Reptile & Amphibian Forums

We just inherited a 6 month old beardie and have a few questions:

1) Our beardie came with a flourescent UVB lamp with a UVB 8.0 bulb. In posts I have seen people are using UVB 5.0 bulbs. Is it OK to use the 8.0?

2) How long each day should the UVB be on? We have a 2 1/2 x 2 foot tank.

3) He is currently on crickets and greens (he loves dandilions and it would be great to just let him loose in the yard.....). I would like to switch him to pellets. I have tried repcal pellets on his greens but he eats very few. I have also ground some up, wet them and wrapped the paste around crickets which works and also sprinkled the powder on his greens. Any other suggestions?

4) I have juvenile pellets, how old should he be before I switch to adult pellets.

Chomper and I thank you (OK if you must know, he was in a cage with two litter mates and was found with the tail of one in his mouth - the tail was no longer attached. Thus the name. He is however a really great pet)

Kevin

>>1) Our beardie came with a flourescent UVB lamp with a UVB 8.0 bulb. In posts I have seen people are using UVB 5.0 bulbs. Is it OK to use the 8.0?

the number is meaningless its all marketing, the 8 is fine. just remember they need to be replaced every 6 months

>>2) How long each day should the UVB be on? We have a 2 1/2 x 2 foot tank.

All day, you will need a bigger enclosure soon (2'x3' by 6-8 months)

>>3) He is currently on crickets and greens (he loves dandilions and it would be great to just let him loose in the yard.....). I would like to switch him to pellets. I have tried repcal pellets on his greens but he eats very few. I have also ground some up, wet them and wrapped the paste around crickets which works and also sprinkled the powder on his greens. Any other suggestions?

I posted some TRIX further down, read that post.

>>4) I have juvenile pellets, how old should he be before I switch to adult pellets.

1 year or when growth slows or stops
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Bennett

www.beardiedragon.com

1) Our beardie came with a flourescent UVB lamp with a UVB 8.0 bulb. In posts I have seen people are using UVB 5.0 bulbs. Is it OK to use the 8.0?

8.0 is fine, if you really want to compare UVB lamps check out beautifuldragons.com Veronica has done some great research on this

2) How long each day should the UVB be on? We have a 2 1/2 x 2 foot tank.

Run them with your normal day/night cycle whatever you're using

3) He is currently on crickets and greens (he loves dandilions and it would be great to just let him loose in the yard.....). I would like to switch him to pellets. I have tried repcal pellets on his greens but he eats very few. I have also ground some up, wet them and wrapped the paste around crickets which works and also sprinkled the powder on his greens. Any other suggestions?

If you're going to let him eat outside, make sure you and your neighbors don't use any pesticides or chemicals on your yards. Keep offering the pellet and start cutting back on the extras, he'll start eating it, he may just like other things better right now. Also if you soak some in a little sugar free juice or pedialite they like them more in the beginning.

4) I have juvenile pellets, how old should he be before I switch to adult pellets.

I never switch them off of juvie repcal. It has a great mix no matter what age they are.

Sean
Heart Mountain Herps