# Baby beardie questions?



## dragonfoot (Dec 31, 2011)

Two days ago my brother surprised me with a late Christmas present: my new baby beardie, Ajax. I already had the lights, heat mat and substrate because I wanted one a couple of months ago but my Mum said no. The father was described as more on the white side, and the mother more on the yellow.

My questions are:
1. Is it normal for his colors to be darker in the morning? He's been sleeping on his heat mat, and yesterday and today (around 8am when I check on him) he's darker, but around 10am he's back to his normal, sandy self.

2. When would be the best time to get him out of the tank? It's been two days, I've only been in his tank to offer him food and change his water. I don't want to scare the death out of the little guy so I've just left him to explore and get used to his tank.

Thanks for any advice


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## Leasdraco (Dec 31, 2011)

Hi  
Yes the color will change slightly depending on temperature and mood.If he seems calm,not hiding himself, you should try getting him used to handling.Ive learned from my baby that beardies are pretty cool with being handled even when young.


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## statonb (Dec 31, 2011)

my beardie loves being handled she will sit next to me on the lounge and fall asleep when we watch tv


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## ajandj (Dec 31, 2011)

when i got my beardie, i left him overnight but the next day we started to handle him. He's great, even wwith my 5 year old.
As for colouring, yoda can go from almost black all over (especially if out in the real sun) to a greeny ting to a bright red with golden yellow legs. It's awesome the colours they go.
Just curious, what substrate are you using? Also, you shouldn't need to use a heat mat is your temps are right. Heat mats can cause terrible burns if left unchecked (IMO)


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## black_headed_mon (Jan 1, 2012)

beardys associate heat with light so ditch the heat mat and get a fitting for a globe.also i'd mist him every couple of days to make sure he's hydrated cause from my experience they hardly ever drink still water 

enjoy your new friend!!!


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## dragonfoot (Jan 2, 2012)

Thanks everyone for your replies, the only problem I have atm is that he won't eat properly? He's eaten two crickets, a worm and he had a lick of some tomato earlier. I've had him at least four days now.

Substrate: At the moment I'm using fake grass I got from bunnings because I was worried about impaction. Sort of like outdoor fake landscaping grass. It's not long enough for the crix to hide in the grass, they just seem to go right underneath it.

Lighting: I have two globes on during the day, and at night I have none, this where the heat mat comes in. I have a 26W Exo-terra 10.0 desert coil bulb (I'll replace this as soon as I can after reading that coils can cause eye problems? Someone can correct me?) and the other is the Exo-terra intense basking bulb which is 100W.


Heating: during the night I've been using an 'under the tank heat mat' by reptile one, which is 20W. I've also been using a heat rock that ive been checking daily for cracks incase of electrocution. Unless Ajax has these he doesn't have any source of heat during the night and I'm worried that hell be too cold during the night - he sleeps close to the rock but hardly ever on it.

Anything else: breeder had the clutch on dusted woodies but my local reptile supplier only sells ones that would be much too big, he'd probably choke.

I took him outside today on our drive way for 10-15mins and he seems pretty alert out there, but when I have him out inside he sits on my hand and closes his eyes. Yesterday he did a bit of exploration of my couch, my arms and my shoulder. 

Ive been misting him two to three times a day, but he looks like he's never done it before. He closes his eyes and extends his front legs as if enjoying it, but then he puts his head back down and makes slow licks as if he has an idea of what he's supposed to do, but it seems really difficult for him.

Im sorry about the essay, I just hope I've given enough information for someone to get an idea of what's going on. Thank you again for your replies and any future advice.


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## black_headed_mon (Jan 2, 2012)

he won't need heat at night atm were in summer,anyway i don't heat at night all yr round. what are your temps hot end cool end and baskin spot???? could be why not eatin much or just needs time to settle in.just leave him be for a while except for feeds,ater change and poo's!!!


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## Nezikah (Jan 2, 2012)

My little guys love small crickets and spinich. They go crazy over small crickets. I dust their vegies rather than their insects as it sticks better.


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## dragonfoot (Jan 3, 2012)

The hot end of the tank is about 36-37 and the cooler end would only be a couple degrees cooler due to the heat mat coming on and off throughout the day. Basking spot I think would be about 39-40, but how do I check this properly? I'm just guessing because I have two thermometers fixed at either end of the tank.

Do you think he would benefit from removing the other heating sources during the night and only using the lights during the day? The little guy had a 150W basking bulb but when he was underneath it he wouldn't put his body down, he'd just stand there with his toes raised off the log so I thought it was too strong for his little body and got the 100W.



