Is my bearded dragon set up ok?

Question

just go 2 bearded dragons for 15 dollars at almost 4 weeks old

the tank is 30' long 12' high and about 12.5' wide

anything i should add? the sand is play sand and the basking light is a 75 watt light bulb.never had reptiles before and read about bearded dragon and just need tips from other people!!

heres a picture

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a42/dawunnonlychubb/yahooask.jpg

Answer 1

From seeing the other comments, I agree with switching out the play sand for calcium sand. And before getting new lighting I would check out the temperature in the tank. the temp should be around 85 degrees for a beardie. Uv and/or heat lamps are both good ways of heating for a tank. Some people do one and some do both. I like doing both because a UV gives the animal light needed for growth and health and the heat lamp is needed for the desert environment. Check the temp first.

I would also recommend getting a bigger tank ... soon not immediately. Bearded dragons can get up to 2 feet long and with two in the tank you can out grow that size swiftly. Also, check and see what s*x the lizards are. Males have a tendency to get territorial. They are too young now but look in a bearded dragon book on how to check if it is a male or female.

Also, make sure you dust with calcium and gut load the crickets you're feeding. That will also help with good health.

Get a couple bearded dragon books to help. they might have different opinions on some topics but it will definately give you more help and reference when needed.

I hope I helped. =)

Answer 2

Very nice set up. All I would suggest would be take away the light buld and use a UV bulb. You can get UV bulbs at pretty much any store like Petsmart. I had a bearded dragon but my parents bought a wrong buld and it got to hot, started a fire in my room, and destroyed everything in it. But, I had for about 5 years.

Answer 3

no play sand!!! Use calcium sand so that it won't cause impaction. There is still a chance of that with calcium sand, but play sand is terrible! Look it up! Everything says don't use that!!! Take it out asap.   Make sure u have all the right things. Play sand could kill it beardies

Answer 4

I can't believe nobody else has said this already, but you MUST have a UVB as well as a UVA bulb.  If desert reptiles (and some others) like beardies don't get UVB rays they will not be able to metabolize calcium, and they will get Metabolic Bone Disease (google it) and die if left untreated.  You can even get bulbs that do both UVA and UVB; you can pick one up at your local pet store.  Make sure the housing you have for the bulb is ceramic and rated for a high enough wattage so you don't set your house on fire.

Sand is a DEFINITE no-no for beardies as young as 4 weeks old.  It's not even the best for full grown ones, as it can still easily cause impaction.  Impaction left untreated = death.  Go with paper towel or any other non-particulate substrate, like repti-carpet.  Please please DO NOT switch to calci sand... It is NOT digestable... it's still sand.  The calcium in it just encourages the reptile to eat more of it.  When they get older you can possibly use play sand, but slate tiles or repti-carpet are better, WAY safer, and more like their natural environment.

Besides that, you'll need food/water dishes, basking areas like sticks and rocks (as long as the diameter of the basking thing is at least as wide as the width of the lizard) and that's about it.  

Feed them crickets dusted with calcium powder twice a day, as much as they can eat.  The crickets should be no longer than the width between the beardies eyes.  Don't feed mealworms/superworms until they're bigger; they have tough exoskeletons that are difficult to digest.  You should also offer fresh greens daily; Collard greens, chard, kale, dandilion greens, bok choi (my beardies LOVE it) etc. just to name a few.  Lettuces are not that great because they are mostly water.  Don't feed Spinach or broccoli because they contain phosphates that bind calcium.  

Oh yeah, and you'll need a bigger tank in probably a year or so.  One full grown beardie needs at least 4L x 2W floor space to run around, more if you have two.  

Hope this helps, feel free to email me if you have any other questions.

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Answer 5

I would not switch the sand, I have my beardie on play sand and he is fine. However, I have read that impaction risks are higher with calci sand (even the vet said stay away). The calci sand clumps very easy and that is what can cause the impaction. It can also discolor you lizard to whatever color the sand is. The only things I would change is your light bulb to a reptile UV bulb, the regular bulb will not provide the UV they need and I would add a water dish since I don't think I saw one. They might be from the desert, but the still need water.

beardeddragons.org       bearded-dragons.com

Answer 6

Sounds fine so far. I would agree on changing the sand. Also make sure to get some where for them to hide. They sell logs and branches at most pet stores. Also are you sure on the genders of them? You do not want to house two males together and even a male and a female should be monitored just in case. Also something to keep in mind, bearded dragons grow up to two feet long and with two of them you are going to need to get a much bigger cage.  

Answer 7

Get a t-rex bulb for daytime lighting, a special heat lamp for night. A shallow water dish, 3 places they can hide under, three branches for them to climb. Yes I know there are two,. but you shold have one for each lizard plus an extra. It should be ok if both are female, or one is a female and one is a male. You may have issues if they are both males. Requrdless of gender make sure they are fed well as that reduces aggression. Do not feed them fireflies! They are deadly.

Looking at your picture it seems you have enough branches, though you could use another hideawy and ou have a dish, ou may want a second for food. Do you have another light for heating lamps?

Answer 8

for 2 beared dragons? no a bearded dragon gewts up tp 2 feet.... i sugest a 55 gallon tank atleast for 2.. but this will do till about 7 motnhs of age  

Answer 9

You need a UV bulb. its based on size of the vivarium. ask your pet store rep. you will need a bigger cage and some point. everything looks great.