bearded dragons

[Reptilegirl]

Hey everyone.
Ok... I’m getting 4 central bearded dragon hatchies next week and I just want to make sure I have everything set up right... and maybe ask a few questions... :wink:

To start with, when I get them I’m not sure if I should put them in my 3ft tank or just a nice big plastic tub?? In the tank I have sand for substrate, water and food bowls, branches, rocks and lots of hidey holes... I've heard to start with it’s best not to have too much in their enclosure and also sand isn’t good for young ones... So that’s why I thought a tub with paper for substrate and few branches and hides in it would be better to start with... what do you think?

I have a uv light and a basking spot light… I have both rep-cal calcium and herptivite, I have Juvenile Bearded Dragon Food (but I think they will be eating more fresh food then pellets) I also have a colony of SFR (speckled feeder roaches) starting (which will be their main insect food source). I have electrolize supplement for their water and worm rid… Am I missing anything???

Oh and I will be getting a heat mat and thermostat for the SFR... which I can use with the hatchies if need be…
Cheers.
Take care. Have fun.
Megan.

[ad]

Reptilegirl, When co-housing them it is hard to monitor individual food and water intake.
Watch closely for bullying - it will happen. Mist them with water regurlarly, if one is being bullied he wont be allowed to drink so he can get it from the misting.
Enjoy them, they are great characters!
Cheers
Ad

[Jadey]

Hey Are you planning on keeping the 4 together? You may be able to at the start, but dominance issues will probably arise which could be bad for some of your dragons You will also need a huge enclosure if you want to keep them all together as they get older.

Your right about the sand, some people have had their dragons become impacted from eating the sand Your food sounds good, though don't expect hatchies to eat salad right away. I haven't heard of people feeding roaches but I'm sure people do! I think you just have to make sure they are small enough for the beardies to eat
I'm sure someone else with more experience will come along and help, just my 2 cents. Goodluck with your hatchies!

[Nome]

With hatchling beardies being housed together the biggest problem you will have is fighting, not for dominance but they see each other as food, especially toes, feet, and tails.
It can be done by feeding them alot and having alot of room but it's alot more to worry about.
I housed all my beardies in tubs with a UV light over the top and heat mat below until they were about 5 months of age.
The only problem with housing this way is when you have a few hundred beardies then it becomes alot of work.

Becareful housing them together as juvis, another thing with separate housing is you can wait until they are sexed to pair them up.

Steve.

[Reptilegirl]

cheers for the info...

Ad, yeah i have been thinking about giving them one feed a day in seperate containers so i can make sure they all get a good feed while still having food available to them through out the day. and yep i'll be misting them too...

Jadey, yep i plan to keep them all together.... i actually plan to get more of them and yup i have a nice big enclosure for when they are big enough... its about 2mx2mx2m... and in the next 6 months i plan to have about 3 or 4 more enclosures of that size (if not larger) so i should have plenty of room for them all

Nome,

Originally Posted by Nome

It can be done by feeding them alot and having alot of room but it's alot more to worry about.

so do you think that i should keep them in my tank rather then a tub for more room? and food shouldnt be a problem... i'll keep them nice and full
i'll keep an eye on them and if i notice any bulling i'll seperate them...


How long do you think untill the tank wont be big enough for them??? do you think they'll be old enough to move outside (i live on the far north coast of nsw so it's quite warm here) or will i have to get another tank and seperate them into pairs?? and how old is the best age to try and sex them?
thanx for all your help...
Take care. Have fun.
Megan

[pugsly]

Pesronally I would get two reptigirl, that way they will settle there differences and there shouldnt be too many probs. As for feeding the best way to do it is to take 1 out at a time and put them in a tub then put the food in the tub for them to eat alone, then do it for the rest, that way no fighting or biting.

I use sand for substrate as do many others they will prob taste it but should be fine really.

Yes you can feed them woodies but as already stated make sure they arent to big, as a good rule make sure the size is smaller than the width between there eyes.

Good luck with them they are beautiful creatures!

[Dicco]

Megan, I would like congradulate you for being so prepared and researching before you get your animals, it's a lot more than I can say for a lot of other people new to the world of reptiles.

[pugsly]

Too right Dicco too right..

[Reptilegirl]

awww.... your making me blush hahahaha. cheers dicco...
thanx pugsley, yeah thats how i plan to feed them now too... and yep i know about food being smaller then the width between there eyes... Cheers
Take care. Have fun.
Megan

[Brodie_W]

Im so proud of you jade

[beknluke]

I think you're goonna be just fine Megan
BTW: I couldn't find any useful info about the Jade plants for you - but I tried for AGES!! lol. Sorry
My lil guys are all about 4.5mths old and I have just separated them into 2 groups. I have 13 all together
I have one group who are slightly smaller, and the bigger ones who can lok after themselves!!
I have always had TOO many roaches in food containers for them all day long. Not one of them are missing a toe or the end of their tails from nips.
And I know that ppl with have HUGELY differend topinions on the following, but my adults happily live in 4x2x2s, so your 2mx2mx2m would be HUGE!! You should be fine with more than 4!!
As for substrate, for the first 6weeks of their life I keep them in the plastic tub (no newspaper) with a couple of branches and a hide. I had a heat lamp on during the day and no night time heat (and I am in Vic!!!) Now they all are on newspaper for ease of cleaning in these different tanks, but buy the time that they're about 8inches (nose to tail), I'll be happy enough to move them on to sand
Good luck hun
Bex

[sobrien]

Yea I agree, night time heat for beardies is a waste of electricity IMO.

[africancichlidau]

Reptilegirl, with your preparation and research you will obviously do the right thing by your animals. I commend you for going about things the right way and wish you all the luck in the world Good on ya hon, well done

[Jenny]

Hi Reptile girl,

I mostly feed mine woodies. I use a takeaway food container as a food dish and have painted a line of Fluon ADI around the top. That stops the roaches from climbing out of the dish and hiding under all the cage decorations.


I put the woodies in the dish every morning and that gives them a generous supply all day long. Whenever they are hungry, they just walk over and eat what they want. Consequently, there is never a 'feeding frenzy" and all of mine have all their toes and tails.

They are very entertaining lizards.

[instar]

I mostly feed mine woodies. I use a takeaway food container as a food dish and have painted a line of Fluon ADI around the top. That stops the roaches from climbing out of the dish and hiding under all the cage decorations.

Thankyou Reptile girl, I never thought of doing that for my frogs till now, always hunting the dam things from under this or that. Good thinking 99 !