I haven't tried dusting the veggies yet, he's been so picky. I'm not sure the breeder was even feeding them veg, because when I asked he said he bred woodies, baby Christmas beetles, moths and crickets to feed his. No mention of veggies though, what do you think are some good starter greens? Assuming he's only eaten live food, I don't think the stuff that doesn't move interests him.

Thanks guys, I appreciate all the help I can get!


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## Nezikah (Jan 3, 2012)

My hot spots don't exceed 30 degrees even in their basking spot. My cooler side is currently 24 degrees (room temperature) but I haven't needed to use my heat lights since the beginning of December.

Carefull not to have it to warm as you can burn him.


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## Marlinman (Jan 3, 2012)

be careful not to burn him the temp might be a little high my tanks are only 32 on the hot side for my beardies


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## Heelssss (Jan 3, 2012)

hey dragonfoot,

my babies are approx 8weeks and they will not eat any sort of vegies. If it aint moving then there not interested. babies they need a bit of help with staying hydrated, thats why the misting is great. Though if he looks lethargic just dunk him in a shallow bowl and put his head under the water for a sec (sounds cruel- but this tough love is better than having ur baby dead). Your temperatures are very high. the hot side of my tank is 25-30 and there fine. regarding the closing eyes, until they feel comfortable they will do that. My 6yr old beardy still does that when he wants to be left alone, but very rarely as they love attention. just a rule of thumb make sure the food is no bigger than the space between his eyes!! enjoy ur dragon


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## dragonfoot (Jan 3, 2012)

fangs01 said:


> hey dragonfoot,
> 
> my babies are approx 8weeks and they will not eat any sort of vegies. If it aint moving then there not interested. babies they need a bit of help with staying hydrated, thats why the misting is great. Though if he looks lethargic just dunk him in a shallow bowl and put his head under the water for a sec (sounds cruel- but this tough love is better than having ur baby dead). Your temperatures are very high. the hot side of my tank is 25-30 and there fine. regarding the closing eyes, until they feel comfortable they will do that. My 6yr old beardy still does that when he wants to be left alone, but very rarely as they love attention. just a rule of thumb make sure the food is no bigger than the space between his eyes!! enjoy ur dragon



Hey Fangs01, thanks for the advice with the water bowl. I had considered doing this as drinking seems to confuse him, but didn't want to traumatize him & make him hate me. I am going to try and reduce the tank temps about an hour before I feed him, is this enough time to let him adjust, or should it be longer?



Nezikah said:


> My hot spots don't exceed 30 degrees even in their basking spot. My cooler side is currently 24 degrees (room temperature) but I haven't needed to use my heat lights since the beginning of December.
> 
> Carefull not to have it to warm as you can burn him.



Do you mean that you haven't been using a basking bulb, or that you have an extra bulb for heat that you've taken out for summer? Taking out the only source of heat he has left seems a bit drastic?



mdoorey said:


> be careful not to burn him the temp might be a little high my tanks are only 32 on the hot side for my beardies



I'm going to try and reduce the hot end to about 31, the room my babies are in does get hot on it's own so maybe that's making it worse. Thanks for your concern.


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## Heelssss (Jan 3, 2012)

i only have my uva/b light which is plenty and at night i dont leave anything on as im in sydney and its not cold at all atm but in winter i use the under floor heat mat which works a treat. other than that take him outdoors as much as possible and enjoy him  there a real fun lizard to take care of just keep it simple.


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## black_headed_mon (Jan 3, 2012)

dragonfoot said:


> The hot end of the tank is about 36-37 and the cooler end would only be a couple degrees cooler due to the heat mat coming on and off throughout the day. Basking spot I think would be about 39-40, but how do I check this properly? I'm just guessing because I have two thermometers fixed at either end of the tank.
> 
> Do you think he would benefit from removing the other heating sources during the night and only using the lights during the day? The little guy had a 150W basking bulb but when he was underneath it he wouldn't put his body down, he'd just stand there with his toes raised off the log so I thought it was too strong for his little body and got the 100W.
> 
> ...



hot end 30-32 cool end 24-26 u can do this with a 60w globe.to measure the baskin site u need a infrared temp gun and u can get one pretty cheap on ebay.no heat at night and get rid of the heat mat it's stuffing up your cool end.bok choy,celery tops and endive are good starter vegies and u could try putting a couple of mealworms with the veg to create movement.just keep offering the veg it will get him used to them.babys are 80% protein eaters and then as adults there 80% vegie eaters.


