Bought a bearded dragon

[Bradyloach]

Hey guys! I went to the pet store of some super worms, and I seen the perfect bearded dragon! It's been there for like 4 months, healthy as could be, and was in a 15 gallon, couldn't take it! I ha to buy him! I ha a 40 gal sitting at home so I bought it! I'm researching them lots! Bought a book. What are some good tips? Anyone
http://i627.photobucket.com/albums/tt351/bradyloach/ee3104f2.jpg
http://i627.photobucket.com/albums/tt351/bradyloach/ee3104f2.jpg

Just put a quick setup, give me tips to make it better :)

[cute_snakeyface]

Well, for now, it looks like he totally wants to hang out with you. :3 What a gorgeous lizard!

All of the people I have seen with Bearded Dragons are simulating desert environments in their tanks. Beyond that I can't help much, but the comments that will surely come will likely be loaded with good data. :D

Congrats on your Beardy! I love those guys SO incredibly much! Every Beardy that I have met was VERY cool, VERY social, and would absolutely love to hang out with you. Literally. They'll just hang there all day, it's awesome!

Get another one, they'll wave at each other!! :D :D :D

[Valvaren]

Get another one, they'll wave at each other!! :D :D :D

Its not a friendly behaviour, its a sign of submissiveness and is not as cute as people think.

[Bradyloach]

Posted 2 of the same!!
http://i627.photobucket.com/albums/tt351/bradyloach/1b3d6079.jpg

[Valvaren]

Get rid of the coil UVB and pick up a good quality tube.

[cute_snakeyface]

Its not a friendly behaviour, its a sign of submissiveness and is not as cute as people think.

Even mutual waving?

[Valvaren]

Yes. They don't 'wave' to say 'hi'.

[Bradyloach]

Yah I will get a tube

[Strutter769]

Yes. They don't 'wave' to say 'hi'.

The waving is a natural behavior, usually just a sign of boredom. They seem to do it less and less as they age. You definitely want to get him on some sort of substrate though. You should be able to find more details in the Care Sheets.

You might want to stay away from sand because of the possibility of impaction. Use something a bit larger. I've kept my dragons on "The Worlds Best Cat Litter" for years with no problems. It's all natural, no odor, and is made I believe from corn, so even if some gets eaten, it'll simply digest.

Hope this helps!

[Bradyloach]

Oh that doesn't sound bad! I'm using reptile carpet :p

[Strutter769]

Oh that doesn't sound bad! I'm using reptile carpet :p

Yeah,that seems practical, but sometimes these guys like to dig, etc. I just feel a loose substrate like I explained would be much better.

A couple tips (just from my experience) they are eating machines! Babies that size I've fed three times a day! Second tio: Their poop REALLY stinks, so you'll need to spot clean every day. That's another reason not to use a carpet, you'll be washing it every other day, and the poop can get smeared, making it impossible to get out of a carpet. Cleaning is MUCH easier with a loose substrate. Just scoop it right up!

[Bradyloach]

Yah i might give it a try! I'll drop a few crickets in there :)

[Valvaren]

Repti carpet or tile is fine. I've had my dragon for 2 years and she doesn't dig, most don't and the do very well on tile or any other solid substrate. Substrate is widely debated with dragons as it is with many other animals but the main thing is why go with something with a risk when there is a risk free option. Just my .02

[Valvaren]

Just to add, tile is extremely easy to clean, where loose substrate is debatable seeing as you might not get to clean it right away and god knows what could be absorbed that you miss. Tile is a one time buy, super easy to clean, trims nails and is risk free to feed on.

Edit :

http://i906.photobucket.com/albums/ac267/Deemac6/P7230126.jpg

I had that sand pit in Thil's viv for a long time, she never used it, she would crawl over it, sit in it but never dig in it. She got strange when we moved her into the new viv, stopped eating as much and god lazier. I eventually took the sand pit out due to her lack of using it and she immediately went back to normal. Say what you will, sand is bad as are more then most loose subs.

[Bradyloach]

I have tiles! That's a great idea :)

[Strutter769]

Sure, everyone has a different way of doing things, and different things DO work! I can only explain what I've experienced.

Finally, try to get them off crickets. If you can find Dubia or lobster Roaches, that'd be better. You'll very quickly tire of going to the pet store every day for crickets, and they stink, and get loose in your home. For the next three months, you'll think you're sleeping in the forest. Haha This is especially bad if you live in an apartment building... next to a nice, dark elevator shaft, perfect breeding grounds.

Of course also feed dark greens (kale, mustard greens, turnip greens...) , carrots (only occasionally), mine love bananas! Apples too.

[Bradyloach]

Yah! I have a dubia colony! It's growing right now tgo

[Strutter769]

Yah! I have a dubia colony! It's growing right now tgo

Perfect! Just make sure you're feeding the correct size. Food that is too big can kill them. I think the chance of that decreases when feeding roaches, but just to be on the safe side, the general rule of thumb is the distance between their "eyebrows" atop their head. Nothing bigger than that.

Also, be careful with large meal worms. Although safe for adults, the shell may be too hard for a juvenile, and if the worm is eaten alive, it could harm/kill your dragon. Wax worms, red wigglers, those types of things are great, cuz they're soft.

[Bradyloach]

What about super worms?

[Valvaren]

As I stated in PM don't feed them until your dragon is over 16 inches and as far as them eating a live worm whole this has been debated and mostly viewed as a myth as it is a very rare thing. Dragons don't just gulp thing and spend quite a bit mushing and chewing them. If you google it i'm sure you will be directed to many threads on the subject.

[Bradyloach]

Okay! Thanks for your help! I need to get a UVB tube

[alessia55]

Congrats on your new beardie- he looks mighty cute :)

[KORBIN5895]

My last female would eat night crawlers whole......

I also lived in an apartment building when I had my first two dragons. I was buying crickets by the box of 1000. We went away for the weekend and I didn't put the lid on. Well over 500 crickets got loose in the building.

[Bradyloach]

Woah! Dude

[alessia55]

My last female would eat night crawlers whole......

I also lived in an apartment building when I had my first two dragons. I was buying crickets by the box of 1000. We went away for the weekend and I didn't put the lid on. Well over 500 crickets got loose in the building.

and that's why you're the village idiot ;) :p

[KORBIN5895]

Lol! One of the tenants called the exterminator. Which kinda sucked because I had to explain to the landlord why he had an exterminator bill. Thankfully I was the superintendent there and was able to smooth it over.