Bearded Dragon q&a

[Niceguy]

Being new to the scene and know there are a few others, I figured this would be a helpful post. It's also nice having quite a few experienced reptile guys on here. My new hobby, thanks to Mike...

[Niceguy]

What are some of the do's and don't of feeding? Fruits, no fruits? What bugs? What vegetables are best? What basic care do they need? Do they need washed or not? Absolute must do's and don'ts?

[rustynuts]

Don't let food sit and rot.
Bugs? Crickets, meal worms, wax worms, butter worms (those last two, only as a treat as they are fatty), dubia roaches. No wild caught bugs though since you don't know what they've been exposed to.
Fruits I feed are apples, grapes, blackberries (I have a bush out front), watermelon, cantaloupe, blueberries, cherries (have 2 Cherry trees), peaches.
Vegetables: a lot of bell peppers. I cook with bell peppers quite often and give them chunks when I do. Carrots, squash and celery.

I don't bathe mine. What I do is use a spray bottle and spray them down every couple of days. They like drinking the droplets that run down their faces.

They're pretty easy to care for. Give them UV light, a heat lamp, and keep the cage clean and they will do fine.

[rustynuts]

Spray bottle on mist setting.

[Niceguy]

Awesome! Very easy...

[Niceguy]

Examples of living habitat layout would be cool too. I'm heading to Lowe's later and getting another light and sand. I bought a UV reptile bulb and have another light but not happy with the heat off of it. I found a 65W spot light bulb but the cheap light fixture I have isn't good for that high watt bulb so I'll get another cheap heavy duty work light or heat lamp fixture. Not sure what else yet.

[rustynuts]

Oh yeah, maple leaves and rose petals too, but not after you spray for Japanese beetles of course.

There are several foods to avoid, though I can only think of a couple right now. Spinach for one, iceberg lettuce for another. Obvious ones like poison ivy, etc., but there are lists online of foods to avoid you might want to check out.

[rustynuts]

I have a bunch of spare reflectors if you want one.

[rustynuts]

Set the heat lamp at one end of the cage so that they can get away from the heat if they need to. Give them a perch that allows them to climb up towards the light to bask.

I have some little cork bark pieces that I can share if you want something light weight and natural looking to use as a hide. Adult beardies don't use hides much but babies may want to on occasion.

[Niceguy]

I have an old dried out branch that's really lite in it now. 90% of the time there are as far apart as they can get from eachother in a 55gal tank. The other 10% they are on top of eachother...haha

[Niceguy]

Seems they alternate being under the UV light one at a time. One is under the branch, and one will be in the far corner.

[rustynuts]

Do you have a fluorescent UV light?

[Niceguy]

I think so. I didn't even pay attention. It said "UV Reptile" from Feeders Supply. It was the larger option they had. I'll have to look at the box again.

[Mike]

They look good but your pics washed out the red on them:)

I bathe mine occasionally when they are larger mainly just to keep their undersides cleaner. I go as far as I have an old toothbrush I will gently rub their claws to keep their feet clean. It's overkill but I like them to be spoiled.

My main foods I use are Dubia Roaches, mealworms and crickets for live, then collard, mustard, dandelion greens and some kale for greens. Fruits and carrots mixed in sometimes. Carrots sometimes are a favorite!

[Niceguy]

Do you have a fluorescent UV light?

Doesn't say, but I'm assuming CFL from the looks.

[Niceguy]

Slowly adding stuff. Got some sand and a warmer light.

[Dave1965]

who bathes them in their natural habitat

[Rem700]

I was always told not to use play sand. Use the calcium sand from pet stores. Play sand can impact there guts if they eat too much of it while snagging food. But that could be BS to sell more expensive sand.

[Niceguy]

I was always told not to use play sand. Use the calcium sand from pet stores. Play sand can impact there guts if they eat too much of it while snagging food. But that could be BS to sell more expensive sand.

Mike told me as long as they are healthy, play sand is fine.

[Niceguy]

who bathes them in their natural habitat

Hahaha

[Niceguy]

Very active little suckers now! I think the warmer light was much needed.

[Niceguy]

Speaking lights... Should they stay on 24/7 or do they need cycled on and off for them?

[rustynuts]

who bathes them in their natural habitat

Hahaha

Kind of my take on it too. I give them the mist "showers", like they would get if it rained, and occasionally set them in a tub of water for a dip. I'm anal on keeping the cage clean though so I don't get too concerned about brushing between their toes.



Mike must not want to sell me any though.....No reply to text message or PM.

[rustynuts]

Very active little suckers now! I think the warmer light was much needed.

They need the heat. They're desert dwellers.

I have ceramic heating elements that I use at night, but in the past I have left the lights on 24/7. I can't say with any certainty, but I never saw any I'll effects from it.

In my enclosures, the hot end has a basking temperature between 100° and 110°, with the other end between 80° and 90°. That's not the air temperature, but the temperature of the ground, logs, etc., in the cage.

[Niceguy]

who bathes them in their natural habitat

Hahaha

Kind of my take on it too. I give them the mist "showers", like they would get if it rained, and occasionally set them in a tub of water for a dip. I'm anal on keeping the cage clean though so I don't get too concerned about brushing between their toes.



Mike must not want to sell me any though.....No reply to text message or PM.

Definitely not like him...