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## thepythonguy (Jan 3, 2012)

I put meal worms under the veggies to give them movement in little over 2 weeks they have started munching on the veggies. I use butternut pumpkin squash and bok choy and about 5 mealworms in a small tray to give lots of movement. The first week or so they picked out the meal worms but now they are smashing the whole bowl of both veggies and meal worms and they are just over 6 weeks old.


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## Nezikah (Jan 3, 2012)

Do you mean that you haven't been using a basking bulb, or that you have an extra bulb for heat that you've taken out for summer? Taking out the only source of heat he has left seems a bit drastic?


Our house is naturally warm (the joy of living near a beach in QLD). Our temperature today in the enclosure is 29 degrees without a heat light. They always have access to a basking light but it is soley that a basking light. It emits very little heat at all. I keep it on between 6 am and 7 pm which is about the same time as the sun goes down atm.

I also allow all the reptiles to time outside to get the natural rays.


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## dragonfoot (Jan 3, 2012)

fangs01 said:


> i only have my uva/b light which is plenty and at night i dont leave anything on as im in sydney and its not cold at all atm but in winter i use the under floor heat mat which works a treat. other than that take him outdoors as much as possible and enjoy him  there a real fun lizard to take care of just keep it simple.



I just checked on the temps then, hot end is 30, cool end is 26. Thank you for the tip on the basking globe, I was actually thinking he may be too cold. So glad I didn't add more heat, I probably would have lost him!



black_headed_mon said:


> hot end 30-32 cool end 24-26 u can do this with a 60w globe.to measure the baskin site u need a infrared temp gun and u can get one pretty cheap on ebay.no heat at night and get rid of the heat mat it's stuffing up your cool end.bok choy,celery tops and endive are good starter vegies and u could try putting a couple of mealworms with the veg to create movement.just keep offering the veg it will get him used to them.babys are 80% protein eaters and then as adults there 80% vegie eaters.


Thanks, do you have a brand of infra-red gun that works particularly well for reptiles? I've just been using a mercury thermometer under the basking globe (it's not there all the time, only when I'm checking the basking temp) but I have turned off the basking globe and temps are how you say they are supposed to be.

I will try the meal worms in with the veg this afternoon when I try and feed him next. At the moment, he's laying on his branch seemingly relaxed so I don't want to disturb him.



thepythonguy said:


> I put meal worms under the veggies to give them movement in little over 2 weeks they have started munching on the veggies. I use butternut pumpkin squash and bok choy and about 5 mealworms in a small tray to give lots of movement. The first week or so they picked out the meal worms but now they are smashing the whole bowl of both veggies and meal worms and they are just over 6 weeks old.


Sounds like the meal worms have work for a lot of people. Was impaction ever a problem? I read on another site that the Chitin from mealies can cause it?



Nezikah said:


> Do you mean that you haven't been using a basking bulb, or that you have an extra bulb for heat that you've taken out for summer? Taking out the only source of heat he has left seems a bit drastic?
> 
> 
> Our house is naturally warm (the joy of living near a beach in QLD). Our temperature today in the enclosure is 29 degrees without a heat light. They always have access to a basking light but it is soley that a basking light. It emits very little heat at all. I keep it on between 6 am and 7 pm which is about the same time as the sun goes down atm.
> ...



I took him outside yesterday for 15-20mins. He seems so much more alert outside, would that be because he's young & on the watch for predators? My water dragon isn't scared of anything, not even my cat. In fact, Smoki is petrified of Tilly, so having a paranoid lizard is a new thing to me, lol.


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## ajandj (Jan 4, 2012)

Nezikah said:


> My hot spots don't exceed 30 degrees even in their basking spot. My cooler side is currently 24 degrees (room temperature) but I haven't needed to use my heat lights since the beginning of December.
> 
> Carefull not to have it to warm as you can burn him.



30 degrees is no where near hot enough for a basking temp. At that temp they are not getting the warmth they need to digest food properly. For a baby beardie it needs to be up around the 40 degrees. when they gte too hot, they move


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## thepythonguy (Jan 4, 2012)

No problems with impactions yet from the mealworms they seem to pass all their waste and are quite regular

the 30 degrees hot end isn't hot enough I tried that and my dragons never seemed to leave their basking rock i positioned the halogen downlight closer and bumped the temps up to 40-45 degrees and they seem to love it alot more active and man they eat set your basking temps higher and let the dragon choose they will thermo regulate their body if they need to


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## ajandj (Jan 4, 2012)

i totally agree, when l first got yoda he was about 6 months old and even 37 for basking temp wasn't enough. As soon as l bumped it to about 40, he started to eat like no mans business. 30-40 small crickets morning and night as well as about 4 tablespoons of greens a day. Now he's on medium crickets and he eats about 20 in one sitting and double the amout of greens.


