Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi,
I'm so confused!!!!!
I recently acquired an 18mnth old male beardie from a friend of mine.
I've basically discovered, he wasn't keeping him in the conditions he should have. FEEDING HIM ICEBERG LETTUCE, ASWELL AS LEAVING THE UV ON THE FLOOR!!!!
After reading numerous caresheets, seemingly from america/other countries, the advice about temp is that the basking temp should be 95-105F. With regard to feeding, a beardie of this age should be fed twice a week and supplemented once a week.
They also say u can feed them kale as a green.
Now, when I called my petshop for some advice on supplementing they basically told me all this info is wrong. They said the basking temp is far too hot and should only reach about 30C. The night time temp shouldnt drop below 26C. They said i need a heat mat as soon as possible as he isn't getting any heat during the night and i need to turn it on and never switch it off, but i thought they can burn beardies(unless i put it under the viv?)
They advised that feeding him 2 boxes of crickets a week is too much and i should be feeding him 8 crickets every other day and supplementing him 3 times a week. I advised i was using repton and they said this should suffice as it has multivitamins in as well as calcium.
I have read that beardies should be misted, but the pet shop advised a waterbowl.
Oh, and when i read a caresheet from the uk, it said u shouldnt feed kale as it is a calcium binder and affects the dragons bones.

As u can see, I basically haven't got a clue who to believe any more, and i need to know i'm doing everything right.

I'd prefer only experienced keepers from the uk to reply ASAP!!!

Please help!

Thanx
Kat

1 male beardie 'Khan'

hi.

In my experience beardies do not always need a heat mat. What i suggest is a ceramic heater (this does not give off light)on a thermostat so you can adjust the temp to suit day and night conditions. A uv light should also be on in the day but turn this off at night to replicate day and night. The ceramic heater should be placed at one end of the tank to create a hot end.

However, beardies recognise light as a source of heat so another way of arranging things is to have a normal spotlight for in the day on a thermostat and then using the ceramic heater at night. It all depends on how much cash you want to spend.

As for the temperature, the hot end is about 30-35 with the basking area being up to 40 and the cool end being bout 20-25. Some people will say different temps but this is what works for me. I have found if i alter the temps my beardies become sluggish and will not eat.

As for food, for two beardies i buy a tub of brown cricket (black crickets bite back!) and a tub of meal worms. Once a month as a treat i buy locuts. I feed this kind of food every three days. And, every day i offer them fresh veg and friut, (banana, dandilian leaves and flowers, brocoli, apple, watercress, various salad leaves, strawberries), basically whatever veg i have in for myself to eat. I use a supplement two to three times a week, i use nutrobal as it contains calcium and d3.