Posted by:
BDlvr
at Mon Jul 2 10:44:50 2007 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by BDlvr ]
First of all I'd buy a well started Beardie from a breeder rather then from a pet store. Dachiu.com is a great place to get one from. There are also many other breeders or you can look here in the classifieds. You should get a healthy 6 - 7 inch dragon rather than a newly hatched living in sub-standard conditions in a pet store. Also at that size you will be able to specify sex. I would suggest a male as your first dragon.
As far as supplies I'd get them online rather than in a pet store, you will get way more for your money. Petmountain.com, lllreptile.com, and herpsupplies.com are all good full line suppliers that I have used frequently.
Now as far as supplies. I'd buy the enclosure locally since many online suppliers won't ship glass terrariums. I would recommend you get a 30 or 40 breeder enclosure. Zilla sells critter cages with sliding screen tops that work well. A 20 long will only last you a month or so and then you'll need larger. I would start your dragon on reptile carpet as substrate. Zilla and Zoo Med sell this. You will need UVB lighting so I would look for a 36" fluorescant fixture at Home Depot, Walmart, Target etc. You need one that has an inset bulb so you can lay it on the screen top. Flukers sells a nice one in the reptile world but it is pretty expensive. Then I would get a 36" Zoo Med Reptisun 10.0 fluorescent bulb. $15 from petmountain.com vs. 40 in a pet store.
Then get a clamp lamp (I like the Exo-terra glow in the dark ones) and a spot bulb. I'd get a 50 and a 75 watt Zoo Med Basking spot bulb $4 each at petmountain. Get a digital thermometer with a separate probe. You will put this on the basking spot to get the temp. right (115 for babies) I'd get a Kricket Keeper to house your Crickets. You'll need Calcium w/D3 (No Phosphorus or Vitamin A) and a multivitamin (No vitamin A) RepCal is the best brand for this. You need small low water and food bowls.
Then you just need something for a raised basking spot. You can look around for wood in a pet store if you want or use tile or stone. Whatever you decide just be sure to disinfect it with a 10% bleach solution and rinse well prior putting it in your dragons tank. Whatever you use just be sure it is stable and secure so that it can't be toppled by your dragon. I personally like a piece of slate tile sitting on 2 of those 1/2 logs.
I would start your baby with 2 - 3 feedings of Calcium dusted crickets per day. Once a week dust with the multivitamin instead of the calcium. I would offer a mixture on mustard greens and romaine between live feedings to start. Here is a great site for nutrition info. I would just hold off on the vegs. until 8-10".
http://www.beautifuldragons.503xtreme.com/Nutrition.html
Well that's about all I can think of right now. If you have any other questions everyone here will be glad to help.
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- ?'s about getting a dragon - shannon20019, Mon Jul 2 08:19:23 2007
 RE: ?'s about getting a dragon - BDlvr, Mon Jul 2 10:44:50 2007
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