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## dragonfoot (Jan 4, 2012)

So instead of replying to both of you, ajandj & thepythonguy, I'll reply once?

So what should I do? Do I put the basking lamp back in? At the moment I only have the 10.0uvb and his tank is basically an overall temp of 29-31 (it fluctuates because I didn't think I needed the thermostat - I'm not using any heating because someone earlier said he wouldn't need it during summer? I'm not questioning your advice, I just want to make sure I'm doing the right thing. Sorry :/)

I moved him to a smaller tank, hoping he will feel more secure. He ate one cricket, then got over it.
He doesn't seem to be drinking when I mist him, would that be because he's hydrated enough?

Obviously I've never owned a beardie before, Ajax is my first. I'm sorry if I seem like I'm running circles.

[EDIT]
I asked my brother this morning and he said he thought the breeder said Ajax was only a month and a half old. I'm going to call him tomorrow to find out for sure.


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## ajandj (Jan 4, 2012)

My opinion is that you need to have a UVB bulb or tube (my personal choice is tube), you need to have a basking light. Alot of people including myself use a flood light from bunnings.
They need to bask to be able to digest food. You can pick up a temperature gun on ebay, i paid about $35 for mine. I have basking light at one end of tank and thermostat at the other. My thermostat is set at about 28 degrees, which makes the thermostat end the cool end. The other end is quite a bit hotter (not sure how hot as the radient hesat doesn't matter as much as the basking temp. All my lights go off at between 8 -9pm and i don't run heating summer or winter. Our house seems to stay around 18 degrees even in winter.

After all the babble above, my short answer is buy a IR (infer red) heat gun and give him a basking area again of around 40 degrees. If they get a little hot, they either move to the cool end or they will still bask with an open mouth (to regulate body temp). 

All the adive l have been given from this forum and everything l have been reading points to this.

I mist every second day, i mist yoda as well as his branches. I also bathe once a weekexcept for when he is shedding. During shedding l bathe everyday. If you are concerned that your's isn't drinking enough then give him a luke warm bath, just make sure it's not too deep. Make sure he can hold his head up out of the water because they can drown. I use the basin in my bathroom and yoda lloves his baths now.

BUT REMEMBER THAT THIS IS MY OPINION


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## whatmeworry (Jan 4, 2012)

bit unrelated, but im soo keen to get a beardie!!!

what kind is yours dragonfoot?


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## dragonfoot (Jan 5, 2012)

ajandj said:


> My opinion is that you need to have a UVB bulb or tube (my personal choice is tube), you need to have a basking light. Alot of people including myself use a flood light from bunnings.
> They need to bask to be able to digest food. You can pick up a temperature gun on ebay, i paid about $35 for mine. I have basking light at one end of tank and thermostat at the other. My thermostat is set at about 28 degrees, which makes the thermostat end the cool end. The other end is quite a bit hotter (not sure how hot as the radient hesat doesn't matter as much as the basking temp. All my lights go off at between 8 -9pm and i don't run heating summer or winter. Our house seems to stay around 18 degrees even in winter.
> 
> After all the babble above, my short answer is buy a IR (infer red) heat gun and give him a basking area again of around 40 degrees. If they get a little hot, they either move to the cool end or they will still bask with an open mouth (to regulate body temp).
> ...


Thank you, ajandj. I will bath him if he continues not to drink, and I'm bargain hunting for a temp gun right now. Thank you so much, everyone seems to have clashing idea's and opinions and no two reptiles personalities are the same so it's more of a trial and error, but with this hopefully Ajax and I will be on the road to happiness asap, lol.



whatmeworry said:


> bit unrelated, but im soo keen to get a beardie!!!
> 
> what kind is yours dragonfoot?


hey man, i replied to your message too 

I fairly sure he's just a normal Central beardie. I didn't actually _buy_ Ajax, my brother did as a gift. My brother said that the father was more white and the mother more yellow. I can post a pic?
View attachment 232558

In the photo his colors are a lot darker than they actually are. This was taken just after he was introduced into his new tank.


