(Part 2) Top products from r/BeardedDragons

> Regarding the heat mat, this is something that we have underneath the bottom glass of his viv, with a layer of felt on top of the glass so he doesn’t have direct contact with any of the heat elements.

Well, looks like I've got egg on my face then! Okay, way less concerning but!

>We live in the north of England, do you think it would be fine to take away the heat mat during the night and him have no heat source, or could you suggest an alternative?

Heat matters, and you are on the right course with paying attention for nighttime heating matters! If your house drops under 19C at any time, then supplemental heat is a requirement! 19C isn't some magical "they will die" number, but it gives them a nice healthy minimum safe range, below which we can have problems!

The issue then, comes with how we give them this heat. Bearded Dragons are hard wired little lovable scalebabies. They do things because they are programmed to. For instance, light == warmth to them. If they are cold, they will go to sources of light (thus why heat lamps are great! And making sure your UV tube runs along next to it gets you double the benefit!). Likewise, if they are hot, they will avoid light, and go down. They will seek out the lowest point they can, to beat the heat.

See how that might be a problem? If the primary source of heat at night is under his tank, his brain doesn't understand how to cope and he will drive himself to the least comfortable place he can. Woops!!

What you really want to offer to keep him over 19C at night is something like this. Ceramic Heat Emitters screw into a normal light socket, so you can treat it just like your already existing heat lamp. The plus here, is that they produce zero visible light. This means that it's fine to use at night, as it wont disrupt their sleep!

It's not a replacement for your basking lamp (once again, that light helps drive good behavior and lets him become comfortable!). But it's an awesome addition to a vivarium when your house cannot provide safe temperatures on it's own!

Buy one, get yourself a fixture to mount it around the middle of his tank to keep everything safe at night, and slap that puppy on a timer! If you are worried about getting things just right, you can over buy the wattage on the bulb, and then use something like this to tune it just perfect for your baby!

Again, Y wish you all the best luck in figuring out what's wrong here. I hope it's some environmental thing that you can identify and correct with this dude! It sucks when we mess up, but it's so nice when we get to fix it!!!

I see you got the paper up! Hopefully that will help. :)

I don't know if that particular fixture has a feature that you need, but if you are just looking for a fixture to use with the 18 inch Reptisun, here are some cheaper options: Home Depot, Amazon, Lowe's.

Thank you for reminding me about the Petco sale! I need to pick up some tanks while it's going on.

Please confirm for me that you are using this calcium supplement, and not this multivitamin in a calcium base.

It's possible that some of Ryuu's issues are due to a vitamin deficiency. This article touches on the subject. In addition to the calcium w/D3 five times per week (a pinch once a day), you should start giving him a multivitamin (as soon as possible). He should get the multivitamin twice a week (a pinch once a day). I recommend Herptivite as it uses a safe form of vitamin A. Petsmart carries it in stores (as least around here).

From what I understand you want to feed however much she can eat for 10 minutes. When I fed mine crickets I had a spare 10 gallon tank that I kept them in so I would just stick her in the cricket tank to eat to her hearts delight and then put her back once she stopped eating. Worked out way better than chasing down cricket that she didn't eat. You don't want to leave the bugs in overnight because they will nibble on your beardie while she is asleep.


I recently bought this temp gun to keep track of her basking area. I was pretty sure that the temp was right because she opens her mouth when she basks but the gun gives me more comfort to know the exact temp. http://www.amazon.com/Etekcity-Lasergrip-774-Non-contact-Thermometer/dp/B00837ZGRY

I also bought a separate stand and light fixture to set up in my bedroom so she can run around in my room. There aren't any places she could get stuck in my room and after running around a bit she always comes back to the basking spot in my room.

You don't have to buy the reptile bulbs for a heat lamp, you just want the uvb which you will have with the zilla light. The heat light I use now I bought from Wal-Mart and it heats the tank better than the mercury vapor bulb I had before. They have them at Walmart and probably any feed stores because they are often used to keep chicks warm. http://www.walmart.com/ip/GE-250W-Heat-Lamp-Red/16911779

Also you can get an inexpensive light fixture from either home depot or lowes. Clamp Lamp

Also if she is a girl you want to make sure you dust her food with calcium powder. The reptile specific ones are pretty expensive so I bought this at amazon a few years ago and I still have a ton of it.

If you want to keep your crickets hydrated instead of buying those cricket water crystals just buy Non-toxic ones My first bag I bought in 2013 and didnt need to buy a new bag until 2015 and that is because I am raising my own Dubias now.

Alright! So that fixture itself isn't bad, but the UVB bulb that is in there probably isn't great. There is a bunch of research that suggests those coil style UVB bulbs aren't great for our beardies and don't cover the tank in enough UV. This hood is what we use along with this bulb. This light should be on during the day and turned off at night. General consensus is at least 12 hours on. That hood may come with a bulb already, but if it does, it's probably the 5.0 which isn't strong enough for bearded dragons. That why I gave the link to the 10.0 version. This bulb should be replaced once a year even if still illuminates, as the capacity to produce UV diminishes after about a year.

