Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Ok so I got a Dumerils Boa like 2 months ago at a reptile show here in orlando and in like 2 weeks there is another show coming in town and i was thinking about getting 2 bearded dragons. How often do you have to feed them and clean their cages? I'm into theirs homes to look sweet so i wont be using newspaper so was wondering how much its going to cost me if i have to keep changeing the substrate. and what kind to use.

thanks for your info!

Ok, I'm gonna give this question a wack. First off, if you want 2 bearded dragons you will either need 2 females or two cages. The subtrate should be chnaged about every week or 2 and cleaned of any left over food and poo everyday. Bearded dragons are the right pet for anyone who has time and lots of love on their side. Subtrate for washed playsand is about $6 for 5 pounds at local pet stores. I use some stuff called desert blend. The pet store is expensive and costs $2.30 for 50 crickets so I end up spending about $13 on crickets a week and $6 every few weeks for subtrate changes. I hold my beardie everyday and iff the temperature is above 85 degree's F. I take her out to bask in natural sunlight. I feed her tons of silkworms too! She loves them. If you want to breed the two, Male and female of course, then you should house them together only during breedng season! Beardies are medium sized lizards so make sure you have the space! I love my bearded dragon and wouldn't trade her for the world. If you would like to buy some check out Fire and Ice Dragons, fireandicedragons.com and see if they have any available. Very sweet dragons. But I would go with Mysticdragons.com ( I think ) correct me if thats not the right link! Mystic dragons has BEAUTIFUL dragons. Extremely nice!

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Rebel, my bearded dragon has been confirmed as a female. We all thought she was male Anyways, I couldn't be prouder....

hey Rebeldragon,

I just want to warn you, Desert Blend is REALLY dangerous, it is crushed walnut and it basically rips apart their insides. A good friend of mine had his adult beardie die of an impaction from it. Its also (as you said) really expensive, I would really advise changing it.
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0.1 Bearded dragon
0.1 mexican Black kingsnake
1.1 Leopard Gecko's
0.0.1 Tokay Gecko
1.0 Blue Tongue Skink
0.0.1 Reverse Okeetee Corn
0.1 Anerythristic Corn
0.0.1 Red Tegu
0.1 Bullmastiff
4.1 Cats

Oh, damn. I need to change it immediately! Thanks for your concern and help!!!
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Rebel, my bearded dragon has been confirmed as a female. We all thought she was male Anyways, I couldn't be prouder....

Your welcome! Good luck with everything, your beardies are very cute
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0.1 Bearded dragon
0.1 mexican Black kingsnake
1.1 Leopard Gecko's
0.0.1 Tokay Gecko
1.0 Blue Tongue Skink
0.0.1 Reverse Okeetee Corn
0.1 Anerythristic Corn
0.0.1 Red Tegu
0.1 Bullmastiff
4.1 Cats

Thanks AlteredMind, get on AIM and chat! My aim is c0mput3rtw34k3r

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Rebel, my bearded dragon has been confirmed as a female. We all thought she was male Anyways, I couldn't be prouder....

alteredmind, do you have AIM!?
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Rebel, my bearded dragon has been confirmed as a female. We all thought she was male Anyways, I couldn't be prouder....

Yes, my sn is ObscureRendition
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0.1 Bearded dragon
0.1 mexican Black kingsnake
1.1 Leopard Gecko's
0.0.1 Tokay Gecko
1.0 Blue Tongue Skink
0.0.1 Reverse Okeetee Corn
0.1 Anerythristic Corn
0.0.1 Red Tegu
0.1 Bullmastiff
4.1 Cats

I have heard some questionable things about Fire & Ice dragons. Do a google search for "fauna board of inquiry" and then search for "Fire & Ice" on the forums, and you'll see what I mean.
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Amanda
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2.0 bearded dragons (Ocho / Domo-kun)
1.0 pictus gecko (Nicodemus)
0.1 kingsnake (Rio)
1.1 ferreta (Playstation & Genesis)
1.0 cat (Wally)
0.1 dog (Tima)

"Fire & Ice" search on the forums is too vague, put "terri fire ice dragons" into the forum search and it will come up.
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Amanda
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2.0 bearded dragons (Ocho / Domo-kun)
1.0 pictus gecko (Nicodemus)
0.1 kingsnake (Rio)
1.1 ferreta (Playstation & Genesis)
1.0 cat (Wally)
0.1 dog (Tima)

I would start with one bearded dragon, they are not social animals and there are a million health reasons not to keep them together, the bottom line is: just dont do it. Look over the last few pages of posts for threads concerning housing multiple beardies together and you will see why not to house them together.

