Bearded dragon info?

[Experiment397]

on another note- as far as a digging box. I have tried several types. with my terrestrial gecko species i have used small low profile tupperwares with top or side entrances filled with topsoil, coconut fiber, spagnum moss or sand mixs. the geckos seemed to prefer this so much over their tiled enclosures i just switched the whole enclosure over to the substrate. my desert iguana is kept on a very course, gravel-like sandstone tile with an open topped tub filled with around 4-6" of fine sand for him to dig in, its his sandbox. works great for him as he is a very messy eater that would get sand all over his fruit and veggies if fed over it or near it. i have even wetted down his sandbox and let it dry hard then placed it back in the tank for him to dig burrows in while it was hard enough to keep solid shapes. as he digs it goes back to loose sand and then i just pull it out wet it and let it harden up again. his tank is far too hot and dry for any bioactive vivaria so i dont even attempt it.

 

[Jeremy Anderson]

You will be fine with the beardie, OP. Just make sure it gets good food, lots of warmth, and UVB and it will rock for you. Cool lizards.

I prefer Uros, though, so cool.

Yes very docile reptile it would hiss but would inflate itself and swing it's tail side to side lol but never attempted to bite. Loved that little lizard

I had a yellow Mali Uromastyx for about seven years, they are so cool. Mostly herbivores as adults, mine never drank water, I rarely offered it. Probably my favorite captive reptile of all time, and I have had...let’s say a few.
OP; Bearded dragons are a great starter lizard, as long as you care for it, it will kick butt.

 

[magpie]

Jumping in quick for a thank you to you both!

Will come back with a few more questions when I have a bit more time.

Thanks!

 

[magpie]

I have kept beardies on a 2 parts sand 1 part coconut fiber or ground spagnum moss mix for over 10 years now and still love it. my current beardie is actually on a slightly different mix. 2 parts white reptisand and then equal mixed parts of coconut fiber, ground spagnum and organic topsoil. No issues for me. beardies get to dig all they want. can spray it with a little water and pack it down and they can dig away. as long as they are fed from a bowl ive had no issues. my current beardie eats out of a ceramic dog/cat food bowl and has learned that the bowl means food and he basically ignores anything else. i also use this same mix of substrate for some of my snakes, scorpions and arid tarantula species. just slightly vary the composition for their individual humidity and burrowing needs. as far as bioactive i have experimented with adding small invert species- native isopods, tiny millipede species, springtails, even dubia nymphs all with great success. in one of my tarantula enclosures i mixed in some ground pillow moss and with regular misting in the tank moss has begun to grow in some places and helps maintain the humidity of the tank.

on another note- as far as a digging box. I have tried several types. with my terrestrial gecko species i have used small low profile tupperwares with top or side entrances filled with topsoil, coconut fiber, spagnum moss or sand mixs. the geckos seemed to prefer this so much over their tiled enclosures i just switched the whole enclosure over to the substrate. my desert iguana is kept on a very course, gravel-like sandstone tile with an open topped tub filled with around 4-6" of fine sand for him to dig in, its his sandbox. works great for him as he is a very messy eater that would get sand all over his fruit and veggies if fed over it or near it. i have even wetted down his sandbox and let it dry hard then placed it back in the tank for him to dig burrows in while it was hard enough to keep solid shapes. as he digs it goes back to loose sand and then i just pull it out wet it and let it harden up again. his tank is far too hot and dry for any bioactive vivaria so i dont even attempt it.

These posts are so helpful to me. So you don't feel like your substrates add too much humidity to the environment for beardies? Some people HATE this ****. LOL So much so that I am tempted to just wait it out until I know the dragon better, which is probably a good idea no matter what so I don't stress him/her out. Some of the excavator clay setups that people do can look more natural if done well.

Maybe I could start with a digging box option, see if he uses it and then go from there? I also need to talk with the local reptile store. They seemed really great, but really busy the day I went in. They had amazing animals (all captive bred) and had their beardies on some kind of soil/material mix seemingly like what you use.

You will be fine with the beardie, OP. Just make sure it gets good food, lots of warmth, and UVB and it will rock for you. Cool lizards.

I prefer Uros, though, so cool.

I had a yellow Mali Uromastyx for about seven years, they are so cool. Mostly herbivores as adults, mine never drank water, I rarely offered it. Probably my favorite captive reptile of all time, and I have had...let’s say a few.
OP; Bearded dragons are a great starter lizard, as long as you care for it, it will kick butt.

Thanks so much for the encouragement and the input. The Uros are really striking looking! If I was starting from scratch I might consider one (or maybe I need one someday in the future!)

I am kind of a researching nerd when it comes to animals... I don't do pets half-assed. I get excited, try to think about the realities of care, and then want the best for them. So I think I could at the very least provide it a better home than the one it's in, or at least give it more attention. I really have ALWAYS wanted a reptile as a pet. I think this might just be perfect timing. I mean, I would love to have this beardie on my person right now as I type.

 

[Jeremy Anderson]

I used sand. Play sand from Home Depot. I washed it, dried it most of the way. And baked it to sterilize it. i have seen coco husk work, just be aware they like it dry and keep it that way. People get nuttyballs about stuff like substrate. Keep it dry and cleanish. Research is good, consistency and discipline is better. Speaking from my own experience. With you apparently in Bend, OR I think the humidity will be plenty low naturally, just don’t keep him in with a big sump in the fish room! Also, we’re almost neighbors,

 

[pops]

got a bearded dragon right here at my desk, along with birds and fish. They are very easy to care for. long as you have what you need, I do suggest a above ceramic heating lamp with a basking log, heating pads a no no, also a UVB light, I use a Zoo Med reptile strip florescence. I also use a timer to make it endless summer for the light,

I use reptile sand. but think going to change soon to reptile turf, you have 3 you can change em out like a poopy pad and wash em and put them back in and not have to worry about the ambiguous digestion impaction.

they are easy to handle, more you handle them the more relaxed they are about it but they are not flesh rippers, nore are there claws like a iguana.

feeding is easy, like fish get a good quality bearded pellet, its fun to feed them crickets, I go through 2 dozen a week, but main diet California mixed veggies sprinkled with pellets, I put the veggies in a small veggie blender.

I like my little beardy, he has car-actor to me.

 

[magpie]

Thanks all! I am soaking it all in.

pops - what pellet do you recommend? I know Repashy does lizards too, so I trust them...

The owner is going to answer some of my questions tomorrow (how old, how big, diet, size enclosure, etc.)

Jeremy Anderson - are you in PDX? We just moved here from there about 6 weeks ago. LOVING the drier weather.

 

[Jeremy Anderson]

Thanks all! I am soaking it all in.

pops - what pellet do you recommend? I know Repashy does lizards too, so I trust them...

The owner is going to answer some of my questions tomorrow (how old, how big, diet, size enclosure, etc.)

Jeremy Anderson - are you in PDX? We just moved here from there about 6 weeks ago. LOVING the drier weather.

Portland is wetter than where I live. I am in the high desert around Boise, Idaho. Bend is pretty similar, but more windy and even drier than Boise, I think.

 

[magpie]

I've heard good things about Boise. We lived in PDX for 17 years and are just loving it down here.

 

[Jeremy Anderson]

I've heard good things about Boise. We lived in PDX for 17 years and are just loving it down here.

Boise sucks, tell everyone you meet.