Reptile & Amphibian Forums

(I did try to search for the answers first, but couldn't find them!!)

I was chopping up some squash the other day for Klieo and grumbling to myself about needing to buy a potato peeler, cuz cutting the skin off was a pain. And then it occurred to me that perhaps I didn't *need* to cut the skin off??

So my question is, are veggie skins ok? Such as squash and zucchini? In most articles I've read, it states "peeled grapes" and "peeled apples" and other fruits, but doesn't mention veggies. I could see for a smaller dragon, but what about for older juvies and adults?

Also, I'm thinking of making a new enclosure out of an old coffee table (not as much height, but way more floor), and was wondering about tiles as substrate. I've always used sand, but the new house would be a pain to change sand-type substrate from, plus it'd be wood and I don't like the idea of moisture seeping into the wood. So I was considering tiles, but am worried about heat conduction (I guess cuz when my sister built a sunroom, they tiled it so it would "hold the heat" better??) So just wondering if anyone had thoughts, opinions, or experience with that.

Also, the table currently has two glass pieces that fit on the top. Anyone know how the heat transference would be if I just set the heating lamps right on the glass? Am I better off just screening the top instead of leaving the glass on?

Thanks!
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0.2 cats (Pandora & Journey)
0.1 bearded dragon (Kleio)
0.0.1 green tree frog (Squishy)
0.0.3 fishes (namoli, Asana, Adagio)

For squash you have to cut the peal off, because it is much tougher than most vegetables. Zuccini is fine. Pretty much if you have to cut it off for you to eat, you need to cut it off for the dragon. I never heard about a need to peal grapes or peas, I just chop them. But I rarely feed either so that could be why I never had any issues.

using a coffee table for a enclosure is fine, providing it has at least 4'x2' of floor space. Height should be 18" to give enough room for lights (if inside).

For the UVB light, you will need to remove the glass or mount the uvb bulb inside the cage. Glass will block UVB rays. I also think it will block alot of heat as well, but not all of it. You can feel the heat from the sun through a window easily but it is not as powerful as through a screen or unblocked completely. So you will need a hotter basking bulb to get the basking spot to the right temperatures.
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PHLdyPayne

You could also have a stress crack issue if you set heat lanps directly on glass.

Thanks-- I sorta figured it was a case of if I need it peeled, she needs it peeled. I think I peeled her grapes and apples (did I say peas? I meant apples!) when she was a baby cuz I always peel them when I feed them to little kids. Which leads to my next question....seeds. Obviously fruit seeds aren't suitable. But, zucchini and squash? I got kleio more towards the fall, and so have always bought her squash from the store, and I generally chose smaller ones, where a good portion of it doesn't really have seeds in it yet. Are beardies able to digest the more formed seeds of squash and zucchini? I know I, as a human, eat them. But would they be cause for possible impaction in a beardie? And now that it's summer, I've got zucchini out the ears, but generally bigger than the ones I got at the store.
(Sorry if it's a dumb question, but weeding out the seeds takes a whole lot of time which I'll gladly continue using if necessary, but would like to stop wasting if unnecessary!)

As for the enclosure-- the table itself is 4' by 1.5' at the bottom, but the top juts out more, so by the time I build the doors on, I'm pretty sure it'll be close to 4x2 (in either case, it's wider than what she's in now. Silly 'tall' tanks! seems like they have *no* floor space!!)

the height is about 12" if I leave the bottom pieces in, and I haven't decided if I'm going to take them out and make a drop down floor, or if I'm going to leave them in and add height to the top. The lights won't be inside tho (which is why I asked about the glass)- I'm always paranoid about my critters burning themselves by somehow jumping on to the lamps and prefer the heat lamps to be out of their reach. What I *might* do, is leave the one side as is, and put the uvb on that side, and build up the other side where the basking lamps will go.

Sorry, I just realized I'm rambling about something that is probably impossible to visualize. I'll have to post pictures at some point!

Thanks again for the replies!

>>For squash you have to cut the peal off, because it is much tougher than most vegetables. Zuccini is fine. Pretty much if you have to cut it off for you to eat, you need to cut it off for the dragon. I never heard about a need to peal grapes or peas, I just chop them. But I rarely feed either so that could be why I never had any issues.
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>>using a coffee table for a enclosure is fine, providing it has at least 4'x2' of floor space. Height should be 18" to give enough room for lights (if inside).
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>>For the UVB light, you will need to remove the glass or mount the uvb bulb inside the cage. Glass will block UVB rays. I also think it will block alot of heat as well, but not all of it. You can feel the heat from the sun through a window easily but it is not as powerful as through a screen or unblocked completely. So you will need a hotter basking bulb to get the basking spot to the right temperatures.
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>>PHLdyPayne
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0.2 cats (Pandora & Journey)
0.1 bearded dragon (Kleio)
0.0.1 green tree frog (Squishy)
0.0.3 fishes (namoli, Asana, Adagio)

I always peel my Zucchini and Squash with a knife. The seeds are fine, I always just grate mine onto the salads. No apple seeds though. Not to the crix either.

I think 12" is pretty low. But agree that floor space is most important. I don't know how to suggest to make your coffee table idea work. Seems to me it would need a screen top. And all the darn guests would be spilling things on my dragon. lol.

>>I always peel my Zucchini and Squash with a knife. The seeds are fine, I always just grate mine onto the salads. No apple seeds though. Not to the crix either.
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>>I think 12" is pretty low. But agree that floor space is most important. I don't know how to suggest to make your coffee table idea work. Seems to me it would need a screen top. And all the darn guests would be spilling things on my dragon. lol.

Yeah, i agree, 12" is too low. lol at people spilling things on the dragon.....it won't actually *be* a coffee table when I'm done with it
Thanks for the response about the seeds!