Newbie questions

Discussion in 'Bearded Dragons' started by philip, Aug 20, 2013.

  1. philip

    philip Embryo

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    I'm getting a beardie in a few weeks (as soon as he/she is 8 weeks old) and am building my own 48x24x24 vivarium. These questions may have already been answered but a search did not turn anything up, so if it's a repeat, I apologize.

    1. I'm making my own faux rock background and am planning to build a built-in hide on the hot side of the vivarium. Is this correct or should it go on the cool side?

    2. I'm going to use a mvb light/heat bulb (probably Zoo Med Powersun). How do I determine what wattage bulb to use? 100w or 160w? I will be able to adjust the height of the basking platform.

    3. Will the mvb provide enough visible light for the entire vivarium (not uvb/uva but just light) or should I put an undercounter florescent light on the cool side?

    4. My son has painted a desert scene on the parts that will not be covered by the faux rock with child-safe acrylic paint. I plan on sealing it with a water based polyurethane varnish to make cleaning/disinfecting possible without hurting the paint. Will this be safe for the beardie?

    Thanks!
     
  2. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  3. Tim3skimo

    Tim3skimo New Member

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    Hey!


    1. I think they're supposed to have one on the hot side and the cold side, since reptiles have to move between hot and cold to regulate their temperature.

    2. Hmm... I don't really know Philip, hope someone can advise on that.

    3. I think it should provide enough light. Will the vivarium have UVB and stuff too? Since beardies need that, I believe.

    4. Yes I believe so.


    My knowledge on beardies and vicarious building is limited. Good luck :)
     
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  4. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  5. spaceboy

    spaceboy Well-Known Member

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    I'm in a bit of a hurry so I cant answer all the questions just yet, but I'll say that think twice if building a built in hide. It could be a hassle to clean, and also of the beardie is hiding in there and you really need to get him out of there it could be quite a hazzle!
     
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  6. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  7. Tim3skimo

    Tim3skimo New Member

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    Yeah is agree with spaceboy, I didn't think about that.
    I have a friend that made a built in house for his leopard geckos, like an underground cave. And they ended up using it as a toilet...
     
  8. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  9. philip

    philip Embryo

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    Thanks for the info! I'll make the hide "removable" .
     
  10. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  11. Tim3skimo

    Tim3skimo New Member

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    Good luck :)
     
  12. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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    Hello Philip! And welcome to the boards = ) I'll elaborate with some personal experiences in addition to what the others have said.


    1) The others got this one: you will not want a built-in hide for the reasons spaceboy pointed out. Also, having a hide for bearded dragons on each side seems to be fairly subjective. It certainly wouldn't hurt if space allows, but because bearded dragons spend the vast majority of their day sitting under their basking spot, a single hide is usually adequate to retreat to at night when ambient temperatures throughout the enclosure are uniform. Once they are comfortable with their enclosure, some just sleep out in the open anyway.

    2) You'll have to play around with the wattage; it is difficult to advise you on a specific wattage bulb as there are numerous factors that come into play. Your ambient house temperature, the type of enclosure, the distance from the basking surface, the type of basking spot, the type of bulb and wattage, etc. My best advice would be to look into the return policy at the store and purchase both bulbs, record the peak temperatures of each in the enclosure, then return the one that doesn't work out.

    Be sure to get yourself a digital thermometer with a probe or a tempgun to measure temperatures accurately. Some of the thermometers sold in pet stores can be wildly inaccurate, especially those that "stick-on" the glass. You want to shoot for a basking spot temperature of ~105. Babies can handle things a bit hotter and you can aim for a 105-110 F range, while adults prefer things a bit more in the 100-105 range. It must be able to reach at LEAST 95 for proper digestion, and quite preferably higher for these sun-loving herps.

    If you can adjust the height of the basking platform voluntarily, this might make the decision easier. I personally use a 100w Powersun in an enclosure that is 48" x 24" x 18" and under my household conditions get a basking spot of right around 107 at 12" away. Just remember that Mercury Vapor Bulbs (MVB's) such as the Powersun are high-output UVB bulbs... they are great bulbs, but remember that the dragon should not be allowed to get any closer than 12" of the bulb due to the high output at the center of the cone.

    3) Beardies do love light, and while it may be possible to get by with the single bulb, I've personally found it to be a bit dim for a 48" enclosure. I personally run a 100watt Powersun for basking/heat/UV purposes and a regular household fluorescent bulb across the length of the enclosure purely for supplemental lighting. So if it is in your power, then yes, the extra light will be appreciated = )

    4) Go with a water-based Polycrylic protective finish if you can. It will dry faster and you will not need to worry about the fumes as much. Polyurethane sprays can take ages to safely air out all of the fumes for enclosure use.
     
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  13. philip

    philip Embryo

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    Great info, Jeff. Thank you so much!
     
  14. Misti Mayhem

    Misti Mayhem New Member

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    Just got a Bearded Dragon yesterday from a friend who just no longer has the time. I named him Falkor, after the dragon in Neverending Story :) I know he's a male, my friend guesstimates he is about 6-7 years old. He came to me on sand, but I'm going to switch him out to tiles. He seems quite happy, slept very well last night. He has been eating a Spring Mix salad (romaine and spinach, with spinach taken out) and dusted crickets. He woke up with an appetite this morning. Now he's on his branch. The branch he is on is at 90 degrees F. Any tips/advice/anything is appreciated, he is my first!! Thanks ya'll!! 1150168_10151906479552578_1738097228_n.jpg 1231440_10151905142037578_1830471051_n.jpg 1234495_10151905557407578_1800652903_n.jpg 1236634_10151905136632578_1119910660_n.jpg
     
  15. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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    Hey Misti and Falkor, welcome to the forum! He looks lovely = )

    I'd first suggest bumping up the basking temperature...shoot for roughly ~105 and be sure you are measuring temperatures accurately with either a digital thermometer or tempgun. Adults like things in the 100-105 range and can sometimes have difficulty with digestion when they aren't allowed to a hot spot above 95. That being said, it looks like Falkor is gaping in a couple of the photos so he may be warm enough. As long as he is alert, active, feeding and defecating regularly you are probably fine.

    This website will help you with salad choices for daily feedings, its a fantastic resource:
    http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Nutrition.html
     
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  16. Misti Mayhem

    Misti Mayhem New Member

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