Do bearded dragons stink up a room??

Question

Do bearded dragons stink? How ofen would you have to replace paper so their home would look clean and not smell??? please let me know the answer for a baby and for an adult. thansk

Answer 1

you should get the reptile carpet but yes it does sometimes stink just clean it up after every day

Answer 2

"p**p" means bacteria, which isn't healthy for your baby beardie (OR an adult), so - as often as it messes is a good choice!

If you are a "lazy owner," then a beardie isn't the right choice for you.  But MANY KUDDOS for researching before you get the animal.

In my opinion, the easiest reptile to care for is a snake which is fed frozen/thawed feeders.  It doesn't feed often and doesn't eliminate daily.

Paper substrate is great for beardies, as you can easily remove the soiled area, and toss a new piece of paper down, until a complete tank cleaning/re-set up is due.

Beardies need insects, fruits and vegies.  There is no "pop the can; dump, and go" with most lizards/turtles (back to the snake is easy).

Are you sure you want a beardie?  It's a big commitment - they live an average of 10 yrs.  And an adult beardie is BIG.  It can't live in a 30 gal. tank... it won't even be able to turn around in one!  Beardies (as do most lizards) have UVB requirements, and MBD is a serious issue.  Reptiles on UVB lighting (or sunlight) need D3 in their calcium.

And you have to google, and be sure of the UVB source you use.  Some problems are occurring and causing blindness.

Beardies eat insects (which need to be gut loaded prior to feeding to the lizard), and also fruits and vegetables.  So, it's not a pet which equates to "opening the can and dumping it in once a day."  Younger beardies need more care, and more frequent feedings, etc.

Crickets can't just be bought that day on the way home from work, and dumped in the tank when you get there.  Again - research (gut loading, and why?).  You'll need a small tank to feed the cricket in, before they are fed to the lizard.

I'm NOT trying to discourage you.  I'm simply trying to make sure you are happy with your choice of a beardie as a pet.  Bearded dragons make EXCELLENT pets, and especially as a first time lizard.  They have a LOT of personality, and are relatively easy to care for, once you KNOW their requirements for health and space.

I'll toss in a basic gut loading recipe here, and also provide a few links for you check out, and learn what you need to know before you make your decision.  But, please note my disclaimer:

--Please do not keep your lizard(s) of any age on play/repti sand or loose substrate.  Impaction and bacteria issues are real and serious – and can result in death.  Consult your reptile veterinarian for their opinion.--

You'll find a lot of contradictory suggestion/advice for your beardie as you research.  Your reptile vet can easily resolve all these information dilemmas for you.

If you don't already have a qualified/reputable exotic/reptile vet, you can contact “herpetologicalsocieties.com“ for the nearest one in the city of your state.

GUT LOADING CRICKETS for REPTILES:

The number one problem:

Dried up and malnourished pet store crickets and mealworms. These food items are essentially useless. A dehydrated and unfed cricket contains almost no nutrients at all; refrigerated mealworms are even worse. A lot of the variety in nutrients found in wild insects is actually in the stomach content - usually plant material. We need to duplicate this to provide the best for our reptiles; without the risk of illness/disease/parasites which can result from feeding our pets wild insects.

Please note that wax worms, while fattening, are not nutritious.  Young geckos can eat small silk and phoenix worms, as well.

Basic Dry/Staple Cricket Food:

Equal amounts of dry Iguana food, dry dog food, chick starter mash, oatmeal (you can add dry baby food wheat/rye/barley, etc. as well; even shredded wheat - no sugar).

Grind these items together.  Place in a small lid/bowl for the crickets to eat.  Store the unused portion in the refrigerator or freezer, until needed.

Supplement daily with one of the following: sweet potato, bananas, zucchini, oranges, carrots, strawberries, assorted squashes (acorn, yellow, etc.), grapefruit, green beans, apples, kale, spinach, cactus pads, and just about any other nutritious item you can think of (do not use white/yellow potatoes - these are starchy and only good if used as a moisture source during shipping, and NEVER use Avocado - it's poisonous to most animals).

Provide the dry food and kale at all times (kale is readily available during the winter months, too), rotating the other food items through in succession. The key is variety, and to provide an assortment of varying nutrients. What you are trying to do is offer your reptiles crickets with guts 'loaded' with fresh foodstuffs.

The crickets should be gut loaded for 1-2 days prior to offering them to your reptiles.

Also, provide fresh clean water in a lid/bowl, adding a sponge or folded paper towel to prevent drowning.

  

Don't offer more crickets than the reptile(s) will consume within: 1.) a few hours if it’s a lizard, salamander, frog/toad, or 2.) a few minutes, if it’s a water turtle, so you know the crickets will still be full of the good stuff when eaten.

The crickets should be dusted (shaken in a plastic bag gently to coat them) with vitamins (keep these refrigerated) and calcium D3 powder 2-4 times a week, depending on the age of the reptile.

Be sure to remove any uneaten crickets so that they do not soil your pet's environment/water or bother your pet, once it is full.  Crickets CAN turn the table - and feast upon your pet! Or aggravate them, causing stress and even cessation of eating.

Also be sure the crickets are the correct size for the reptile.  The cricket should be the same size long as the reptile’s head is wide (about the space between the lizards’ eyes).

Don't be daunted - be informed.  An informed owner is a happy one who owns a healthy and content animal.

Most of all - enjoy your new pet!

I hope this has been of help.

Answer 3

clean up the p**p,,,,the p**p stinks