I just bought a baby one yesterday. I have a basking spot lamp that says it is a double reflector that focuses 35% more light/heat and provides beneficial UVA rays important to the psycholical well-being of him. My question is does that mean it gives him not only the heat, but the "sun rays" he needs? I also was wondering how long should this light be on. The lady at pet smart said 4 hours, but on places on the net it says 10 to 12 hours. He's getting used to his new home, but hasn't eatin yet. I have bearded dragon juvenile food and freeze- dried crickets. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your time.
2006-07-16 09:42:50 · 8 answers · asked by rcp5276 3 in Pets ➔ Reptiles
First - most if not all the information PetSmart gave you is probably wrong. They probably sold you a bunch of stuff for your bearded dragon,right? Well the bad news is much of their stuff is junk.
The best light for your bearded dragon is the sun. The best cage for your bearded dragon is a large homemade wire cage outside with lots of branches & other things to climb. Also it needs places to get out of the sun when it wants to. A large saucer for water, large enough for the bearded to soak in, is also good. DO NOT PUT YOUR BEARDED IN AN AQUARIUM IN DIRECT SUNLIGHT - it will cook.
If you can't have an outdoor wire cage, buy the largest container you can - they grow fast!. Use quality lights like Reptisun 5.0 or 10.0 florescent bulbs or Mega Ray Active UVB lamps - these are expensive but all proper lights will be fairly pricey.
You need to buy life crickets & feed the crickets for at least a day on endive, chicory, baby food oats, apples. Also feed your bearded some vegetables like chicory or other dark greens. Don't forget the calcium supplements - very important!!!
Good luck!!! Bearded Dragons make great pets!
2006-07-17 05:58:54 · answer #1 · answered by carl l 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
A lot of bulbs try to trick you by saying "full spectrum" or "contains beneficial UVA." UVA is great, but UVB is what you absolutely need. The only way to get it in a bulb is from a fluorescent bulb or one of the uber expensive mercury vapor bulbs. Those basking bulbs are great for heat, but get a fluorescent (zoomed reptisun or something) as well... Leave it on all day, off at night. The bulb should last a very long time. As for food, if you can get him to eat the freeze-dried crickets, great. But he may prefer live food. Also, make sure you dust his crickets with calcium powder at LEAST once a week, probably more since he's still a baby. He can also eat mealworms, and eventually small rodents, as well as a veggie mix of collard/mustard greens, carrots, squash etc... The commercial beardie food is alright as a diet supplement, but generally make poor diets on their own (just read the first ingredients, probably mostly corn meal).
Here's a good site: http://www.anapsid.org/bearded.html
2006-07-16 10:42:37 · answer #2 · answered by snake_girl85 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
leave the light on at least 12 hours. If it is one of those new self-ballasted ultra sun baskers they do produce the UVA/UVB needed. Is it by T-REX maybe? Watch the heat they can get hot under those type of lamps. If it is one of the ones I am thinking of they go like 30 some inches over the set-up unless they have them smaller now. I would switch to a bask lamp witha flouresent tube later when that blows though. Bearded babies prefer live food such as crickets because of the moving action. They are born to chase prey. Don't let people talk you into those vibrating food bowls either they are a joke. I would go to www.kingsnake.com and get your username and password then go to the bearded dragon forum and ask alot of questions and read alot of them. They know whats up on there. They don't eat right away sometimes when they change homes also. Eventually he will go to veggies.
2006-07-16 09:58:56 · answer #3 · answered by dogdude1969 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have had bearded dragons for years now. Their light needs to be on 10 to 12 hours definately. As for food, dragons usually have ravenous appetites. Its not a good sign if he's not eating. Live crickets are the best route. Also, try mealworms & add fresh sliced fruit a few times a week, too. Strawberries are great. They eat these things in the wild. If he is cold from not enough light o& heat, he will not eat.
2006-07-16 15:38:34 · answer #4 · answered by emvannattan 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
listen to the lady at the pet store and do it for 4 hours
2006-07-16 09:45:56 · answer #5 · answered by somepaliguy27 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
some times they don't eat when you are close them they scare easy and feed it live food when they see the crickets legs moving they cant resist i know i have had many critters.
2006-07-16 10:02:43 · answer #6 · answered by DarkDejection(JF) 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
if hes not eating buy live cricks and kill they urself and feed them to it they likr fresh food more but u ccan turn the light on when u wake up and turn it off when u go to sleep thats wat i do and it will be finr
2006-07-16 09:46:18 · answer #7 · answered by mystic_dragon_318 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
wait, i'm confused. what's a bearded dragon?
2006-07-16 09:45:00 · answer #8 · answered by Sassy 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