# Bearded Dragon - First Time Owner



## Ssc456 (May 12, 2011)

Hello All,

I've come here looking for some guidance and advice. 
Me and my girlfriend have decided that we would like to own a Lizard of some kind (through watching Essex Jungle). Now I've read about the ideal first time Lizard and it seems the answer is either a Leopard Gecko or a Bearded Dragon. 

Personally i think i would prefer a Bearded Dragon, simply as they are bigger and i don't know why but i'm not too keen on small things that can move pretty fast lol. 

Anyways that covers the first question would a Bearded Dragon be ok for a first time reptile owner?

The second question or request i have is i was you to tell me all of the negative things of having a Bearded Dragon, i want you to try and put me off having one, my thoughts are if the members here can tell me everything bad about owning a Bearded Dragon and all of the down falls and afterwards i still want to purchase one then i'm in a good position.
The last thing i want is to buy one and end up regretting it 2 months later! 

I have around a £200 budget for the setup, and i've seen a starter kit with a 48" vivarium for this price, is it worth going for this or is it better to buy it all seperately? If so, can anybody point me in the right direction of a good website to buy from and i know i;m being cheeky here but a list of things i'll need?

I'm nipping out tomorrow to find a book on these so i can learn all about them but i often find advise from a forum can be more relavent.

The last thing i need to know is the upkeep cost of a Bearded Dragon? What is their food costs, how often does the cage ened changing etc.

I'm presuming your not a fan of people like me who look into buying a reptile with no experience and no clue, but you have to start somewhere right? I'm trying to make sure i make the rigth decision and i'm hoping that some advice and guidance from yourselves can help me.

Thank You.


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## Alon93 (Jul 5, 2010)

:welcome:

Bearded dragons are awesome for first time reptile keepers and there are not many big disadvantages about them.

Just make sure you make your research about them before buying one.

Also if your'e buying a young one be prepared as they can eat A LOT.


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## Marcw1771ams (Jan 9, 2011)

At least you are asking these questions before buying instead of after, cant think of many things to say that would but you off beadies are great to keep and can be quite friendly lizards. However they are also pretty robust so not a bad idea for a beginer. There are laods of care sheets on her i'd sugest reading through a few of those first;

Lizard Care Sheets - Reptile Forums

Bearded Dragons particullarly when they are young can eat a lot of live food, my 6 month old is currently eating about 3-5 tubs of crickets a week. At an average cost of £6 for 3 tubs.


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## Pixie1987 (Apr 29, 2011)

Marcw1771ams said:


> Bearded Dragons particullarly when they are young can eat a lot of live food, my 6 month old is currently eating about 3-5 tubs of crickets a week. At an average cost of £6 for 3 tubs.


 
could just bulk buy them? works out a lot cheaper.

beardies are great for beginners- and like someone said before me, its better you ask questions before and after. and its good to see someone taking the sensible approach!

starter kits are normally good value, but dont tend to have too much decoration and enrichment included, so maybe have about another £40-50 saved back for that too.

and be aware they can live for up to 15yrs, so if you are prepared to look after the beardie for all of its life, then go for it :2thumb:


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## Joah (Sep 7, 2010)

I had a beardie as my first reptile, downside is that once you get one you will want more for sure! 

As said do your research and you will be fine.



Ssc456 said:


> I have around a £200 budget for the setup, and i've seen a starter kit with a 48" vivarium for this price, is it worth going for this or is it better to buy it all seperately?


I would look at the classifieds on here and also the usual freeads/ebay, you should be able to pick up a full setup for less than your budget, plus from the starter kits i have seen they are not great. (pet @ home etc.)


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## kay&Bert (Mar 24, 2011)

:welcome: 

bearded dragons are a good place to start, there isnt really much negative things to say about keeping a beardy, they are hardy robust reptiles.

they are ideal as a beginner reptile aswell as experienced keepers, 

the setup that you have seen there is a few key points to make sure that come with this setup these are the basics that you will require

Basking lamp, 
UVB Tube 10.0% altho the Arcadia + D3 Kits are recommended (preffered rather then a Compact Fluorescent)
Substrate - Sand, Paper towels,linolium do not use calci sand as this can cause impaction. 
Digital thermometer as you will need to take several temps in the tank - Basking area temp = 100-115*F
Warm Area Temp = 85-95*F
Cooler Area Temp = 75-80*F
Ambient Night Temp = no lower then 60*F
Beardys need the temp this high as they rely on the heat in order to digest there food.
a dimming thermostat in order to maintain the temperatures above

Most Reptile/pet shops will sell you a heatmat with the setup this is not a necessity but if you do decide to use one then do not place it inside the tank as this can harm the beardy if they decide to lay on it as it can cause burns! its more adviseable to place it underneath the tank as the tank is made of wood it will absorb the heat and keep the vivarium warmer!

