ObiThaGod
Hatchling Dragon
- Messages
- 72
I'm not sure if this has been done, I've done a brief search that didn't turn up much, and I didn't see anything in the stickies so I decided to go forth with my idea for this thread; but as we all know the initial set up and even things we have to change as our beardie grow tend to get pricey and quickly.
For example: the day u decide you're gonna purchase a beardie you walk into petsmart or Petco to buy your supplies like most people would do. You've done your research and have composed your shopping list and set out on your mission, you walk into the store and start filling your cart with items:
Viv - chances are you're drawn to the starter kits in an effort to save money....u settle on the one that is $200 but it comes with sand and you aren't comfortable putting your beardie in sand so you'll purchase something else and toss the sand, right?
Substrate- u find your preferred substrate which is probably repticarpet for $9.99
Décor - you grab a reptihammock 9.99 and a cool looking rock for him to climb on -$12.99
Feeding/watering dishes - you got lucky and find a 2pk for $10.99
Climbs/hides - one of each about $12.99
Lighting
•domes
• t5/t8 fixtures - include bulb and fixture for $34.99
• bulbs basking bulb
Feeders
Crickets are $.15/each and u buy 100 (if they even have that many alive [emoji19]) = $15
Or 50 superworms for $5.99
Ooooh wait I need a temperature gun and a timer as well right, let me run back
You grab the temp gun for $19.99 and the 3 outlet power strip timer for $29.99 and head to check out. Your total is $389.90 plus tax [emoji37]
Then you get home get set up and decide u want more ambient light and you go buy another $20 and a $7 bulb which puts your grand total at $416.90 before taxes.
Me being the bargain shopper I am I'm always looking for deals, I started thinking....temp guns, outlet timers, light bulbs I didn't buy these things from the pet store before and of course they're marked up here so I will look for those elsewhere
Now for your viv.....don't buy they kit....it ends up costing u more money....wait for Petco to do their $1/gallon tank sale
40 gallon viv - 40 bucks
Then I ran over to Lowes, you could check home depot or any local hardware stores and got my temp gun on sale $9.99 reg price $19.99(even at reg price its a better deal/product than the nat geo temp gun the pet store sells) even has a laser pointer so I know what surface I'm reading
Then I found a 6 outlet DIGITAL timed power strip for $9.99 (compared to petsmarts version which only has 3 outlets and the timer is a manual dial with push tabs to set the on off time)
Says its for outdoor use so the switches and outlets are covered and waterproof but ehh it gets the job done for what I need it for
For ambient light...buy a small dome -$10 and head to your local dollar tree or family dollar and buy an indoor flood lamp for a whopping $1
Feeders
Lots of folks here buy in bulk online (not sure personally but hopefully others will chime in on sites with great selections and prices)
Others here breed their own feeders....I never was big on bugs and I especially won't willingly bring roaches into my home lol so I have no experience here either.....(I personally purchase as I need them from the pet store)
Hides and climbs
Walk out to your local creek or park, find a sturdy branch that has broken from a tree then gather a few decent sized rocks...take them home wash them bleach warm water and then bake them 400° for abt 2 hours, let the cool then arrange them in your viv
Some stuff your gonna have to break and buy from a pet store but lots of stuff you can get elsewhere for much cheaper and often better quality with that said lets revise the list
Viv 40
Substrate 9.99
Décor 9.99
Fixtures/domes 34.99 +19.99 (must buy some for basking light)
Feeding dishes 10.99
Climbs/hides FREE.99
Feeders 15
Timer for lights 9.99
Temp gun 9.99
Ambient lighting 10+1
totalling 171.93 before taxes. Saving u $244.97
And if you look into the feed options that $15 decreases or goes away if you decide to breed feeders
Maybe this can get a sticky to help out some newbies and others can add to it when they find deals or bargains as well!!
For example: the day u decide you're gonna purchase a beardie you walk into petsmart or Petco to buy your supplies like most people would do. You've done your research and have composed your shopping list and set out on your mission, you walk into the store and start filling your cart with items:
Viv - chances are you're drawn to the starter kits in an effort to save money....u settle on the one that is $200 but it comes with sand and you aren't comfortable putting your beardie in sand so you'll purchase something else and toss the sand, right?
Substrate- u find your preferred substrate which is probably repticarpet for $9.99
Décor - you grab a reptihammock 9.99 and a cool looking rock for him to climb on -$12.99
Feeding/watering dishes - you got lucky and find a 2pk for $10.99
Climbs/hides - one of each about $12.99
Lighting
•domes
• t5/t8 fixtures - include bulb and fixture for $34.99
• bulbs basking bulb
Feeders
Crickets are $.15/each and u buy 100 (if they even have that many alive [emoji19]) = $15
Or 50 superworms for $5.99
Ooooh wait I need a temperature gun and a timer as well right, let me run back
You grab the temp gun for $19.99 and the 3 outlet power strip timer for $29.99 and head to check out. Your total is $389.90 plus tax [emoji37]
Then you get home get set up and decide u want more ambient light and you go buy another $20 and a $7 bulb which puts your grand total at $416.90 before taxes.
Me being the bargain shopper I am I'm always looking for deals, I started thinking....temp guns, outlet timers, light bulbs I didn't buy these things from the pet store before and of course they're marked up here so I will look for those elsewhere
Now for your viv.....don't buy they kit....it ends up costing u more money....wait for Petco to do their $1/gallon tank sale
40 gallon viv - 40 bucks
Then I ran over to Lowes, you could check home depot or any local hardware stores and got my temp gun on sale $9.99 reg price $19.99(even at reg price its a better deal/product than the nat geo temp gun the pet store sells) even has a laser pointer so I know what surface I'm reading


Then I found a 6 outlet DIGITAL timed power strip for $9.99 (compared to petsmarts version which only has 3 outlets and the timer is a manual dial with push tabs to set the on off time)

Says its for outdoor use so the switches and outlets are covered and waterproof but ehh it gets the job done for what I need it for
For ambient light...buy a small dome -$10 and head to your local dollar tree or family dollar and buy an indoor flood lamp for a whopping $1

Feeders
Lots of folks here buy in bulk online (not sure personally but hopefully others will chime in on sites with great selections and prices)
Others here breed their own feeders....I never was big on bugs and I especially won't willingly bring roaches into my home lol so I have no experience here either.....(I personally purchase as I need them from the pet store)
Hides and climbs
Walk out to your local creek or park, find a sturdy branch that has broken from a tree then gather a few decent sized rocks...take them home wash them bleach warm water and then bake them 400° for abt 2 hours, let the cool then arrange them in your viv

Some stuff your gonna have to break and buy from a pet store but lots of stuff you can get elsewhere for much cheaper and often better quality with that said lets revise the list
Viv 40
Substrate 9.99
Décor 9.99
Fixtures/domes 34.99 +19.99 (must buy some for basking light)
Feeding dishes 10.99
Climbs/hides FREE.99
Feeders 15
Timer for lights 9.99
Temp gun 9.99
Ambient lighting 10+1
totalling 171.93 before taxes. Saving u $244.97
And if you look into the feed options that $15 decreases or goes away if you decide to breed feeders
Maybe this can get a sticky to help out some newbies and others can add to it when they find deals or bargains as well!!