The other thing in the fixture may be a CHE (ceramic heat emitter). If it just generates heat but no light, then that is what that is. You really only need that if the tank temperature drops below 75-70 degrees F. Make sure not to use any red or any lights at night as bearded dragons can see color and it will disrupt their sleeping.

Finally, it sounds like you don't have a basking light. Even though your house stays pretty warm, beardies still need a basking spot of around 105 degrees F. In the now empty spot where your old UVB bulb was, you can use one of these. Some people just use flood lights from Home Depot or elsewhere, just make sure it's not an LED one. You can use this light dimmer to control the light output to get the basking spot to the correct temperature. I would recommend this infrared temperature gun to check for the correct temperatures during the day and at night.

Lighting is one of the biggest things for bearded dragons and can take some time to get set up correctly. It's good to ask questions and research! I still learn new things about beardies all the time. I'll get pictures of our setup tomorrow and show you. I would tonight, but our babies are already sleeping!

One last thought, as some others have said, if you have an exotic vet nearby, it certainly wouldn't hurt to have Ember checked over. They can check for parasites or other issues before they become a problem.

as others have mentioned relocation stress is a thing. they sometimes don't eat for the first few days you have them. but getting them comfortable will speed up your time table a little bit.

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I highly recommend you live feed them some feeder insects https://dubiaroaches.com/collections/bearded-dragons you can get the baby bearded dragon variety pack and it seems to be a pretty balanced diet for baby beardies. it has baby Dubai roaches and nutriworms or soldier fly larva whatever you want to call them.

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Here are my recommended reads from the sidebar for new dragon tamers

• basic cheat sheet https://imgur.com/a/CrvIE
  
• to determine if food is good or bad for your dragon check out this link http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Nutrition.html
  
• Guide on Bearded dragons https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B4-LK25H4wfvMFJTVXJZaUExT3M/edit
  
  i think pet smart calls dubia roaches spotted roaches if I remember right. they are expensive there though thats why I linked the site. the problem with shipping roaches is they might die when it is to cold out so you have to get them inside asap I use a cricket container to hold them since they can't fly they tend to climb into the tubes it makes it easier to feed them. I like to have 2 containers so that between shipments i can clean out the containers without having to deal with them.
  
  ​
  
  Hope this helps :D

It is this guy I found on Amazon the other day. It's made of styrofoam and held up by strong magnets. Super neat! I like it a lot and so does the dragon!

It might help to get a longer tube one that would go almost the entire length of the tank, that way he is able to still get uvb light on the cool side.

It might also be worth looking into a Mercury Vapor bulb, they put out a lot of UVB light and I have heard they can help with MBD, don't get one from a pet store though, they are super expensive.

https://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-PowerSun-Mercury-Vapor/dp/B0002AQDJK/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1494350837&sr=8-4&keywords=mercury+vapor+bulb

$100 in a pet store versus $40 on amazon, they are robbers.

This one!

I mounted it with a bunch of adhesive strips from leftover command hooks, worked like a charm! The bulb shield/cover was super easy to remove, too.

I wouldn't go with a Mercury Vapor Bulb. Most pet stores sell them for around 80+ USD where I live, and the possible negative affects that are starting to appear make them seem like the new money scheme (kinda like how the tiniest bit of research will show you how calcium sand is bad, but it makes money so it's still on shelves).

Here is a brief explanation of some of their side affects:
"Use UVB Mercury Vapor basking lights with caution. They typically have spikes through the UV spectrum; so although not necessarily a health risk, it is not as consistent as other bulbs. Additionally, their wavelengths are typically shorter than sunlight, and that can potentially cause cell damage & photo-kerato-conjunctivitis. Because the need to place them high enough so the UV doesn’t damage the animal, the heat it produces generally dissipates and is often not sufficient to heat the area. This may result in the animal staying under the basking light longer than necessary, exposing them to too much UV, leading to the above issues. The minimum recommended distance is at least 12 inches (30cm) between the bulb and the animal. Many bulbs experience UV decay, which means that the UVB output is reduced after about 10 days of use, effectively requiring a max of 12 inches in order to be effective. Most produce spikes of long-wave UVA and some produce short-wave UVA, but most are low output of this light, which is visible to reptiles."
( source )

I would personally recommend a combination of these products: Zoo Med Deluxe Porcelain Clamp Lamp, Zoo Med 150w Basking Light, (Make sure you get the correct size, this one is for a 36 Inch long tank Zoo Med OS36 T8 ReptiSun UVB 10.0 HO Light, (Again, remember to check the size) Zoo Med ReptiSun® Terrarium Hood, 36-Inch, and, because you said it wasn't warm enough with one light, I'd recommend Zoo Med Ceramic Heat Emitter paired with
Zoo Med Wire Cage Clamp Lamp to raise the ambient temperature.

