Captain Jack
Bearded Dragon Egg
- Messages
- 1
I'm brand new to Bearded Dragons but not reptiles...A couple of years of Leopard Gecko experience, fortunate to have had a few clutches and about 5 years of fun with 2 large and in charge Iguanas.
Now, I've found 2 Bearded Dragons on CL and rescued them.
Named them:
Jack Sparrow who is approximately 1 1/2 years old, (so I was told) 15 inches or so nose to tail and I think he's a He. Male that is.
Crush is 2 (so I was told), 17 inches nose to tail and I think she's a She. Female of course. I am not however 100% certain about Crush.
They were kept in separate Rubbermaid containers on several inches of sand, fed tomatoes and crickets. I'm not sure if they had heat, or UVB or what??? Simply told "I cant take care of them, you can have them". When asked if he had any supplies he said "no".
This is what happened...
I prepared a 55 Gal tank ready with UVB florescent across the entire top, A UVB Heat lamp maintaining 95 - 85. Tile floor and playsand. I know the sand isn't good. I decided to have some in their habitat for as much of a familiar feel as they could have. After a few weeks, I'll get rid of all sand.
I put them in their nice new place with a few things to climb on. The family is all around and smiles are on every face. The orange one, is a hit! Even my wife is looking. I'm watching their faces and proud to have saved the dragons and make my family happy and WHAM!!!! WHOMP!!!!BAM!!! The faces SWITCH to HORROR!!! My wife gasps and EVERYONE points at the tank. I look. WHOA! Jack Sparrow (smaller of the two) has jumped across the cage onto Crush. He has her by the back of her head and is twisting back and forth, left to right!
I reach in as fast as I can, then I quickly flash back to my Iguana days.- I have NO idea what Jack will do to me. WTH?
Remove hand from cage. Jack has her pinned. Glove on, then back. I had to pry him off of her and immediately he was calm.
Just as cool as a cucumber when in my hands.
I was not prepared for 2 separate living quarters. A screen was used to separate them. Jack stayed pissed. I had hoped they'd grow to fall in love. But Jack Sparrow displayed rude behavior (hence the name), by hanging on the screen and SHAKE - SHAKE - SHAKE jumping around with his Black Beard out (see the pirate thing going?) head bob attitude.
A simple use of blue plastic between the two changed everything and they seemed happy, however in TOO SMALL of a space.
I built Crush another enclosure. Big enough to be big, but no too big.
It used to be a desk. I'll have to post pics, because it's hard to explain how I modified it.
UVB, heat, and a window to let real sun in. Open the door and she's in the window.
Here's where I am now...Two weeks into the new cage, real sunshine, and Crush has shed (yay) she's showing off a very nice yellow I hadn't even seen before she arrived...but now she's staying in her little cave. Jack wakes up with his light and moves around within a few minutes. Crush isn't. She lifts her head, and won't leave unless I throw her crickets. She'll eat her salad if I put it in her cave, but she's not coming out.
When I take her out and bring her into the living room she's very active. She'll walk around the couch, beds, tables, floor, and whatever. When she stops, she looks all around and seems normal. I put her back in the cage...right back into the cave. I'm not sure why? I brought her heat up to 105 and dropped it to 85 in an attempt to see what she'd like...She seems to love her house but not her basking area or yard.
Do they go into a slumber after shedding?
I have foam and grout supplies to create a better place for them as well as drift wood that I'm drying before I give it to them.
Any suggestions, tips or tricks? I want this to be perfect for them.
Now, I've found 2 Bearded Dragons on CL and rescued them.
Named them:
Jack Sparrow who is approximately 1 1/2 years old, (so I was told) 15 inches or so nose to tail and I think he's a He. Male that is.
Crush is 2 (so I was told), 17 inches nose to tail and I think she's a She. Female of course. I am not however 100% certain about Crush.
They were kept in separate Rubbermaid containers on several inches of sand, fed tomatoes and crickets. I'm not sure if they had heat, or UVB or what??? Simply told "I cant take care of them, you can have them". When asked if he had any supplies he said "no".
This is what happened...
I prepared a 55 Gal tank ready with UVB florescent across the entire top, A UVB Heat lamp maintaining 95 - 85. Tile floor and playsand. I know the sand isn't good. I decided to have some in their habitat for as much of a familiar feel as they could have. After a few weeks, I'll get rid of all sand.
I put them in their nice new place with a few things to climb on. The family is all around and smiles are on every face. The orange one, is a hit! Even my wife is looking. I'm watching their faces and proud to have saved the dragons and make my family happy and WHAM!!!! WHOMP!!!!BAM!!! The faces SWITCH to HORROR!!! My wife gasps and EVERYONE points at the tank. I look. WHOA! Jack Sparrow (smaller of the two) has jumped across the cage onto Crush. He has her by the back of her head and is twisting back and forth, left to right!
I reach in as fast as I can, then I quickly flash back to my Iguana days.- I have NO idea what Jack will do to me. WTH?
Remove hand from cage. Jack has her pinned. Glove on, then back. I had to pry him off of her and immediately he was calm.
Just as cool as a cucumber when in my hands.
I was not prepared for 2 separate living quarters. A screen was used to separate them. Jack stayed pissed. I had hoped they'd grow to fall in love. But Jack Sparrow displayed rude behavior (hence the name), by hanging on the screen and SHAKE - SHAKE - SHAKE jumping around with his Black Beard out (see the pirate thing going?) head bob attitude.
A simple use of blue plastic between the two changed everything and they seemed happy, however in TOO SMALL of a space.
I built Crush another enclosure. Big enough to be big, but no too big.
It used to be a desk. I'll have to post pics, because it's hard to explain how I modified it.
UVB, heat, and a window to let real sun in. Open the door and she's in the window.
Here's where I am now...Two weeks into the new cage, real sunshine, and Crush has shed (yay) she's showing off a very nice yellow I hadn't even seen before she arrived...but now she's staying in her little cave. Jack wakes up with his light and moves around within a few minutes. Crush isn't. She lifts her head, and won't leave unless I throw her crickets. She'll eat her salad if I put it in her cave, but she's not coming out.
When I take her out and bring her into the living room she's very active. She'll walk around the couch, beds, tables, floor, and whatever. When she stops, she looks all around and seems normal. I put her back in the cage...right back into the cave. I'm not sure why? I brought her heat up to 105 and dropped it to 85 in an attempt to see what she'd like...She seems to love her house but not her basking area or yard.
Do they go into a slumber after shedding?
I have foam and grout supplies to create a better place for them as well as drift wood that I'm drying before I give it to them.
Any suggestions, tips or tricks? I want this to be perfect for them.
Be sure to read through all the links above, and please if you have any questions or concerns there are many people on this site who would be happy to help. Good luck...and welcome to the forum!! 
