UPDATE ON LIL: DUDE;

[river-7]

He is all cleaned out spotless, no sand -paper towels and a smaller basking rock and a little piece of mopania wood so he can get cool if needed. And of course his veggies and fruit chopped and clean small for him.So i think now i will settle down and start to enjoy him. But have a question have a temp gauge for on his little rock to see if it gets hot enough for him.I may have to get more wattage. I will wait and see if his temp comes up-any suggestions on how long to wait.Just checked and temp is going up-85.7 so far and its just starting to go up.It was 77. something so just glad its on its way up.And thanks to all you good peeps that have responded to my stupid questions LIL DUDE and myself may survive.lol Just wanted to ask another biggy and i did but it was not answered=DO they need shots, worming or anything else that a vet would look after?? Please answer-thanks to all that do repond river

 

[Mungi's Buddha]

Beardies don't require vaccinations like a dog or cat...It is however a very good idea to have them checked out by a qualified reptile vet and preferably one that has direct bearded dragon experience. Bearded dragons as with a lot of reptiles do have the potential of developing parasite issues. These issues can oft be brought on by improper temps, diet, stress and housing, too much handling,etc. And issues can develop rapidly. That is one of the main reasons that giving them time to properly acclimate to any new changes in their "normal" environment is crucial. Under normal circumstances a bearded dragon's body has the capability of staving off most parasite outbreaks but when stressed their natural ability to do so is compromised. As with other reptiles there are some parasites that they carry at all times and that are actually an important part of things like how they digest food. This is normal and okay but when stressed those "good levels" become out of control. Just something to keep in mind.
I have as of recent read several articles that report that it is estimated in excess of 50% of all reptiles (bearded dragons included) purchased in pet stores come to their new home with parasite problems already started due to improper care and stress they suffered during the time they are housed before they get to the new owner.
This is another reason why finding and visiting a good dragon vet shortly after purchasing a new dragon should be considered a necessary step. If the dragon you purchased does have a parasite issue it can be caught and treated and if it doesn't then it's still money well spent in knowing your new dragon is perfectly healthy to begin with
Enjoy!

 

[river-7]

hi: that is on my list to do; And your'e quite right about the vet. These little ones were captive bread and i don't know if that makes a diff; or not. but he looks pretty good.I have his temp coming up and was told by reptile owners to take temp on surface are of basking rock TRUE?? thanks so much in advance-river

 

[river-7]

WOW: Mungie; My tank is at 100.6 so far yeah!!!!!!!!hoping to get it to 105. and stable, i am just moving his light this way and that way seeing where the best point is for him. Hoping he will be my happy LIL DUDE by bed time tonight. 8-pm bed time and up at 8am. lol-i am up earlier but read he needs 12-14 hours sleep.river

 

[Germ]

An electronic timer set for 12/12 seems to be the best I have found for them. You should be trying to get your basking temps in 110F range, with a heat gradient to 80-85F at the furthest cool side.

 

[river-7]

yes, GERM; I am now just bringing his temp-had to rid his home of sand and cleand and line with papertowels and all this took until around 2-pm finished so his temps are just coming up now.What is the name of it and where will i find one for him?? Thanks for your responce river

 

[river-7]

HIs temp on the basking side is now-109.5 and the cold side i just put a gage on there and its at=84.5 so they are still adjusting.any recomendations for a timer here in canada???i will get one tomorrow ASAP thanks in advanse river.i want the very best for my LIL DUDE, and to make sure he's comfortable. river

 

[river-7]

GERM; I bought a reti-temp rheostat for manual heat control-is that what you mean??according to what i read this is not good.Another pet store useless sale lol-river

 

[Mungi's Buddha]

I use digital timers on all of our enclosures..you can find them at most places like Walmart, HomeDepot,etc and are inexpensive. I usually get the dual outlet type so that basking and UV lights can be set to the 12/12 cycle together. I don't run CHE heat until the temps start getting much colder and then only if the house is chilled. We keep our home at 72 degrees most year round. The CHE though is hooked into a thermostat and only set to come on long enough to knock the chill out if necessary. Do not waste money on timers that are the old type you have to push the pins in on..digitals are not much more expensive and they are accurate and once set you never have to fool with them.

 

[river-7]

Thanks Mungi; I am going to home depot tomorrow.and pick up one, and some bulbs in case of burn out.i think the crickets i got from pet store are to big for him and i'm going to get some smaller ones. What size is recommended.?? I know no bigger then between their eyes, but what size does that fall into?? 1/8th of and inch??and another useless pet store thing i think- vitiamins [reptivite ]without d-3 boy the money i wasted at these shops lol-but my own fault -that i didn't come here sooner.what kind of vitiamins are recommended?? thanks to all river

 

[Germ]

The dimmer was not what I was talking about, I generally stock up on 3-4 electronic timers used for Xmas lights, around the Xmas season, when they are a dime a dozen on sale so to speak. You can also use the heavier duty ones that we use for the block heaters for our cars if you like. Electronic timers are an invaluable tool to keep their Day\Night schedule constant & consistent, for when we can not be there or are forgetful. Reptivite without D3 is a good thing, providing that you are providing sufficient UVB which enables their body to manufacture it's own Vit D3, which in turn enables it's body to process it's much needed Calcium.

