Pre Set Up...

[mjfreaks]

Need thoughts, concerns and advice about my set up...

1.Hidding Place? its some sort of cage thingy I found at the Goodwill. I figured it would be cool for him to hide in if he wanted...is it too big? Should I stick with the store bought ones?

2. Feeding Dish? Its an ash tray, I think but I figured it would be good to place the food in it and its clear so he can see through it...is glass bad? Is it too big?

3.Basking Rock? I found this along a bank of water in the area and figured it was flat enough at the top for him to lay on. I read online that you should clean it and bleach it, etc along with driftwood if I was to get some from the beach...bad idea? good idea? clean it first?

All I need now is a hammock because I figured they are cool looking...wood of some sort for him to climb up on the rock with and or to the hammock...and of course the Beardie Dragon. I will be getting him around June-July and he is supposed to be around 6-7 weeks old..

Thanks for looking everyone.

 

[BeardedKevin]

Defiantly disinfect and clean everything, especially the items youve found outdoors.
What lighting are you using? Is there a lid for the vivarium? Looking at the size of the Vivarium it will only last a few months for him.
The admins of this forum are very helpful and will have links to useful information. Do a bit of research, one of the most important things to keeping a bearded dragon is getting the temperatures right and using the correct lighting.
Hope you enjoy your beardie

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

 

[mjfreaks]

Defiantly disinfect and clean everything, especially the items youve found outdoors.
What lighting are you using? Is there a lid for the vivarium? Looking at the size of the Vivarium it will only last a few months for him.
The admins of this forum are very helpful and will have links to useful information. Do a bit of research, one of the most important things to keeping a bearded dragon is getting the temperatures right and using the correct lighting.
Hope you enjoy your beardie

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

I have a ZOO MED dome light and i plan to buy 2 lights that will display red for the basking area and then i have to get a lid as well. I have cats so i have to get one that locks. i also have to get the uvlamp...
and i am looking at a bigger living space for him in a few months. indeed. id say around oct or dec id have to upgrade to a bigger space for him

 

[PatsyB]

Please read the links below my comment, there is some real helpful information.

Your tank is too small and too high. You are going to have issues getting the temp in the basking spot to get to 107 for a baby or 98 for an adult. Also, you are going to have a problem getting a temp gradient in the bottom of the tank, where the dragon is going to spend a lot of time. The hide is cute, the basking rock is fine (I use a basking rock in one of my tanks, I got a garden center). The ashtray for a feeding dish is genius! We always think outside the box and repurpose things.

Disinfect everything from outside. You can use a bleach and water solution. 1 part bleach to 10 parts water. Just make sure you rinse real good after. When you think you have rinsed real good, rinse some more.

In searching for living spaces for these guys, gallon size isn't what you are looking for you need to go by dimensions. A tank should be 2x as long as the dragon and as deep and tall as the dragon is long. The average adult dragon is 18", some are longer, some are shorter. A minimum size tank should be 36"x18x18.

Do NOT use a red light, during the day or night. The red light doesn't allow the eyes to constrict during the day and can lead to blindness. At night the red light doesn't allow their brain to shut off. They can still see things with their eyes closed with the gland on top of their head, the gland allows them to see shadows and tell if predators are coming to get them. The other reason they need no colored lights at night is because the body still processes D3 and calcium and other nutrients as they sleep. They need their body to slow down and their brain to rest so that the body can complete these processes. As far as the UVB goes, the best option is a T5 tube style bulb that can sit on top of the mesh lid and still penetrate deep enough into the tank. You want your UVB light to cover about 1/2- 2/3'ds of your tank.