Beardie not basking..?

[Red Ink AUS]

I'd just leave the lighting set up for now mate if it's working for you, then decide whether or not you want to change it when you need to replace the tube, it's personal preference really either or is good. What brand tube are you using?

 

[DragonMom]

:-X

 

[Andrewlloyd]

its a reptisun 10.0..
I couldnt find it anywhere in melbourne, so i had it ordered as i heard that the reptiglo was no good..

I think i might just leave it how it is for now until the tube goes, or until i just go out and buy the Megaray lol.

Kinda sucks though, ive pretty much built the enclosure for a MVB, and now ive decorated it for a tube and basking light setup, and now i may be going back to a MVB lol.

I'll let you know how i go though..
Thanks Francis!

 

[Andrewlloyd]

Hey Andrew! Glad to see you finally made it to the site! Told ya you'd like it!
Looks like you've already met Francis and Brian! Great guys with a lot of knowledge and experience.

Sounds like your still struggling a bit with the lighting. Hang around here for a little while and you'll have it all figured out in no time.

Sandy, Hi!
Yes ive met them now lol
And Yes, having some trouble AGAIN!..
Sometimes you cant just get it right! lol

 

[DragonMom]

:-X

 

[Andrewlloyd]

There is a shop down here, not to far from my house, that stocks them..
$95 though.. Bit pricey indeed..

But if they are all their wraped up to be.. Its tempting!

 

[DragonMom]

:-X

 

[Andrewlloyd]

Andrew, if you can go with the Megaray, that would be an awesome bulb. HOWEVER, check first to make absolutely sure it wasn't manufactured from Oct. 09 through Jan 1, 2010. ReptileUV had a bad batch, the company making the bulbs for them changed something. ReptileUV is doing a voluntary recall here and replacing bulbs as soon as people email them about problems. the bad batch has a frosted coating on the bulb that is peeling, and the bulb is not functioning correctly and causing eye problems. So, if you look into the Megaray from a local shop, make sure they have new bulbs not the fall/winter batches. ReptileUV has gotten the problem corrected, so all bulbs being shipped out now should be fine.

Megaray is the best MVB out there, but yeah, you are going to pay a lot more for them there.

Hey Sandy,
'll be sure to make sure it isnt from the bad batch of bulbs that were made if i decide to go and get one..
Im thinking about making a bigger viv for chace soon anyways, so i might hold out till then, got some convincing to do as you know haha..
I might work out the exact cost of the bulb if i were to get it shipped, might end up a little cheaper, and would give me more time aswell.

Speak to you soon,

Cheers

 

[crypticdragons]

another option over the reptisun 10 would be the arcadia 12 which i believe is available over there.

 

[zebraflavencs]

Boys... what about the NEC t-10 Black ? wouldn't that do just as well if not better... *par a conversation with Francis* then the ReptiSun OR Arcadia ?
Janie
Personally, I think it's all in the rheostate... (sp). I think you two fellas need a meet and greet... if Francis has the time to go visit and see Andrew's set up, perhaps they can work out what is up with chace... he has grown up too... it just seems yesterday... y'know ?
Everyone's favorite pesky Sheila... Janie lol

 

[Red Ink AUS]

Yeah, the NEC T10 Blacklites are great its's what the Melbourne Zoo uses in the majority of their enclosures in combination with MVBs, a heck of a lot cheaper too. It works out to be $15USD per tube and from the testing they did they are comparable if not a bit better than reptisun 10s. They also last longer up to 10-12 months instead of 6-8 months for other flouros. I have them in my stumpy enclosure and will be using them in the new 5 in one gecko complex im building (bottom enclosure not for the gex).

 

[Andrewlloyd]

Yeah, the NEC T10 Blacklites are great its's what the Melbourne Zoo uses in the majority of their enclosures in combination with MVBs, a heck of a lot cheaper too. It works out to be $10USD per tube and from the testing they did they are comparable if not a bit better than reptisun 10s. They also last longer up to 10-12 months instead of 6-8 months for other flouros. I have them in my stumpy enclosure and will be using them in the new 5 in one gecko complex im building (bottom enclosure not for the gex).

Hmm, could be an option.. How much do they cost down here mate?
Ive never seen them around at the pet stores, where do you get them from?

