Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My wife has been offered a year old female Mountain Horn Dragon with setup(I'm not sure which type of MHD- If I remember right there are 4? types). We had already planed on getting one so we already have care sheets coming out of our ears, but I had a couple of quick questions I hope I can get answered:

1- The tank that it is currently in is a 20 gal. This seemed a bit small to me so I wanted to check what size others use.

2- In regards to moving water, water falls, foggers; is there a really good way to work all that in together and if so how? I have looked at the setups that are in the cage forum but I wanted to see if anyone had a setup that really (for lack of a better term) popped.

3- Any tips for a new owner who has not had a MHD before, has not had to worry about humidity in any enclosures before, and wants to provide the best possible home for their MHD?

Thanks for your help, sorry so long, and FroggieB, great care sheet! I should also say that it will be going straight to the vet for a checkup before it comes home. (my wife and the person selling it to us work at a pet store chain and they actually have a real, competent, reptile vet there).
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Bryan, Atlanta GA

1-0-0 Ball Python - Apep
1-1-0 Rats... no wait... ROTTEN Little Cats - Ra, Bastet
0-1-0 Little Angelic Kitten - Isis
1-0-0 Horse... whoops... BIG Golden Retriever - Jake
0-1-0 Wife
2-0-0 Kids

A 20-gallon is way too small for any MHD. They need at least 3' tall viv. I have my tiny little 1.1 A. lepidogasters, 7-8" total length, in a 175 reptarium that is 4'tall, and 28"x28" base. Trust me, they use the top half almost exclusively and are usually in the top 18" of the reptarium. The smallest tank I would use is a 29 high and that would only be for hatchlings or hospital tank.

There are lots of things you can do with the water. I have used a simple bubbler set under a large stone or several smaller stones to keep it submerged and comouflaged. I have a prefab waterfall in one and just a pump in another set so that the water is bubbling up out of the top of the tube and back into the water pan. You can build yourself a stream using silicon mixed with sand, soil, or river pebbles to create the streambed and a pump in a pond at the bottom to send the water back up. You can use the same concept with foam covered with concrete to create a large waterfall. It just depends on how elaborate you want to make it and what sort of ease of cleaning you are looking for.

You can look at my basic set-ups on my FAQs page.

I'm glad you will have him seeing a vet. That is the #1 tip I offer. after that, most is common sense, cleaning, expecting some stress from the move, and patience in getting him though the stress.

Don't fudge on the viv size. Most of the people I talk too insist on using aquariums and in my opinion they are all too small for a MHD. Others are always assuring my that their MHD is happy in their 29 gal aquarium but that they are planning to by a 45 or 50 soon. They just aren't tall enough. Get the right height viv to start with whether it be a reptarium or a custom built viv. You will see a totally different animal once it is in the proper viv.

Good luck and I hope to see you posting more.
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Marcia - FroggieB Dragons
www.froggieb.com/MHDHome.html

Thank you! I thought 20 gal was WAY to small. As for fudging on the enclosure size, I go crazy thinking my ball python doesn't have enough room in his 75 gal. We learned our lesson with the Vet the hard way. Our normal vet told us that our beardie was fine through 3 visits. The beardie died a day after the 3rd visit from a RI. The vet really tried, he just over inflated his knowledge of reptiles. Now we have one for the scaled family members and one for the furry ones. I am really looking forward to this, we have desert enclosures and regular woodland ones. With the water, fogger, waterfall, etc... I am going to really have some fun setting up and keeping up this one! Thanks again for the help!
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Bryan, Atlanta GA

1-0-0 Ball Python - Apep
1-1-0 Rats... no wait... ROTTEN Little Cats - Ra, Bastet
0-1-0 Little Angelic Kitten - Isis
1-0-0 Horse... whoops... BIG Golden Retriever - Jake
0-1-0 Wife
2-0-0 Kids

You'll have to post some pics of your water set-up. I still haven't done anything real spectacular yet but have lots of ideas!
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Marcia - FroggieB Dragons
www.froggieb.com/MHDHome.html

I can understand why you haven't! Breeding quality reptiles and putting out quality information/care sheets I'm sure cuts down on the free time that you have for enclosure design. I noticed on your site that you are a proud military mom, I commend you on that too; my brother-in-law spent 1.5 years in afgan and got back about 6 months ago. We thank God daily he made it home.
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Bryan, Atlanta GA

1-0-0 Ball Python - Apep
1-1-0 Rats... no wait... ROTTEN Little Cats - Ra, Bastet
0-1-0 Little Angelic Kitten - Isis
1-0-0 Horse... whoops... BIG Golden Retriever - Jake
0-1-0 Wife
2-0-0 Kids

Yes, I have a son and a stepson who are both in the military. My stepson spent 1-year in Iraq and has been home long enough to marry, give us a granddaughter, and will be leaving for Hawaii for a 3 year tour this fall. My son is currently in Afghanistan for a 1-year tour. He is with the Nat'l Guard Reserve out of Anchorage Alaska. I just heard from him yesterday after he was holed up during the 11 hour battle in Daychopan district in Zabul province on the 22nd. They are calling this the bloodiest battle in years. I just thank God that he and the others, there were only 5 US injuries, made it out safely. I have to wonder if any of that turmoil will really ever be over.

On the dragons, if I hadn't written the caresheet before I started my own business it still wouldn't be written! I still spend about an hour a day answering emails and checking the forums. The dragons are a part of me and I think I would give up my business before I would abandon them!
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Marcia - FroggieB Dragons
www.froggieb.com/MHDHome.html

We'll keep both of them in our prayers.
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Bryan, Atlanta GA

1-0-0 Ball Python - Apep
1-1-0 Rats... no wait... ROTTEN Little Cats - Ra, Bastet
0-1-0 Little Angelic Kitten - Isis
1-0-0 Horse... whoops... BIG Golden Retriever - Jake
0-1-0 Wife
2-0-0 Kids