How to feed and care for new baby bearded dragon?

[Netsu]

Yesterday we got a new, unplanned, baby bearded dragon, could you please leave me any tips on dealing with the little guy?

Currently the temperature is at 30C during the day and 25C during the night, is this by any chance too cold or hot? I don't want to make it too high, since the enclosure isn't very big (emergency enclosure basically)

The baby dragon is still very active and confused, running against the glass, sprinting every occasionally... When should I try to feed him? he currently isn't interested in eating at all... How long can I go without?? And once he starts eating, about how much should he be eating? I doubt he'll be eating, since I don't think most reptiles eats when put inside a new enclosure/environment. We do have small crickets and mealworms, we're planning on getting dubia roaches (and some greens to feed), and calcium powder (we use smashed cuttlebone for calcium powder).

The enclosure currently has 2 substrates, rabbit grass and coco fibre (we'll be switching out both for newspaper this weekend), a hide and a water dish. It also has a heat- and UVB bulb.

I only have experience with tortoise (and a bit with snakes) care, I try my best to give my pets the best life they can have, and as a noob with bearded dragons, I fear I may not be able to, so any and all tips will be highly appreciated

I've attached a few images of the enclosure, it is a tad small, but I do plan on upgrading next year sometime to something relatively bigger.

Thank you in advance

 

[Wolfgirl97578]

Yesterday we got a new, unplanned, baby bearded dragon, could you please leave me any tips on dealing with the little guy?

Currently the temperature is at 30C during the day and 25C during the night, is this by any chance too cold or hot? I don't want to make it too high, since the enclosure isn't very big (emergency enclosure basically)

The baby dragon is still very active and confused, running against the glass, sprinting every occasionally... When should I try to feed him? he currently isn't interested in eating at all... How long can I go without?? And once he starts eating, about how much should he be eating? I doubt he'll be eating, since I don't think most reptiles eats when put inside a new enclosure/environment. We do have small crickets and mealworms, we're planning on getting dubia roaches (and some greens to feed), and calcium powder (we use smashed cuttlebone for calcium powder).

The enclosure currently has 2 substrates, rabbit grass and coco fibre (we'll be switching out both for newspaper this weekend), a hide and a water dish. It also has a heat- and UVB bulb.

I only have experience with tortoise (and a bit with snakes) care, I try my best to give my pets the best life they can have, and as a noob with bearded dragons, I fear I may not be able to, so any and all tips will be highly appreciated

I've attached a few images of the enclosure, it is a tad small, but I do plan on upgrading next year sometime to something relatively bigger.

Thank you in advance

Welcome to the forum and what a adorable baby I have a few tips your basking area of your tank should be ranging between (35C/43C) your cool side should be ranging about (26C/29C). One of the most important things is the UVB this is what help the beardie absorb calcium and nutrients. Do you have a UVB and if so what kind? Since your babe doesn't look that old I would change the substrate to a mat it's easier for babies to become impacted by there substrate if they eat it or they can get impacted if there food is to big so watch out for that. Make sure to have a way to check the humidity in the tank humidity should be around 20%-40%. And what's your size of your tank?

 

[Netsu]

Welcome to the forum and what a adorable baby I have a few tips your basking area of your tank should be ranging between (35C/43C) your cool side should be ranging about (26C/29C). One of the most important things is the UVB this is what help the beardie absorb calcium and nutrients. Do you have a UVB and if so what kind? Since your babe doesn't look that old I would change the substrate to a mat it's easier for babies to become impacted by there substrate if they eat it or they can get impacted if there food is to big so watch out for that. Make sure to have a way to check the humidity in the tank humidity should be around 20%-40%. And what's your size of your tank?

Thanks for the reply and tips

Yeah, I'm just a bit scared with the heating, since the enclosure is so small (around 70cm x 32cm), so it's difficult to have a cool side, but we can unfortunately not upgrade right now, but it is planned.

Yes, I do have UVB (25W / UVB 150). As for the mat substrate, would news paper do? I hear that mats can become a bacteria home, since it's so difficult to clean?