Beardys as juviniles can eat alot and will eat more livefoods then anything, but it is good practice to introduce them to vegetables and salads aswell by placing a fresh selection every day in the viv to allow to the beardy to eat it at there own free will. as they get older they will eat more greens then livefoods.

like most reptiles, beardys need there diet supplementing with certain nutrients and calcium, this can be done by dusting of the livefoods and salads.

i use the ratio :

Mon - Fri - Dust live and greens with Calcium
Sat- Sum - Dust Live and Greens with Nutrobal

Last but not least : the beardy will require certain items within hsi new home, 

ensure that the basking spot is the highest point in the viv, by using a Basking Log, or a Piece of Slate/Stone. 

a hide in order for your Beardy to sleep etc!

some people have different opinions on wether beardys need a water bowl in there vivarium, personally i do have a small water bowl but it is kept in the cool end of the tank and it is removed at the end of the day, mainly because higher levels of humidity can cause respiritory infections.

I know this seems alot, and i can guarantee that there is something iv missed and im sure someone will pick up on it!


Good Luck in whichever that you decide to do


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## GeeUK (May 2, 2011)

I am getting my first reptile in around 2-3 weeks, a bearded dragon.

Done a lot of research, watched loads of video's etc and love them. My brother has one too.

For less than £200 I bought a second hand Viv measuring 4x2x2 and stand so big enough for an adult too.

UV light fitted, basking lamp and bulb fitted, timers, decor, calcium dust, heat mat (selling on ebay) all for £115.

Check out preloved.co.uk for some bargains when you do decide to get one. Ensure you setup all the temps first before buying.

Good luck, can't wait for mine.


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## GemmaPerks (Mar 8, 2010)

Something that everyone always seems forgot to tell new owners about is that UV bulbs have to be replaced before the bulb ever breaks and they should read the manufactures instructions for information. Common replacement times seems to be 6,9,12 months but most prefer to be on the safe side and do it every 6-9 months.

Basking bulbs are not really a concern as tesco/adsa spot bulbs are really cheap (about 50p each)

Although day to day reptile ownership (feeding) is pretty cheap compared to some other pets you should always remember the unexpected costs each year.

1, Replacement UV/Basking bulbs (£30-£60 per year)
2, Viv repairs/upgrades (£0-£??? per year)
3, VET bills (if you can't afford the vet you should not get the pet) (£0- to many hundreds)


Also something to take into account that many over look is holidays, many friends and family are all too keen to come feed a rabbit, look after a dog or feed a cat, for most that number drops sharply when it comes to feeding a reptile live insects, so make sure you know someone that can take you little guy or at least come feed him and let him out each day. (lights are not issue due to timers)


I'm not trying to put you off getting a BD they really are great and hats off to you for asking the right questions up front, if only everyone did this many more reptiles would not be mis-sold and would have a better life


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## dorian (Nov 27, 2010)

Only downsides I can think of is the equipment you need (many people simply don't have the right setup) and the amount they eat! They eat more than me! 

You'll need to buy in bulk, but you can get about 500 crickets for 8 quid online.


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## antcherry88 (Mar 28, 2011)

If you do get a beardie I'd advise doing what I did for my first and buy an older animal that's been 'grown on' by the breeder or shop. 

At 4-5 months they should be on just one live feed a day (as opposed to 3 which is a pain!). Also at this age they are a more manageable size to handle than small juveniles which can be jumpy and a bit faster.


