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I'm getting a beardie and need help please

MattyD

Hatchling Dragon
Messages
32
Location
Manchester, UK.
Hi there, just ordered my 4 foot viv and will hopefully have it all set up soon so will be looking to get my first ever beardie in the next couple of weeks and could do with advice please.
What age of beardie should I get bearing in mind i am out of the house from 6am until 5 pm? How many times a day should I feed it?
Any help would be greatly appreciated please!
Thanks, Matt.
 

Germ

Bearded Dragon Veteran
3 Year Member
1,000+ Post Club
Messages
4,493
Location
North America
WelcometoBDF2.jpg


A few good links to help get you started ... The first Link has a very good feeding schedule ... If you are not going to be available for 2-3 feedings a day, I would suggest getting an older juvenile or adult, younger BDs require multiple feedings per day.

Basic BD Care Sheet - A Place To Start

Bearded Dragon --- Exclusive Care Info Library

Beautiful Dragons Nutrition Chart

Is Bearded Dragon Co-habitation a good plan?

How To Sex A Bearded Dragon
 

Pat B

Super Moderator
Messages
1,469
Location
Columbia SC
Good Morning from foggy Columbia SC. Welcome to BDF! This is a great forum with wonderful knowledgeable moderators and other members to answer your questions and concerns. Read the links that Germ posted above. Invaluable information. Good luck and come back often!! :D
 

MattyD

Hatchling Dragon
Messages
32
Location
Manchester, UK.
Thanks so much already for your help.

I've been trawling through your forum for a few hours now and have had my eyes well and truly opened to the world of keeping a BD!!

I want to make sure that I have got everything ready for when I get my BD so if you could add any items to my shopping list I'd be very grateful;

I'll have the viv, lighting, heat, dimmers, stats etc.

I won't get a water bowl as having read a lot on this I've found out it's not a good idea.

I wont ge betting too much 'furniture' as I've learnt that too!

What I think I need then is:

1. Water spray bottle
2. Phospherous free calcium, Calcium with D3 and vitamin supplement such as Reptivite or Herptivite.
3. Bug Food
4. Greens
5. Crickets

No doubt there's so much more I'll need in advance of getting the little fella...can you help?
 

Noella

Bearded Dragon Veteran
3 Year Member
1,000+ Post Club
Messages
2,802
Location
Georgia
Welcome from Calhoun, GA. Bright, clear, cold, and no more rain! YAY!
 

Germ

Bearded Dragon Veteran
3 Year Member
1,000+ Post Club
Messages
4,493
Location
North America
Be sure your lighting includes a Desert Quality UVB bulb, linear tubes, Repti-Sun 10.0 or Repti-Glo 10.0 are the better choices in my opinion. Also be sure to have digital thermometers with sensor\probes. Another invaluable tool that you did not mention is an electronic timer to keep your Day\night schedule consistent & for when you can't be there to turn them on & off on time.

Glad to hear that you are getting everything properly prepped & ready to bring your BD home to. :D
 

Augie

Juvenile Dragon
Messages
534
Location
San Antonio TX
Germ has given you outstanding advice. He's been doing it forever, so that's no surprise. I too would recommend getting an adult dragon, since you won't be home a lot, you already bought a larger enclosure, and they eat less throughout the day. I myself work in car sales and got a baby, but only because my wife is a homemaker and can feed him when I am out "working hard for the money." LOL! :cool:

First off, let me commend you on reading the older posts and educating yourself. I did the same thing - it's step one of being the best keeper you can! That aside, I only have one thing to add: If you do get a larger one don't worry about keeping it as simple as possible. Once they get older you can start becoming their interior decorator. :D The only thing you need to worry about is ensuring that the environment you create is safe for them to live in and they are happy with their surroundings.
 

MattyD

Hatchling Dragon
Messages
32
Location
Manchester, UK.
Thanks everyone for your advice, all greatly received and listened to.

What I plan to do is set the Viv up next weekend and post pictures on here of it and, if you don't mind, take any further advice off you as to whether or not what I've done is okay or needs changing at all.

Thanks
 

Germ

Bearded Dragon Veteran
3 Year Member
1,000+ Post Club
Messages
4,493
Location
North America
'Morph' is whether it is a Normal, leatherback, silkback, Hypomelanistic, transluscent, leucistic, etc. Should not be confused with individual breeders Colorline stock names. A great thread on the subject ...

Morphs as I understand them
 

Germ

Bearded Dragon Veteran
3 Year Member
1,000+ Post Club
Messages
4,493
Location
North America
well morphs are [eg] sandfire or tiger . Go to utube bearded dragon morphs its not a daft question
@Manzeez - Your answer is exactly what a 'Morph' is not!!! Please have a look at my previous post & the provided link.

What you have described are individual Colorlines that individual breeders have named their particular stock. Many people say that they have a Sandfire because it has a little orange or some reds in it. Sandfires were bred & named by Sandfire Ranch & they have not bred BDs for many years now, so there are very few 'True' Sandfires out there. If it was not bred by the Sandfire ranch, it is not a Sandfire. If a red beardie called a Chris Allen Red was not bred by Chris Allen, then it is not a Chris Allen Red. The same goes for all the other names that breeders have given to identify their stock, such as Citrus, Tiger, German Giant (also been obsolete, if I'm not mistaken, for over a decade), Crawley Red, etc, etc. Backyard Breeders like to pin other well known breeder's stock names on theirs to up their value. This is why, if a particular dragon is said to be of a specific stock, Bloodline documentation should be asked for & if it can not be provided, then it is a scam.
 
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