Hi everyone I have recently added a new addition to my family! I'm so happy spike owns me! LOL He is 14 inches long and he is getting his check up on the 8th, in 2007 a reptile vet moved into my little town so I am glad I don't have to go far, just a little less stress on spike. I read everything I can find about bearded dragons. but I was wondering if anyone knows why he gets real dark all of a sudden and brightens back up almost before your eyes? Is it like an iguana's head turning white out of anger or fright? and his tail is a little duller and darker than the rest of him it looks like it has not shed in a wile( it works properly he holds it up sometimes and it is not stiff or anything) I finally got him to shed the top of his head. I give him a 10 to 15 min bath once a week and a 5 min bath if he has not gone to the bathroom by 7pm. his lights come on at 8am reptisun 10.0 uvb and a reptasun 100w basking light and a red reptasun "night bulb" which all go off at 10pm. his basking spot is just under 100 and other side of 40 gal breeder is about 85 the temps I plan to heat up around may 6 to 10 deg it stays around 70 at night so I have no need for night heat he is on non printed news print paper has a log for basking and climbing. I feed him a wet salad of collard greens, red swis chard, a little zucchini and fruit the fruit changes and I add shredded carrot once a week. I feed him crickets 2 times in the once afternoon(dusted cal/d3 every day) and once evening(dusted herptivite 2-3 times a week). I feed him like 10 to 15 each time I don't let him eat for 10 min because I feed him crickets in a bowl he refuses to catch his own crickets so after 3 or 4 days of resorting to catching them and feeding them to him i put them in a bowl they can't get out of. is that ok as long as he is getting other exercise? well that's all I can think of right now I will post pictures as soon as I get them on my computer.
Thanks, Erin

Welcome to the board:

Please fill out this questionaire. The more detail, the better we will be able to help out! Thanks.

OWNER INFO
Is this your first bearded dragon?
What area are you located in?

PERSONAL HISTORY (Dragon)
Dragons name:
Age, weight and length if you know?
How long with you?
What is his condition recently and if it changed, when?
Is he active, clear eyes and bright?
Is the beard, chest or tail tip darker than the rest or than normal?
Walking/moving normally?
Any physical features that do not appear normal?
From Breeder or Pet Store? (this may make a difference)
Has he every been treated by a vet,
If yes, for what and what meds were used/dosed and time if know?
Basking or sleeping during the day?
Is he going to the bathroom, how often?
If not, when was the last time?
Is it formed/normal or runny/smelly
Alone or with others?
If with others, what sex"?
Soaking or misting at all and how often?

ENCLOSURE
Set up info tank size?
Temps -what do you use for heat?
Basking point?
Cool area?
What are you measure it with?
What Substrate?
UVB Lights type (detailed) what brand, model, and length or wattage is
How old?
How close to UVB light when he bask?
What hours for day/night?
Do you use any type of nighttime heat, if so what?

FOOD
How is his appetite? IS there a change?
What size, kind and how many/much insects does he eat daily?
What do you feed the insects normally?
Is the dragon eating greens/veggies?
What and how much?
Supplements?
What kind of calcium/how often?
What kind of vitamins how often
How are these given to him?

Is there any additional information that might be of use? The more you can tell us, the better others can help you with suggestions.

*Copyright Cheri Smith, The Reptile Rooms ©2006 The above may not be reproduced in part of whole without written consent by the copyright holder. It may be linked to from other locations with acknowledgement

Welcome to the board:

Please fill out this questionaire. The more detail, the better we will be able to help out! Thanks.

OWNER INFO
Is this your first bearded dragon?yes
What area are you located in?vermont

PERSONAL HISTORY (Dragon)
Dragons name:spike
Age, weight and length if you know?6 months 14 inches
How long with you?2 weeks
What is his condition recently and if it changed, when?he is health as far as I know he is going to a reptile vet monday
Is he active, clear eyes and bright?yes very clear not so active I need to try to bring the temps up
Is the beard, chest or tail tip darker than the rest or than normal?not any darker than when I got him his tail is darker and duller than his body( not stiff or anything)
Walking/moving normally?yes
Any physical features that do not appear normal?no just some times he gets dark for like 1 to 10 min. then almost before your eyes he brightens back up
From Breeder or Pet Store? (this may make a difference)breeder
Has he every been treated by a vet,
If yes, for what and what meds were used/dosed and time if know?going monday
Basking or sleeping during the day? basking most of the time
Is he going to the bathroom, how often?once a day
If not, when was the last time?
Is it formed/normal or runny/smelly runny smelly
Alone or with others?alone
If with others, what sex"?
Soaking or misting at all and how often?soaking him for 10 to 15 min. once a week and for a few min if he has not gone poo by around 7pm

