Help and advice

[Erin Ellis]

I have acquired a 10 year old beardie from a family member who was moving abroad.
We got her around the end of October and she was really, really skinny.
Her previous owner had a loud dog so he never got her out. Her heat lamp was broken and UV lamp wasn’t suitable (we’ve fixed this now and it’s all good). He says she stopped eating crickets a few years ago so she’s had a plant based diet (he told me to just throw some lettuce in with her once a week, which I’ve now researched and I’m annoyed).. She’s also had calcium sand as a substrate which I don’t suppose is too much of an issue as that’s what she has had for the whole of her life and, well, she’s alive. I’m not sure how really.
I bought some repashy grub pie which she loves actually, so I thought I’d buy some calci worms to see if she likes them and she does, I am aware that she can’t have too many though or she will get fat.
She has been eating loads, I’ve been feeding her veggies, frisée, endive, watercress, pea shoots, occasionally pak Choi and bell peppers. She has quite a varied diet with me but I’ve noticed that she poops once or twice a day and they’re quite runny and green in colour. Sometimes it’s just liquid…I put this down to the fact that maybe she was eating too many watery greens so I tried to feed her less bell peppers and watercress etc.
She’s definitely active and alert, always running around the house when I let her out, she tends to glass surf until I open the vivarium and then she’s off.
She really is a lovely girl, I just want to make sure I do right by her. She’s put on quite a bit of weight in the last 3 weeks (I’ll try upload pictures).
I suppose the main questions I have are:

1. Her vivarium is quite boring, it has a calcium sand substrate and nothing really good in there. With her age I’m concerned that if I change her enclosure too much, it’ll massively stress her out. What do you think?
2. Other than crickets, what other bugs are best for a beardie? I don’t really want to keep feeding her these calcium worms for very long.
3. How does she look in the 2nd photo which is now? Is that how she’s supposed to look?
4. Anything else you’d suggest? Any advice is helpful.

 

[Hadenuffyet]

My guy is almost a year so I’m not sure what a fully matured beardie needs. I have a lot of things to climb on, various places to sit and hide. Even a balcony connected on the outside so he can leave his enclosure and sit by the window and stare at the backyard. Just snowed for his first time and I think he is confused. Lol.
I have read that there diet is low protein at that age. Mostly greens. I prefer wet stool over the hard. Not to runny tho, dehydration is something I worry about all the time but my guy is pooping less and less with age, twice a day seems odd.

 

[Erin Ellis]

My guy is almost a year so I’m not sure what a fully matured beardie needs. I have a lot of things to climb on, various places to sit and hide. Even a balcony connected on the outside so he can leave his enclosure and sit by the window and stare at the backyard. Just snowed for his first time and I think he is confused. Lol.
I have read that there diet is low protein at that age. Mostly greens. I prefer wet stool over the hard. Not to runny tho, dehydration is something I worry about all the time but my guy is pooping less and less with age, twice a day seems odd.

I think the pooping business is probably down to relocation stress and eating more/different things than she was before. I have read that after about 4-8 weeks of diet change or relocation then she should settle. I’ve never owned a reptile before so it’s all new to me. I do think I’ll get another one when she passes though, they’re quite nice pets.

 

[Sadie]

My guy is almost a year so I’m not sure what a fully matured beardie needs. I have a lot of things to climb on, various places to sit and hide. Even a balcony connected on the outside so he can leave his enclosure and sit by the window and stare at the backyard. Just snowed for his first time and I think he is confused. Lol.
I have read that there diet is low protein at that age. Mostly greens. I prefer wet stool over the hard. Not to runny tho, dehydration is something I worry about all the time but my guy is pooping less and less with age, twice a day seems odd.

Please get rid of the calcium sand -- it is really no good - one if she lacks calcium shes going to eat it causing impaction - and it harbors bacteria which can cause yellow fungus -- please get some textured NON adhesive shelf liner from Walmart or from your local home improvement store clean w/ vinegar/ water 50/50-- the runny stools would be caused from too many water filled foods like your green peppers etc -- cut down on them as you have -- here is a website for nutrition ignore the kale its a great staple feeder http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Nutrition.html the BSFL are a great staple feeder and being shes over a year she should only be eating insects 2-3 times per week - she should be eating around 100 of them or so since shes an adult --you can try some dubia roaches for her as another staple insect they are a better feeder than the crickets anyway www.dubiaroaches.com --- her stools should be dark formed and moist and the urate white formed and moist --- your basking temps should be 95-100 and taken w/ a digital probe thermometer --- and most crucial is the UVB - it should be a 24" long tube fixture like a Zoo Med -- Arcadia Pro T 5 or a Sunblaster Nano Tech --- the Zoo Med is going to come w/a 5.0 bulb your going to need to change it out to a Reptisun 10.0 T 5 bulb for your larger tank --- they have certain distance and placement depending on the screen --- if your using a coil UVB PLEASE get rid of it they cause all kinds of health issues and are no good --- I can help w/ getting the UVB placed for your tank --- this is also very important for good UVB effects