As far as care i would check out www.beautifuldragons.com, it is a great website.

Beardies are awesome pets if you have the money, time and room for them. They are easy to tame and are quite personable.

Do LOTS of research before you purchase one and make sure you have everything you need ready and set up before you get one, two weeks might not be enough time to prepare. Do not rush into getting a beardie as it may cost you your beardies health.

If you get a juvi (6inches) you can start them out in a 20gallonLong tank or a 40Breeder (I would go with the 40breeder cause it will last you longer) i wouldnt start with anything bigger than a 40B as you will probably just stress him.

Basking temps should be between 100-110degrees at the hottest point and ambient temps should be in the high 80's. They also need a UVB light that needs to be replaced every 6months and must be close enough to them that they can get within 6-10inches of it. Basking sites and hiding sites should be provided as beardies can be pretty active and like to explore (another reason why the 40B is a better idea). Adults need at least a 75gallon tank, mine is in a 90 and i want to give her more room!

Juvi's should be fed mostly (70-90%) protein in the form of silkworms, crickets, waxworms (occasionally), superworms (as they get bigger), and roaches. They should also be fed some (10-30%) veggies and fruits, although much more emphasis on the veggies than the fruits, including: collard greens, mustard greens, dandelion greens, turnip greens, endive, and escarole as staples and shredded carrots, squash, various pod peas, clover, various peppers, berries etc as "spices". Their meals should be supplemented with a straight calcium supplement every day when the are babies with reducing amounts until you are supplementing once a week to once every other week with the adults. A multivitimin supplement should also be used two or three times a week with babies and once a week to once every other week with adults.

As far as substrates go, its a much heated debate. Beardies under one year old should NEVER be housed on sand or anything they can injest, substrates such as paper towels, newspaper, tile, linelium, shelf liner, or indoor/outdoor carpeting are the only safe thing for them. Once they are older, some people choose to house them on sand, but it carries a big risk of impaction. In fact there was a thread not long ago where someones vet suggested they take their beardie off sand. Sand is also extremely hard to keep clean and bacteria harbors and grows in it. Impaction can result in death and is a risk that can be easily avoided by using a safer substrate. If sand is used it should only be fine grain, washed, screened playsand (the kind you can get at home depot) and it should be spot cleaned daily and completely changed once a week or once every other week. Calcium sand should NEVER be used. I used to have my beardie on sand but the cleaning was ardous and i was tired of hauling all the sand out and scrubbing the tank down all the time and i learned about the risks of impaction. Adults can be housed on any of the substrates juvis can, you can also try wheat bran for them.

Basically, do lots of research and be fully prepared before you bring a beardie home. They are awesome pets and if you make a careful, researched purchase, you will not be dissapointed.

Good luck

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0.1 Bearded dragon
0.1 mexican Black kingsnake
1.1 Leopard Gecko's
0.0.1 Tokay Gecko
1.0 Blue Tongue Skink
0.0.1 Reverse Okeetee Corn
0.1 Anerythristic Corn
0.0.1 Red Tegu
0.1 Bullmastiff
4.1 Cats

Here are a couple threads where substrate was discussed:

http://forums.kingsnake.com/view.php?id=817241,817241

http://forums.kingsnake.com/view.php?id=808538,808538
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0.1 Bearded dragon
0.1 mexican Black kingsnake
1.1 Leopard Gecko's
0.0.1 Tokay Gecko
1.0 Blue Tongue Skink
0.0.1 Reverse Okeetee Corn
0.1 Anerythristic Corn
0.0.1 Red Tegu
0.1 Bullmastiff
4.1 Cats

It can't be stressed enough to do LOTS of research before buying one.

I made the mistake of thinking i had done enough research and nearly killed mine. Having said that, he's doing wonderful now thanks to here and beautifuldragons.com

also CheriS has a great site at reptilerooms.com and VeronicaG runs beautifuldragons.

Research is KEY.
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Derek Campbell

Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? only the shadow knows

1.1 rabbits (Fred, Barney)
0.1 Beardie (Dino)
2.0 Dogs (Wilma, Jackson)

Wow that was the fastest feedback i have ever seen! I will most deff. do a lot more research. I have the time and the money to put into any pet, just wanted to know what i was getting myself into =) I have little over 2 weeks to sleep on it, nothing is for sure yet.

Good luck. I hope you find what you're looking for. They're great animals.
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Derek Campbell

Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? only the shadow knows

1.1 rabbits (Fred, Barney)
0.1 Beardie (Dino)
2.0 Dogs (Wilma, Jackson)