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New owner set up help

Crystalds

Bearded Dragon Egg
Messages
6
Hi all! Complete newbie here. We don't have our baby yet because we're struggling to get the temps right. Directly under the light on the log its about 120. I've moved the log over so it's 110 on the ground, 110 on the log (100 if I move it over another inch or so) and 80 on the cool side. Is it okay like this or should we buy another light so he can bask up higher directly under the light? Will he stay on the ground to be under the light or will he sacrifice the light to be up higher, and if so is that bad for him since he won't be right under it? Thanks for any insights!

We are also thinking of feeding mostly phoenix worms instead of crickets. Seems like that's okay? We may slide in some crix a couple days a week but we live in an apartment right now so we think it may be more convenient to use the worms so we aren't running to the pet store every couple of days? Any thoughts on that?
 

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Mom of blazey

Juvenile Dragon
Messages
309
Why not make his basking spot on the green bridge (put a small towel or wash rag on it, they do like the softness) temps are good, basking for babies should hover around 107-109F, cool side is good at 80F. You'll be doing yourself a favor by visiting the sub forums within this forum, the ppl that put it together are VERY knowledgeable about all things beardie. If you have any more questions plz feel free to post, there's almost always a few of us around, most importantly. ...welcome to the wonderful world of beardie parenthood ☺

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Crystalds

Bearded Dragon Egg
Messages
6
Yes, I plan to check out everything here! Such a great resource! The green bridge reaches about 130 on the hot side. That was our original plan but it's just too hot. Even if I lay it down its the same height as the log so reaches 120 under the light and 105-110 the further away it gets. I don't want him to be able to hurt himself if he chooses to bask at the 120 spot!
 

Mom of blazey

Juvenile Dragon
Messages
309
Understood. ..you could get a lower watt to put over the bridge. What you're doing is good just be sure it's not going over 110F. Just a suggestion, take the water dish out, it can add humidity to his tank, no higher then 25%. And also they can't really see standing water, you can offer him water when he's taking his bath, or get a mister and gently spray on top of his head, he starts licking let him drink. Oh yea...a good investment would be to get a temperature gun that way you know exactly what his enclosure temp is.

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Hdrydr31

Bearded Dragon Veteran
Staff member
3 Year Member
1,000+ Post Club
Messages
5,574
Hi all! Complete newbie here. We don't have our baby yet because we're struggling to get the temps right. Directly under the light on the log its about 120. I've moved the log over so it's 110 on the ground, 110 on the log (100 if I move it over another inch or so) and 80 on the cool side. Is it okay like this or should we buy another light so he can bask up higher directly under the light? Will he stay on the ground to be under the light or will he sacrifice the light to be up higher, and if so is that bad for him since he won't be right under it? Thanks for any insights!

We are also thinking of feeding mostly phoenix worms instead of crickets. Seems like that's okay? We may slide in some crix a couple days a week but we live in an apartment right now so we think it may be more convenient to use the worms so we aren't running to the pet store every couple of days? Any thoughts on that?
Welcome to the forum!! Glad to hear that you are getting things fine tuned beforehand.. Yea that is way hot babies can go up to 115 but that is still on the high side. What kind of bulb are you using?? Is it a mercury vapor? or is it a coil style bulb? I ask because if it is a coil style those focus the light in a small area and have been known to cause eye damage in the past. Reptisun T5 HO 10.0 are what many of us use and are tube style as you want the UVB to overlap with your basking bulb for proper digestion and absorption..The T5 bulbs can penetrate wire mesh, T8 bulbs do not.

If you take a look at the links below several of our comments you will find much of the information that you will need and in there lighting is covered..
I have the same plastic bridge lol I don't trust the suction cups especially once they grow and get heavier..
 

Hdrydr31

Bearded Dragon Veteran
Staff member
3 Year Member
1,000+ Post Club
Messages
5,574
Oh and if your using taptalk the links dont show so let us know and we can add the links into a post

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Mom of blazey

Juvenile Dragon
Messages
309
Oh and if your using taptalk the links dont show so let us know and we can add the links into a post

Sent from my RS988 using Tapatalk
What are phoenix worms, yes I know they're a type of worm, are they those big green worms? I'm gonna need to find somewhere reputable where I can buy small amounts of worms & roaches, in order to experiment and see what they like, I know my 2 sweetie's are senior citizens 10 yrs old. I think they may like to try something different. What do you think about introducing something different to all of them, it won't HURT them will it?

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Hdrydr31

Bearded Dragon Veteran
Staff member
3 Year Member
1,000+ Post Club
Messages
5,574
Phoenix worms are also calciworms they are great little grubs full of calcium, so when you feed them you dont add calcium..they are really small.
Hornworms are the funny green blue grubs those are fantastic fir hydration as they are mostly liquid

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PatsyB

Super Moderator
Staff member
1,000+ Post Club
Beardie Club
Messages
9,390
Location
Chicago
Phoenix worms can get expensive though, especially for a baby that needs to eat 3 times a day. Dubia are actually easier to keep than crickets, cleaner and quieter, easy to hide in an apartment. I was always afraid of them until I really gave them a chance.
 

