Newbie in need of help with lizard and enclosure

[Sofoula88]

Ok so I wanna buy a baby bearded dragon for my first lizard,I will most likely have a 3ft tank and will probably get it from my local pet store..basically I need to kno all there is about keeping my lizard healthy and happy,I have read lots of books and all have different takes so néed to know what are the best things to buy and which ones..things such as lights,heating,thermostat,food,vitamins etc here are some of my main concerns/questions..
1-what exactly do I need in terms of lighting/heating..do I need basking lamps,heat Matt,heat globes,uv lights etc..there are so many different products on the market it's abit confusing to me..
2- I know that 1 side has to be hotter than the other but how does the temp work? What should I have my thermostat at..eg how many degrees,should I have it on all the time or only for a certain amount of hrs? This also applies for uv light and or any other lights/heating devices I may need
3-what is best food to start my lizard off on?how many times should I feed it and should I buy vitamins also? I have also read things such as fruit and vegetables are good for them and should be Inc in there diet.. I was basically thinking of having it on mixture of crickets for protein and fruit m vegies also,but which ones are realli best and should it be chopped/shredded into very small pieces?
I know most of these questions would probably be answered if I went to my pet store but they realli haven't seemed to know as much as I think they should and were not really any help..so if any1 could help me out would be great..also if there's any tips or things u think I should know please tell me,would appreciate it
thanks

 

[GeckoJosh]

Try Wiki
if you still have questions after then feel free to ask

 

[Chris1]

firstly u may as well start with its adult enclosure, you can always partition it off if it seems too big for it as a baby.
the recommended size is at least 4X2x2 foot, make sure its well ventilated.

beardies need a basking spot of around 38-42C, set up on one side of the enclosure so it will naturally be close to room temp on teh other side. u will need to test temps as u set it up, my thermostats are generally set on 26, but actually heat to 34, not sure how that works but get it right with a thermometer to be sure.


they need UVB light, and the need to get within a certain range of it, so keep that in mind when setting up your enclosure.

a few caves, things to climb and vines will keep ur beardy entertained and happy.

while its young dont NOT use any loose substrates and they can cause impactions, line the cage in newspaper till its bigger, then you can consider somethign that looks nice.

while its growing dust food with calcium for one of the daily feeds4-5 times a week and vits 1-2 times a week.
offer crickets, as much as ur beardy will eat for 10 mins 2-3 times a day, but make sure lights are on fro 2 hours after the evening feed to help them digest it.
make a salad each morning so it can nibnble on something thru out the day, asian greens, butternut pumpkin, capsicum, green beans, snow peas, and yep, bite sized pieces.

NEVER use spinach, it binds calcium absorption. avacado and rhubarb are considered deadly to them.

some people have set times for theirs all year round, i tend to go with the sun.

and dont forget to post pix! We all love pix!

 

[Sofoula88]

Thanks will def take that on board..also the enclosure I want to buy dosent seem to have fittings in it..is it easy to make fittings or should I just buy 1 with then already in it..the thing is most I see have their lights and gloves very close together..so I think maybe it would be better I'd I did it myself coz I could make a distinct line on where I want the heat to be and where not to..but if it's alot of work I'll go the other option..

 

[Sofoula88]

Oh and what you said about it being ventilated,from waht I can see on this particular e closure it has 2 small holes in the front which I'm assuming are vents but that's all..is that bad???

 

[Dragon_Lover_85]

Sofoula, what Chris says is great advice. Definately go with doing your own fittings if you are capeable to do so as they are simple as and at least then they'll be wher you want them. 2 small vent holes is not enough no they need lots of vent so as not to build up humidity. Dont bother asking a pet shop for advice as most will try sell you expensive unnessessary products that will be of no benifet whatso.
IMO like chris said simple effective set up inc 10uvb or murcury vapour, heat lamp depend on enclosure size (1 from bunnings is enough). Food/Water dishes, a hide or 2 (these can be simply made at home with various items if your on a budget) log 4 climbing. I use artificial turf for substrate as it is non ingestable thus no impaction and its clean and looks good. Food wise i prefer woodies to crickets as they are far better nutrition.

 

[Sofoula88]

No worries,thanks for your advice dragon lover..btw love ur pic =]

 

[kupper]

sofoula i have a few hatchlings from this year , depending on where you are in victoria your welcome to come and have a look at my setups ect and rack my brain . always happy to help

 

[Sofoula88]

I live in Brunswick ..I know most ppl on here live a fair distance from me...guess there aren't too many reptile enthusiasts in Brunswick..lol but depending where you are I might make the trip if it's not too far..if not maybe you could send me some pics?