Of course, I'm not saying you have to get these things, but they are just a few of my recommendations. Good luck! (Hope I got all that formatting right)

These are what I have for my 40 gallon breeder:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003UV8T90/ref=mp_s_a_1_fkmr1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1467312091&sr=8-2-fkmr1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=zoomed+reptisun+terrarium+hood+36

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001F97J86/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1467312218&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=reptisun+10.0+36&dpPl=1&dpID=41vpQCn7RdL&ref=plSrch

The 36" fits the 40gal breeder perfectly across the whole length, so there is UV light everywhere. The reptisun 10.0 bulb seems to be the best, according to my research. I replace the bulb about every 6 months

https://www.amazon.ca/Zoo-Med-ReptiSun-Terrarium-36-Inch/dp/B003UV8T90

This is the exact fixture, from ZooMed, designed to fit a 36" Reptisun t8 bulb.

Edit: Alternatively, if you're feeling creative, you can buy plug ends at the hardware store and turn a "hardwire" fixture into a plug-in one. PM me if you want help with that.

Heat packs like this for warmth would be good

Uniheat Shipping Warmer 40+ Hours (4pack) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006YEX6MA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_HyDADbE0TPCS6

Will your mother let you keep [roaches] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nedCYxxfd5g)? They live longer than crickets do, are easier to take care of, do not make as much noise, and do not smell as bad as crickets do. It takes a few months to get a colony started but once you have a colony you never have to buy feeder insects again.


Instead of buying cricket feed, if you have a feed store nearby you can feed your insects a mixture of chicken feed, calcium, and fish food. You mainly want to feed the insects a diet that is high in protein so dry dog or cat food will also do for feeding insects.

For moisture you can cut up potatoes and toss those in the bin or you can buy [water crystals] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0051V22VS/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) One package will last you a while, can just put a couple of spoonfuls of the crystals into a clean empty milk jug and fill it with water. These crystals allow your feeder insects to drink water without drowning.

https://www.amazon.com/Exo-Terra-Cricket-Pen-Size/dp/B0073KOGOG/ref=br_lf_m_ww83k73y62454pn_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&s=pet-supplies is my favorite of the 2 I use. They only say for 100 but we have done a bit over 250 and almost none died they just crawl like 40-50 in each of 4 tubes and then rest at bottom. You wouldn't be able to keep 250 all the time but we buy them that many and after a day or 2 it's down to more manageable numbers

Please go over the Care Guide and pay particular attention to the temperature and lighting requirements. Tube UVBs and good thermometers are a must as light and heat drive all aspects of her metabolism especially appetite.

Has your vet not given you Carnivore Care food? You can buy it yourself and force feed- have one of the techs show you how.
But review your temperatures first- if that basking spot is not 105-110ºF she won't have an appetite no matter what you do.

I'd also try black soldier fly larvae- they are small and easy to eat.
Stop the fruit- the sugar isn't good for her gut when she is healthy, never mind after meds.
Get some Bene-Bac probiotic gel instead- the meds destroy the gut flora and they feel crummy. This will fix that.
Reptaid wouldn't hurt either.

Go to Amazon and get this Good Earth Lighting Fluorescent 36-inch Plug in Under Cabinet Light Bar - 25W - Equivalent to (2) 60W Incandescent Bulbs - 3000K Soft White - White https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Z5RS9K6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_sw1tvVy3u1vS6
It's a great mount and it's cheap. Just take out the bulb it comes with and get a reptisun 18" bulb

Fluker's Ceramic Heat Emitter 100 Watt https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002DHO6S/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_AVjbvb0AP9PCN

Zeus and hades each have one of these
They work very well. :)

Good Earth Lighting 36-inch Plug In Under Cabinet Light Bar https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Z5RS9K6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_B1F-AbZKBSFV7 this is the one I’m using for a 36 inch reptisun 10.0 T8 and yeah I struggled for a bit myself lol basically had to settle for this

Don't put her in a cage for the move - instead, a good cardboard box with air holes is a better idea. She'll sleep the whole way. What you should do is get a crapload of handwarmers (or better yet, a few of these), wrap them in towels, and put your beardie on top of the towels. That will keep them from burning her, but keep her toasty for the ride.

Yup, that CHE will work. But honestly how cold does it get in your house at night? I don't run any kind of night heat and my guy is good, it naturally gets pretty damn cold at night where they naturally live. Doesn't get below 68 really at night. And I would recommend something more like this http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000HJ75PW/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1458077738&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=t8+light+fixture+ge&dpPl=1&dpID=31%2BLp4bBp7L&ref=plSrch. You can find under cabinet light fixtures like these at Walmart, Home Depot, anywhere really. They're much slimmer, actually allowing it to be mounted inside the tank, and much cheaper. With that particular one I linked you would have to remove the plastic cover, but no big. The fixture you linked is a hood that sits over the screen, and the screen filters out most of the UBV which you absolutely do not want. That's really all they sell with pet branded stuff.

