Noob here. Well, not really... Just to the species

[mistersprinkles]

Hey everybody.

Been keeping reptiles on and off for 20 years. Been off for a while so a bit rusty.

Picking up a beardy baby tonight. High yellow. The only guy who sells high yellows around here so I'm paying $200 which I know is a gauge...

Anyways,

For grow out to about 10 inches to 12 inches I'm using a 24x12" 15 gal.

Lighting is a solar glo 125W UVA/UVB and also a dual 9W power compact UVB (50 microwatts at 12". I don't know what that means, because I've been out for that long) I also have a ceramic heater to keep the temp in the warm spot 83 and the cold spot 78 at night. The basking spot is exactly 110F. (Set everything up ahead of time). Substrate is paper towel.

I'm off to buy the guy in about half an hour so I'll post a picture of him when I get him home and then he's off to bed.. sort of..

Any suggestions appreciated. Bought repcal calcium as well as the vitamin powder. Have a few hundred crickets in a tank with the water cubes and the cricket grain...

Pretty sure I got everything. Lights are on timer.

I need to know how many hours of light/day and whether I have too much UV.

Thanks

[stephanbakir]

Bandaids, beardies tend to bite me until they get used to me lol

(the easiest way to get a beardie off of your finger without damaging teeth is to dunk them in water, works for all lizards(just be ready to pick em up after.))

[stephanbakir]

And Welcome!

[NennaMeerkat]

Welcome and congrats on your new beardie. I got an older guy and I know the minimum I would keep him in is a 40 gallon long aquarium. Would suggest the same for yours eventually. As for the day/night schedule I keep mine on about a 10-12 hour schedule, but not sure if that is the standard or best.

[mistersprinkles]

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n88/111olbap/0934nja_20.jpg

Here we go. Got an excellent animal. Only about seven inches total length but has the body shape of a juvenile rather than a hatchling and nice color already. Really even pattern. Very friendly. He fell asleep on the way home.

[mistersprinkles]

Bandaids, beardies tend to bite me until they get used to me lol

(the easiest way to get a beardie off of your finger without damaging teeth is to dunk them in water, works for all lizards(just be ready to pick em up after.))

I forgot to mention I used to work in a tropical pet store and I've been bitten by an (everything) so no worries there. Also this guy is docile even for a bearded dragon.

[stephanbakir]

Just tossing it out there, nice beardie.

[marvelfreak]

Hello and welcome! Beautiful beardie with amazing color.

[mistersprinkles]

Thanks guys.

Fell asleep propped up in the corner. Still in the same place about ten hours later. I'm guessing that's not abnormal because I used to keep green iguanas and they do that when they're small.

I gave him a network of cork bark to hide in if he wanted to its really soft and light weight so he's not in the corner out of fear.

I'll get better pictures of him tommorow.

[mistersprinkles]

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n88/111olbap/fred.jpg
Discovering his/her reflection

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n88/111olbap/grff.jpg
Looking thataway

Is it normal for the eyes to be slightly squinty like this? I have a really bright light.. but in the original picture on the round rock they arent squinty.. (that's the picture the breeder emailed me I didn't take it but its the same lizard I've checked the pattern really well) .

I put about 12 small crickets in this morning and they vanished so with no way to get out I gues he ate them so I added some more. Havent seen him touch the various greens salad I chopped up. He drank some water also. I've misted once and will mist 2 other times today as breeder suggested. First thing in the morning he was licking the branches a lot when he woke up so Im guessing hes used to misting first thing. I was too groggy to connect the dots at the time.


He's taking a rather extended nap right now is that normal?


Also does everyone agree that a single 125W Solar Glo exo terra lamp (UVA/B) is enough UV for the time being? If I use that AND the power compact at the same time the cold side temp reaches unacceptable highs and I can't bring it down without moving said lamp to a distance where the UV becomes nil.

Also my temps are: 105-110 basking spot

about 82-84 cold side

at night:

77 cold side

82 hot side

I made a macguiver rack for the lights if they have to be moved up or down a few inches it isn't too hard to do so I can alter these temps if needed.

[mistersprinkles]

As the day has gone on his eyes seem less squinty. I think it's morning teenager syndrome.

[mistersprinkles]

Ok so apparently I'm incompetent... I cleaned his cage and I had him on my shirt and he fell off onto a vynil floor. I think he fell about 24-30". He seems ok but I'm starting to wonder if I should have gotten a bearded dragon. His body temp was maybe 77. If I'm too stupid to remember that's too cold to hold on properly I might be too stupid to have pets at this point in my life...

[Lankyrob]

Accidents happen, as long as we learn from them then that is the important thing. :)

[mistersprinkles]

Accidents happen, as long as we learn from them then that is the important thing. :)

:sorry: I don't know...
Thanks for the nice comment though.

[Reptile_Reptile]

i think your just being too harsh on yourself he's fine your fine its all good

[stephanbakir]

Everyone makes mistakes, I'm sure that the lil' guy will forgive you

[mistersprinkles]

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n88/111olbap/fffffff.jpg

Steve (If he turns out to be female that could be an issue......) taking a nap.
He/she has grown since I got him/her a fair bit which is pretty crazy because it's been six days. I haven't seen him eat any vegetables. I've seen him sitting on them... I HAVE seen him murder many, many crickets.

I have questions-

I can't get him to drink. He drank when I first got him and put him in some water in a bowl. If I put him in water now (warm or room temp).

I spray him and he seems to like it but he doesn't drink the water off the glass like a gecko or anything so I'm confused as to how he's staying hydrated. I've tried spraying into his open mouth bu the closes it...

Otherwise he seems to be doing ok?

Also I've only found one large and one medium poop. Aren't omnivorous lizards supposed to poo every 24/48 hours? He looks mildly bloated.

