new here and have questions

[akamel]

my husband wanta a bearded dragon for his b-day which is in a week. Got a 20 long aquarium for a baby ( which we dont have yet )-our funds are kinda low at the moment and I need some advice on lighting mostly. The guy at the LPS said we needed a cacium based substrate for it but researching here I have learned thats not a good idea, right ? So using papertowels or newspaper is ok? What is the best, cheap lighting set up that we cud use--for now--to keep lil guy warm enuff? If we used regular house bulbs what should we get ? Where is the cheapest place to get the heat lamp itself ? Do we have to start off right away with uvb-uva lights or can it wait a couple of weeks ? What is repti-carpet ? what does it look like ? any other info that you can provide will be very welcomed !

 

[crypticdragons]

newspaper will be the easiest and cheapest for you to maintain as a substrate until you get a forever tank. as far as lighting a regular household bulb will work great for heating. you need to get a reptisun 10.0 uvb bulb the 18" will work fine with that tank. the 20 long will be ok till he reaches around 3-4 months. pretty cheap here http://www.reptilesupply.com/product.php?products_id=554

 

[renich]

Hello and welcome to our forum. Bearded dragons make unique pets and are fun to have around. I'm sure your hubby will be tickled pink with his gift.

I couldn't help but notice how your post stresses funds and how you are watching your finances. So, I find it my job to fill you in on the expenses involved with bearded dragons. You will need a larger viv when he reaches about 1 year of age. A 75 gallon viv is a nice size. You could build one.

You will need the household bulb, potentially a heat emitter (cold months), and a UV light. The UV light will need to be replaced every 6 months.

I don't recommend sand for babies. I stopped using it altogether. Tile is much neater and easier to clean.

You'll need a digital probe thermometer to monitor your temperatures.

You'll also need daily salad. This consists of a variety of vegetables, greens and fruit.

You'll need daily proteins (crickets, roaches). Babies can eat anywhere from 50-75 crickets per day.

Heaven forbid, if anything happens to your baby, you will need to go to a herp vet. As with all exotic pets, this can be expensive.

I'm not trying to deter you in your decision or gift, I'm trying to paint a picture so that you understand what you are committing yourself to if you decide to get one of these guys.