Crystalds

Bearded Dragon Egg
Messages
6
Thanks for all of the warm welcomes :) our light is mercury vapor, a combo thing with the heat and uvb. In hindsight I wish we would've gotten the longer tube uv. We will upgrade to that in the future. I can't think of the name atm but I think it's an exoterra brand, 165 watts, $52 or so.

We picked up our baby today after working out the temps! Right now we're feeding crickets because that's what he was eating and we don't want to change that on him on top of his move. He actually ate 2 today and we handfed him some collard greens and carrots. We didn't expect him to eat at all! He let me hold him but is definitely more skittish now than at the store so I put him back after maybe 5 minutes. He's been super curious, watching every move, and mostly staying up on the bridge near the light. He's now snuggled down in the corner sleeping...on the opposite side of where I put a little fleece blankie.

I thought he couldn't have roaches til he's bigger because of the hard exoskeleton but I may be wrong. We've read so much it's hard to keep it straight! My hubby does not quite have his brain wrapped around roaches yet but after smelling the crickets I think he'll get there soon lol!
 

Hdrydr31

Bearded Dragon Veteran
Staff member
3 Year Member
1,000+ Post Club
Messages
5,574
Thanks for all of the warm welcomes :) our light is mercury vapor, a combo thing with the heat and uvb. In hindsight I wish we would've gotten the longer tube uv. We will upgrade to that in the future. I can't think of the name atm but I think it's an exoterra brand, 165 watts, $52 or so.

We picked up our baby today after working out the temps! Right now we're feeding crickets because that's what he was eating and we don't want to change that on him on top of his move. He actually ate 2 today and we handfed him some collard greens and carrots. We didn't expect him to eat at all! He let me hold him but is definitely more skittish now than at the store so I put him back after maybe 5 minutes. He's been super curious, watching every move, and mostly staying up on the bridge near the light. He's now snuggled down in the corner sleeping...on the opposite side of where I put a little fleece blankie.

I thought he couldn't have roaches til he's bigger because of the hard exoskeleton but I may be wrong. We've read so much it's hard to keep it straight! My hubby does not quite have his brain wrapped around roaches yet but after smelling the crickets I think he'll get there soon lol!
congratulations on your little one..we love pictures!! Roaches are edible their entire life cycle and are soft bodied. The key is the feeders shouldn't be wider than the space between their eyes.
Crickets are a pain in the butt, roaches are awesome and they are super feeders!!
 

baldegale14

Juvenile Dragon
Messages
313
Location
Tennessee
to be fair talk to the breeder you get them from unless youre getting them from a pet store. because i was really worried about humidity (i live in tennessee so humidity is horrible) and i talked to the breeder and he breeds them in missouri and keeps them outside so they were used to the humidity. so my tank hovers around from 50-70% humidity and he does just fine.


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PatsyB

Super Moderator
Staff member
1,000+ Post Club
Beardie Club
Messages
9,390
Location
Chicago
165watts sounds like a lot of heat for that size of a tank. You can also get something called a lamp stand that takes the lamp up of the mesh of the tank and a little further away from your dragon and that will help getting the temps more stable.
 

Mom of blazey

Juvenile Dragon
Messages
309
She was talking to me, I had asked some questions about trying something different for my senior beardies. Crickets are best for babies, you're gonna have so much fun. Plz get rid of the mercury vapor light as soon as you can, post some pics we'd love to meet him

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Hdrydr31

Bearded Dragon Veteran
Staff member
3 Year Member
1,000+ Post Club
Messages
5,574
She was talking to me, I had asked some questions about trying something different for my senior beardies. Crickets are best for babies, you're gonna have so much fun. Plz get rid of the mercury vapor light as soon as you can, post some pics we'd love to meet him

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Dubia roaches, crickets, small superworms, phoenix worms are all good ones. Dubia nymphs are small enough for babies and much more nutricious than crickets plus you'll feed less of them with the nutrients.
You can keep a mercury vapor bulb they are fantastic you'll just need a lower wattage or raise the bulb higher. They give off both uvb and heat.

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Mom of blazey

Juvenile Dragon
Messages
309
Oops sorry for the advice, I could've sworn I saw that the mercury vapor light was not good for them bcuz of their 3rd eye

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Mom of blazey

Juvenile Dragon
Messages
309
Oh my goodness. ..look at that sweetie, I miss this phase of their life, I wanna reach in and touch his cute little back legs!
Luvin the pics☺

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Crystalds

Bearded Dragon Egg
Messages
6
Oh thanks! I grated them so thought that was small enough! Ill use the smaller side next time. Chopping the tiny bits of collard greens takes forever!

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