new bearded dragon owner wanting tips!!! :)

[madelinew]

Hi everyone! I'm here because I would love for people to give me tips and pointers, as I am a new fancy bearded dragon owner! I once owned a bearded dragon around 6 years ago and finally got another little guy and I want to the best mother I can be. Right now he is in a 10 gallon tank (which is a bit small, I know, I'm upgrading to a 34 gallon front opening tank once I get the money and he's a bit more grown up.) Right now he's about 6 weeks which is super young so I'm trying to be extra careful with him, especially since he's from pet-smart so he might not be the healthiest. He has reptile carpet, a hide, a basking driftwoods, and some leaves. I have a 100w Zoo Med basking lightbulb in a Fluker's dimmable switch lamp, and a Zoo Med ReptiSun 10.0 UVB 15w tube light with the corresponding light fixture. He's eaten crickets coated in Flucker's calcium supplement (I also have the Zoo Med ReptiCalcium with D3 for 2-3 times a week, which U haent used yet.) from tweezers and off of the ground. He's pooped and had a couple bites of the salad I made him that includes collared greens, butternut squash, and apple but he wouldn't eat anymore and started getting jumpy and stressed so I'm letting him be for now. When I first got him he was showing signs of stress, as he was moved into a new home, and I've only handled him to clean out his enclosure which I'm trying to keep handling to a minimum as I want him to settle in.

***So sorry for the long post I'm just trying to get as much information out there to know what I'm doing right or wrong!!!*** Thank you all for taking your time to read about my baby / helping me out!

 

[Sadie]

Hi everyone! I'm here because I would love for people to give me tips and pointers, as I am a new fancy bearded dragon owner! I once owned a bearded dragon around 6 years ago and finally got another little guy and I want to the best mother I can be. Right now he is in a 10 gallon tank (which is a bit small, I know, I'm upgrading to a 34 gallon front opening tank once I get the money and he's a bit more grown up.) Right now he's about 6 weeks which is super young so I'm trying to be extra careful with him, especially since he's from pet-smart so he might not be the healthiest. He has reptile carpet, a hide, a basking driftwoods, and some leaves. I have a 100w Zoo Med basking lightbulb in a Fluker's dimmable switch lamp, and a Zoo Med ReptiSun 10.0 UVB 15w tube light with the corresponding light fixture. He's eaten crickets coated in Flucker's calcium supplement (I also have the Zoo Med ReptiCalcium with D3 for 2-3 times a week, which U haent used yet.) from tweezers and off of the ground. He's pooped and had a couple bites of the salad I made him that includes collared greens, butternut squash, and apple but he wouldn't eat anymore and started getting jumpy and stressed so I'm letting him be for now. When I first got him he was showing signs of stress, as he was moved into a new home, and I've only handled him to clean out his enclosure which I'm trying to keep handling to a minimum as I want him to settle in.
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***So sorry for the long post I'm just trying to get as much information out there to know what I'm doing right or wrong!!!*** Thank you all for taking your time to read about my baby / helping me out!

Welcome to the forum ---
the 100 watt is too hot for a 10 gallon tank please get a digital probe thermometer ASAP temps should be 105-110 placed on the spot where he bask -- you need a cool side of that tank 80 I am afraid hes gonna burn up in that small of a tank w/ that wattage -I would try a 50 watt bulb - get two thermometers ASAP --- you dont want to give him heat stroke --- please unobstruct the UVB its a T 8 and it will need to be w/ no screen for the rays to do any good the screen blocks 30 % of the rays and please get a piece of decor directly under it 6-8 inches --if there is a clear plastic cover over the bulb take it off -- ---- for the 34 gallon dont waste your money -- I would transfer him to a 20 gallon for if you have one if not go straight for the tank your going to end up w/ any way -- a 75 -120 gallon tank - hes going to need it by the time hes a year old -- they grow very fast and to go from a 10 to a 34 to a 75-120 in a year is not recommended not cost effective -- 10 gallon tanks are very hard to get temps in --- and its so small he wont be in it but maybe a month --- please work on getting a bigger enclosure for him -- I would try and cut up your veggies (squash) a little smaller for him he is so little I wouldnt want him choking - its good he ate some of it -- even a little bit is better than none since his main diet now is protein -- please use the Repti calcium D3 for now he needs it 5 x per week coating the insects lightly ONCE per feeding - I would get some vitamins w/ beta carotene dust the insects 2 x per week lightly ONCE per feeding --

 

[madelinew]

Welcome to the forum ---
the 100 watt is too hot for a 10 gallon tank please get a digital probe thermometer ASAP temps should be 105-110 placed on the spot where he bask -- you need a cool side of that tank 80 I am afraid hes gonna burn up in that small of a tank w/ that wattage -I would try a 50 watt bulb - get two thermometers ASAP --- you dont want to give him heat stroke --- please unobstruct the UVB its a T 8 and it will need to be w/ no screen for the rays to do any good the screen blocks 30 % of the rays and please get a piece of decor directly under it 6-8 inches --if there is a clear plastic cover over the bulb take it off -- ---- for the 34 gallon dont waste your money -- I would transfer him to a 20 gallon for if you have one if not go straight for the tank your going to end up w/ any way -- a 75 -120 gallon tank - hes going to need it by the time hes a year old -- they grow very fast and to go from a 10 to a 34 to a 75-120 in a year is not recommended not cost effective -- 10 gallon tanks are very hard to get temps in --- and its so small he wont be in it but maybe a month --- please work on getting a bigger enclosure for him -- I would try and cut up your veggies (squash) a little smaller for him he is so little I wouldnt want him choking - its good he ate some of it -- even a little bit is better than none since his main diet now is protein -- please use the Repti calcium D3 for now he needs it 5 x per week coating the insects lightly ONCE per feeding - I would get some vitamins w/ beta carotene dust the insects 2 x per week lightly ONCE per feeding --

Okay thank you so so much!!! I will get on these asap. With the veggies I do realize I cut them too big but I did make them smaller before I fed them to him.

