We aquired our first bearded dragon on Saturday, he's about 4 months old (6 inches long).



The breeder warned against using chlorinated water. Said

he wasn't sure it was bad but used filtered water as a precaution. So my question is--is anyone here using tap water successfully? I'm using some spring water we have until I hear otherwise but obviously if this isn't necessary, it would be less complicated.



Caveman has eaten a little since we got him, not a great deal though. The first night we had him he ate a couple of crickets. Then the next morning (sunday) he ate one cricket and I put 2-3 other small crickets in with him before we had to leave town for the day. When we returned, the crickets were still in there so I removed them before shutting the lights off for the night. Monday, I became worried about him (mainly I didn't know what to expect and he seemed kind of lethargic) wasn't sure if he was too hot or too cool. I had a 60 watt bulb in a reflector over his basking area (a piece a driftwood with a higher "platform" he seemed to be spending most of the day under the light. I wasn't trusting the thermometers I was using and switched to a 40 watt bulb. I called the breeder and he somewhat reassured me, said they didn't move around alot. Guided me through spritzing him with the water (I had been too timid-not spraying him till he started lapping it up). The breeder told me to work with the 40 watt bulb and if his appetite didn't pick up in a couple of days, go back to the 60 watt bulb.

He's been eating a couple of crickets a day, which didn't seem to be very much, so I put the 60 watt bulb back today.

He seems a little more active, but doesn't seem to notice the crickets I put in, so in desperation I dug out a small molted mealworm and he took it out of my fingers, so I've given him 4-5 since then, only when I can find smaller, freshly molted ones(I've dusted some of them in calcium/vitamin powder). I know mealworms aren't highly recommeded, but I was relieved to see him eat anything.

Any ideas why he is not interested in the crickets? He eagerly went after the first two I gave him. He's gone to the bathroom once each morning so he seems to be functioning in that respect. Thanks for any info!



Lisa

mom of:

several adult and baby box turtles

1 five lined skink

2 dekay snakes

3 toads

2 mantids

1 cat

3 dogs

2 rabbits

1 cockatiel

2 juvi humans

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