Medium Crickets (3 week old, generally 1/2"-5/8" long) should be just fine for your young'un.

Here is a good feeding & supplementation schedule that is included in the links that I think have been provided to you.

General feeding/supplementation schedule:
For hatchlings and young juveniles (up to 2 months): Fresh greens/veg. 1-2 times daily - Live prey 2-3 times per day
Dusted: All Live Prey five days per week with phosphorus free calcium – one day per week calcium with D3 - One day per week with a vitamin supplement such as Reptivite or Herptivite.

For juveniles and sub-adults (2 months to sexual maturity): Fresh greens/veg 1-2 times daily - Live prey 1-2 times per day
Dusted: All Live Prey five days per week with phosphorus free calcium – One day per week with calcium with D3 - One day per week with a vitamin supplement such as Reptivite or Herptivite.

For adults (generally 1+ year): Fresh greens/veg 1- 2 times daily - Live prey every 2-3 days.
Dusted: Live Prey every other feeding with phosphorus free calcium - Twice per month with calcium with D3 - One day per week with a vitamin supplement such as Reptivite or Herptivite.

As there are different circumstances that may arise, this schedule is recommended only as a general guide and may be altered to accommodate individual situations. Using a tracking method of when you dust prevents unnecessary use of product and more importantly, potential harm to your dragon! With proper and effective UVB lighting, supplementation with vitamin D3 is not imperative but should be provided in small amounts. Excessive levels of oral vitamin D3 can potentially lead to the excessive absorption and utilization of calcium and/or toxicity as can the excessive use of supplements containing high levels of vitamin A. Over use of any supplement can have the potential to cause serious health problems, stick to an appropriate supplementation schedule.

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Read more: http://www.beardeddragonforum.com/index.php?threads/basic-bd-care-sheet-a-place-to-start.5177/#ixzz29bCEeNAW​

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Amendment to Supplementation:Here is an article providing a good explanation to give an understanding on the Calcium to Phosphorous & Fat to Protien ratio ...​

The main points to look out for are the fat content and the Ca: P ratio.​

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Ca: P Ratio and Reptiles​

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Many have heard about the Ca/P ratio but not many understand what it means to your reptiles. The Ca: P ratio is simply the ratio of Calcium compared to Phosphorus and so a Ca: P ratio of 1 (one or 1:1) would mean that Calcium & Phosphorus are found in equal quantities, a Ca: P ratio of 0.5 (half or 0.5:1) means that there is half the amount of Calcium than there is Phosphorus. An ideal Ca: P ratio would be around 2 (two or 2:1) as this will allow calcium to be easily absorbed.​

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So why is this important? It has to do with the way Calcium is absorbed by your reptile's intestine. For any calcium to be absorbed, there needs to be at least equal quantities of Calcium and Phosphorus in their food. If the Phosphorus is much higher, then not only will it prevent calcium being absorbed, but may even leach calcium that is already present in your reptile's body. This can lead to serious problems such as MBD (Metabolic Bone Disease). When Calcium and Phosphorus are dissolved in equal quantities, it forms an insoluble salt (Calcium Phosphate) which is very difficult to absorb by your reptile's intestine. If there is a large amount of phosphorus compared to the calcium, then all the calcium will be bound by the phosphorus and none will be available for your reptile. If there is a large excess of calcium, then no phosphorus can be absorbed, which is also a vital mineral but not needed in as large a quantity as calcium. Ideally the Ca/P ratio for most vertebrates is around 2 (also written as 2:1).​

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Fat vs Protein​

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Another thing to look out for is the amount of fat compared to protein. Fat contains twice as many calories as protein, but doesn't provide any of the nutritional benefits that are gained from proteins from their amino acids which are essential for the health of any living creature. The calories from fat are often called "empty calories" in dietary terminology. Most insectivorous reptiles will receive greater benefit from a high protein/low fat diet.​

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Source - http://www.leedspetshops.co.uk​

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Read more: http://www.beardeddragonforum.com/index.php?threads/basic-bd-care-sheet-a-place-to-start.5177/#ixzz29bCOIRcb​

 

[river-7]

thanks GERM; all duely noted.PS my temps are right on now=110=basking and 85.3 cooler side.thanks for all the info and i have the reptivite without ds-and i also have another one with d3 without ds for dusting and with for him when needed.river

 

[Kalypso]

Glad to hear you and lil dude are getting along well! Always love to read updates!

 

[river-7]

thanks so much Kalypso; Yes, i would say we are both going to survive, today he has been very good about me cleaning out his tank and stuff and bringing up to the correct temps, and hes tolerated all that with that What the H$$$L is she doing now look, lol.but still a good little dude-thanks again.