Hugo is Coming Home!

[Kristenwoznick]

Our first bearded dragon, Hugo, will be coming home in less than a week. He is almost 2 months old, so just a baby. We decided to get his enclosure ready a couple days ago, so that we could monitor it over the next week before he gets here. We have gone a little crazy getting ready, and I feel like I have a million questions.

We decided to go with a bioactive setup. We used the Terra Sahara substrate from The Bio Dude and we planted an alone plant, Jade plant, and put a few airplants in.

He has a basking spot, a couple of hides, and stuff to climb on. I almost wonder if there's too much stuff in the enclosure...?

A double domed lamp came with the tank, so we set that up with the UVB and basking bulbs it came with and added an 18" slimline UVB as well. His cool side was sitting at around 75 F and the basking spot around 95 F.

We just changed the basking bulb to a 150 watt instead of the 100 it came with. Now, the cool side stays around 90 F and the basking spot around 120 F which I know is high, so I was thinking of adding a lamp stand to raise the dome up a bit? That or move it to a different room where the temp is easier to manage?

Maybe there's too much stuff in it? We are still waiting on the tank background to get here!

 

[averyhanna_]

just a question, what kind of thermometer are you using? i know the dial ones can be inaccurate! it could be reading 120 when the actual basking spot is at a good temperature!

 

[HarleyQuinns_Dad]

Picture of the set up?

 

[Kristenwoznick]

Hopefully this image comes through! I was having issues! Thank you guys for responding! The thermometers are digital thermometer/hygrometers in one. We threw the one that came with the setup in the middle lol

 

[Kristenwoznick]

We have gotten the temp up a bit, as seen in the picture, but it doesn't get to that temp until past noon and we are planning on his first feeding to be around 8 am. We are going to try a small 25 or 50 watt bulb in addition to this and hope that works!

 

[HarleyQuinns_Dad]

We have gotten the temp up a bit, as seen in the picture, but it doesn't get to that temp until past noon and we are planning on his first feeding to be around 8 am. We are going to try a small 25 or 50 watt bulb in addition to this and hope that works!

How is the basking light mounted? can i sit directly on the hood? Thats how I have mine and I get temps with the 150 up to 115 some days.

 

[Kristenwoznick]

How is the basking light mounted? can i sit directly on the hood? Thats how I have mine and I get temps with the 150 up to 115 some days.

This might show the lights better On the left is a slim line UVB, on the right is the double dome, with UVB light and then the 100 watt basking bulb. All the lights are sitting directly on the lid of the enclosure, which is that mesh material. This is now at 8:45 am. The mini dome shown in the middle has not been plugged in yet..

 

[HarleyQuinns_Dad]

This might show the lights better On the left is a slim line UVB, on the right is the double dome, with UVB light and then the 100 watt basking bulb. All the lights are sitting directly on the lid of the enclosure, which is that mesh material. This is now at 8:45 am. The mini dome shown in the middle has not been plugged in yet..

I have the single dome fixture with the 150 and it works amazin. you should be getting better temps if its 150. Hmmm....I wouldnt add a second basking. I would add a CHE(ceramic heating element) for the mini dome. Just my opinion.

 

[Kristenwoznick]

I have the single dome fixture with the 150 and it works amazin. you should be getting better temps if its 150. Hmmm....I wouldnt add a second basking. I would add a CHE(ceramic heating element) for the mini dome. Just my opinion.

That's a good idea! Do you know if it can still sit directly on the mesh lid with the CHE?

 

[HarleyQuinns_Dad]

That's a good idea! Do you know if it can still sit directly on the mesh lid with the CHE?

Yes Mine does and it works great! I sometimes use it at night when my AC is on.

 

[N W]

Wait wait wait...Jade plant?? Pretty sure I read those are poisonous.
Let me see if I can find the link

 

[N W]

https://www.beardeddragon.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=45&t=255238&p=1937180&hilit=Jade#p1937180

My Baby beardie died during shed | Beardie ER

Hi guys. I have an 8 week old leatherback that started to shed a couple of days ago. She looked miserable. Went off her food and would sleep under the basking lamp VERY lethargic. This afternoon I found she had passed. So upset and really wanting to know what may have happened. The only...

www.beardeddragon.org

I have not researched the validity of this myself, but the person who posted it is going to school for something related, and the vet mod on that forum agreed.

I hope your baby is ok!

 

[Kristenwoznick]

Wait wait wait...Jade plant?? Pretty sure I read those are poisonous.
Let me see if I can find the link

Thank you! So we ended up taking the plants out before he got here, just to make a bit more room! Where is the best resource for this sort of stuff? I feel like theres a lot of conflicting information for bearded dragon care! I read on a couple of other websites that Jade was totally ok. I've also seen some sites say certain foods are a staple and then a YouTube video said the same vegetable was bad. So confusing!

 

[N W]

Phew! I have been watching to see if you answered because I was worried about your baby!
So my top site is reptifiles.com because it is all info based on scientific research and not just opinion. There is also a reference on there to what seems to generally be known as the Beardie Bible for food.
I know exactly what you mean because I totally felt the same way.

 

[Kristenwoznick]

Awesome, thanks! I will use them from now on. I definitely have more questions if you are anyone else may have any ideas or suggestions. Hugo is just shy of 2 months and we cant tell if hes doing ok or not.. ?

He does move around quite a bit, he has climbed on all of his furnishings but hasn't hidden in any hides that I've seen. We were thinking this was good? Maybe hes confident? He loves to bask. He also seems to like water. He will get in the dish and scurry around and go nuts lol

The things we are most worried about, are that he now has all of these black lines on his beard and belly and the internet told me these were stress marks? I'm not sure what else we can do to make him stress free.

He also didnt eat at all the first day, yesterday he ate maybe a total of 5 roaches, and today he has had 2 that I was able to get him to eat by dropping them near him. We've been just leaving the roaches in a dish in the enclosure now, hoping he will eat while we arent around and then around his feeding times, I try to drop a few near him to entice him.

The other thing we've noticed is when he goes to sleep at night, he literally sleeps standing up against the corner of the tank on the cool side. Is this a sign he is stressed out?

I've attached a photo of Hugo and also when I found him sleeping.

 

[averyhanna_]

my baby only goes in a hide when he’s following a cricket! sometimes the “stress marks” can just be markings i think but i’m not entirely sure. when you first get them they won’t eat a whole lot. keep offering insects a bit of veggies or greens everyday and he should eventually gain interest! mine was the same way when i first got him but now he eats everything in site and never seems full! sleeping standing like that i’m not sure about. oliver did that once or twice and i never thought much of it. maybe they like the feeling of it? i’m not sure. i hope i helped a little! if you have any more questions lmk!