Bearded Dragon Questions

herpkid97 · #1 (**permalink**) 07-20-2010, 03:52 AM

Hi im 12 and looking into getting a Bearded Dragon...I hear they are the most docile and friendly lizards besides geckos but I do want something a little bigger than a gecko. I was just wondering because i have been researching a lot on the lizards and was wondering if these "edible substrates" are actually edible...the pet store i went to for some info said those sands are fine but all of the internet threads say it causes intestinal problems. Are some of these sands edible for young bearded dragons? If some arent is there a specific brand that is? I was also wondering how rare it is for a BD to get salomonella cause that is a HUGE turn off for my parents. Also I have a question about the lighting...I saw a lightbulb at the Pet Store that was both Heat and UVB and UVA in one bulb are these healthy for bearded dragons? I was wondering because I thought they are supposed to have UV rays throughout their whole enclosure and a hot spot in just one place. If you could answer these questions or give me some advice about caring for BDs that would be great and must appreciated!

tucuxi88 · #2 (**permalink**) 07-20-2010, 04:46 AM

Some companies claim its sand is safe but I still wound'nt risk it until your bearded is bigger. Plus you'll save money using cage carpet, newspaper ect....

From what I know mostly amphibians and aquatic reptiles carry samonella and it's very unlikely to get it from BD (Someone correct me if I'm wrong)

Personally I would get UVB/UVA but I've heard of breeders not using it. Then again I've talked to people who believed it saved thier beardies life. Just keep in mind that the lights must be replaced at least every 6 months.

Beardies have a lot of personality and make great pets but keep in mind they cost more to set up and keep than some other beginner reptiles. Just make sure you can house an adult beardie and feed it a proper diet before you take the leap.

blueangel817 · #3 (**permalink**) 07-20-2010, 05:18 AM

yes beardies setup is pretty costly and my 2 go through veggies every week lol i dont use sand i use black material from wal mart dont know what its called husband got it but it works great i can take it out and wash it and it came in a big roll so while its washing i can just put new in and on the light i use the uvb/uva bulb in one and there is a big difference if you start using it and then it goes out there colors are not as bright and she just didnt look right and once i put another one back in she pepped right back up to herself again

but food is costly like with anything else and you must be able to spend daily time with them along with cutting up veggies and fruits daily other then that if you have the time to spend with them they are great pets

herpkid97 · #4 (**permalink**) 07-20-2010, 04:03 PM

thats what i thought abou the sand but this lightbuld is a basking light and a uva/uvb in one is that okay to use or should i get a uva/uvb one that covers the whole length of the cage?

_Sam_ · #5 (**permalink**) 07-20-2010, 04:17 PM

I would highly recommend not using sand or any "edible" substrate. No matter how companies have marketed this stuff, I've still seen animals die from eating it. Also, loose substrates are major eye irritants as well. Best to stick to something else. Personally, I would recommend slate tile. I've kept my beardie on slate tile for a couple years now and I have never had a problem. I just bought a box of 12 x 12 tiles from Home Depot and cut them to fit the bottom of the tank (mine is in a custom 70 gal). Slate holds heat rather well, is easy to clean, cannot be eaten, and it even keeps their nails trim. I'll never switch him to anything else

As far as the lightbulb goes, I have a question. How much is the bulb you are looking at? Sometimes normal incandescent bulbs are marketed as "full spectrum" even though they are not UVB. I know Flukers does this. If the bulb is around $7.99, it is not UVB. To the best of my knowledge, the only way to have heat and UVB is a Mercury Vapor Bulb, and they are like $50 in pet stores. Depending on how big your cage is, I would recommend getting a ceramic heat emitter (they are pretty pricey but they can last years), and a UVB fixture. I have a long strip-light style, but you could get a compact fluorescent, too.
Beardies really do make great pets, and I hope you end up getting one

blueangel817 · #6 (**permalink**) 07-20-2010, 08:03 PM

The all in one is great to use that is what I use and j only need 1per cage don't get too many they need a cool spot and the one I use runs around 55dollars

herpkid97 · #7 (**permalink**) 07-21-2010, 02:41 AM

yeah the one at the store is around 50 bucks or so
also for feeding them veggies as juveniles around 6-10 weeks old how much veggies should i feed em? also how many crickets/newly molted mealworms? ive also heard that romaine lettuce isnt poisonous and is a great veggie for BDs and some people just use romaine and carrots to feed their Beardies veggies but ive also heard romaine isnt very nutritional but is easier to get. is romaine fine as a staple veggie or more as a treat or last resort

tucuxi88 · #8 (**permalink**) 07-21-2010, 07:38 PM

Times like this I miss working at a petstore.

Do you already have a cage? If not I would probably get an adult cage so you spend less money in the long run. And they do grow fast if fed well! One problem with that is they have problem finding their food (crickets hide before they get them) but you can just put them in another container to feed- no big deal...

For the long UVB tubes usually run around 26 bucks, depending on the intensity (that's just for the bulb)

Here's a good website for food and supplements: Nutrition Content

BTW, you can usually find a nice cage on craigslist at a far lower price. The animals however are a bit riskier.

herpkid97 · #9 (**permalink**) 07-21-2010, 10:15 PM

thanks oh and tucuxi88 so for the lsot thing should i just use a lil plastic terrarium to feed em in and then put them back in....im thinking of getting a 20 gl. tank and switching to a 40gl. when they are full grown

tucuxi88 · #10 (**permalink**) 07-22-2010, 02:22 AM

That all sounds good. ^_^

Of course feeding mealworms and such you can just use a bowl. If you do feed in the cage just make sure that he can actaully catch them and don't leave any in there overnight! Crickets will eat whatever is edible in the cage which could be the lizard.