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## 123dragon (Jan 15, 2011)

Joah said:


> I had a beardie as my first reptile, downside is that once you get one you will want more for sure!
> 
> i agree with this, i have had my first beardie for around 3 months and am already looking for somwhere to put a second 4 foot viv so i can get another one.
> will prob wait until my boy is eating mainly salad other wise i would be getting throught like 1000 crickets a week


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## Joah (Sep 7, 2010)

123dragon said:


> will prob wait until my boy is eating mainly salad other wise i would be getting throught like 1000 crickets a week


I just tell myself that I will "save" money because I can buy in more bulk! Thats how my mind works anyway! :no1:


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## kirky1980 (Apr 4, 2010)

when mines was only 3 months old til he was about 6/7 monthst old i was about £20 a week on live food for him. they are eating machines at that age and well really mines is 10/ months now and still an eating machine lol but at least he dont eat as much live food as he did before. but yeah there good beginner reptiles(hate that phrase grrrr): victory:


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## Jeffers3 (May 18, 2010)

A young beardie can be very fast - much more so than a leopard gecko. They soon become pretty chilled, though. Amongst all reptiles, they have to be pretty close to the best when it comes to appearing to enjoy human interaction. Most will seek attention and will often be diificult to put back in their viv, as they'd rather sit with you.

As already pointed out, they eat loads whilst young. Feeding 3 times a day may be the ideal, but like most other people in work, I was not able to do this and mine was only ever fed a maximum of twice a day. They are pretty robust and mine never suffered any problems.

As they get older, they can drive you mad with being fussy eaters. If you look at the number of threads on here about this, you'll see that it's very common. Keep offering a mix of food and this will not usually be a problem.

The set-up is large and the environmental conditions are more difficult to set up than for some reptiles. However, following the set-up guidelines in a good care sheet (loads on here), will make sure this is OK.

A beardie was my first lizard and, despite the fact that I think all 3 are great in different ways, Hagrid is still no.1!


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## Dixi1801 (Apr 26, 2011)

Ssc456 said:


> Hello All,
> 
> I've come here looking for some guidance and advice.
> Me and my girlfriend have decided that we would like to own a Lizard of some kind (through watching Essex Jungle). Now I've read about the ideal first time Lizard and it seems the answer is either a Leopard Gecko or a Bearded Dragon.
> ...


I'm on my first reptile and he's a beardie 

he's awesome! wouldnt trade him for anything!

i pay £5 or £6 for 3 tubs of live food, depending where i go!

that lasts a week or two for me 

good luck and hope you find the perfect beardie for you 

EDIT: i bought mine at 2 years old, as said above he doesnt eat as much as a younger one!


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## Jeffers3 (May 18, 2010)

Dixi1801 said:


> I'm on my first reptile and he's a beardie
> 
> he's awesome! wouldnt trade him for anything!
> 
> ...


 
Mine ate a bit more than this, but a bit less than many others on here seem to have seen. About 3 tubs of crickets was about enough for a week.


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## Ssc456 (May 12, 2011)

Excellent,
I didn't realise how active this forum was, very quick responses!! Thanks!! 

It seems like i have alot of reading and research to do, but i'm glad you all seem very positive about this, i am very concious of making the right decision here and i think i will be definitely getting one, just a matter of time.

It's probably going to be a month or so from now until i get my own Beardy to give me time to get the vivarium and everything else i may need. Also gives me alot of time to read up on all the information i need. 

What level of interaction can you have with these? I mean i've seen people that have them sitting on there hands and giving them a brief stroke, but i have this image in my head of maybe an hour or 2 in the evening or something just having the little guy sitting on the sofa next to me while watching tele lol.

I suppose it will largely vary on the owner and the pet but what kind of time periods do they spend in their cage? again there may be no answer to this next question but do they enjoy being out? Could they quiet happily sit on a coffe table or a Sofa?

Apologies if they are silly questions but i'm just trying to get an idea of the interactions levels now that i'm fairly certain i will be getting one. The one thing i doon't like the idea of is a pet similar to a fish, just sits in it's tank all day with no interaction and swims about happily? That's not what i'm looking for.

Thanks again for all your advise and comments!!


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## Dixi1801 (Apr 26, 2011)

Jeffers3 said:


> Mine ate a bit more than this, but a bit less than many others on here seem to have seen. About 3 tubs of crickets was about enough for a week.


wow :O and i thought mine was greedy!