 

[Erin Ellis]

Please get rid of the calcium sand -- it is really no good - one if she lacks calcium shes going to eat it causing impaction - and it harbors bacteria which can cause yellow fungus -- please get some textured NON adhesive shelf liner from Walmart or from your local home improvement store clean w/ vinegar/ water 50/50-- the runny stools would be caused from too many water filled foods like your green peppers etc -- cut down on them as you have -- here is a website for nutrition ignore the kale its a great staple feeder http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Nutrition.html the BSFL are a great staple feeder and being shes over a year she should only be eating insects 2-3 times per week - she should be eating around 100 of them or so since shes an adult --you can try some dubia roaches for her as another staple insect they are a better feeder than the crickets anyway www.dubiaroaches.com --- her stools should be dark formed and moist and the urate white formed and moist --- your basking temps should be 95-100 and taken w/ a digital probe thermometer --- and most crucial is the UVB - it should be a 24" long tube fixture like a Zoo Med -- Arcadia Pro T 5 or a Sunblaster Nano Tech --- the Zoo Med is going to come w/a 5.0 bulb your going to need to change it out to a Reptisun 10.0 T 5 bulb for your larger tank --- they have certain distance and placement depending on the screen --- if your using a coil UVB PLEASE get rid of it they cause all kinds of health issues and are no good --- I can help w/ getting the UVB placed for your tank --- this is also very important for good UVB effects

Thanks Sadie, the UVB light we have for her is suitable and same with the heat lamp.
My main queries were around the changing of the enclosure at her age, ideally I would like to change it completely but I don’t want to stress her out. This vivarium is all she has known for her 10 years of life. I don’t want to make her sick by changing everything but I don’t know what is best

 

[Sadie]

Thanks Sadie, the UVB light we have for her is suitable and same with the heat lamp.
My main queries were around the changing of the enclosure at her age, ideally I would like to change it completely but I don’t want to stress her out. This vivarium is all she has known for her 10 years of life. I don’t want to make her sick by changing everything but I don’t know what is best

Shes going to go thru relocation stress no matter what so I would move her get the substrate changed out and take all the decor she has and put in there --- they dont like change but if the move is going to enrich her life go ahead and do it -- she will adjust ---

 

[Erin Ellis]

Shes going to go thru relocation stress no matter what so I would move her get the substrate changed out and take all the decor she has and put in there --- they dont like change but if the move is going to enrich her life go ahead and do it -- she will adjust ---

That does make sense. Do you have a link to this shelf liner? I’m in England and I think it’s called something different here

 

[Rusty]

I have acquired a 10 year old beardie from a family member who was moving abroad.
We got her around the end of October and she was really, really skinny.
Her previous owner had a loud dog so he never got her out. Her heat lamp was broken and UV lamp wasn’t suitable (we’ve fixed this now and it’s all good). He says she stopped eating crickets a few years ago so she’s had a plant based diet (he told me to just throw some lettuce in with her once a week, which I’ve now researched and I’m annoyed).. She’s also had calcium sand as a substrate which I don’t suppose is too much of an issue as that’s what she has had for the whole of her life and, well, she’s alive. I’m not sure how really.
I bought some repashy grub pie which she loves actually, so I thought I’d buy some calci worms to see if she likes them and she does, I am aware that she can’t have too many though or she will get fat.
She has been eating loads, I’ve been feeding her veggies, frisée, endive, watercress, pea shoots, occasionally pak Choi and bell peppers. She has quite a varied diet with me but I’ve noticed that she poops once or twice a day and they’re quite runny and green in colour. Sometimes it’s just liquid…I put this down to the fact that maybe she was eating too many watery greens so I tried to feed her less bell peppers and watercress etc.
She’s definitely active and alert, always running around the house when I let her out, she tends to glass surf until I open the vivarium and then she’s off.
She really is a lovely girl, I just want to make sure I do right by her. She’s put on quite a bit of weight in the last 3 weeks (I’ll try upload pictures).
I suppose the main questions I have are:

1. Her vivarium is quite boring, it has a calcium sand substrate and nothing really good in there. With her age I’m concerned that if I change her enclosure too much, it’ll massively stress her out. What do you think?
2. Other than crickets, what other bugs are best for a beardie? I don’t really want to keep feeding her these calcium worms for very long.
3. How does she look in the 2nd photo which is now? Is that how she’s supposed to look?
4. Anything else you’d suggest? Any advice is helpful.

Wow you are doing great job, he looks so much better now,
Fix up his tank and yes give him lots of love, start feeding him any bugs you can get at the pet stores, i rarely feed rusty crickets, get super worms or butter worms they are fatty and good protein, just don't get him spoiled, your lucky your dragon eats greens, keep giving that for sure. Lucky dragon to find you, because I'm not sure he was doing well under last owners care.