Keep us updated if you get one!

mongoose5971 · #11 (**permalink**) 07-22-2010, 02:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by herpkid97

thanks oh and tucuxi88 so for the lsot thing should i just use a lil plastic terrarium to feed em in and then put them back in....im thinking of getting a 20 gl. tank and switching to a 40gl. when they are full grown

Not sure if you are using "they" as plural lizards or as one unsexed, but it is generally not a good idea to house more than one together, especially babies. They tend to nip each others' extremeties off and you'll end up with some amputee lizards. Sometimes adults do fine, preferably two females, but males tend to stress females and other males.

Sakara · #12 (**permalink**) 07-22-2010, 02:33 AM

I would go with a 40gal NOW if you plan to switch later... that or a plastic cage... What state do you live in if you don't mind me asking? I don't own a beardie, but I have heard that babies can be little food mongers and eat a LOT of crix! lol... And deff. invest the money in a good UV light... it's worth it to buy correctly the first time

herpkid97 · #13 (**permalink**) 07-22-2010, 04:03 PM

@mongoose i didnt mean to say they im just getting one

at least for now....
@Sakara yeah im gonna get the 40 gl. probably....also ive heard BTS (blue tongued skinks) are good lizards to have but i heard they can also bite if anyone on this site knows a lot about them or owns one plz tell me!

tucuxi88 · #14 (**permalink**) 07-22-2010, 05:52 PM

Blue tungues are great! All the ones I've been around have all been really sweet. One thing I've notice is that they all need to poo soon after you pick them up. (if you happen to get one like that, just hold him over the cage until they go)

I've read that they are fairly intelligent for a reptile and eventually learn who feeds them, what time ect. and bond well to said person.

BTS do have the biggest baddest bite for a skink but usually they are pretty docile. We did have one that looked like he was trying to bite but he move his head so slowly it was easy to avoid(I think it just smelled bannana on us imo)

herpkid97 · #15 (**permalink**) 07-23-2010, 02:18 AM

yeah thats awesome also they do not have to eat crickets right ive heard hard boiled eggs and ham and hamburger and turkey are great for meats....ive also heard that they can eat the flowers of un pesticided dandelions (the weeds not the greens) also about the biting once u handle them enough they shouldnt bite u am i correct? also are there any good breeders that you know of? im in the midwest and if they are not too far away and are not over $100 or so i would very much like to get one! ill take them in any size just not too old 2 yrs or younger is good maybe 3 rly idc all that much about age just not really old

spike06 · #16 (**permalink**) 07-23-2010, 02:35 AM

no loose substrates whatsoever
stick to solids. newspaper, slate or ceramic tile, non adhesive shelf liner
dont worry about the salmonella
all reptiles have a small amount in their systems. just wash your hands before and after handling and you'll be fine. ive had mine for 4 years and have never gotten sick from him

for uvb, depending on the enclosure, if its a small enclosure, use an outdoor floodlight for heat and buy a light strip and get a reptisun 10.0 uvb bulb, make sure the basking spot is about 6-7" from the bulb

once the dragon moves into a large cage, use a megaray for heat and uvb. they are the best
Welcome To ReptileUV - Mega-Ray® UVB lamps for reptile lighting worldwide
for any and all lighting questions, call Bob, (the owner of Reptile UV). he is very knowledgeable as far as lights go

if you have any other questions, dont hesitate to ask

tucuxi88 · #17 (**permalink**) 07-23-2010, 07:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by herpkid97

yeah thats awesome also they do not have to eat crickets right ive heard hard boiled eggs and ham and hamburger and turkey are great for meats....ive also heard that they can eat the flowers of un pesticided dandelions (the weeds not the greens) also about the biting once u handle them enough they shouldnt bite u am i correct? also are there any good breeders that you know of? im in the midwest and if they are not too far away and are not over $100 or so i would very much like to get one! ill take them in any size just not too old 2 yrs or younger is good maybe 3 rly idc all that much about age just not really old

I'm not sure about feeding them hamburger unless it was organic?

I know people who feed them pinkies.

Temperament really depends on the individual animal. But all the ones I've seen tolerate handeling for the most part.

Most of the time the price for these guys are 125. I don't know any breeders but I would recommend going to a reptile show, you talk to the vendors long enough they usually drop their prices, especially near the end of a show. It's good to learn how to negotiate

Here's a very descriptive site about their care that will be more help than me, lol
Detailed Blue Tongue Skink Caresheet - BlueTongueSkinks.NET

What exactly are you looking for reptile wise? If you want something thats tame, hardy, and less expensive I'd go with a leopard gecko. They're one of the best beginner lizards out there. Plus, they don't need UVB or have a complex diet.

herpkid97 · #18 (**permalink**) 07-23-2010, 10:38 PM

yeah but i want something a little bit more sturdy thana gecko (small siblings will want to handle it) so im trying to decide between BTS and BD and i rly want to know any good breeders that are generally pretty cheap and have great friendly BTS i can get BD easily but seem a little more expensive than the BTS in the long run although BTS are more expensive in the short run (price for animal, cage etc.) only thing about the BTS is the biting! im not expierienced with them but do they bite a lot? and if so would getting a baby and taming it quickly resolve that issue?

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