Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello everyone! I don't own a dragon, but I may soon be having one, but before I do I need to know everything there is to know about them.
I need to know EVERYTHING!!
I don't mind reading a really long post about it if someone has the time to right one.
Okay, I need to know about the proper temperature ranges for day and night, heat rocks and such.
Do I need a cave type thing for it to hide in?
What about plants...I don't like the real plants, but what about the plastic ones, like ones that I can suction stick onto the side of the tank.
And what do you put in the bottom of the tank for the terrain.
What if my dragon won't eat his greens, is it possible to give him nothing but crickets and fruit?
Can I buy like canned fruit cocktail and give that to him?
Are canned veggies okay?
I don't have access to any kinds of worms so that is out.
Also how often do I bathe and how deep should the water be and at what temperature.
Do dragons bite? Do they have teeth? I have three young children, are they at risk?
After you handle a dragon should you wash your hands?
Can you catch parasites from them?
Do they get parasites from uncleanliness or for no reason at all?
I know this is a lot of questions for someone to have to answer, but I really need to know as much as I can before I own something, I like to be prepared.
If you don't want to reply to this post feel free to email me at mustang_luv6@hotmail.com
Thankyou very much!!
Tanzee
owner of 8 fire-bellied toads
Juniper, Spunker, Bexley, Texas, Baby, Budweiser, and two unnamed...so far!

My advise to you is go out and read the bearded dragon manual by phillip DeVosjoli. Great source of most of the information you asked for. Read care sheets. many regulars here have websites. most of the websites have a care sheet on them. that way we do not need to reproduce what some of us and others have written. then if you have specific questions by all means ask away. www.beautifuldragons.com has a great wealth of info. i have a care sheet on my site. read up then ask it is the best way to go. that way you get many views of what is the best way and you can make an opinionated decision based on all that you have read.
-----
Derek Affonce
DeKeAff Exotics
dekeaffexotics.com

don’t be afraid to use a search engine like google.com
Read a lot, visit different we sites and see what they have in common and where they differ. Than with a good knoledge base, come back and ask lots of questions and I am sure you will get specific answers.

best of luck
-----
Bennett

www.beardiedragon.com

Thanks for your reply but my whole point of posting that was to get answers from people who actually know what they are talking about. When I use the search engines and try to find information I always get different results. I have one website telling me that one thing is good and then another says that thing is bad. One will tell me one temp and the other, another. So I was hoping that if I did this post someone with experience could help me. If anyone else has info for moi, please reply!

We are not being evasive. There is an incredible amount to know and it is better to read care sheets by members THEN ask questions to clarify anything. This information very frequently needed on this forum and in general that is why these breeders spent so much time writing these sheets. Here are some links from forum members:

The first is by CheriS from reptilerooms, the second is by Terri at Fire and Ice Dragons (where I bought my beardie), and the third is by Derek from DekeAff Exotics (aka grimdog on this forum) Oops! I don not know how to do more than two links. Click on the link below his signature or go to dekeaffaxotics.com look under information, then bearded dragons.

Hope this helps! BTW congrats on getting information BEFORE getting your dragon.

Image

-----
Stacey

Ugh! Bennett how do you post more than one link?
Reptile Rooms Care Sheet

-----
Stacey

Fire and Ice Dragons Care Sheet

-----
Stacey

>>Ugh! Bennett how do you post more than one link?
>>Reptile Rooms Care Sheet

USE THIS
url]http://www.xxxxxxx.com[/url
put the [ ] at the open and close to make it work
-----
Bennett

www.beardiedragon.com

Sometimes my ignorance is startling!!
-----
Stacey

Most of the information you are asking is general bearded dragon care, things that can be learned by reading care sheets. There will of course be some differences between each caresheet but that is the benefit of reading many. You can see what has been done before and what is most commonly used. There is really no one perfect method though there are common guidelines used. The very basics are as follows:

Basking temp: 95-115 F
UVB producing light
Multivitamin
Calcium D3
crickets (no bigger than space between dragon's eyes)
mixed greens (collard greens, mustard greens, dandelion greens, endive, escarole as stables, other dark leafy greens, frozen, thawed vegetables, some fruit (non citrus) as variety. (don't use canned vegetables, use fresh or frozen. Canned vegetables are pretty much useless nutricianal wise).
Substrate: paper towel/butchers paper, newsprint for babies, washed playsand, repti carpet, plastic tablecloth or shelf liner (the last three can be used with babies as well) for juveniles (12" or larger) and older.

Babies: feed 2-3 times a day appropriately sized crickets, dust with calcium and multivitamine once a day. Offer greens and/or pellets daily.

2 month - 6 months juveniles: Feed twice a day crickets and greens. Dust once every other day.

6 months - 12 months: Feed crickets once a day, greens available all day. Dust every other day.

13 months : Feed crickets 2-3 times a week, greens every day, Dust once or twice a week.

Bathing: not really required. Bath if not pooing regularly (babies typically once every day, adults couple times a week, varies alot between dragons) soaking is benefical to help them pass things along. Can also bathe if dragon dirty (tracked through poo before you can clean it up etc). Some dragons love the water and can be bathed more often to make them happy. Other dragons hate it so only do so when necessary.

The depth of the bath depends on the age of the dragon, typically no deeper than the dragon's armpit. A rolled up washcloth can be put into the tub for the dragon to rest on. Never leave your dragon unattended when soaking, just to make sure nothing happens.

Babies and Juveniles should be misted several times a day to ensure they are well hydrated. bathing can also allow them to drink if they don't seem to lick the moisture off sides of cage etc. A small dish of water can be left in the cage, some dragons will lap up water from dishes.

Silk plants are best to put in dragon enclosures, as real plants can be eaten, destroyed or just dry out from the lights. Never put any living plant in a dragon's cage unless you are 100% it is non toxic. One of the user sites already suggested in this thread as a list of what plants to use and what plants to avoid.

Dragons have teeth and can bite. However, biting isn't what they normally do. Children should always be under proper supervision when handling dragons no matter how docile they may appear. 'Your Bearded Dragons Live' by Liz Palika is a great book about bearded dragons, including how to properly handle them. Young dragons are more likely to bite or try to run away till they get used to their new owners. Each dragon is different, some are much more docile than others.

Dragons can carry parasites but most are non transmissible to humans. Hands should be washed before and after handling your dragon regardless. Salmonella, though rare with dragons, can be transmitted if hands are not washed etc. Washing and disinfecting hands, and anything used to clean a dragon's cage or pick up it's poo should be done daily as well.

That is all I can remember of your questions, but do the extra research, search for bearded dragon caresheets on google should bring up alot of resources. Take notes on what you are puzzled about or find to be different between sheets and bring them up here later for our opinions. Keep in mind some caresheets may be 10 years old, others only a few weeks so that may be one reason information differens. The more we learn and the more research done on bearded dragons, the better we are able to ensure they get the proper care.