Meet Chef

[ScubaDragon]

Hello,
I would like you all to meet Chef. She is our Scuba shop pet. She was given to us by one of our customers last October (2016). When she was first given to us I knew nothing about caring for a reptile. In fact I'm pretty sure the family that gave her to us only knew the basics. I say this because when they gave her to us, they told us that she was a he and that all she ate was kale and crickets. They also couldn't tell me how old she is. I'm guessing she is about 4 years old. Since I have become her new mother, I have discovered she is a girl and she loves butternut squash, mixed greens, hornworms and dubia roaches. Chef enjoys climbing our display walls and running around the shop benches when no one is in the store. She also likes to hang out on my chest and shoulder when she isn't feeling rambunctious. I will more than likely ask a lot of questions since I'm still new to owning a dragon. Everything I know I have learned from google. If you have any advice I am all ears. :0)

 

[Hdrydr31]

Welcome to the forum and she is beautiful! You can check out the links below several of our comments and there you will find a link for new comers it covers everything you could possibly need on care for these guys.. let us know how we can help.

 

[ScubaDragon]

Welcome to the forum and she is beautiful! You can check out the links below several of our comments and there you will find a link for new comers it covers everything you could possibly need on care for these guys.. let us know how we can help.

Random thought...I have been reading thru a lot of the threads and I want to change out her substrate. When she was given to me she was on sand and I was thinking of getting rid of the sand and replacing it with either ceramic tile or slate. She is in a glass 40 gal currently. Would the slate or tile get to hot on her basking side? Also do I need to get a bigger "home" for her? She is 18" from the tip of her nose to the end of her tail.

 

[ScubaDragon]

This is her "home" right now. I clean it every day and bathe her every other day to try and prevent impaction. I've left the sand so far because she digs a lot but I'm not a huge fan.

 

[Hdrydr31]

The 40g breeder is just fine, yea I would get rid of the sand and do tile or slate really whatever you'd like they should be just fine.

 

[BeardedHippy]

Hi, welcome to the forum. Chef looks like a sweetie pie, congrats. Tile is so much better than any loose substrate, there are just so many potential problems associated with sand its just not worth the risk. If you get ceramic tiles, try to find unglazed ones as they are too slippery, they can injure themselves trying to get traction (you can turn them upside down but it doesnt look so good). Slate or even terracota tiles are great but not so cheap to buy. Other than the sand, your tank setup looks pretty cool. You could add a nice hammock maybe? beardies love em

 

[ScubaDragon]

Sand is gone! ☺ I think she is happier now. If I was to get a hammock for her where should I put it in her tank?

 

[PatsyB]

I think most of us put the hammock near the basking side but it's up to you. I have put it on the cool side and the basking and they still use it. Just want to point out that your UVB and your basking light need to overlap. The UVB provides the D3 and the heat from the lamp helps the body synthesize calcium, it's one big cycle that happens together.

 

[ScubaDragon]

I think most of us put the hammock near the basking side but it's up to you. I have put it on the cool side and the basking and they still use it. Just want to point out that your UVB and your basking light need to overlap. The UVB provides the D3 and the heat from the lamp helps the body synthesize calcium, it's one big cycle that happens together.

So should I buy a UVB that runs the length of the tank?

 

[Hdrydr31]

So should I buy a UVB that runs the length of the tank?

You don't have to you just need them to overlap them.. none of mine go the length of their tanks