 

[Sadie]

That does make sense. Do you have a link to this shelf liner? I’m in England and I think it’s called something different here

That does make sense. Do you have a link to this shelf liner? I’m in England and I think it’s called something different here

SinhRinh

www.amazon.com

try this you can search other places in the UK -- your local home improvement stores or what ever discount stores you have in the UK

 

[Erin Ellis]

Wow you are doing great job, he looks so much better now,
Fix up his tank and yes give him lots of love, start feeding him any bugs you can get at the pet stores, i rarely feed rusty crickets, get super worms or butter worms they are fatty and good protein, just don't get him spoiled, your lucky your dragon eats greens, keep giving that for sure. Lucky dragon to find you, because I'm not sure he was doing well under last owners care.

Thank you. I just want her to enjoy her last few years to be honest. I’m going to change out her substrate and look at making her enclosure a bit more interesting, possibly get a new vivarium altogether. I can at least keep the vivarium for my next beardie, I’m really enjoying looking after them.

 

[Rusty]

Thank you. I just want her to enjoy her last few years to be honest. I’m going to change out her substrate and look at making her enclosure a bit more interesting, possibly get a new vivarium altogether. I can at least keep the vivarium for my next beardie, I’m really enjoying looking after them.

My Rusty is 15 going strong, my other dragon passed this spring was 20, don't say few yrs this dragon could be yours for many yrs yet

 

[Thomas J sobczynski]

I have acquired a 10 year old beardie from a family member who was moving abroad.
We got her around the end of October and she was really, really skinny.
Her previous owner had a loud dog so he never got her out. Her heat lamp was broken and UV lamp wasn’t suitable (we’ve fixed this now and it’s all good). He says she stopped eating crickets a few years ago so she’s had a plant based diet (he told me to just throw some lettuce in with her once a week, which I’ve now researched and I’m annoyed).. She’s also had calcium sand as a substrate which I don’t suppose is too much of an issue as that’s what she has had for the whole of her life and, well, she’s alive. I’m not sure how really.
I bought some repashy grub pie which she loves actually, so I thought I’d buy some calci worms to see if she likes them and she does, I am aware that she can’t have too many though or she will get fat.
She has been eating loads, I’ve been feeding her veggies, frisée, endive, watercress, pea shoots, occasionally pak Choi and bell peppers. She has quite a varied diet with me but I’ve noticed that she poops once or twice a day and they’re quite runny and green in colour. Sometimes it’s just liquid…I put this down to the fact that maybe she was eating too many watery greens so I tried to feed her less bell peppers and watercress etc.
She’s definitely active and alert, always running around the house when I let her out, she tends to glass surf until I open the vivarium and then she’s off.
She really is a lovely girl, I just want to make sure I do right by her. She’s put on quite a bit of weight in the last 3 weeks (I’ll try upload pictures).
I suppose the main questions I have are:

1. Her vivarium is quite boring, it has a calcium sand substrate and nothing really good in there. With her age I’m concerned that if I change her enclosure too much, it’ll massively stress her out. What do you think?
2. Other than crickets, what other bugs are best for a beardie? I don’t really want to keep feeding her these calcium worms for very long.
3. How does she look in the 2nd photo which is now? Is that how she’s supposed to look?
4. Anything else you’d suggest? Any advice is helpful.

One lesson I have learned the hard way was loose substrate. A successful breeder suggested desert blend when I moved my 2 year old female into a 120 gallon tank. She was doing great. This past July she was around 3 1/2 and she contracted a bacterial infection leading to severe pneumonia. The animal hospital said it was most likely the substrate. She died. I now use matt's, or carpet you get a pet store.

 

[Sadie]

One lesson I have learned the hard way was loose substrate. A successful breeder suggested desert blend when I moved my 2 year old female into a 120 gallon tank. She was doing great. This past July she was around 3 1/2 and she contracted a bacterial infection leading to severe pneumonia. The animal hospital said it was most likely the substrate. She died. I now use matt's, or carpet you get a pet store.

You can get textured NON adhesive shelf liner cut to the size of the tank and cleaned w/ vinegar/ water 50/50 --- Walmart or you local home improvement store will carry this stuff --- carpet and sand mats are hard to clean and carpet will harbor bacteria ---

 

[Erin Ellis]

One lesson I have learned the hard way was loose substrate. A successful breeder suggested desert blend when I moved my 2 year old female into a 120 gallon tank. She was doing great. This past July she was around 3 1/2 and she contracted a bacterial infection leading to severe pneumonia. The animal hospital said it was most likely the substrate. She died. I now use matt's, or carpet you get a pet store.

Thanks Thomas. I took Sadies advice last week and got the shelf liner she suggested. I’d don’t think my beardie is too impressed at the moment, a lot of glass surfing going on. I reckon she will get used to it soon though

 

[Sadie]

Thanks Thomas. I took Sadies advice last week and got the shelf liner she suggested. I’d don’t think my beardie is too impressed at the moment, a lot of glass surfing going on. I reckon she will get used to it soon though

She will they dont like change -- let me know if the glass surfing doesnt stop here in a week or so -- then something else is going on --