Hello :) is this a good home?

[FIvette]

Hello, my name is Ivette...I don't have a bearded dragon yet but I hope to get one soon. I've never had a reptile before, so this would be my first. I plan on getting him from Petco or Petsmart, is this a good idea? So far I've only got his 'home', well I have a pretty big cage that used to be an entertainment center, I was just wondering what I could do to it to make it bearded dragon friendly. I've also got a long 20 gallon...which would be be a better home for him or her?
Here's the cage:

It's a little dirty, but of''course I'll clean it and set it up before he/she get here.
The lamp in the corner is a basking lamp...

 

[Eric sachranienkow]

you'll need a uvb in the middle, and some logs in there so he/she can get up close to the basking lamp, and how old is the beardie going to be? because older beardies dont need as much light as babies, and a substrate- tile,carpet- and sand IF the dragon is a adult, sand can cause impact- ( i think.. ) i use crushed walnut shells, also you can use bark

and i would use the long 20 gallon tank, because you want more space for her, and beardies dont PRACTICLY climb vertical, so horizontal would be much better, also, could you get a pic of the 20 gallon?

 

[Brett]

I personally wouldn't use screen on it for a cpl reason one pretty hard to keep crickets etc in the enclosure and to dragons like to glass dance so to speak. The will pace back and forth the front of the enclosure rubbing there little nose raw. Id use tile or paper towels for substrate sand walnut shell bark can all cause impaction if ingested. And as Eric mentioned UVB bulb, basking bulb and a way to get about 12 inches from the basking area. Basking area should be around 100 to 110.

 

[Jaime]

the entertainment center is kinda a cool idea but i would get some plexiglass and cover the front on this inside so he and the crickets cant escape out of the chicken wire. Then you may also want to get some background to put on the plexiglass so it cant see out like Brett said, it will pace if it think it can get out (mine did until I put a background up and covered all the walls so he couldnt see out. but ya the light will have to be closer to the bottom. Good luck and have fun!

 

[tdrost]

you'll need a uvb in the middle, and some logs in there so he/she can get up close to the basking lamp, and how old is the beardie going to be? because older beardies dont need as much light as babies, and a substrate- tile,carpet- and sand IF the dragon is a adult, sand can cause impact- ( i think.. ) i use crushed walnut shells, also you can use bark

and i would use the long 20 gallon tank, because you want more space for her, and beardies dont PRACTICLY climb vertical, so horizontal would be much better, also, could you get a pic of the 20 gallon?

Hi, I don't know what the truth actually is, but everything i have been reading says to NOT use crushed walnut shells. I was told by breeders and a vet that for babies use newspaper (sand will cause impaction). adults can be on sand (i use washed, strained playsand ) and the reptile carpet. I like the carpet at least over abit as that's where his food dish is, so no sand on the bits that fall out.

 

[tdrost]

I do really like this idea of converting the entertainment unit. I was looking at doing something similiar, but wasnt sure if it would work. Great idea to use plexi glass for the front~ it's fairly inexpensive. Easier to work with than glass too.
Thanks for posting pictures!

 

[Brett]

Hi, I don't know what the truth actually is, but everything i have been reading says to NOT use crushed walnut shells. I was told by breeders and a vet that for babies use newspaper (sand will cause impaction). adults can be on sand (i use washed, strained playsand ) and the reptile carpet. I like the carpet at least over abit as that's where his food dish is, so no sand on the bits that fall out.

Using any particulate substrate there is a risk of impaction. Will it happen to every one? probably not. i'm sure many people use all of these and may not have had a issue. The question is do you want to risk it knowing the possibility there.