My girl barely ate greens for two years. Then I bought this and sprinkled some on greens and she devoured them!

Stakich BEE POLLEN POWDER 1 lb (16 oz) - 100% Pure, Natural, Top Quality - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001LQZOJO?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

Magnaturals 37096 Rock Ledge Extra Strength Magnets, Large, Mojave https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003712U1Q/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_y.fOBb43P1FMP got it from here. They have magnets that you put on the outside of the tank so you can put it were you want.

This is the one I use. You can use any one really, just make sure that it does NOT have the auto shut-off feature. A lot of them do, so you have to be careful when buying. Push button ones usually have auto shut-off and dial or slider switch ones usually don't.

https://www.amazon.com/Sunbeam-731-500-Heating-UltraHeat-Technology/dp/B00075M1T6/ref=cm_sw_em_r_cawdotod_rz58wb087954H_tt

Try getting a plug in dimmer. They're inexpensive and very useful. I used one when I realized my light was making the basking spot too hot.

https://www.amazon.com/Lutron-Credenza-Halogen-Incandescent-TT-300H-WH/dp/B0000BYEF6/ref=asc_df_B0000BYEF6/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=167140365824&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=9496189148103381231&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9009900&hvtargid=aud-801738734305:pla-274342005344&psc=1

Technically you're supposed to purchase it from a vet (and obviously if other insects don't work you'll probably need to visit one) but it's also available on Amazon - this is what I use. I still use it every once in a blue moon - like last month when we had -20 temperatures for a week and the crickets were delayed.

I just have this lamp off of Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009GCQWX2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_Dzt2AbTNQFBNC

And then I'm cheap af so I just cover the top will foil to act as a reflector.

If that doesn't work out, there are different slurries you can buy off Amazon. When we adopted Oscar, our leopard gecko, his little eyes were crusted shut from a failed shed due to the previous owners not taking proper care of him. We had to drop the slurry on his snout a little at a time, and the little guy would lick it off. It's pretty inexpensive. Oxbow Carnivore Care Pet Supplement, 2.5-Ounce https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006H38VZ0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_1HVDCbNTDZEQY

If she’s not a huge greens eater try bee pollen. Luckily my girl eats all her veggies but I heard bee pollen works wonders on picky eaters

Oooh, so something like this guy?

We have her lights automated, wouldn't be too hard to automate one of these on when the light goes off!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002DHO6S/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0002DHO6S&linkCode=as2&tag=bdlife-20

I've got 2 of these and 1 of these. I much prefer the under-tank one, as it's adjustable. The other one sticks to the side of the tank and you can't move it without destroying the adhesive, though you can replace it with adhesive from Home Depot or something.

I bought 1000 superworms off of Amazon and they will last 6 months to a year. Only $22

Worms on Amazon

18 inch tube and I meant burned on the uvb I was told to get a fixture like this instead of what I have no which is just an aquarium lid

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002AQDJK/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A2YKHLMXRLPQLV

I got this one! :D

https://www.amazon.com/Penn-Plax-Reptology-Lizard-Lounger-Small/dp/B013T6XPHQ/ref=sr_1_3?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1483939138&sr=1-3&keywords=reptile+hammock

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00002N5H5/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?qid=1422143247&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX200_QL40&dpPl=1&dpID=213N0CKQRAL&ref=plSrch

This is similar - https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B013T6XPHQ/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1491709053&sr=8-2&keywords=bearded%2Bdragon%2Bhammock&th=1&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B013T6XPHQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_a45rDbGSHYTYR

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000HJ75PW/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1518407818&sr=8-4&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=ge+18+inch+under+cabinet+light&dpPl=1&dpID=31%2BLp4bBp7L&ref=plSrch for the light. Take off the plastic cover and swap out the bulb for this one https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0009YJ3BE/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1518407889&sr=8-1&keywords=reptisun+10.0+uvb+bulb+18+inch&dpPl=1&dpID=31D3k2zmWTL&ref=plSrch

I use this calcium 5x a week for a single feeding:

https://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-Calcium-Vitamin-Reptile/dp/B005FTMHFC/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_199_bs_t_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=49KCZE8NNZY8RZNW9K61

I use this vitamin powder 2x a week for a single feeding:

https://www.amazon.com/HERPTIVITE-Multivitamin-reptiles-amphibians-Bottle/dp/B00076HT3S

I've never checked the temps, but maybe a medical heating pad? We use this as our beardie doesn't like heat on his belly.