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## LizardLady (Jan 5, 2012)

dragonfoot said:


> Thanks everyone for your replies, the only problem I have atm is that he won't eat properly? He's eaten two crickets, a worm and he had a lick of some tomato earlier. I've had him at least four days now.
> 
> Hey Dragonfoot!  Firstly, no tomato - way too acidic for their tummies, ESPECIALLY in a young dragon... Stress will "stop" them eating... Stress in the form of handling at a too early stage (give him a week-ten days to settle), incorrect heating/lighting etc...
> 
> ...



NEVER apologise for asking questions - "essay" or not!  That's what we're here for!

Hope this helps!

All the best,
Carolyn



Nezikah said:


> My little guys love small crickets and spinich. They go crazy over small crickets. I dust their vegies rather than their insects as it sticks better.



Please forgive me jumping in here Nezikah, but Spinach is one of the worst greens you can offer... "High in vitamin A (67IU/g), high in oxalates (19:1 ox:ca), goitrogens, QUESTIONABLE"...

I have a Care Sheet, Food Information Chart, and Food Suggestions list - if you'd like a copy, PM me here with your email address, and I'll send it to you - or anyone else who would like it, for that matter! 



dragonfoot said:


> The hot end of the tank is about 36-37 and the cooler end would only be a couple degrees cooler due to the heat mat coming on and off throughout the day. Basking spot I think would be about 39-40, but how do I check this properly? I'm just guessing because I have two thermometers fixed at either end of the tank.
> 
> Do you think he would benefit from removing the other heating sources during the night and only using the lights during the day? The little guy had a 150W basking bulb but when he was underneath it he wouldn't put his body down, he'd just stand there with his toes raised off the log so I thought it was too strong for his little body and got the 100W.
> 
> ...




Just to help us help you further, could you please tell us the size (dimensions) of your enclosure?



dragonfoot said:


> No mention of veggies though, what do you think are some good starter greens? Assuming he's only eaten live food, I don't think the stuff that doesn't move interests him.
> 
> Thanks guys, I appreciate all the help I can get!



PM me with your email addy, and I'll send you some info! 



Nezikah said:


> My hot spots don't exceed 30 degrees even in their basking spot. My cooler side is currently 24 degrees (room temperature) but I haven't needed to use my heat lights since the beginning of December.
> 
> Carefull not to have it to warm as you can burn him.




Basking site temp needs to be much higher than this - if it's not 'warm' enough, your dragon won't be able to digest his/her food properly, and this will cause all sorts of problems...


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## dragonfoot (Jan 5, 2012)

LizardLady said:


> NEVER apologise for asking questions - "essay" or not!  That's what we're here for!
> 
> Hope this helps!
> 
> ...


Thank you, Carolyn. I just feel like I'm bugging everyone with my stupid questions. I thought I had researched enough, but clearly I haven't and I'm paying for it now. Almost time for feeding, for his veggies I'm just going to chop up some boy choy, squash and spinach, see if the lack of anything red and acidic will have him eating.

Is it possible for the crickets I'm offering to be sort of intimidating him? They don't bite him or anything, he just seems ultra weary of their movements because they are so fast. Half the crickets I've been offering I pull off one of the jumping legs so they are easier to chase.


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## LizardLady (Jan 5, 2012)

thepythonguy said:


> I put meal worms under the veggies to give them movement in little over 2 weeks they have started munching on the veggies. I use butternut pumpkin squash and bok choy and about 5 mealworms in a small tray to give lots of movement. The first week or so they picked out the meal worms but now they are smashing the whole bowl of both veggies and meal worms and they are just over 6 weeks old.



Your dragons are too young for mealworms... Just out of curiosity, are you keeping your dragons together? I hope you're aware, that around the age of 2-3 months, you will need to separate them into their own individual enclosures - before you lose toes, tail-tips, or life...



dragonfoot said:


> Thank you, Carolyn. I just feel like I'm bugging everyone with my stupid questions. I thought I had researched enough, but clearly I haven't and I'm paying for it now. Almost time for feeding, for his veggies I'm just going to chop up some boy choy, squash and spinach, see if the lack of anything red and acidic will have him eating.
> 
> Is it possible for the crickets I'm offering to be sort of intimidating him? They don't bite him or anything, he just seems ultra weary of their movements because they are so fast. Half the crickets I've been offering I pull off one of the jumping legs so they are easier to chase.



Bok Choy, Yellow Squash, Butternut Pumpkin, Green Beans, Parsley, Parsnip, Red Capsicum (mainly for the water content, not harmful), Endive, Watercress... NO spinach...
How big are the crickets? No bigger than the space between the dragons' eyes... For his age, you should be using Small crickets...
And the only "dumb" or "stupid" question is the one that's NOT asked!