 

[Red Ink AUS]

You get them from Brian at the herpshop mate, he always has them in stock. He only stocks the 2ft ones now though, don't know why? maybe they stopped making the 4ft tubes. Oh their $20AUD.

 

[Andrewlloyd]

Ohh great!
I might try and pick one up today or on the weekend.
$20 not bad too aye!

Francis, what calcium do you give you beardie?
Im trying to find one without D-3, as ive been using the one from Brian.

 

[Red Ink AUS]

Ohh great!
I might try and pick one up today or on the weekend.
$20 not bad too aye!

Francis, what calcium do you give you beardie?
Im trying to find one without D-3, as ive been using the one from Brian.

Since i use MVBs i use a multi vitamin and calcium in one it's from vetafarm Australia. You will be struggling to find any calcium product in Oz that does not have D3 in it. I supplement the calcium by using a good quality cuttle fish bone (the stuff for bird beaks). Cuttle fish bone are just made up of calcium carbonate, their a good source of natural calcium, all i do is use a smooth file and file some onto my BD food once or twice a weak as a supplement.

 

[Andrewlloyd]

Ohh wow..
What a great idea!

I think ill just keep to using what i have now.. Seems to be going alright.
Perhaps if i change to a MVB i might get the details off you for the all in one..


What you feed your beardies mate?
Feeders? Greens?
I cant seem to find squash anywhere these days.. Must be out of season.

 

[Red Ink AUS]

I use crickets as feeders (their pretty much the only things we can get) I feed woodies as well from time to time and silk worms when they are in season.

Vegies: I make my on veggie mix (same mix i feed my shingleback)
Wong bok (chinese cabbage)
Bok Choy
Butternut pumpkin or Jap pumpkin depending on whats there
Kiwi fruit (for added sweetness lol)
Mustard greens (when i can get my hands on them)

I dice up the greens once a week and just put them in the fridge in a take away container.
I follow a feed schedule as well for my reps i only feed three times a week. I do 1 feed insects two feeds greens.

 

[Andrewlloyd]

I use crickets as feeders (their pretty much the only things we can get) I feed woodies as well from time to time and silk worms when they are in season.

Vegies: I make my on veggie mix (same mix i feed my shingleback)
Wong bok (chinese cabbage)
Bok Choy
Butternut pumpkin or Jap pumpkin depending on whats there
Kiwi fruit (for added sweetness lol)
Mustard greens (when i can get my hands on them)

I dice up the greens once a week and just put them in the fridge in a take away container.
I follow a feed schedule as well for my reps i only feed three times a week. I do 1 feed insects two feeds greens.

I used to feed Chace crickets, and he looooved them! He used to eat around 50 a day, sometimes more.
When those hot days came around last month, i couldnt get my hands on any at all, and had to resort to mealworms (bad choice i know for a 5 month old beardie)
After i got more crickets, he would eat them
He would just ignore them, or close his eyes..
Ive got him feeding on roaches from Brian now, but he dosnt eat them live.. well semi-live :S which is odd.. he used to love chasing crickets around his enclosure.. perhaps he is just lazy?

How old is your beardie?
I feed Chace both feeders and veggies everyday, at what age should you i start lowering the intake, and making the veggies offered more then the live feeders.. Not that he eats his veggies anyways :S

 

[Red Ink AUS]

Mine is six years old now mate (he's an old man lol)

At 5 months i would still continually offer food daily but maybe lower the feeders to 4-5 times a week to get him used to greens, most dragons can be quite stuborn if you do the transition too late . When he is around 8-9 months then i would remove another day of feeders 3-4 and add another green feed day. Two to three months later another day less of feeders, try and aim for about 50/50 by the time he is a year old and by the time he is 18 months it should only be about 2-3 insect feeds a week and the rest greens.

You can put the roaches in the fridge for about 10 minutes to slow them down instead of killing them.

 

[Andrewlloyd]

Wow 6 years old? lol
Is he the only one you have?
I'll be hopefully getting a female this year at some point, and when i move out of home hopefully start of next year, ill be trying to breed.
But i still have a lot to learn lol.

Sounds good mate, thanks for the help i do appreciate it

And the putting the roaches in the fridge is a great idea, i hadnt even thought of that, lol
I'll try that tonight when i get home from work and let you know how i go

Cheers