I'll keep my eye out for something to measure the humidity with

 

[Wolfgirl97578]

Thanks for the reply and tips

Yeah, I'm just a bit scared with the heating, since the enclosure is so small (around 70cm x 32cm), so it's difficult to have a cool side, but we can unfortunately not upgrade right now, but it is planned.

Yes, I do have UVB (25W / UVB 150). As for the mat substrate, would news paper do? I hear that mats can become a bacteria home, since it's so difficult to clean?

I'll keep my eye out for something to measure the humidity with

 

[Wolfgirl97578]

I would definitely upgrade when you can and get the right uvb for the cage when you can cause without the right uvb the beardies get health problems and yes paper towels will work for now just make sure she doesn't try to eat it and yes if the mats aren't cleaned they can become very bad but I use hot water let them soak with some dish soap then I scrub them with the soap then rinse and dry and I don't have problems with the mats. And be sure to keep the tank clean and you shouldn't have much to worry about

 

[Sadie]

Yesterday we got a new, unplanned, baby bearded dragon, could you please leave me any tips on dealing with the little guy?

Currently the temperature is at 30C during the day and 25C during the night, is this by any chance too cold or hot? I don't want to make it too high, since the enclosure isn't very big (emergency enclosure basically)

The baby dragon is still very active and confused, running against the glass, sprinting every occasionally... When should I try to feed him? he currently isn't interested in eating at all... How long can I go without?? And once he starts eating, about how much should he be eating? I doubt he'll be eating, since I don't think most reptiles eats when put inside a new enclosure/environment. We do have small crickets and mealworms, we're planning on getting dubia roaches (and some greens to feed), and calcium powder (we use smashed cuttlebone for calcium powder).

The enclosure currently has 2 substrates, rabbit grass and coco fibre (we'll be switching out both for newspaper this weekend), a hide and a water dish. It also has a heat- and UVB bulb.

I only have experience with tortoise (and a bit with snakes) care, I try my best to give my pets the best life they can have, and as a noob with bearded dragons, I fear I may not be able to, so any and all tips will be highly appreciated

I've attached a few images of the enclosure, it is a tad small, but I do plan on upgrading next year sometime to something relatively bigger.

Thank you in advance

Please get rid of the red bulb -- it causes eye damage and it distorts the vision --- get rid of the substrate and use some paper towels for now --- the tank looks like a 20 gallon ----------- please get rid of all the coil bulbs in the tank they are NO good --- you need a bright white basking bulb clear -- like this https://www.amazon.com/Exo-Terra-Su...369&sprefix=Exo+Terra+intense+,aps,182&sr=8-2 you dont need all 4 of them I would start w/a 75 watt for that tank - but you MUST HAVE a digital probe thermometer to get a actual basking temp like this https://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-Digi...gital+probe+thermometer&qid=1637153478&sr=8-3 your going to need 2 of them
basking temps for him should be 105-110 place the probe on the spot where he bask let it sit for awhile then get the temp
next one of the most important things besides what I have posted is a UVB a long tube fixture like this for that small of a tank your going to need a less intense bulb so you will need this till he goes into a bigger tank then the bulb is going to need to be changed out please get this one https://www.amazon.com/Reptisun-T5-...061c9&pd_rd_wg=DKTDc&pd_rd_i=B00CX5HXI2&psc=1 please use the 5.0 bulb that comes w/ this fixture its going to be perfect for the tank size --- when you upgrade to a bigger tank 40 + gallon then you would need to change out the bulb to a 22" Reptisun 10.0 T 5 bulb -- when you get it let me know I am going to help you get it set up on that tank ---- it will need to be unobstructed w/ No screen -- I will help you the distance and placement is crucial for this ---------- please do this ASAP the dragon cannot live w/ out proper lighting and temps --- he is going to go thru relocation stress offer him food but until that lighting is corrected he will not eat ----

 

[Bailey]

you need to research as much as possible. You need everything correct from lighting to diet.