Check my set up please!

[Colbie]

I just purchased my first beardie and I need advice on the set up. I have a 36" x 18" x 18" exo terra tank, with two basking bulbs on one side, and a 18" uvb light (pics attached).
My first question is should I remove one of the basking bulbs and replace it with a nighttime bulb? I was also wondering how often I should keep each of the lights on (basking, uvb etc).

The last thing I was wondering about is how many crickets should I be feeding him per day? I got him at petsmart and he is still a juvenile.

 

[Hdrydr31]

Welcome to the forum and welcome to beardies!!
You will want to remove the red light or any colored lighting as over time it causes damage to their eyes as it doesn't allow for proper pupil dilation...It also if used during nighttime doesn't allow the dragon to actually sleep as they have an organ on the top of their head that senses light/shadows.. The only time you would need extra heat at night is if it drops below 65F then you should get a CHE (ceramic heating element)

So you need a basking light for daytime and a UVB long tube style like you have. The lighting time should be 12 on 12 off most use timers. like mine go on at 7am and off at 8pm

Feeding: you want to feed him what he will eat in a 10-15 min time frame. Make sure you remove any uneaten crickets as they will bite a sleeping dragon causing wounds.

Under several of our comments you will find a few links we've put together a ton of info that new comers can use to learn all areas of care.. you'll find those right under this sentence.

 

[Colbie]

So do I need to turn off ALL of the lights at night? My house is normally around 70 degrees at night. Also do you recommend that I buy a larger UVB light since mine is only half of my tank at the moment?

 

[PatsyB]

You should not only get a longer UVB light but you also need to have the UVB and the basking light overlap each other. The UVB light creates D3 and the high heat from the basking light helps the body synthesize it and make calcium. Turn off all your lights at night. If the tank is 65 degrees and over you do not need any heat. They need a time to cool down at night to regulate their body. Some people do a 12/12 cycle. I do a 14/10 cycle because it worked for my schedule as far as feeding and caring for them.

Couple of things, the Reptiglo 10.0 is okay but has gotten a bad rep for not providing the necessary UVB for a length of time. You might have to replace it in 2-3 months rather than 5-6 months like a ReptiSUN bulb or an Arcadia bulb. Get yourself a temp gun to measure your temps in you basking area and in your cool area. For a little one it should be around 105-107 degrees. Crickets should be fed as many as he wants to eat in a 10 min setting. Make sure you don't leave any uneaten crickets in his tank because they have been known to chomp on a beardie when they sleep. Variety is the key to feeding them so along with crickets, try dubia, or some sort of worm like a small super worm or silk worms, bsfl, or hornworms.

 

[KrissyLeigh]

^^^What they said above = excellent advice!!!

The only other thing I would say is if you get tired of the reptile carpet you have in there - I HATE those carpets, difficult to clean, harbor bacteria, snag their nails - check out nonadhesive shelf liner. Super easy to clean, so you can reuse as much as you want, and is $10 a roll at hardware stores. Looks like you are going to be a wonderful and dedicated owner, just get rid of those colored lights!!!

And don't be surprised at how.much he eats - mine was eating over 60 crickets a day as a juvenile. I started a dubia colony because the money for feeding him was more than my groceries!!!

 

[KrissyLeigh]

Beardies are awesome pets - I don't know if this is your first one, but get ready to fall in love! I have a multitude of other reptiles but he is secretly my favorite (though I think he knows it, the spoiled brat!)

 

[Colbie]

^^^What they said above = excellent advice!!!

The only other thing I would say is if you get tired of the reptile carpet you have in there - I HATE those carpets, difficult to clean, harbor bacteria, snag their nails - check out nonadhesive shelf liner. Super easy to clean, so you can reuse as much as you want, and is $10 a roll at hardware stores. Looks like you are going to be a wonderful and dedicated owner, just get rid of those colored lights!!!

And don't be surprised at how.much he eats - mine was eating over 60 crickets a day as a juvenile. I started a dubia colony because the money for feeding him was more than my groceries!!!

Two questions:
How do I get started on a dubia colony?
Which lights do you recommend?
Thanks for all your help! He's the first reptile I've ever owned and I love him already! I just want him to have the best set up possible.

 

[Hdrydr31]

Two questions:
How do I get started on a dubia colony?
Which lights do you recommend?
Thanks for all your help! He's the first reptile I've ever owned and I love him already! I just want him to have the best set up possible.

If you take a look at the links we've mentioned below our comments I've written up how to raise dubia, we've posted info on the lighting and any and all areas of care.. Take a look see and let us know what other questions you may have.

 

[KrissyLeigh]

Two questions:
How do I get started on a dubia colony?
Which lights do you recommend?
Thanks for all your help! He's the first reptile I've ever owned and I love him already! I just want him to have the best set up possible.

www.nyworms.com/dubiacare.htm
^^^basically how I do mine but I feed more fruits and vegetables- typically just leftovers and clippings- and not a whole lot of processed food. I figure whatever they eat ends up in my beardie.

All you need is a basking light (not colored) and a tube style uvb. I can't tell from the picture what you are using, it may be fine. I use a 150 watt basking bulb, exoterra or zoomed. The UVB bulb is good for now, but they need to be replaced every 6 months. So in 6 months maybe switch to one of the brands Patsy mentioned, because those are better quality.