Bearded Dragon - Setup Questions

[MrBosc]

Hi All,

I did previously make a post about the basking spot as I needed a quick answer to get him in the warmth. Now he's in I'd like some feedback please as I feel there's a few issues.

First off the Beardy was purchased as a baby and is approximately 1 years old, he has a foot missing and I was told this was a feeding incident? I can't quite elaborate but there we go.

Now the vivarium...

He was currently on a Calci Sand substrate which I read various times was no good as it can cause respitory problems? For this reason I've decided for tonight I'll give the Calci Sand a miss and just have him on the vivarium floor.

Secondly the basking spot, I have a thermostat which works on temperature and light (when there's an amount of light in the room it turns the whole thing on/off) haven't worked that out yet but any how the Setup was originally having the probe off the thermostat dangling in the middle of the vivarium, an analogue thermometer was stuck in the middle of the vivarium but there's no additional thermometer? With my Bosc I had a dual digital thermometer to monitor basking temps and cool side.. From what I can see all that this has ever had is a thermostat probe in the middle and an analogue thermometer in the middle.

Temporarily given the time and the shops are shut I've pulled the analogue thermometer off and placed it on the log which is directly in lign with the log which he's using to bask as a desperate measure to monitor the basking area. Given the information is this definitely an incomplete Setup or are bearded different? I've come from having a Bosc and mine wasn't like this a quick summary for my old was the thermostat probe was placed in the middle nailed to the back, a digital dual probed thermometer was placed either end (directly under the basking area, and one at bottom) should I replicate this for this Beardy?

[drewvliet]

I never used sand when I had beardies. Use beech wood chips, they are very hard for them to eat and get impacted with, and they are generally a good substrate for them.

Your setup is pretty good, but could use some work. Maybe you could add another fake plant or something. Decor seems to be about good though. Add in those beech chips, and maybe add in another spot lamp for basking. You should also cover up those bulbs with eggcrate or something.

Hope this helps

[jarich]

Id recommend skipping the beechwood or any other type of wood chip. Many of us have gone with bioactive soil like you probably used on your bosc. I always go that way with all my reptiles as its the most natural and gives a total microsystem. Alternatively, the most commonly used base is simply slate or other rough stone tile. This will make it easy to clean/replace, as well as allowing for the natural wearing down of their nails.

As for the present set up, the thing I would say right away is to move that fluorescent tube up onto the ceiling of the viv rather than the back wall. Their eyes are adapted to being protected by overhead light, but with that light on the back wall it will be shining into the eyes of your dragon and possibly causing conjunctivitis. Id also put it all the way over to the left, so that on the far right there is an area out of the exposure of the bulb. That will create photogradient in conjunction with the thermal gradient.

With your thermostat, youre really just looking to set the basking temp about where you want it and then use the thermostat to protect the cool side. So you can put the probe for it over on the cool end at the bottom and set it to say 80F. It will shut off your heat lamp if that cool side goes higher than that.