Also how do I keep the calcium and vitamin powders on the crickets? It seems to come off after a couple of hours and he doesnt eat them all right away...

MyMovie-8.mp4 video by 111olbap - Photobucket (http://s110.photobucket.com/albums/n88/111olbap/?action=view&current=MyMovie-8.mp4)
Here's a video.

[mistersprinkles]

Sorry didn't finish that post I meant to say if I put him in water now he doesn't drink.

[SnakeyJay]

Perhaps hes drinking at night when everyones asleep and its quiet.

[mistersprinkles]

Perhaps hes drinking at night when everyones asleep and its quiet.

A diurnal ectothermic animal with garbage night vision doesn't drink at night.

[SnakeyJay]

Yes ur right there lol.. Had to edit post when I realised diurnal didnt mean day AND night lol.... I can have some silly moments, sorry... Anyway I hope he starts drinking for u mate

[mistersprinkles]

Me too. He's very calm and he's actually grown. He eats a lot, he's not bloated now he needed a poo. I know their water intake is low because they come from a desert environment and I provide enough water so I'm sure it's ok.

[SnakeyJay]

I suppose u just have to trust that instinct will take care of his needs..

[mistersprinkles]

I suppose u just have to trust that instinct will take care of his needs..

I don't trust instinct to take care of anything this many generations CB. :yes:. 3 decades of watching stupid reptiles has taught me otherwise.

I got him some wax worms. Less than an inch. He took one out of my hand but he didnt get it down. It was like he didnt like the taste. Chewed it and dropped it and kind of went PTAAAA PEW PEW with his tongue..

He's spent the last two hours staring at them walking around in a dish with confusion..

[stephanbakir]

Lol, good luck with him. sounds like a handfull.

[mistersprinkles]

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n88/111olbap/ddddddddddd.jpg
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n88/111olbap/ddddddddddddddddddddddddddddd.jpg
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n88/111olbap/rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.jpg

All of your crickets are belong to us.

[stephanbakir]

I love it when lizards look at crickets out of one eye then charge them lol:P

[mistersprinkles]

He ate two waxworms. :)

[belovedboas]

haha nice!!! cute lil beardie I love em when there babies:)

[SnakeyJay]

Cool atleast hes started eating something fot you now. Awesome pics btw, he looks a proud little fella.

[mistersprinkles]

He's been eating since day 1 just not vegetables. He's eaten many crickets. He's eating waxworms too now.

~I've noticed since I got him the distance between his lips at the back of the mouth has increased and when he opens his mouth there is sometimes a noticeable string of saliva whereas these were not present when I got him.

If he were a snake, this would be the earliest stage of mouth rot. What's going on?

[mistersprinkles]

Steve is getting much more colorful

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n88/111olbap/fdffffff.jpg

(I'm wearing shorts)

[infernalis]

He's been eating since day 1 just not vegetables. He's eaten many crickets. He's eating waxworms too now.

~I've noticed since I got him the distance between his lips at the back of the mouth has increased and when he opens his mouth there is sometimes a noticeable string of saliva whereas these were not present when I got him.

If he were a snake, this would be the earliest stage of mouth rot. What's going on?

No one answered this question?? I can't help you there, has it subsided??

The picture he looks healthy.

[mistersprinkles]

It went away I'm keeping an eye on it. He seems healthy.

[bo2as]

ive had a few beardies 4 to be exact one of the lived till he was 9. the others unfortunatley had an encounter with my roomates ferrets.. :( but they ussually will choose the live food before the greens. also they eat more greens and veggies and fruits when they are older. still provide it for them but dont worry too much for now if he isnt eating them. i know all 4 of mine LOVED kale and rasberries :) verry important that you DONT feed him iceberg lettus, romain lettus and spinache.. these greens arent good for them. try using colorful veggies. like green peppers with butternut squash rasberries ect. For the string of saliva.. did he eat any crikets right before? and for the drinking.. do u have a water dish? this is STRONGLY recomended because they can drink when they are thirsty. also they DO like to saok before shedding or if they get hot. My beardies would soak once in a while or just leave the tip of their tail.. or foot in the water to cool off. and Ull see they kind of change colors depending on their moods. when they are PISSED lol they puff out their throat and all the scales go black around the face. theire bodies sometimes seem darker other times lighter. ull see those purplish spots on him get REALY bright if hes basking in the sun :) ANy ways sorry for the essay ;) good luck and keep us posted!

[Rambleonrenae]

Hi Mistersprinkles.

I love your beardie :) I love mine too. Mine puffed at me today, it was soo cute!!!

I've had mine for 4 months now. (not the first one I've had) He is roughly 5 months old now. He eats about 15-20 crickets a day. Sometimes more sometimes less, depending on how hungry he is. I keep a water dish in there full of water all the time, but I swear I have never seen him drink. Not once. I spray him down and he loves it, too. I also feed kale or collards or mustard greens finely chopped sprayed with water every couple of days. He eats them when he wants them. Sometimes he gobbles them up other times it just sits till I remove it. I give him about once a week powered crickets in the calcium. I also feed him gutloaded crickets. I buy 500 at a time, so keeping crickets has become a hobby too. Healthy crickets = healthy beardie. You can buy the gutload from the petstore. My reptile guy makes his own and I buy it by the pound, it supplies the crickets with both moisture and food. I found a wet cricket is a dead cricket. lol.

[mistersprinkles]

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n88/111olbap/DSCF6568.jpg

[mistersprinkles]

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n88/111olbap/DSCF6568.jpg

Bo2as yes he has a water dish

[mistersprinkles]

Steve's starting to look more colorful and he's grown a lot. I saw him eat some collard greens today for the first time. I'm sure he's done it before but I've never seen him eat veggies. They're in there though.