3 tubs!? crazy!

im sure mine would eat all day long if i allowed him


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## Dixi1801 (Apr 26, 2011)

Ssc456 said:


> Excellent,
> I didn't realise how active this forum was, very quick responses!! Thanks!!
> 
> It seems like i have alot of reading and research to do, but i'm glad you all seem very positive about this, i am very concious of making the right decision here and i think i will be definitely getting one, just a matter of time.
> ...


I found the responses were rapid also!

you might wanna take a look at this!

http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/newbie-advice/3-bearded-dragons-food-chart.html

Just for an idea of what salad you can give em


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## lee young (Oct 14, 2009)

Hey, welcome to the forum and congrats on being responsible and doing your research first.

They are definitley one of the most sociable lizards, which is why they are recommended as a first lizard. Mine loves to be out, most evenings If im in the lounge watching TV or on my laptop, I open the viv door and she'll run all around the lounge. If its cold she'll go back in for ten minutes to bask and then come out again. They like things that move, and sometimes mine will spend hours sitting watching my fish tak or the TV.

If you've got the time to supervise them, they can really be out as much as you like. Its handy having their viv on the floor though, so they can pop in and out as they like.

You should read up the caresheets on here by Hades Dragons, they are some of the most concise and clearest caresheets i've found, and helped me out when I was starting out. A few pointers when it comes to equipment;

get an Arcadia D3 12% UV tube, and a UV reflector, they are much better than any of the others.

Dont bother with reptile branded basking bulbs, normal bulbs are exactly the same at a fraction of the price.

Make sure any heat source is on a thermostat to keep the temperatures just right.

Use non-particle substrates for babies, slate or sandstone tiles work well as they are easy to clean and keep the neails in check.

Get a 4ft x 2ft x 2ft viv to start with, it means you wnt have to upgrade later on. There are some good viv builders on here who will make you a custom made viv cheaper than the mass produced rubbish.

Hope that helps...





> Excellent,
> I didn't realise how active this forum was, very quick responses!! Thanks!!
> 
> It seems like i have alot of reading and research to do, but i'm glad you all seem very positive about this, i am very concious of making the right decision here and i think i will be definitely getting one, just a matter of time.
> ...


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## gaz19 (Mar 2, 2011)

love all the comments i have heard bearded dragons can smell a bit is this true, as i dont think my wife would like that :2thumb:


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## JAFRIN (Nov 20, 2010)

Welcome to the forum.:welcome:

Nope beardies themselves do not smell (they don't sweat or loose moisture via their skin) - HOWEVER their poop howls!! Trick is to get it out FAST and keep the Viv clean.

Also the crix are smelly.

All the best


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## 123dragon (Jan 15, 2011)

Dixi1801 said:


> wow :O and i thought mine was greedy!
> 
> 3 tubs!? crazy!
> 
> im sure mine would eat all day long if i allowed him


my beardie eats 500 large silent crickets a week, plus like 20 morio worms, a pinch of normal meal worms after every clean out and 3-5 locusts a day as a treat


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## thething84 (Apr 26, 2010)

as said beardies themselves do not smell. there poop does. it stinks but only in the viv. i have never smelt it outside the viv. so as long as you clean it up as soon as you see it, and disinfect the area it pooped its fine.


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## Pixie1987 (Apr 29, 2011)

123dragon said:


> my beardie eats 500 large silent crickets a week, plus like 20 morio worms, a pinch of normal meal worms after every clean out and 3-5 locusts a day as a treat


really? 1 beardie? must be so fat hehe!

so thats like 70 crickets, 3 morios, some mealies and 3-5 locusts A DAY? :gasp:

my god... my 2 boscs and tegu dont even eat that much between them.


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## Joe1991 (Apr 27, 2011)

I'm sure everything has been covered above, but I'll add this. - I take it you will most-likely be buying a baby? If so, you would be fine putting him into a 4ft viv with plenty of hides, or a 2-3 would suffice but they do grow fast.

It is probably going to be better to buy second hand. This way you will save a lot of money on the most important expensive part of your set-up. Most second hand vivs are in great condition and are a fraction of the price of a brand new one.

They are pretty cheap to keep (excluding trips to the vet for worming etc) newspaper/toilet paper substrate, nutrobal and calcium supplements which will cost you about £14 and will last AGES, new bulb every 6 month. The most expensive things is probably going to be the food, which is still rather cheap. My lil' beardie can eat up to 12 nice sized crickets 3 times a day. As baby's they should eat a diet consisting of around 75-80% livefood and 15-20% vegetable/fruit.


