8 18" tube uvb light set up inside. Temperature seems fine, the basking rock usually hits in-between 110-115 degrees. Cool side 75-85. One problem I noticed is that the rope ladder goes higher than the uvb light, and for some reason he likes to chill right at at the top of that ladder all day. So I doubt he's getting enough uvb light. I think I could fix this by replacing the basking light with one of those 2 in 1 lights that give out uvb and heat right? Another thing is at night it gets a bit cool, like 65 degrees, but I put him on that plush cushion on the right when I shut off the lights.

So yeah give me some advice pls. I also realized I'm way more financially unstable than I thought, there's no way I can afford to take it to a vet anytime soon, so if I can fix this as cheaply as possible that would be great. Having to return him to the pet store would be embarrassing.

The tank looks good but please get 2 digital probe thermometers -- place one of the probes for 10 min or so where hes sitting to bask - you want temps 95-100 surface temps not ambient for a juvie dragon - I cant see him so if hes younger you want temps 105-110 nothing hotter and it must be taken w/ a digital probe -- stick ons are inaccurate ---- your UVB fixture is what kind brand and does it have a reflector in it? What brand of UVB bulb -- w/ him climbing as high as he can to that UVB hes not getting enough rays -- is there a clear plastic cover over the bulb? Please leave your lighting w/ the separate basking bulb and separate UVB --- the MVB 's are ok but you will need a long tube fixture like you have now to supplement UVB as most MVB's dont emit enough so a extra long tube fixture is always recommended thats why I said to leave as is plus its easier to adjust temps --- ---- you are going to need to upgrade your UVB fixture for the size of your tank - a 90 gallon tank requires a 24" fixture Zoo Med w / a Reptisun 10.0 T 5 22 inch bulb --- https://www.pangeareptile.com/collections/light-fixtures/products/zoo-med-reptisun-t5-hood
https://www.pangeareptile.com/colle...d-reptisun-10-0-uvb-t5?variant=26907418591332 22"
Your dragon will go thru relocation stress so his eating will be off but please get the basking temps corrected and his UVB this is going to help him adjust to his tank --- the UVB for a T 8 should be directly above the basking decor 6-8 inches -- you can use this for now but I do recommend upgrading the UVB as soon as you can -- I am going to post some websites for you for insects and nutrition http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Nutrition.html ignore the kale thing its a good staple feeder
https://symtonbsf.com/ order large and DO NOT dust them feed as many as you want they are a great staple feeder and a good compliment to the main staple insect --- great lure to the salad bowl
www.dubiaroaches.com --- great roaches and good horn worms they grow fast order small amounts they are a good hydrating worm - super worms feed as a lure to the salads 1-3 every couple of days
Order the worms and insects NO bigger than the space between the eyes length wise
www.reptilianarts.com good place for silk worms - they are another good staple feeder
If you have any more questions please ask--- also please order a digital probe hygrometer -- place it on the back center wall of the tank it will read the whole tank https://dubiaroaches.com/products/exo-terra-digital-hygrometer?variant=21432314265685 optimal humidity is 40-50 % you dont want it below 20 or above 70%