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First time bearded mommy jitters..

Hdrydr31

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I was thinking about getting another one to put into the tank with this one so he/she can have a friend. What's everyone's thoughts on this?

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no no no not a good idea they are solitary critters
 

Hdrydr31

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How often should I dust his crickets in calcium?

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This is discussed in the general care link but here it is:
SUPPLIMENTS
You want to dust one protein meal a day with some sort of supplement. Most people do:

6X a week with calcium without D3
1X a week with a multivitamin

There are some exceptions though and other supplements that can be used. If you don’t have the proper UVB lighting, or you have a rescue dragon that you don’t know if it ever had UVB lighting, or you have a female that has just laid eggs, then do:

3X a week calcium without D3
3X a week calcium with D3
1X a week with a multivitamin

The above schedule is good for babies and juvenile bearded dragons. Adult bearded dragons should only be getting protein 3 days a week. In this case you could do:

2X calcium
1X multivitamin.

It’s not necessary to dust your salads with a calcium and multivitamins. Greens and veggies contain a slew of vitamins and minerals if you feed the right ones. So dusting them is kinda redundant.

It’s good to remember that proper UVB lighting lends to the creation of vitamin D3 and proper heating helps the absorption of calcium. When setting up your lights you want the UVB light and the basking light to overlap slightly to ensure this process happens.

Some other supplements that are helpful but not necessary are bee pollen and a probiotic.

Bee pollen is becoming very popular in the bearded dragon world. It is packed with protein, amino acids, vitamins and minerals. Picky eaters will sometimes devour food sprinkled in bee pollen because it gives it a bit of sweetness.

Bee pollen comes in granule or powder form. Either one is acceptable but powder is probably easier to use. It can be purchased online or at a vitamin store.

Probiotics can help restore the gut after a regime of antibiotics or a change in diet such as switching over to a more veggie diet for adults.
 

PatsyB

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The light you bought is okay for temporary situations but you will want to get a tube style bulb that covers more area of the tank and puts out more UVB. You will need a different fixture for it. I also buy online from Pet Mountain. I also use Dr. Foster Smith, Amazon and LightYourReptiles.

You only want one dragon per tank. The only buddy he needs is you :)
 

Bambino2988

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So I have a question.. How do you guys keep your crickets alive?!? I bought 50 for him last Sunday and over 20 have died..

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Hdrydr31

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So I have a question.. How do you guys keep your crickets alive?!? I bought 50 for him last Sunday and over 20 have died..

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Crickets are soo hard to keep (I know as I kept large quantities for 5 years) they are very temperamental, sensitive to temp changes/odors/moisture.. You have to keep them really clean, you need lots of ventilation but really they just don't live long, it was really hit and miss during my time of housing I'd go months with no issues then wham huge die offs for no reasons...They need room they don't do well if over crowded as they are cannibalistic and it's best that they are not having to be ontop of eachother to get heat.
 

PatsyB

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I kept my crickets in a 10 gallon fish tank with lots of ventilation and lots of egg crate for them to hide. I kept them fed with the stems from my greens and I gave them water crystals to drink. I cleaned out the dead skin and poop 2x a week and my crickets kept for weeks.
 

Hdrydr31

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BTW! I think me and my kids have finally decided on a name! We are calling him "Drake the Dragon" or Drake for short..

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Love it!!!
 

Bambino2988

Bearded Dragon Egg
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Drake refuses to touch his veggies... He will only eat crickets and strawberries and I have only gotten him to eat strawberries once. I thought about ordering some Dubai roaches for him but I'm not sure.. What else can I try to get him to eat his veggies?!

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PatsyB

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Drake refuses to touch his veggies... He will only eat crickets and strawberries and I have only gotten him to eat strawberries once. I thought about ordering some Dubai roaches for him but I'm not sure.. What else can I try to get him to eat his veggies?!

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He's still a little guy so don't get hung up on him not eating his veggies. Offer them every day and he should come around. Gut load his bugs with his salad too. He should eventually come around to eating it but at this time he needs more protein in his diet than veggies.
 
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