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## dragonfoot (Jan 5, 2012)

LizardLady said:


> Your dragons are too young for mealworms... Just out of curiosity, are you keeping your dragons together? I hope you're aware, that around the age of 2-3 months, you will need to separate them into their own individual enclosures - before you lose toes, tail-tips, or life...
> 
> 
> 
> ...



The crickets are sized small, but I watched one shed inside the container. The herp breeder was breeding his food for his snakes/lizards so maybe he was feeding Ajax crickets/woodies that are even smaller than the ones I give him. I am calling the man today to ask about Ajax's proper age, and to ask if I could possibly buy Ajax's live food from him? Do you think he would say no?

I did buy some capsicum and put some in his salad yesterday because a friend of mine has an adult female named Steve (long story lol) who absolutely LOVES it, and it's how she got Steve to just chill out when she was out of the cage.


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## LizardLady (Jan 5, 2012)

dragonfoot said:


> The crickets are sized small, but I watched one shed inside the container. The herp breeder was breeding his food for his snakes/lizards so maybe he was feeding Ajax crickets/woodies that are even smaller than the ones I give him. I am calling the man today to ask about Ajax's proper age, and to ask if I could possibly buy Ajax's live food from him? Do you think he would say no?
> 
> I did buy some capsicum and put some in his salad yesterday because a friend of mine has an adult female named Steve (long story lol) who absolutely LOVES it, and it's how she got Steve to just chill out when she was out of the cage.




Oooooh, the freshly shed crickets are AWESOME!  Nice and squishy!  If your breeder "objects" to supplying you with some information, I'd suggest he'd be a "questionable" breeder... I am available for my "people" 24/7, and have absolutely no qualms about it! He "may" prefer to keep his bred livefood stock for his/her babies, and that would be understandable. However, you could at least ask to SEE the size of crickets he's feeding to his babies, so you have a better understanding of what you can do to maintain your dragon's health...

They do seem to enjoy capsicum, and yes, they will pick out certain colours! For what it's worth, try offering your dragon the salad (email sent) first thing in the morning, then dusted crickets at lunch time... This will get him into a solid routine, which you both will benefit! 

Hope this helps!

Best,
Carolyn


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## dragonfoot (Jan 5, 2012)

LizardLady said:


> Oooooh, the freshly shed crickets are AWESOME!  Nice and squishy!  If your breeder "objects" to supplying you with some information, I'd suggest he'd be a "questionable" breeder... I am available for my "people" 24/7, and have absolutely no qualms about it! He "may" prefer to keep his bred livefood stock for his/her babies, and that would be understandable. However, you could at least ask to SEE the size of crickets he's feeding to his babies, so you have a better understanding of what you can do to maintain your dragon's health...
> 
> They do seem to enjoy capsicum, and yes, they will pick out certain colours! For what it's worth, try offering your dragon the salad (email sent) first thing in the morning, then dusted crickets at lunch time... This will get him into a solid routine, which you both will benefit!
> 
> ...



View attachment 232559

View attachment 232560

View attachment 232561


These are some pics of his tank, the last one shows the distance between the spiral "globe" and him. That branch is the closest he can get, the question I have about it is: Will this be as damaging to his eyes? He used to be able to get on the cage, but I've taken that option away because I don't want his eyes to get hurt and I don't have a car (or enough money at the moment) to go out and buy the new globe and fitting.

My Brother has a diamond python, I've read they don't need as much UVB (and some people actually keep them without it?) would it be okay if I used that bar light instead if the spiral light is going to hurt him no matter how far he is from it? And would my brother's Diamond be okay for a day or two while I get my crap together? Otherwise I'll borrow the money from someone lol.


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## LizardLady (Jan 5, 2012)

Hmm, the pics don't seem to want to load for some reason...

Personally, without seeing the pics, I'd still ditch the UV Spiral - just not worth the risk, in my opinion...

Diamonds DO need UV - one of the few Morelia that do - but again, I wouldn't put a spiral UV in with a Diamond either... Again, my opinion... You 'could' get away with not having the UV in the Diamond's enclosure for a short period of time - a couple of days or so - so would be okay for you to get things together! 

Hope this helps!

