Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi all. I fell in love with the bearded dragon after researching which reptile would be best suited for my kids. Though we have said we are getting them for the kids- believe me- they are all mine! I have been getting things ready for the day we will bring one or two home. I have gotten the tank, the lighting, an under the tank heater(it gets cold in our house) but what I have also gotten is a heat rock. Now after I have trashed the package it came in, I understand through all my reading, that it's not the best heat source. I have put in the aquarium all day on and with a digital themometer it read 103.9. What should I do? I was planning on getting one this weekend along with its carpet, calcium, and bowls. I already have the reg vitamin. Any advice?? also How many crickets should I buy right off the bat?

Thank you

Put the hot rock in the closet. They're unreliable and can suddenly develop "hot spots" which will burn badly. Save it for your ball python or other snake... (You can't just have one herp! It's impossible.) I'd just make sure your temperatures in the basking spot, etc. are all fine first before getting the beardie. Also, do you have a UVB source? (Reptisun 5.0, etc. or a UVB-providing mercury vapor bulb (Not the mercury vapor bulbs you see in Home Depot)) That's very importiant to prevent Metabolic Bone Disease. Good work on doing research first. I'm going to make one suggestion, however. It sounded like you're going to get a beardie from a pet shop... I'd reccomend against it. They more often than not tend to not be in the best of health. Buy from a reputable breeder instead. There are several who frequent this forum... Lisa of Beginners Basic, Joel (Not sure of his website address off the top of my head, either) and several others. I'm also going to plug one I know well, Tee and Ice of TnCbeardies.com.
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0.0.1 Bearded Dragon (Zeo)
0.2.0 Leopard Geckos (Vienna, Chomps)
1.0.0 Golden Retriever, Rocky, 10 years young

I wouldnt use the hot rock.If you dont have any use for it just cut the cord off it and you can use it for a regular rock.For the crickets I would just order a 1000 of them its easier that way.
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Owner of:
0.1 Red Tail Boa,
1.0 Red Tail Boa,
0.1 Reticulated Python,
0.1 Green Burmese Python,
1.0 Bearded Dragon,
0.1 Leopard Gecko

I second the suggestion not to buy from a pet shop.

Well I do have the uvb light but the heat rock along with the under the tank heater were my heat source. What type of heat lamp and at what wattage should it be?
As for the lil dragons- I was thinking of going to a pet shop that I had visited about a month ago. The lady that spoke to me handeled the babies and let me see them eat and gave me some advice to start on. She has a beardie of her own. Then I saw that there was a reptile shop about an hour away and was thinking of going there. I was very close to buying a couple of beardies the other night but I got cold feet. I'm so scared that I will open their box/container and they would be dead. I don't know what to do.

what kinda uvb light do you have if you have a flouresnt bulb then all u need is a regular light bulb for the basking light thats what i used before i got a powersun bulb.the regular bulbs are the same as the reptile bulbs u get from a pet store only cheaper all you have to do is experiment with what size you need to get the right basking temp
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Owner of:
0.1 Red Tail Boa,
1.0 Red Tail Boa,
0.1 Reticulated Python,
0.1 Green Burmese Python,
1.0 Bearded Dragon,
0.1 Leopard Gecko

Thanks for all the advice! I do have the florescent desert light so I guess all I need is the reg light bulb. As for the crickets- 1000 WOW---how do I keep them alive???? This is really new to me so excuse my ignorance. But I'm working hard to do what I have to and know what I have to know before I get them. Thanks alot everyone

if you don't like crickets you could always try silkworms. i'm starting to dislike the little odour that comes from the crickets. it's not overpowering or anything but its something i could do without.

To care for the crickets you will need to supply a water source for the crickets that they cannot drown in, I use the jelly-like Fluker's Cricket Quencher. You will also need to "gut-load" your crickets before feeding them to your Beardie. This means, giving them a big nutritious meal before they become food for your dragon. I use a mix of calcium carbonate powder, reptile vitamin powder (or avian vitamin mix), oatmeal, pelleted bearded dragon diet, and sometimes a little cat food. I mix this concoction up in a big jar and serve it to the crickets in a little lid inside their enclosure. Most people recommend feeding the crickets for at least 24 hours before you feed them to your dragon.

Now remember, that bearded dragons are omnivores and they need daily meals of fresh, dark leafy greens (mustard greens, kale, dandelion greens, endive, etc.) This is for both babies and adults. As your dragon matures you will want to decrease the amount of crickets. There are several quality commercial bearded dragon diets and many breeders are switching to these diets. With young beardies they soak the pellets (just until soft) and sprinkle them over their salad mix. Then they supplement their diet with gut loaded crickets about 4 times per week. With their adult beardies they often omit the crickets altogether, stick with the juvenile sized pellets and salad and occasionally give silk worms or other suitable invertebrate.

I would also caution against getting a beardie from a pet shop and I would also avoid getting a hatchling and instead get a dragon that has gone through its first shed. I am currently purchasing a beardie from Fire and Ice Dragons, they are very professional and committed to the health and safety of their dragons (www.fireandicedragons.com). Also all reputable breeders guarantee live delivery and send their dragons overnight.

Stacey Rader

If you don't want to deal with crickets you could always buy a dragon that is raised on pellets.

I have a ball python about 3 ft and he had just a under tank heater and after 20 days of vets shots and other meds he is ok again.