Odahviing pictures!

[Allthingsterrarium]

Hello everybody! I finally got a chance to upload some recent and much better quality pictures of Odahviing. I actually think she might be a female due to lack of any bulges at the base of the tail but she's still pretty young so I don't know yet. Even though I'm not sure how old she probably is I know she's a juvenile and I would put her size at maybe about 8 1/2 inches . When I got her the people at Petco said they think she might be a mutation called a leatherback bearded dragon. She's certainly beautiful and although it might be hard to see here she has a slight reddish tinge to her skin or really more of an orange. I know some of you wanted to see the habitat she's currently living in. It's a 55 gallon desert or tropical tank designed by National Geographic and sold through Petsmart. I'm hoping I can keep her in here but if she turns out to be one of those extremely rare dragons that grow gargantuan and approach 36 inches I'll move her to something bigger. She has a hammock she spends all day in and some hides she ignores completely but will always be there for her and right now, as recommended by someone I talked to she has a synthetic grass carpet right now also designed by National Geographic but when she grows up I'm going to give her pure calcium sand which won't impact her guts at all and be beneficial if swallowed.

 

[Allthingsterrarium]

I forgot to mention that as for decoration I wanted to keep it as natural as possible so it's completely Australian outback scrubland themed. On the right you can see the space heater that helps keep the room warm. That thing lying on the left is my digital thermometer and you can also see the key to the enclosure hanging by a wire and suction cup on the side. Her water dish is a dispenser system with a water reservoir on top. Above her hammock is her basking light and the other lamp is just a deep purple night light to help keep her warm when the lights go out.

 

[CrazyLeopardGeckoLady]

She's very cute!!!!
I used to keep my beardie on calcium sand but I don't recommend it, bearded dragons natural habitat is a rocky environment and the sand should be packed down, calcium sand can impact them still
If you want to use sand I recommend washed play sand since its firm, and you would probably have to feed her crickets or bugs in a different container

 

[PatsyB]

Where is your UVB light? Also, there should be no lights of any colors used at night. They can see spectrums of color that we can't see. Even with their eyes closed they can see shadow and light with the "third eye" on top of their head. It's that funny looking scale right in the middle of their head. If you are going to use any kind of sand, children's washed play sand is the best. It's non toxic and has nothing added to it. Calci sand is binding, think clumping cat litter when it's wet. The calcium they use in that sand is the same calcium that is used in antacids. The other thing about sand is it can get under their eye lids and inhaled and promotes bacteria growth in the tank.

 

[Allthingsterrarium]

Where is your UVB light? Also, there should be no lights of any colors used at night. They can see spectrums of color that we can't see. Even with their eyes closed they can see shadow and light with the "third eye" on top of their head. It's that funny looking scale right in the middle of their head. If you are going to use any kind of sand, children's washed play sand is the best. It's non toxic and has nothing added to it. Calci sand is binding, think clumping cat litter when it's wet. The calcium they use in that sand is the same calcium that is used in antacids. The other thing about sand is it can get under their eye lids and inhaled and promotes bacteria growth in the tank.

Oh man! That's crazy. Don't want that to happen. I'll use the calcium sand I have for something else. The UVB light is the one above her hammock. Yeah I've started turning off the other light at night. Maybe that's why she's so cranky. I have other uses for it anyway.

 

[Allthingsterrarium]

She's very cute!!!!
I used to keep my beardie on calcium sand but I don't recommend it, bearded dragons natural habitat is a rocky environment and the sand should be packed down, calcium sand can impact them still
If you want to use sand I recommend washed play sand since its firm, and you would probably have to feed her crickets or bugs in a different container

Yeah I've been planning to feed her outside the tank anyway. Maybe I should just stick to the carpet.

 

[PatsyB]

Are you using a mercury vapor bulb for UVB and heat?

My older dragon has repticarpet in her tank because she's very clean and doesn't mess it. In my other tanks, I use shelf liner. It's real easy to wipe clean and it comes in different designs so you can switch it up.

 

[Hdrydr31]

I agree with the above, I am all for making things as natural as possible but realistically we just can not duplicate it, we can get pretty close but some things just can't be done appropriately. And they are bred in captivity so we have to keep that in mind. I use shelf liner as well and it looks like sand, super easy to clean (Izzy doesn't poo in her tank so it's really easy) I also use brown repti carpet. Half logs, long bark plank for basking to name a few. No light of any kind at night and yea that's most likely why she's cranky, their 3rd eye is an incredibly sensitive organ.
The lights seem soo far away and are going thru the mesh, what is your temps down where she is? What is your UVB?
Looking good just needs a bit of tweaking..

 

[Allthingsterrarium]

Are you using a mercury vapor bulb for UVB and heat?

My older dragon has repticarpet in her tank because she's very clean and doesn't mess it. In my other tanks, I use shelf liner. It's real easy to wipe clean and it comes in different designs so you can switch it up.

Mercury vapor bulb. That's what was recommended in the bearded dragon book I have.

 

[Allthingsterrarium]

Mercury vapor bulb. That's what was recommended in the bearded dragon book I have.

Oh and yes! I do like these carpets. I just hear you have to be careful with younger dragons as fibers could restrict blood flow if wrapped around the toes or limbs. Fortunately it's a fine fiber carpet without any stray fibers I can see. She likes it anyway

 

[Allthingsterrarium]

I agree with the above, I am all for making things as natural as possible but realistically we just can not duplicate it, we can get pretty close but some things just can't be done appropriately. And they are bred in captivity so we have to keep that in mind. I use shelf liner as well and it looks like sand, super easy to clean (Izzy doesn't poo in her tank so it's really easy) I also use brown repti carpet. Half logs, long bark plank for basking to name a few. No light of any kind at night and yea that's most likely why she's cranky, their 3rd eye is an incredibly sensitive organ.
The lights seem soo far away and are going thru the mesh, what is your temps down where she is? What is your UVB?
Looking good just needs a bit of tweaking..

the ambient temperature in the in the tank is generally about 80 degrees and her basking spot under the light is in the mid 90s-around 100. Unfortunately my digital thermometer measures in celsius so I always have to re-check and type the numbers in a c-f converter.

 

[Allthingsterrarium]

Wait, you guys mentioned a third eye. Bearded dragon's don't actually have three eyes do they? Probably a dumb question but the third eye you speak of isn't an actual eye right? It's just some kind of heat and light sensitive area of skin right?

 

[CrazyLeopardGeckoLady]

A third eye is a scale on top of their head that they use to sense predictors from above them, it's not a literal eye but more of a sensory tool [emoji5]

 

[Allthingsterrarium]

A third eye is a scale on top of their head that they use to sense predictors from above them, it's not a literal eye but more of a sensory tool [emoji5]

That is just so completely cool!

 

[CrazyLeopardGeckoLady]

I don't know if it can see it but it's an odd looking for in the middle of his scales

 

[PatsyB]

http://www.anapsid.org/parietal.html