Beardie Newbie xx

[kermy1979]

Hi everyone, my name is Chelle and i live in the uk.

Im brand new to all this beardie stuff and i could do with some help. I havent bought one thing yet not even my beardie and would like to create the perfect habbitat for him/her before i buy the beardie. I have done a ton of research online and am more confused now than i was before. The beardie i will be getting is only a few weeks old at the moment so i have a few weeks to get thing perfect. I need as much info as possible in regards to substrait, plants, rocks, food and pretty much everything else.

Thanks for your help.

 

[Germ]

Hey, Chelle,

There is much confusing info on the net. On this forum we are appreciating every one's input, but, if it 'Feels" wrong, there is likely another member to give their knowledge/input. Welcome. A really good place to start out is the 1St And/ Or 2nd posts in 'General Discussion'

 

[kermy1979]

Thanks for your help and suggestion. will take a look now. Is there a difference between looking after an adult and a baby??? Sounds like a stupid question sorry xx

 

[Germ]

Not a stupid question at all, the answer is yes, a very real difference.

 

[kermy1979]

ok thanks. Where can i find baby appropriate care? How old should a baby be before it can be seporated from its siblings? The substrate question is a little hard for me to answer. I have no idea which option is the best. Sand, tile, carpet or earth. Its really bugging me, any advice?

 

[Germ]

Separation : Yesterday ~~~ Substrate: Non-Particle until they are 10"+ nose to tip of tail. This is really goood 'Heads Up' . The rest, check out General discussion.

 

[jessica domke]