Best,
Carolyn


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## thepythonguy (Jan 5, 2012)

So what happens when the dragons gets to much uv ? I haven't got a uv light installed in my enclosure I was told by the breeder they only need it every 2-3 days and for one photosynthesis period (daylight hours) So I keep the enclosure next to the window and take them out every weekend for a couple of hours to play in real sun


Lizardlady - only time will tell whether or not the mealworms at this age is bad for them or not but at the moment no impaction problems and their passing waste regular. I haven't found anything that suggest that it could be problem. If you have reference to text or something explaining the impaction of mealworms on hatchy dragons Could you post it please. I don't house my dragons together 2 are in separate 3ft enclosure and the other in 4ft enclosure. I have also sent you a pm for the list of foods and health chart please


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## LizardLady (Jan 5, 2012)

thepythonguy said:


> So what happens when the dragons gets to much uv ? I haven't got a uv light installed in my enclosure I was told by the breeder they only need it every 2-3 days and for one photosynthesis period (daylight hours) So I keep the enclosure next to the window and take them out every weekend for a couple of hours to play in real sun
> 
> 
> Lizardlady - only time will tell whether or not the mealworms at this age is bad for them or not but at the moment no impaction problems and their passing waste regular. I haven't found anything that suggest that it could be problem. If you have reference to text or something explaining the impaction of mealworms on hatchy dragons Could you post it please. I don't house my dragons together 2 are in separate 3ft enclosure and the other in 4ft enclosure. I have also sent you a pm for the list of foods and health chart please



Well, as I mentioned in an earlier post, those spiral UV's tend to "upset" things a little (I think, for memory, there was even a thread here about the effects of those spiral uv's on both dragons and their keeper...)...

As for what you were told by your "breeder", I am sorry, but you have been misinformed. Dragons (any diurnal animal, for that matter) NEED UV, up to 14 hours per day (except in winter) EVERY day, not every two-three... Also, by keeping the enclosure by the window, you are potentially "cooking" the animal, as it will only heat up - no UV gets through glass, plastic etc... By taking them out into the sun every now and then is GREAT, but not enough...

Email sent!

Best,
Carolyn


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## ajandj (Jan 5, 2012)

They cannot get enough UV light thru glass. I agree with Carolyn, they need alot of UV to help with growth and prevent MBD.

Also there are no silly/ stupid questions.. you should never feel like you cant ask a question no matter what it is. I was told when l first joined the forum that there is only one stupid question... and that's the one you don't ask.

The more you ask the more you learn... the more you learn, the better off your beardie is going to be.. You are going to have differing answers as (like you said earlier) all dragons a different and you have to work out what suits you and your new family member

Here is a food chart i use. Easy to read
http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=229618&d=1323564099


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## dragonfoot (Jan 6, 2012)

You guys are great!

Thank you so much for all of your help with Ajax's temps and lights, it seems summer throws everyone off, lol. I am going down to the pet store today to buy a new uv globe, the bar type. Does anyone know if bunnings have cheaper fittings? Any favourite brands of light or fitting out there?

Atm I'm mixing squash, bok choy, red capsicum and crickets twice a day for food (he's still not a big eater.. although I think he's living off moths that fly into his tank) and I'm reduced my misting to once a day, unless he seems a bit lethargic. He seems more active now that I have turned the UV spiral off, always watching what me and my room mate are doing. Except this morning I think he was trying to puff his beard out at me, haha.


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## LizardLady (Jan 6, 2012)

ajandj said:


> Also there are no silly/ stupid questions.. you should never feel like you cant ask a question no matter what it is. I was told when l first joined the forum that there is only one stupid question... and that's the one you don't ask.




Hehehe, sounds vaguely familiar! 



dragonfoot said:


> You guys are great!
> 
> Thank you so much for all of your help with Ajax's temps and lights, it seems summer throws everyone off, lol. I am going down to the pet store today to buy a new uv globe, the bar type. Does anyone know if bunnings have cheaper fittings? Any favourite brands of light or fitting out there?
> 
> Atm I'm mixing squash, bok choy, red capsicum and crickets twice a day for food (he's still not a big eater.. although I think he's living off moths that fly into his tank) and I'm reduced my misting to once a day, unless he seems a bit lethargic. He seems more active now that I have turned the UV spiral off, always watching what me and my room mate are doing. Except this morning I think he was trying to puff his beard out at me, haha.



You are most welcome Dragonfoot!  That's what we're here for! And you're quite right - summer DOES have a massive effect on our animals' conditions - for what it's worth, when my lot's temps are above what they need to be, even after I've dropped the wattage of the heat globe, I turn their heat light off (still leave the UV on) until late afternoon when their temps drop back to where they should be.

