How long does it take for a baby bearded dragon to settle into a new enviornment?

Question

I just got a baby bearded dragon from the pet store today and it is slightly opening it's mouth while basking and not really interested in eating or drinking. But I also don't know when he last ate or drank anything. It is my first beardie and I have a lot of questions.

Answer 1

Not sure if you've seen these already, but I found these bearded dragon care videos really helpful. Good luck with your new pet!

Answer 2

You are supposed to mist the dragons (just the bearded dragons, if you mist the cage it will sky rocket the humidity, that's bad!) once a day and give them 1-2 baths a week to prevent dehydration. That's how they get most of their water intake.They hardly ever drink out of a water dish. I've only seen my dragon drink out of the water dish once, she really only uses it to soak in while she sheds.

It doesn't surprise me that your bearded dragon isn't eating much. The first week my bearded dragon was only eating 2-3 small crickets every other day and was only eating vegetables when I held them up in front of her mouth. The appetite just isn't there the first week because its adjusting, many bearded dragon owners will tell you this.

The mouth open is completely normal. That's just your bearded dragon venting (open mouth breathing). This is not a sign of distress, it's completely normal. Every bearded dragon does it. It's as normal as a dog venting (which happens quite often).

It should take about a week to a week in a half to adjust. Maybe more, maybe less, it's different for some bearded dragons.

Make sure you have UVB lighting, it will stimulate appetite. UVA in addition to the required UVB will stimulate it further.

I hope I helped you! If you have any questions email me, don't waste points.

Answer 3

Baby bearded dragons usually acclimate to a new habitat within a couple of days.  The gaping (open mouth) is cause for some alarm.  What is your basking temperature?

Here is an ideal set-up for the size of most baby bearded dragons sold at pet shops:

Enclosure:  20 gallon long with mesh cover.  You will be upgrading to a tank that is at least 4 feet long with 6 feet being ideal.  Beardies can get to be 2 feet long quite easily.  You will absolutely be needing a tank larger than 20 gallons eventually.  If your tank is already  this length, then your basking/UVB lamp should be 125-150W.

Substrate:  Fine sand (do not use ground walnut shells).  Substrate is a bit controversial.  Some swear that you should use calci-sand because its digestible and limits the possibility of impaction.  Others swear by silica sand while others swear AT it.  Some recommend only paper towel for babies..... regardless of what you use, be aware that some substrates can and do cause impaction.  Impaction is an intestinal blockage caused from ingestion of substrate.  Beardies DO eat substrate unintentionally usually as they snatch crickets.

Basking end:  Piece of grapevine or something else that allows the dragon to bask 10 to 12 inches from the basking lamp.

You need to maintain a temperature of 95F - 105F at your basking end.  The other end needs to be cooler so that your beardie has a place to go if it gets too warm.

Hide Box:  You need to provide something for your beardie to hide under in the cool end of your tank.  The cheapish half round log pieces sold at most pet shops works just fine.  You can also use an opaque "tupperware" type container tipped upside down.... just make sure you cut out a hole or prop it up with a rock so the baby can crawl under it.  Honestly, anything make-shift will do..... the important thing is to provide something the baby can hide under.  They need the hiding spot instinctively for a feeling of security.  Beardies use this hide area to avoid predators (even though there aren't any in the tank.  It's an instinct and that instinct needs to be considered)

UVB lighting is a MUST for beardies!!  The typical basking lamps sold in most pet chain stores do NOT provide UVB.  Without UVB radiation, beardies can easily develop metabolic bone disease.  

Zoo Med makes a great lamp that works well in 20 gallon beardie enclosures.  The lamp is called a Powersun and you need a 100w for a 20 gallon.  They run about $60.00 but they are a MUST for beardies.

You need to offer your baby beardie a salad of leafy greens (no spinach) every day.  Tear/chop the greens into very small pieces.  You can also mix in some shredded carrot, squash, sweet potato, beet root or any other raw veggies you have around the house.  Salad/veggies need to be offered daily and removed/replaced every 24 hours.  

Baby beardies will require small pinhead crickets that are dusted with calcium and a good vitamin.  You will find that babies eat more crickets than salad, however, this will change as the beardie matures.  Adults eat more veggie than crickets as their nutritional needs change as they grow.

Watering a beardie is a little controversial.  Some keep a water dish in the tank while other more experienced keepers do not.  Beardies get most of their water from their food.  I don't keep a water dish in my dragons's enclosures because they tend to wind up serving as toilets.  They also get filled with sand in one swoop of a beardie tail.  To water my beardies, I will spray the basking rocks in my tanks and/or mist a "small" area on the inside of the  enclosure wall.  I usually do this near the basking rock so that the heat evaparates the water eventually preventing an increase in humidity.  I also soak my dragons in shoulder deep warm water about once every 10 days.

If your beardie is gaping and your basking temp is more than 100F, then it's probably too hot.  Make sure your basking lamp is at least 10 inches away from the dragon.  You shouldn't be using anything more than 100W in an enclosure 20 gallons or smaller.  Also, make sure you get a UVB emitting lamp!!!

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ADD:  I need to clear up some ill advice you've received.

Nintendo Dude states that UVB stimulates appetite.... UVA actually is what stimulates appetite as well as breeding.  UVB absorption is what's required for a bearded to process calcium.  Without proper UVB exposure, beardies are highly susceptible to MBD (metabolic bone disease)

Also, "mouth open" (gaping) is a normal reaction to over-heating and gaping is also used as a defense mechanism.  If your beardie gapes frequently while in its basking spot you should make sure the basking temp is not too hot.  95F - 105F is the recommended temp for the basking area with a temp gradient of around 75F - 80F for the cool end.  Don't let your tank fall below 65F for an extended period as this can cause respiratory infections.  Beardies will also gape if they are too cold for an extended time period and the cause is generally a respiratory infection due to cold temps.

Finally, I do agree that you should not keep the humidity in the tank high.  When I suggested misting the inside of the tank, I should have clarified that you should only mist a small area so that the dragon can l**k the moisture.  This is how many professional breeders/keepers "water" their dragons.  Using a water bowl often ends up being used as a toilet or it gets filled with sand.   Soaking beardies is fine as long as you NEVER leave them unattended and only use warm water no higher than their shoulders.  Some beardies HATE being soaked.... you'll know if yours is one because they'll gape/flare like crazy.  In this case, don't soak them..... it will stress them out too much.

Answer 4

I don't know much about bearded dragons, but from experience with other reptiles, you need to leave them to settle in.  This can vary and some may be really quick and love the new environment, while others take a while.  If the food is available in the tank then he will eat when he is good and ready.  He may just be a little nervous at the new surroundings and if he was in a smaller tank in the pet shop and with other beardies then he is probably wondering where everyone is and why he can't see any others and is wondering what the big open space is.

I would start to worry if his colour changes or he drops in weight.  Even if you don't know the last time he ate, he will eat when he is hungry and accustomed to his new tank.  It can be hard with a new animal to not check on them and see how they're doing, but try not to keep going up to the glass if you do a lot and leave him to do his own thing, even if that's nothing

Answer 5

i got my baby about four months ago. just keep handeling it.. Ik the people say that its not good to and let them be, but i didn't listen, and now my beardie loves to be held as much as possible. Prolly around 3 days tho to fully settle in.