Total Newb Questions

[LittleMerlin]

Yea though now we like the name Jethro Gibbs from NCIS lol! I think he got two of the four crickets I had in his tank earlier today because I am not seeing any evidence of them. I hope he ate them. I don't want to waste the small crickets and see them become chirpy adults for whenever he decides he loves crickets. I am about to set up his "dinner" now. Just had to get Merlin his food first.

 

[ajandj]

i got told by someone in here that you shouldn't leave crickets in the tank. Apparently from what i was told, in the night the crickets will actually turn on beardies and get there revenge. They bite, and also they suck the fuid out of beardies eye. I know, this sounds comical but from what l have been told, it's true

 

[LittleMerlin]

I didn't leave them in over night. I left them in the tank for maybe ten minutes or so. Enough time for me to get something to drink myself. I don't leave crickets in over night for that reason. If the lizards don't get 'em, I catch them and put them back unless I squish them, then they get tossed away.

 

[ajandj]

Sorry, didn't mean to offend. I misread your post

 

[carnivorouszoo]

You will deffinitely need a bigger cage, start looking now cause they can grow fast once setup right.
Here are my answers to your questions:

1.)I would move the cage away from the window. it will cause temp issues. If its reading the same with AND without the light on I would replace the thermostat.

2.) Turnip, mustard and collard greens are the best staples. they can have bell pepper, cucumber w/o seeds, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries and strawberries now and then as a treat.

3.)Water in the cage will only provide humidity which they do not need. Instead either lightly mist them out of the cage, drizzle water droplets on the veggies or bathe daily. I bathe Mojo daily and not only is she well hydrated but she poos in it so I do not have to clean up as much.

4.) I do no mist, it only makes Mojo mad, even if its a very fine mist. I bathe her.

I would not offer mealworms, they have little nutrition and can cause impaction. Mojo also scracthes her head like a dog, especially in her bath.

 

[LittleMerlin]

You didn't offend me. Sorry if I sounded snippy! He is doing just fine. Starting to shed actually. I am getting crickets today since both Merlin and Jethro are running out. I am hoping he will start to eat them now. The lady at the pet store said to leave some mealworms in just in case. She actually has her own bearded dragons and seems to have a ton of knowledge. I trust her better than the other employees. Only one other that I trust that has dealt with lizards. The temps are fine now for the tank. Jethro seems to be adjusting well and loves to be held.

 

[ajandj]

Yoda started to shed 2 days ago. Just about everything l have been reading says that "most dragons" tend to stop eating when they are either about to shed or during shedding. Well, Yoda must be the exception. His eating like there is no tomorrow. He's back to eating a huge number of crickets and woodies. 30 crickets morning and then the same at night and about 20 woodies in the morning as well. I have greens/flowers/fruits on offer all day long. I'm a stay at home mama so when it's meal time or snack time for my daughter, then it's fresh food time for yoda. I offer fresh salad mix at brekky, lunch, arvo tea and dinner time.

 

[Bill]

I have never had a dragon stop eating when sheding now snakes yes

 

[LittleMerlin]

Well Jethro loves crickets again. He had eaten three the first day I brought him home but not since then. The lady who owns bearded dragons at the pet store said to leave mealworms. I have left small ones that he seems to eat. But to my surprise this morning, Jethro caught six little crickets all on his own! No need of tongs like when I feed Merlin my leopard gecko! Guess Jethro has adapted to his new home well and that makes me happy! He eats his veggies too which is also good though sometimes he will scatter the veggies around the tank. Anyone else have a beardie that will do that?

 

[ajandj]

Oh heck yes. i have a 4 ft enclosure and yoda seems to "toss" it from one end to the other. He take mouthfulls of food and like i said *tosses* it out until he finds what he's looking for. I worked out he only does it when l add finely chopped apple.
He LOVES apple.

 

[LittleMerlin]

Lol well I'm not sure that Jethro's ready for fruit just yet. I heard that babies should stick to green veggies for now, he seems to enjoy them and has been eating just fine. Goes back and forth to whether he wants crickets. He is eating fine but not always eating crickets.

 

[Eric sachranienkow]

yes, it can be hard to introduce the baby to veggies! but if you feed it everyday, handle him everyday, feed crickets 1 time a week, when she gets older shes gonna love you!

my beardie, shes only 8 weeks old and already eating veggies, her names lily and she is very use to being handled! could you show us a picture of jethro?im getting a picture of mine atm!

 

[Eric sachranienkow]

sorry i meant to put he gets older LOL!

 

[LittleMerlin]

Well he seems to be responding to the name Jethro, so that's what I'm sticking with. He looks like a Jethro, to me anyways, just hope it is a he, LOL. Here's some pictures of him. He is 6 inches long so far from what I measured.

 

[Eric sachranienkow]

ahh, its always good to have a dragon in the family! even though they dont breath fire, there still cute!

 

[LittleMerlin]

Yep yep! One thing that drives me crazy is that he keeps changing the spot where he goes to the bathroom. I thought he had one spot in mind then he changed it after a day or so. Like today, I came up to check on him, and he decided his food bowl would be a great spot >_>. Needless to say I had to clean that out immediately *sigh*. Oh well, he's adjusting well though and that's what matters to me

 

[Eric sachranienkow]

yeah! aslong as hes pooping! yeah, lily wouldnt eat the salad bowl i put in, maybe she ate a tomato peice but still didnt munch into it... i'll have to try again tomorrow i guess!

 

[LittleMerlin]

I didn't know you could give them tomatoes. I think Jethro's still too young for some of those kinds of fruits and veggies. I'd like to try to give him some more but I think he's too small for it really. So shredded greens is probably best for now.

 

[LittleMerlin]

Gah yea I learned the hard way that they like to go ANYWHERE, lol. I had Jethro out, just handling him you know. And well somehow he decided he wanted to venture over to my laptop and decided THAT would be his bathroom for the day. *sighs* I cleaned it up, and sanitized it. I was like "Thanks, thanks Jethro, love you too," lol. He just looked at me like "What, you wanted me out and about." which is true XD.