 

[madelinew]

Welcome to the forum ---
the 100 watt is too hot for a 10 gallon tank please get a digital probe thermometer ASAP temps should be 105-110 placed on the spot where he bask -- you need a cool side of that tank 80 I am afraid hes gonna burn up in that small of a tank w/ that wattage -I would try a 50 watt bulb - get two thermometers ASAP --- you dont want to give him heat stroke --- please unobstruct the UVB its a T 8 and it will need to be w/ no screen for the rays to do any good the screen blocks 30 % of the rays and please get a piece of decor directly under it 6-8 inches --if there is a clear plastic cover over the bulb take it off -- ---- for the 34 gallon dont waste your money -- I would transfer him to a 20 gallon for if you have one if not go straight for the tank your going to end up w/ any way -- a 75 -120 gallon tank - hes going to need it by the time hes a year old -- they grow very fast and to go from a 10 to a 34 to a 75-120 in a year is not recommended not cost effective -- 10 gallon tanks are very hard to get temps in --- and its so small he wont be in it but maybe a month --- please work on getting a bigger enclosure for him -- I would try and cut up your veggies (squash) a little smaller for him he is so little I wouldnt want him choking - its good he ate some of it -- even a little bit is better than none since his main diet now is protein -- please use the Repti calcium D3 for now he needs it 5 x per week coating the insects lightly ONCE per feeding - I would get some vitamins w/ beta carotene dust the insects 2 x per week lightly ONCE per feeding --

For the calcium D3 do I coat the crickets each time he's fed? Or just Once that day? Is the Fluckers calcium a no go or should I still use it? Also how often should I feed him the crickets a day and how many each feeding sincehes so young? How often should He be fed veggies?!! So sorry for all of the questions I've done tons of research but I really want to keep this little guy healthy!

 

[Sadie]

For the calcium D3 do I coat the crickets each time he's fed? Or just Once that day? Is the Fluckers calcium a no go or should I still use it? Also how often should I feed him the crickets a day and how many each feeding sincehes so young? How often should He be fed veggies?!! So sorry for all of the questions I've done tons of research but I really want to keep this little guy healthy!

Calcium D3 ONCE per feeding lightly coated --- offer him crickets 3 times per day - only coat one time per day -- if the Flukers has the D3 use that no regular calcium yet he will get that at around a year old -- fresh salads every day and I would get him some BSFL www.symtonbsf.com it looks like he can eat large ones they are small and soft -- feed as many as you want on top of his salads they are a great staple feeder for babies DO NOT dust them they are calcium enriched but you still want to dust the crickets -- I would try and get him over on dubias they are a better staple feeder and easier to work w/ in a bowl https://www.amazon.com/MACGOAL-Rept...uGQB&pd_rd_wg=tLkwE&ref_=pd_gw_ci_mcx_mr_hp_d
you can feed the BSFL w/ his salads then add the main staple feeder about a hr later your roaches will stay in this bowl he should be eating 25-30 crickets per feeding roaches are more filling and he will eat about 15 of them at a feeding --- go here and look for dubias they have the best prices www.dubiaroaches.com - look at the chart on size and order insects no bigger than the space between his eyes length wise -- get him some small super worms and add those to to the tops of his salads 1-3 of them every other day or so -- they are a treat worm NO meal worms yet they are too harsh on babies stomachs you can also order small horn worms from here they do grow fast so feed them every day as well -- they are a good hydrating worm --- like one of them or two --- these make a good balanced diet for him --- http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Nutrition.html ignore the kale thing its a great staple feeder -- he will go thru relocation stress so his eating is going to be off but you MUST get the temps correct along w/ that UVB she will not eat w/ out those things properly placed and temps

 

[madelinew]

Calcium D3 ONCE per feeding lightly coated --- offer him crickets 3 times per day - only coat one time per day -- if the Flukers has the D3 use that no regular calcium yet he will get that at around a year old -- fresh salads every day and I would get him some BSFL www.symtonbsf.com it looks like he can eat large ones they are small and soft -- feed as many as you want on top of his salads they are a great staple feeder for babies DO NOT dust them they are calcium enriched but you still want to dust the crickets -- I would try and get him over on dubias they are a better staple feeder and easier to work w/ in a bowl https://www.amazon.com/MACGOAL-Rept...uGQB&pd_rd_wg=tLkwE&ref_=pd_gw_ci_mcx_mr_hp_d
you can feed the BSFL w/ his salads then add the main staple feeder about a hr later your roaches will stay in this bowl he should be eating 25-30 crickets per feeding roaches are more filling and he will eat about 15 of them at a feeding --- go here and look for dubias they have the best prices www.dubiaroaches.com - look at the chart on size and order insects no bigger than the space between his eyes length wise -- get him some small super worms and add those to to the tops of his salads 1-3 of them every other day or so -- they are a treat worm NO meal worms yet they are too harsh on babies stomachs you can also order small horn worms from here they do grow fast so feed them every day as well -- they are a good hydrating worm --- like one of them or two --- these make a good balanced diet for him --- http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Nutrition.html ignore the kale thing its a great staple feeder -- he will go thru relocation stress so his eating is going to be off but you MUST get the temps correct along w/ that UVB she will not eat w/ out those things properly placed and temps

Thank you so much!!!! You are much appreciated