Help please! (how long for him to acclimate?)

[Tina W.]

Yep, I agree with Sadie. She is the "Queen" of UVB and temps thank God. With that size of enclosure and all the different spots you have in there, Charlie will be able to go where he needs to go. Halo has two favorite spots in his enclosure and I know when he's ready to go night night. I hope you can start to relax and enjoy getting to know your little guy. I still get nervous too. We can only do our best and sometimes things happen beyond our control. I am very attached to Halo already as I know you are to Charlie. Plz don't hesitate to ask questions and give updates. If I knew how to upload pictures of Halo I would. Enjoy sweetie!

 

[Julee1971]

Yesterday my little guy arrived. He is almost 5 months old. He’s very plump and didn’t seem skittish of me touching him at all. He had a long travel from LA, California to central Louisiana. When I put him in his new home he basked for a bit and then moved to the cool side … I’ve mounted just a plain fluorescent shop light across the back of his enclosure just for the purpose of more light. I built a large wooden enclosure with a Reptisun T5 HO 10.0 UVB that sits 2/3 the length on top of a metal grill (with large openings)…not mesh at all, and the heat bulbs overlapping. So, I have a couple of questions: how long will it take “Charlie “ to come down from that corner…. ? Or do I need to force him down? Do I need to feed him today and should he eat? I did offer water to him with a dropper but he wasn’t interested, the breeder I got him from had said to go ahead and bathe and feed him as soon as I got him? I did not do either one as he got in the upper corner and didn’t seem to want to be moved. But no obvious stress Iines or waving or black bearding….I think his temps are good although I think he did overheat yesterday and that’s why he moved up to a corner. Cool side is between 80-88F. Hot side between 90 and 100. Room temp between 80 and 90. I’m using some landscaping stones and brick for basking which I’ve built up to approximately 12 inches from uvb light and basking light I’m measuring surface temps with a temp gun and surface are getting up to 106 which I know may be too hot. So, last question: how to keep basking surface temps correct.. not too hot… while keeping overall hot side warm enough? Please help with suggestions/advice!

Hi we rescue and rehome. It takes about a week or so to acclimate. Start by hand feeding to get him used to you. At 5mnths old he should be eating proteins 3 times a day and u feed for 10min. It takes 2 hours to digest the food so they need to remain under the lights for 2hoirs after the last feeding so don’t feed too late. So do the feedings spread out breakfast, lunch & dinner 9-1-5pm maybe. Feed crickets & Dubai roaches those are the best. If he’s plump the prior owner prolly fed him meal worms which is a cheap fatty feeder that destroys their digestive tract & impacts them. Everyday also he needs a fresh plate of greens & veggies, start this now or he will never eat them when he’s older. Start hand feeding diff veggies/greens then place the plate on his cold side everyday and replace when it gets wilted. Never do spinach or carrots or lettuce. The best ones are mustard greens, yellow squash’s, collard greens, dandelions, butternut squash, endives, snap peas & green beans. Do 3-4 mixed & cut up to size for him & a low reptile bowl of drinking water & splash it around so he sees it moving because Beardies don’t see still water. Baths twice a week fro 15min min in lukewarm dechlorinated water; use reptisafe of u don’t have a filter system. Turn all lights off at night & remove all food and water bowls; u may use a 60 watt ceramic heat emitter above where he sleeps at nite till he’s 8mnths old to keep the temp 80 or above when sleeping because he’s young. After 8mnths of age the temp when sleeping can drop to 70 so maybe use the ceramic emitter only in the winter when the temp drops below 70. Replace the UVb every 6mntjs religiously the best one is the Reptisun 10.0 T5 for UVB & only use clear heat bulbs the zoomed is best. Keep all lights on for 10-12 hours in the winter & 12-14 more like 14 in the summer. Use a digital thermometer & digital hygrometer always they are most accurate and get an infrared gun to shine an inch away on alm the basking areas it will give u precise accuracy; also the humidity should be 30-40 never ever higher than 40. The heighth of your cage I hope is 24 inches or higher, it looks a bit low, otherwise u need raisers for your bulbs or a lower wattage because it might be blazing in there. Also get a fleece blanket to place for sleeping they love soft comfy things. And most him a few times a day. Lastly keep the tank super duper duper clean or they can get parasites and find a good reptile vet to do a stool sample ASAP to rule out parasites especially Coccidia.

 

[Nan-c]

Yesterday my little guy arrived. He is almost 5 months old. He’s very plump and didn’t seem skittish of me touching him at all. He had a long travel from LA, California to central Louisiana. When I put him in his new home he basked for a bit and then moved to the cool side … I’ve mounted just a plain fluorescent shop light across the back of his enclosure just for the purpose of more light. I built a large wooden enclosure with a Reptisun T5 HO 10.0 UVB that sits 2/3 the length on top of a metal grill (with large openings)…not mesh at all, and the heat bulbs overlapping. So, I have a couple of questions: how long will it take “Charlie “ to come down from that corner…. ? Or do I need to force him down? Do I need to feed him today and should he eat? I did offer water to him with a dropper but he wasn’t interested, the breeder I got him from had said to go ahead and bathe and feed him as soon as I got him? I did not do either one as he got in the upper corner and didn’t seem to want to be moved. But no obvious stress Iines or waving or black bearding….I think his temps are good although I think he did overheat yesterday and that’s why he moved up to a corner. Cool side is between 80-88F. Hot side between 90 and 100. Room temp between 80 and 90. I’m using some landscaping stones and brick for basking which I’ve built up to approximately 12 inches from uvb light and basking light I’m measuring surface temps with a temp gun and surface are getting up to 106 which I know may be too hot. So, last question: how to keep basking surface temps correct.. not too hot… while keeping overall hot side warm enough? Please help with suggestions/advice!

Hi Rusty I have a beardie (German Giant ) and when I brought him home he did the same thing. What my vet said was cuddle him on your chest and talk to him as much as you can. Then he will get used to you and your voice. By the way beautiful terrarium.

 

[Newbeardiemom]

Yep, I agree with Sadie. She is the "Queen" of UVB and temps thank God. With that size of enclosure and all the different spots you have in there, Charlie will be able to go where he needs to go. Halo has two favorite spots in his enclosure and I know when he's ready to go night night. I hope you can start to relax and enjoy getting to know your little guy. I still get nervous too. We can only do our best and sometimes things happen beyond our control. I am very attached to Halo already as I know you are to Charlie. Plz don't hesitate to ask questions and give updates. If I knew how to upload pictures of Halo I would. Enjoy sweetie!

Thank you so much,,.

Hi Rusty I have a beardie (German Giant ) and when I brought him home he did the same thing. What my vet said was cuddle him on your chest and talk to him as much as you can. Then he will get used to you and your voice. By the way beautiful terrarium.

thank you very much. I’ve definitely been holdingo