You're now on the right track with Ajax, and I'm certain he will become the perfect "Master" - to which you must respond accordingly!  Have you tried him on Parsnip yet? My lot would take my arm off at the shoulders with that stuff! And Sweet-potato! And Mango... And Parsley... And Nasturtiums (adult form of Watercress)... And Silkworms... Well, anything that can be hand-fed really! 

Anyway, I for one, am glad you dropped in and asked your questions, and like I've said before, anything else you can think of, just ask! 

Best,
Carolyn


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## ajandj (Jan 6, 2012)

nusturtium flowers and leaves, dandelion flowers and leaves, pansy flowers and rose petal make yoda go nuts.. he loves em.

Dragonfoot - do you have a tank with no lid? Not so much now, but when he gets bigger you need to watch that. They are fantastic when it comes to jumping and escaping


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## dragonfoot (Jan 7, 2012)

ajandj said:


> nusturtium flowers and leaves, dandelion flowers and leaves, pansy flowers and rose petal make yoda go nuts.. he loves em.
> 
> Dragonfoot - do you have a tank with no lid? Not so much now, but when he gets bigger you need to watch that. They are fantastic when it comes to jumping and escaping



He has a tank topper, but I already have a tank ready for when he gets bigger. He was already in it, but I think the space was too much for him to chase his food. Atm, he could get out if he were bigger, and I'm home almost all day so I don't think it's much of a worry.

I spoke to this guy who own my local reptile supplier, and he said due to Ajax's age, he needed heat during the night, and that's why he wasn't eating. It was taking too long for him to warm up after getting so cold during the night. I bought a 75w moonlight globe, the blue one, and he's doing much better. Although I think I may need to take him to the vet because it seems difficult for him to poo.


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## traceylee (Jan 8, 2012)

LizardLady said:


> I have a Care Sheet, Food Information Chart, and Food Suggestions list - if you'd like a copy, PM me here with your email address, and I'll send it to you - or anyone else who would like it, for that matter!
> ..



I would love a copy if this is that's ok please?!


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## LizardLady (Jan 8, 2012)

traceylee said:


> I would love a copy if this is that's ok please?!




PM reply sent! 



dragonfoot said:


> I spoke to this guy who own my local reptile supplier, and he said due to Ajax's age, he needed heat during the night, and that's why he wasn't eating. It was taking too long for him to warm up after getting so cold during the night. I bought a 75w moonlight globe, the blue one, and he's doing much better. Although I think I may need to take him to the vet because it seems difficult for him to poo.



Umm, just for clarification here, are you still heating the enclosure at night? 

They really DON'T need night heating, in fact, it will stress the animal. They need to cool themselves for sleeping during the night. 

The ONLY time they need night heat is if the animal is injured, unwell, convalescing or the ambient temperature of your house and enclosure drops below 16 degrees. In which case, gentle, "supplemental" heating in the way of under-tank heating (low wattage heat-mat under the substrate/tank if glass) is all that is needed. 

Any "light" at night doesn't help their diurnal sleep patterns (just like us), and so the animal will be tired, stressed, cranky, won't want to eat, bask etc...


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## dragonfoot (Jan 8, 2012)

LizardLady said:


> PM reply sent!
> 
> 
> 
> ...



The guy who owns All Things Slimey, the reptile store near me, said it would be better for Ajax, and it seems like he's doing a little better. He's still not a massive eater, but he's eaten both yesterday and the day before, at around 5pm he'll come down from his basking branch to inspect the crickets, he'll eat one or two then go right back up there. I think he's trying to stick to the routine the breeder had him on, which seems to have been woodies at 5pm every day without veg (i'm just guessing here). He seems like he wants to eat, it's just something is keeping him from gorging himself. Maybe I have the world's only self-conscious lizard! lol.

To be honest, I can't remember exactly why he told me to put the blue light in, but I do remember that it had something to do with Ajax feeling like his body temps aren't getting high enough, quick enough, to feed in the mornings, and he said the blue light would create a stable temperature in his tank during the night so he doesn't have to heat up as much. The guy said after Ajax was 3mo, he'd be practically indestructible. Until then, the blue light will help him feel like it isn't taking so long to heat him up after a night with no heat at all.

OH, he also said that he heat mat wouldn't really do much for Ajax, since he sleeps on his branches, and his tank is glass thus is holds no warmth. I've added plenty of foam insulation, and I'm in the process of making some tank furnishings made out of foam so hopefully more warmth will be held in his tank for longer.


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