hi there chelle & welcome 2 the best forum out there!!! now ne1 plz correct me if i'm wrong, it's been just bout a yr since my beardie wuz a baby, so i'm trying 2 remember everything correctly! as germ said, there's a huge difference in looking after a baby, juvenille & adult beardie!! but keep in mind, bearded dragon's r very addicting & they require a good amount of attention & money!!! ur new baby will be quite small so start off w/a 20 gallon tank & just keep it simple at first. u will have 2 give ur baby bout a week er so 2 adjust 2 his/her new home..w/that said he/she might not eat right away..but don't let that scare u! 4 ur enclosure u will need substrate(don't use sand!!!! many ppl beg 2 differ, but they can swallow it & it will get stuck in their intestines & possibly not be able 2 pass it thru em & die. so best bet is 2 not even chance it)...i wud say either reptile carpet, newspaper, papertowel or tile. than a basking area, either a bigger rock or a limb of some sort. u want 2 make sure it isn't 2 close 2 the top of the screen lid where ur heat & uv light will be, that can cause problems! than u need a food & water dish, the food dish u will need 2 keep full & in ur baby's site all day, every day. (normally when a baby, a beardie won't eat their greens right away, which is y u keep it in their site all day & mist a few times a day 2 allow the greens 2 last longer & 2 hydrate ur beardie)the water dish as well, just be sure 2 make sure u change the water out daily! the foods u have 2 choose from u can check out on this site: http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Nutritionframeset.html as a variety is best!!! it's always a good idea 2 start ur beardie out young, trying 2 get him/her 2 eat the greens/veggies & fruits at a young age(some beardie's r very pickey when it comes 2 food). this is the variety i give my dragon: dandelion greens, mustard greens, collard greens, turnip greens, kale(only occasionally), watercress(once in awhile), prickley pear cactus pad, just bout ne type of squash, peas, green beans, lima beans(once in awhile), mango, grapes(occasionally), apples(once in awhile, but not 2 often), pineapple(occasionally), blueberries, crickets(no bigger than the space between ur beardies eyes), phoenix worms, silkworms, hornworms(wud be 2 big 4 ur baby) & roaches r illegal here in the us, but since ur in the uk, i guess u can get away w/those as well lol. & w/that said, u will need calcium & multivitamin powder as well. dust the crickets &/or salad w/the calcium powder every day, the multivitamin powder once a week. 4 the lighting, it is very important, 2 help aid in digesting of their food, shed & just good 4 their health in general. u will need source of heat & there r many different options 4 that. 4 a 20 gallon, i wud say either a 75 watt or 100 watt heat lamp wud work. u might have 2 test it out & see. the heat light shud sit at one end of the tank(where the basking post/limp/rock is) & be between 105-110 degrees f 4 a baby. w/a cooler side being at 80 degrees f, cuz beardies need 2 have different temps available so they can thermoregulate themselves, from the hot end 2 the cool end. & keep in mind, bearded dragon's come from the deserts of australlia, so they like it hot & dry. humidity shudnt get above 30 percent, a water dish shud keep it around that exactly. u will need a uv light extending the whole length of the enclosure as well. it must contain uvb & uva rays, the best 2 brands r arcadia & repti-sun...but u can use a repti-glo(just make sure ur beardie can't get 2 close 2 it, cuz repti-glo's have been known 2 cause eye problems!) 4 a 20 gallon u can get a 5.0 or 10.0 uv tube light. some ppl use the coil uv lights, but i've always used the tube uv lights, as i believe many ppl on here do as well. investing in a timer 2 be sure the heat & uv light comes on at the same time every day is a good idea. oh & u will need a thermometer & a hygrometer 2 be sure of ur temps & humidity, cuz u never wanna guess!!! u can either buy a lil spray bottle 2 mist ur dragon w/water or a dropper..whichever u prefer. i have always used a spray bottle, but some people have used a dropper. mist ur beardie quite a bit when he/she's a baby, so ur baby can stay hydrated! beardie's won't drink out of a bowl of standing water(in the wild they lick the dew off the leaves), although some can be trained & learn 2 drink from their water bowls..but this takes much time & practice. if u ever c ur beardie under his basking spot, w/his mouth gaping open, that means he/she is hot & is trying 2 cool down...almost like when a dog pants. make sure when misting, it is a light mist, not harsh. don't handle ur beardie awhole lot when u 1st get him/her. i kno it will be tempting, but they kind of go thru shock when they get moved 2 a new home, so give ur baby a week er so 2 adjust! give ur baby a bath every week 2 help aid w/shedding & 2 hydrate him/her. the water in the container or tub shud be very shallow, no deeper than bout half way up the front legs of ur beardie & NEVER leave him/her un-attended while bathing! some beardie's h8t their bath time, some love it...it just depends cuz all dragon's r different!!! a few weeks after having ur dragon, be sure 2 give enough attention 2 him/her, cuz otherwise ur beardie won't be use 2 u & u don't want that! lol. be sure 2 clean out the enclosure & the basking limb 1-2 times a month w/either a 20% bleach 2 80% water solution or just use soapy water(which is wut i do). as soon as ur dragon poo's tho, clean it up right away!!! by the way, dragon poo tends 2 smell pretty gross!!! haha! i use baby whipes 2 clean up my fat boy's poo. well 4 now that's bout all i can think of...like i said if ne1 disagrees or thinks i missed something out, post it!!! & chelle, there r 3 stages 4 a bearded dragon...a baby, juvenille & an adult. they all require different needs & care, just be sure 2 ask lots of questions on this forum & do plenty of research!! again, welcome 2 the wonderful life of dragons & welcome 2 the best forum out there!!! hope i helped!

 

[jessica domke]

oh 4got 2 meantion a baby beardie's food intake shud be 80% bugs & 20% greens/veggies/fruit!

 

[drgnfly2265]

Hello and welcome

 

[kermy1979]

Wow thats a lot tp take in. thank god i got time to digest it all. Thanks for all the help though really appreciate it and im sure blinkie will too when he comes home.

 

[jessica domke]

lol yah sorry. just figured the more u knew, the better off u & ur new baby'd be! glad 2 help!

 

[kermy1979]

Dont be sorry, your right the more i know the better off Blinkie will be. I bought the viv today. Do you think a 4 foot tank will be big enough for him. It does have the ability to be partitioned into smaller parts. I think i got a good deal, £65 for the tank. On friday i will be buying the lighting ect. I was thinking about the flooring issue, i came up with a thought. Would kitchen flooring (vinyl) work as a temp while hes little??? I thought, it has no small particles and is easily cleaned and also from a little test i did it does stay warm. Only thing is its only luke warm and the side without the light is cooler. Im not sure if this set up would be ok. Any help would be great thanks xx