PS: One downside is their poo bloody stinks!!! :whip:


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## ShellsAngel (Feb 12, 2009)

best advice i was given was to set up the viv and run it for a week or so BEFORE you get youre dragon.... the 1st beardie setup i did took ages to get the temps spot on. spent hours raising and lowering the basking spot so it was right!!
excellent choice of reptile... enjoy x


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## Ssc456 (May 12, 2011)

Right, once agive forgive my nieveness while approaching this but i guess everyoen has to start somewhere . . . 

Could someone / anyone list the things i will need in order to setup the vivarium.

Could they be listed in ways that i can put it into google to find somewhere that sells them? I was looking at buying asetup kit but i'm actually a dab hand with a few sheets of wood, a saw and a few screws. so i was thinking about building my own.

Also something i;ve been wondering, when you refer to them eating live food, do you actually mean live as in jumping around when i put them in the viv to feed or is it a term to say basically not veg, insects that used to live?


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## kay&Bert (Mar 24, 2011)

Ssc456 said:


> Right, once agive forgive my nieveness while approaching this but i guess everyoen has to start somewhere . . .
> 
> Could someone / anyone list the things i will need in order to setup the vivarium.
> 
> ...


 
ok basic set up list :

Heat Lamp (basking spot) these can be easily obtained from any supermarket under the name of a reflector bulb

UVB Tube + Controller pm Arcadia John

substrate : Childrens playsand, Linolium, Paper towels, Slate Tiles

Basking Spot : Slate Tile raised up/ Log

Hide for the cooler end : a habbahut or similar

you do not need a heatmat unless your house gets really cold at night even then do not put it inside the viv, put it underneath as wood absorbs heat and will warm the viv up! 

in referral to live foods, crickets/locust/mealworms/morioworms/silkworms are all alive when you feed them to your beardy and they are bought alive, each day you should dust the live foods and the beardys greens with supplements : 
you will need supplements such calcium + nutrobal


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## nicnet (Apr 3, 2011)

Ssc456 said:


> Right, once agive forgive my nieveness while approaching this but i guess everyoen has to start somewhere . . .


Never appologise for good solid questions like the ones your asking, nor for the ones you think may be stupid questions.

Rather ask the stupid question than be stupid and not ask if your unsure.

They guys on here will gladly help out if they think you genuinly want to learn all you can about your new baby.

Its the trolls that wind them up, 
'my beardies tail just dropped off, what do it dooooo?!?!?!?!?!?!?!'
'Can my beardie live with my fish?!?!?!??!?!'

Once you've spent time on the forums you'll start seeing the idiots who are just wanting to cause a reaction rather than learn.

Have fun learning while your at it. the forums are a good place to chat and they 'get it' when your baby just did something so funny it tickles and nobody is around to laugh with at home. We know its funny so share it ;p


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## naomix (Mar 30, 2011)

if you are not sure about what type of dragon to have i would surggest a rankins dragon they are half the size of a bearded dragon.  ask a guy called jetski in my friends list if you are intrested in the idea of a rankins dragon as i know he will hopfully have some in a short time. hope this helps :smile:


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## Jeffers3 (May 18, 2010)

kay&Bert said:


> ok basic set up list :
> 
> Heat Lamp (basking spot) these can be easily obtained from any supermarket under the name of a reflector bulb
> 
> ...


 
I agree with most of this (or at least don't strongly disagree), but I wouldn't recommend putting a heatmat under a wooden viv. It will be far to well insulated and could easily overheat. Where would you put the thermostat probe?

Also, heater guard?


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## kay&Bert (Mar 24, 2011)

sorry i knew there was summat i missed :bash:

a guard around the heat lamp is a MUST!!!!!!!!!!!!

the only time iv ever needed the heat mat was during that bad weather we had my house got realllllly cold! especially during the night so i got a low wattage heat mat and put it under the viv and i found it projected enough heat through the viv to stabilise the ambient night temp!


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## Ssc456 (May 12, 2011)

Right ok, once again thank you all for your input and feedback!! it's being a massive help!