ENCLOSURE
Set up info tank size?40 gal breeder will be making 24x48x24
Temps -what do you use for heat?just under 100 on hot side (the thermometer is close to the basking site but it could be hotter there) 85 on cool side I use a 100watt reptasun basking light and a 100watt night light they both go off at 10pm
Basking point?not sure see above
Cool area?see above
What are you measure it with?the analog termometer
What Substrate?unprinted news paper
UVB Lights type (detailed) what brand, model, and length or wattage is
How old?18 inch reptisun 10.0 just got it a week ago
How close to UVB light when he bask?10 inches
What hours for day/night?on 8am to 10pm
Do you use any type of nighttime heat, if so what?no it stays around 70

FOOD
How is his appetite? IS there a change?its great, no
What size, kind and how many/much insects does he eat daily?40 to 60 1/2 inch crickets a couple meal worms every other day or so
What do you feed the insects normally?every thing he gets for salad
Is the dragon eating greens/veggies?not a lot but yes, every day
What and how much?chopped collared, green leaf lettuce, red swis chard,a little grated zucchini and some fruit(fruit varies;occasional apple,cactus fruit,banana) and once or twice a week I add some grated carrots
Supplements?
What kind of calcium/how often?rep-cal cal. with D3 on the first cricket feeding every day
What kind of vitamins how often?rep-cal herptivite on second feeding two to three times a week
How are these given to him?see above

Is there any additional information that might be of use? The more you can tell us, the better others can help you with suggestions.

*Copyright Cheri Smith, The Reptile Rooms ©2006 The above may not be reproduced in part of whole without written consent by the copyright holder. It may be linked to from other locations with acknowledgement

Hi and thanks for filling out that lengthly questionaire.

Here are some answers to your questions.. I am sure that if I miss somthing someone else will jump right in and cover it.

I notice that you are building a larger viv... thats good as the 40 breeder will get very small very quickly.

There is no need for a night light.....Dragons sleep when you do... so if you have your lights on timers... off at the same time in the pm and on at the same time in the am. Keep it consistent... about 12 hours on and off.

The darkening of his skin maybe a few things...He could be stressed and therefore his beard will turn black and his belly spotted... or he may be cold. If you find that he is dark while basking... you may want to check your temps on his basking side... the temps should be between 110-115 and on the cool side, about 75-80.

If your night time temps dont drop below 65, there is no need for a CHE (ceramic heat emitter). Dragons need the cool drop at night, its healthy for them

At 6 months he should be eating every day, if feeding crickets, feed as many as he will eat in a 10 minute time span.

You should be dusting your feeders with calcium powder WITHOUT D3 5x a week and multi powder 2x a week. Too much D3 is very dangerous and could be deadly... he should be getting plenty of D3 from your UVB bulb.

10 Inches is too far, try moving it so that its at least 8 inches from his basking area.

Good luck and keep us posted.

I feed him twice a day with crix and and as of today some wax worms but am trying to find silk worms. I can't find a cal powder without D3.but I will keep looking, any brands you suggest?. should I stop feeding him that cal powder? and should I really feed him as many crix as he can eat out of a dish in 10 min? he will not chase them. how am I supposed to get the light closer? it is on top of the cage and he has a tall log he sits on it still only gets about ten inches from him. when I build him his cage I will make platforms but I don't know what I can do now? my problem with the temps is even a 150 watt bulb doesn't bring the temps up to 110,so I have a night bulb and basking light on in Day(nothing on at night) what should I do?
thanks,
Erin

Hi I noticed you are from N.E, i am from MASS. You can go to PetSmart and see if they carry Jurassi-Cal. It is calcium, minus the D3.

Okay, everyone on this board knows I am crazy for MVB...(mercury vapor bulbs). These bulbs are expensive but well worth it. The bulb supplies both uvb and heat.. no need for the strip light to supply the D3. It also is very hot... so if you do buy one, a deep dome light fixture and suspension would be necessary. I actually have an extra suspension, If you want to buy it from me, I will ship it to you. Also with the MVB you will eliminate all the wires and lights.... and have just the MVB on the basking side and nothing on the cool side (unless its dark on that side.. you can always rigg a small stick up plug in light..too... thats what I did.

If you do decide you want a MVB you can go www.herpsupplies.com. The ExoTerra Solar Glo 160w is what I have and it is suspeded about 12-15 inches from Elliots head to the bulb. They are about $30 and you need to change them every 6-9 months. Well worth the money.

If you heat is good and your UVB is plenty, you have a happy dragon!

Please let me know what you think.



Ps. I would cut back on the calcium d3 for a bit until you get some without the d3. Let me know how you make out.