Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi everyone, I just purchased my first lizard day before yesterday, a 5-5 1/2 inch Sandfire Bearded Dragon born 5-17-04, and just wanted to ask if my cage setup is correct. For it to bask under I have a 100 watt bulb that sits just above his basking tree and puts out 100 degrees. On the cool side of the tank, where I've placed his water it stays a steady 80 to 85 (the gauge is tough to read, but it doesn't change). There's also a long 7% UVB that runs most of the length of the 20 gallon cage, I have it resting on the top screen in the back, so that it can reach him whever he goes. Yesterday I fed him for the first time, he ate five crickets. This is where I'm confused. I feed the crickets there own special food, and I dust them, but do I need to worry about whether the cricket food and the cricket dust will interact with each other and cause a bad vitamin problem for my Dragon? Another question: I bought the water bowl yesterday, but the reaction I got from him/her (can't tell yet which sex it is, I wouldn't know even if I knew what to look for) as soon as I put him in it, he ran out of it. This makes me think he wont dig misting much either. How will he get water? I've read about as much as I can online and asked a lot of questions at pet stores, but some of the answers have been conflicting, can you help me out?

Chris, Illinois

PS, he has a sandlike substrate. It says its made from crushed walnut shells. It doesn't says on the bag that it's calci-sand. I didn't want to buy any of that until I found out if that was good or bad for him or what.

First off it needs to be pointed out that crushed walnut shells are AS BAD if not WORSE than calcium sand. Remove them immediately, they are posing an immediate risk to your lizard.
To learn about more about substreates read this post I just made in the thread just below this one. It has a few links I think you should read through.
forums.kingsnake.com/view.php?id=482992,483023

Basically, calcium sand, walnut shells, all these things pose great risk to beardies. Especially young beardies. At the small size he's at right now, he is at a high risk if he gets just one or two accidental mouthfuls of the stuff. Your best bet is to keep your baby on paper towels or something similar until he is full grown. In the meantime, learn as much as you can about different substrates so you can make the best choice when he is an adult.

Everything else about your setup sounds ok. You may want to get the basking spot up a few more degrees, but make sure your thermometors are correct. The cheap strips and guages you get at the petstore aren't always the most reliable.

I don't think the cricket food and suppliments will be a problem. I don't use the store bought cricket food though, I prefer feeding my crickets the same fresh greens and veggies I use in my lizards' salads.

As for the water dish, my beardies hate water too. Don't worry, you may never see him take a drink, but if you give him gutloaded and hydrated crickets, fresh salads, and regular baths or mistings, he should have no problem staying hydrated. Being desert reptiles these animals are used to getting most of their moisture through their food, not from drinking standing water.

Anyways, it sounds like you're on the right track and learning what you can, which is great. You can never learn too much about these animals, so keep at it. Just get rid of those walnut shells and you'll have a good start!
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2.0 bearded dragons (Ocho / Domo-kun)
0.1 kingsnake (Rio)
1.0 ferret (Playstation)
1.0 cat (Wally)
0.1 dog (Tima)

Wow, that part really sucks.
It even said on the bag that it was completely safe for Bearded Dragons, "Terrarium ground cover for all desert species of lizards, snakes, turtles, tortoises and arachnids; including Bearded Dragons...".
Shouldn't it be illegal to tout "Desert Blend is made from English Walnut shells that are ground to a uniform size. If injested, Desert Blend will pass easily through the reptils' digestive system."

What the heck?

Either way. I've gotten rid of the walnut substrate and laid two layers of paper towels, at least now I won't have to worry about him gobbling up substrate with cricket.

i used to use those walnut shells to, luckily my BD didnt die from it. now shes on news paper (by the way, can color photos on news paper kill beardies?). it is really great! now my cornsnake uses the dessert blend stuff. he dosnt come in contact with it during feeding or drinking times.

Instead of using printed newspaper, get unprinted paper. My local newspaper sells the end of the newspaper rolls for about a dollar. Most printers use soy based ink now, which would be safe, but you can't know for sure what they are using unless you ask them.
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Yes, it should be illegal. I wish it was.

Unfortunately there are no laws or fines in place to discourage false advertizing like that when it comes to reptiles. As long as uninformed people keep buying the stuff, pet stores will continue to push it. Hopefully someday there will be enough people making a stink over it (like they would if it were happening to dogs and cats) to make a difference.
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2.0 bearded dragons (Ocho / Domo-kun)
0.1 kingsnake (Rio)
1.0 ferret (Playstation)
1.0 cat (Wally)
0.1 dog (Tima)

you should write a letter to the company making it, o the pet store mannager or owner, to the company if it a chain, copy to the better business bureu and to your local newspaper, TV... and anyone else you can think of. If everyone did something about it, there is a small chance the misrepresentation would stop. If you are the only one complaining it is a whisper no one will hear. If everyone ever ripped of by this scam writes a letter its a loud voice.
not enough people speak out so....

Hard work has a future payoff. Laziness pays off now.
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Bennett

Home Of The Florida Orange
www.beardiedragon.com