Through reading various articles / information and from your guys help i think i'm fairly comfortable with the Vivarium setup now.

I will be building this myself, so i have more questions about this. 

Heat Lamp (basking spot) - reflector bulb - Easy enough to obtain, amd presumable i just need a normal light socket to plug socket connection for this? 

UVB Tube + Controller pm Arcadia John - Will definitely need more information on this will speak to Arcadia John, as i'm confused about this, does it just provide UV light / rays as the name suggests? 

substrate : Childrens playsand, Linolium, Paper towels, Slate Tiles - I think i will be using Slate tiles here, can i just go and grab a pack from B&Q or somewhere? I'm looking at getting the not completely flat ones to give it a little bit of surface / texture, obviously nothing sharp!! 
Also on this note of the flooring, does nayone have a tip? I was thinking some kind of water treated wood with a plastic lining over it and then the slate tiles on top? 

Basking Spot : Slate Tile raised up/ Log - probably the slate tile. . . 

a habbahut or similar - No problems here.

So that's all of the items check off, now this next question may be solved by the first question about the UVB Tube and controller but what about the temperature control of the vivarium? I'm not too confused about monitoring, i can get 2 digital thermometers for this, but how do i control the temperature of the vivarium?

Also what about the lid / top? what's a good idea for this? Would just mesh wiring surfice or should i got a bit of tood over the top and drill a load of ventialtion wholes?

EDIT: Also i've looked at the possibility of installing 2 very small and VERY low speed fans incase we are lucky enough to get a ridiculously hot summer at any point? Is this worth it?


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## kay&Bert (Mar 24, 2011)

Ssc456 said:


> Right ok, once again thank you all for your input and feedback!! it's being a massive help!
> 
> Through reading various articles / information and from your guys help i think i'm fairly comfortable with the Vivarium setup now.
> 
> ...


personally i have 5 2" Ventilation holes with vent disks in my viv at the top of the backside of the viv and i have a solid top meaning that the basking lamp can be placed on the lid of the tank! you can how ever put the lid on hinges but only have it open for a limited amount of time and watch that your reptile is unable to climb out of it when your not watching




Answers in RED


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## nikki7789 (May 29, 2011)

antcherry88 said:


> If you do get a beardie I'd advise doing what I did for my first and buy an older animal that's been 'grown on' by the breeder or shop.
> 
> At 4-5 months they should be on just one live feed a day (as opposed to 3 which is a pain!). Also at this age they are a more manageable size to handle than small juveniles which can be jumpy and a bit faster.


i jut bought my first beardie, and she is approx 15 weeks, ive been told so much different advice on feeding her im confusing myself...

the reptile shop i got her from said crickets once every other day, ie fed her sunday and will again tuesday, dusted in calci dust. with veg offered daily. all the books and forums ive read said feed crickets every day maybe twice a day, and dust every other day. 

help... ? i want to do the best for my baby beardie! (also is she still a baby or a juvenile now)


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## dickvansheepcake (Jul 8, 2009)

nikki7789 said:


> i jut bought my first beardie, and she is approx 15 weeks, ive been told so much different advice on feeding her im confusing myself...
> 
> the reptile shop i got her from said crickets once every other day, ie fed her sunday and will again tuesday, dusted in calci dust. with veg offered daily. all the books and forums ive read said feed crickets every day maybe twice a day, and dust every other day.
> 
> help... ? i want to do the best for my baby beardie! (also is she still a baby or a juvenile now)



At that age a beardie should be fed twice a day, as much as they want in around 10 minutes, each feed. Veg should also be available to them daily. A live diet of only crickets is not ideal. It's advised that they have at least 4 different types of live food in their diet. Mine get dubia roaches, turkistan roaches, crickets, locusts, meal worms, morio worms, giant african land snail babies and land snail eggs. Their are also other live feeders readily available.

Food should be dusted daily. They need calcium and a vitamin supplement. I use calcium and nutrobal on alternate days.

I'd recommend not taking advice from that shop again to be honest!


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## nikki7789 (May 29, 2011)

fab, thank you for that info... she has mealies too, again (by the shop) was recommended to feed these daily, and leave them in. other info i have read says they shouldnt be offered every day. 
using my own common sence i have fed her again today and she ate about 6 crickets this morning and had a bit of veg for pudding  
thanks again


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