Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey, guys!

I have a good amount of reptile experience, but it's mostly with snakes-specifically boas. I'm looking into getting a pair of Bearded Dragons and am doing my research beforehand and would like to ask for your help.

Lately, I've been trying to figure out caging. I've seen some of you guys' excellent cages but was wondering if I could use something I already have.

I have a bunch of Boaphile Plastics 4 l x2 w x 1 h cages.

From what I've found, it seems that these floor dimensions would be good for an adult. This is the largest recommended size I've seen. Is one foot tall enough?

I've also found that they need a hot spot of 105 during the day, but can drop down to the 60s at night and was told that not heat is available during the night. The cages I have all have heat mats that cover about half the cage that I control with with a Helix proportional thermostat for the 105. I can program a night drop to any temperature as well. However, what do they need for the cool side?
105 on the hot side would make the other side pretty warm as well.

I know they need full spectrum light and that the light also tells them where the heat is coming from. Do you think it would work if I could install a full spectrum light right over the heat pad?
The light would provide no heat, but would be directly over the hot spot to tell them where the heat is.

Do the things in this post sound accurate?

Sorry about the long post and thanks in advance for your help.

Aaron
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www.voodoomagicboas.com

A height of one foot is really not adequate,and dragons need the heat to come from above....they need a " basking" log or large rock to perch on,it is unnatural to have nothing to climb on and causes stress.I wouldn't use the undertank heaters to create a basking temp,bright hot lights are what is needed.

Thank you so much!
That's the impression I was starting to get. I really appreciate you confirming that for me. You just saved me (and the Bearded Dragons) a lot of heartache!
Thanks again for taking the time to respond!
Aaron
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www.voodoomagicboas.com

You're welcome....hope you enjoy your beardies.when you get them!!

Thanks again!
I'll make sure to report back here with pics when I do!
Aaron
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www.voodoomagicboas.com

Angiehusk is right about the height being insufficient for bearded dragons, as well as the need for heat from above, instead of underneath.

The recommended minimum size is a floor space of 4'x2' with a height of at least 18" up to 24". The cage certainly can be larger, and should be larger, if more than one dragon is housed in it. However, it is recommended each dragon has their own cage. Females 'could' be kept together without problems but even then, there is always a risk the females will not get along.

I am sure you can easily sell your boaphile cages or trade them for more appropriate caging for dragons. Check our (kingsnake.com) classified section to see what cages are currently available. In the long run, the best thing to do is build your own cages, if you have some skill with building things. It isn't too difficult to put together a rectangle though it does take some skill to make it look nice. I built my own cages but they don't look anywhere as nice as the first dragon cage I had a friend make ten years ago. (if he was closer, I would have hired him to build me three more, instead of building them myself. But wasn't feasible.)

I beleive you also mentioned you wanted to breed dragons. Though this can be an interesting and rewarding experience, keep in mind that dragons are prolific. It is easy to get 100 eggs from a single female in one season. This is spread over 3-6 clutches, that is alot of mouths to feed and house till you can find homes. Also, you need to know your local market and the interest in purchasing what dragons you end up selling. Making sure the dragons you buy for your breeding stock, are of high quality, either brightly colored, or one of the other more popular morphs (ie silkies, leatherbacks, translucents, citrus etc.) Of course work with the color/pattern/scale mutation that appeals to you the most.

My female last season laid 110 infertile eggs over 5 clutches, averaging about 22 per clutch.
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PHLdyPayne

Thank you so much!
Your post has also been very helpful as well. As you guys know, it's always good to know what you're getting into BEFORE you make that purchase. Thanks to you two, I feel that I have a very realistic idea about what to expect and can make a good, educated decision.
Thank you again so much for taking the time to respond.
Aaron
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www.voodoomagicboas.com