Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I was using a 20 gallon tank for my baby beardies temporarily and thanks to craigslist.com i found myself a 55 gallon tank for just $30. I also can't wait for my Repti Sun 10.0 flourescent light bulb to show up any day now (hopefully by monday)got to get that UVB. Thanks to Bdlvr for finding that bulb so cheap. I want these dragons to be as happy as I can make them. Here's a current picture of the new set up untill that bulb shows up. Let me know what you think. Any advice will be appreciated. Thanks!

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0:1 Pacman
0:1 Rose Hair Tarantula
0:1 Ball Python
0:0:2 Bearded Dragon
1:1 Cat

Geez and I feel like I always have something critical to say. lol.

Thanks for the compliment.

My only concern is you need to have 2 good basking areas for 2 dragons. This is really important. If one monopolizes the basking site it will have a faster metabolism, eat more and grow much faster. Then the fact that it is larger will exasterbate the whole problem and stress out the other dragon even more.

To keep 2 dragons in one enclosure (everyone else is going to tell you not to do it at all) you have to take away any competition. So you either need one large basking area or better is 2 with equal temps. That branch is great but it is too thin for each to get past the other so it is just asking for one to be "king of the hill"

The picture has one on a stone way out of the light and heat which is very unusual for baby dragons (babies love the heat and stay in it almost all of the time) except when caused by fear and stress from a more dominant dragon. If the bigger one becomes 1 and a half inches longer than the smaller one then you must separate them right away. I would also recommend that you feed the submissive dragon separately and out of sight from the dominant dragon. A big tupperware at room temp. would be fine for this.

If I'm totally off base keep in mind I am just getting what I can from the picture.

I just relooked at the picture and if you could rework that big branch so that both ends touched the ground that could work since the dominant dragon couldn't block both sides. Also get rid of the dial temp. guage they are completely worthless. I love the Flukers Temp/humidity guages that stick on with velcro. Best price is 12.99 at herpsupplies.com. You should get one for the hot side and one for the cool side and then a digital thermometer with a separate probe that you can attach to the basking log. With these 3 and a little experimentation you can figure out the best set up.

Thanks. I will do my best to keep everything equal between them. I do seperate them when they are about 1 inch apart or on top of each other. They both bask all day. They don't seem to be pushing each other around. I've done my best to see if the other is showing more dominance but it's been difficult because both seem to have the will to eat the same when i feed them and share basking spots. Sometimes they are both on the log and sometimes it's one or the other but it's not just one always using the log. I use two basking bulbs but as you can see they are right next to each other only because i want the left side to be cooler. should i put the 2nd basking bulb on the other end and the food and water in the middle of the tank? also, my beardies don't touch they're veggies in the dish, only when i hand feed them. is this normal behavior and will they eventually adapt to they're food dish? i feed them mustard greens, kale, and yellow squash so far since i have them for 1 week. they have taken a liking to the greens when i hand feed them not so much the sqaush. thanks
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0:1 Pacman
0:1 Rose Hair Tarantula
0:1 Ball Python
0:0:2 Bearded Dragon
1:1 Cat

Don't worry about the "on top of each other" thing. That's something that they do and is normal and in my opinion healthy. Go with the one and a half inches as I suggested. I am extremely conservative. The 2 basking bulb thing I can't really answer for you, I am always more concerned about proper temps thoughout the enclosure. Hot side ambient at 90 - 95 for babies, cool side as low as possible down to 75 (80-81 is great) and basking spot about 110 for babies and juveniles. Since they can both be high on that log together I think one basking hood should be fine for this. The second one may be needed if the ambient is too low or the cool side gets too low. Just measure the 3 parameters and change things around till you get it as close as you can. I always put the food at the coolest spot. Dries out less. Forget about vegs. and just put out mustard greens and romaine until they are started on the salad. When you hand feed try the romaine the babies just love it even though it's not all that great for them. Then when they are good salad eaters you just slowly take it out of their diet. I wouldn't ever feed kale. here's a great nutrition list for later.

http://www.beautifuldragons.503xtreme.com/Nutrition.html

that nutrition content is really cool. thanks
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0:1 Pacman
0:1 Rose Hair Tarantula
0:1 Ball Python
0:0:2 Bearded Dragon
1:1 Cat

the only concern I see, that BDLvr hasn't already pointed out, is that sand. Though washed play sand is fine for adults, I don't recommend it for babies, at least not babies under 10" long. Babies can get impacted on sand much easier than adults.
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PHLdyPayne

Yea I got yelled at for being critical and am maybe a little gun shy. (lol) So I just didn't mention it even though I noticed it. I always wait until 12" but as I said I am very conservative and so many people recommend it for even babies. I'd consider changing to something else for a little while. I always use reptile carpet for babies and juveniles.