general help...

[peterm15]

well i was at the pet store the other day and i was showing my mom a beardie... ive always wanted one but never asked cause my mom is not a herp person... well lone behold she asked me if i wanted one... she just fell in love with it and wants me to get one... :jawdrop: .. HE!! ya..

so she helped me move around my rrom and asked me to put all other projects aside ( breeding cresties and leos) for a short time.. if i do shell help me pay for my cresties as well as shell buy me the bearded dragon...

so heres my plan...

a cage thats 45x23x18 (lxwxh) made outta sealed plywood sliding glass doors and a screen top.... these are all materials that i have lieing around and the size fits perfectly on top of the table i have.. so wadda ya think...

and about heating... daytime is no prob, a light, but at night my room drops to about 65 maybe lower which is way to low for dragons.. i perfer not to use lights at night,

so my options are:
ceremic light, but is it ok to change the hot side at night. cause i wont be able to have both on one side, they wouldnt fit...

heat pad or tape, but how does that go through wood.. wouldnt it be a fire hazzard ( well even more so) and what thermosdat should it be hooked up to.. should it be on 24/7 to raise the ambient temp and use a lower wattage buld

any suggestion please on what might be in my best intrest for my enclosure.. thank you...

oh and sorry but what book do you sugest getting..

[peterm15]

does anyone have any night heating help...

[drewlowe]

I don't have long but some quick things.

No heat pad or tape.

As long as your room doesn't drop into the low 50's at night don't worry about any heat. They can handle drops into the 60's at night, trust me its not low at all.

[peterm15]

ok sweet... im gonna check on my temps tonight and see how low they drop for sure

[CDN-Cresties]

I dont have a beardie but if I did I would build something like this...

http://708designs.netfirms.com/customcage/customcage.htm

[peterm15]

omg GREAT SITE... i love it.. im gonna try for that kinda look.. thank you so much..

[jay_scir]

I'd just put a low watt infared light over the corner they like to sleep in for night heat just so it won't drop too low.

[CDN-Cresties]

No problem. I saved it under my favorites in case the day ever arises that I want to get a beardie. :)

[peterm15]

i was thinking that but mow im think ing that im gonna make it slightly larger and put the 2 bulbs inside and a florscent strip inside.. maybe not though.. oh i dunno anymore..

[beardiedragon]

Congrats on getting a BD. Let me advise you as a general rule, do not buy animals from pet stores. There are a world of problems there if you dont know for a fact that they are well taken care of. Chain stores are generally the worst. Buy from a breeder, you will get a better deal, always. A halogen spot light is the best source for heat. a cage that size you would probably need a 75 or 100 depending on ventilation and distance from basking spot. Basking spot should be 105-115 and cool side 70-80. Night time temps dropping down into the 60s is fine. If night temps get too cold, a ceramic heater is the best bet to take the chill out of the air. Before buying a book, try the net. Heres a few lpaces to start

http://www.beardiedragon.com/pages/Care/BD_Care_QA.html
http://home.comcast.net/~holachapulin/home.html
http://blackninjakitty.com/herps/dragons.php
http://www.reptilerooms.com/
http://www.biology.lsa.umich.edu/research/labs/ktosney/file/BDcare.html

[peterm15]

awsome... thanks alot for the info..

we were just in the pet store (getting crix) and i saw them and asked if i could hold one... so i did... i do plan on buying from a breeder though and id actually like to get one thats maybe not a baby.. possibily... i dunno know yet though.. i still have quite a few weeks to decide.. by the time i gat the cage the way i want it and comfortable for him..

ps.. i do not plan on housing a baby in that large cage..

thanks again for all the info...


where would you get a halogin spot light.. hardware stores walmart or pet stores... ect ect..