If all goes well I'll be getting a bearded dragon in June from the reptile show. I just wanted to make sure I'm not missing anything when it comes to the setup and care.
Since I'm getting a juvie a 20g long should be enough space. As s/he gets older I'll get a bigger enclosure.
A UVA/UVB bulb like this. Not sure if I need a 100w or 160w.
Day bulb to keep the cool zone around 85-90F.
I'll be using tile for substrate.
A ledge or log for a basking spot. How far should the light be from the basking spot? I've found a few basking platforms I like but not sure if they will be close enough to the basking light.
For feeding it's a mix of greens. No iceberg, cabbage, or spinach. Keep it to red and green leaf lettuce, mustard, turnip and dandelion greens. They can also have carrots, corn, sweet potatoes and peas for variety. I'll also give him/her a mix of crickets and mealworms. They should be feed both greens and live food every day when they're younger then thee to four times a week when they get older right?
A warm bath once a week at the very least to help keep them hydrated. I thought about putting a water dish in the tank but I think the heat would evaporate it in no time flat. What are the chances of the beardie drinking out of it?
How about calcium? If I'm using the bulb I linked above do I need to dust the food with D3 or just plain calcium?
And lastly, what about hides? I'm sure they would appreciate at least one place to hide. Does it really matter what kind of hide you use or do they need more than one?
I feel like I'm missing something. If so then let me know or correct me on anything I got wrong above.
If you scroll down through the link below you'll see different basking platforms. I was looking at the corner basking platform.
http://reptiledepot.com/hideouts.html
edit: I'm not sure how sturdy this would be for a basking platform but it looks like it could support a small beardie.
http://lllreptile.com/store/catalog...s-and-manzanita/-/zoo-med-medium-mopani-wood/
Since I'm getting a juvie a 20g long should be enough space. As s/he gets older I'll get a bigger enclosure.
A UVA/UVB bulb like this. Not sure if I need a 100w or 160w.
Day bulb to keep the cool zone around 85-90F.
I'll be using tile for substrate.
A ledge or log for a basking spot. How far should the light be from the basking spot? I've found a few basking platforms I like but not sure if they will be close enough to the basking light.
For feeding it's a mix of greens. No iceberg, cabbage, or spinach. Keep it to red and green leaf lettuce, mustard, turnip and dandelion greens. They can also have carrots, corn, sweet potatoes and peas for variety. I'll also give him/her a mix of crickets and mealworms. They should be feed both greens and live food every day when they're younger then thee to four times a week when they get older right?
A warm bath once a week at the very least to help keep them hydrated. I thought about putting a water dish in the tank but I think the heat would evaporate it in no time flat. What are the chances of the beardie drinking out of it?
How about calcium? If I'm using the bulb I linked above do I need to dust the food with D3 or just plain calcium?
And lastly, what about hides? I'm sure they would appreciate at least one place to hide. Does it really matter what kind of hide you use or do they need more than one?
I feel like I'm missing something. If so then let me know or correct me on anything I got wrong above.
If you scroll down through the link below you'll see different basking platforms. I was looking at the corner basking platform.
http://reptiledepot.com/hideouts.html
edit: I'm not sure how sturdy this would be for a basking platform but it looks like it could support a small beardie.
http://lllreptile.com/store/catalog...s-and-manzanita/-/zoo-med-medium-mopani-wood/
