New To Beardies Help Please!

[DarkHorse2728]

We purchased a Reptile One enclosure for our 11 yo son for Xmas. It is 900x600x450 in size.

It is complete with sand substrate, basking rocks and branches, water bowl, plastic plants, digital thermometer and MicroClimate Ministat 300 Thermostat.

Everything was cleaned and disinfected with a herp disinfectant, then setup. We monitored the setup for a few days before purchasing 2 juvenile central bearded dragons.

One is approx. 6 weeks old (Fred), the other is 3 weeks old (Bobby).

First day both were hand fed greens, green beans and parsley.

Second day we purchased some packaged "small" crickets. We released 6 crickets into the enclosure which were readily eaten by both dragons. As the temp was quite cool the basking lamp was on for the full daytime.

Third day the temperature here in Sydney has got very hot with 42 degrees outside. I left the UVB light on but turned the basking lamp off as the "cool" temp was 33 degrees.

Today the temp is about the same. So I turned the basking lamp off again. When trying to hand feed Bobby some greens he refused. Put him in a feed container with some small crickets and he just wanted to get out. Spoke with breeder and he suggested give them a bath.

We put them in a small container, with tepid water up to there armpits. They both seemed to enjoy laying in the water. Bobby started gaping, so I took him out and put him on a branch. Immediately he vomited up undigested crickets from the day before!

He has since vomited up undigested crickets another 2 times, so 3 times in total!

He is very listless, eyes half closed. I turned on there basking lamp.

Temps are 31.5 degrees on "cool" area. Both are basking.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. BTW we received the red desert sand for the enclosure. I have read that it can cause impaction in juveniles. Should we immediately remove it? If so what should we replace it with?

Regards,


Rob

 

[hornet]

Sounds like it could be metabolic bone disease, how far away from the basking spot is the UV light? Are you giving them vitamin and calcium supplements?

 

[DarkHorse2728]

Here are a few pictures:

---------- Post added 01-Jan-11 at 08:27 PM ----------

We have been giving them calcium only as a powder on their greens and crickets. Have not got any vitamins yet. Bobby is the one at the top, you can see that his left rear foot sticks up sometimes. Their branches are just under 25cm from the UVB light. The UVB light enclosure has a plastic screen across it. I know glass is a no no as it filters the UVB, should I remove the plastic?

Regards,

Rob

 

[hornet]

i'd say remove the plastic, i'm pretty sure anything covering the UV will reduce what the reptiles get

 

[Sunnette]

When we were getting our Beardies, I did a lot of reading on caring for them. One of the things I came across is that sand or any other small grain substrate is not recommended for baby and juvenile Beardies. Something about them being awkward feeding and can end up digesting the sand with their food. I'm not sure if that is the problem with your dragons, but I'd remove the sand, just in case.
Hope they get better

 

[JAS101]

i would make sure the basking spot is geting to 40 odd degrees [ u need to measure the temp of the basking spot] , and let the cool area be at room temp . as the undigested food sounds like the temps arnt right .
i would get rid of the sand , as it can cause impactation and kill the beardies [ when the beardies eat the sand and it blocks there gutz up]. before anyone says they encounter sand in the wild , well these beardies arnt in the wild they are in a box .
have u been handling the beardies? as the juivies/hatchlings can get stressed pretty easy due to over handling and a new enclosure .
as for the plastic cover on the uv light , id take it off as the uv light cant pass through glass or plastic.

 

[ingie]

Just a quick question - I know those enclosures have a mesh compartment at the back where you put the UV light in - but that Reptile One heat/light fan you are using is only for heat and isn't being used for the UVB source is it? Just wondering because I have measured their UVB output and it is close to zero.... It is like not having one at all.... It is not bad for heating though in small spaces if you put it right next to the UV light and set up a piece of driftwood so the beardies can get a few cm's under it... It looks like they can't get close enough to the UV light or basking spot to get much benefit from them...

 

[DarkHorse2728]

Thankyou ALL for your replies. Planning on removing the sand today for starters.

We do have a separate UVB light, 60cm, 18W, UVB10.0 which remains on for about 14 hours for the "day" period. Will buy an infrared thermometer today as well to keep an eye on the basking temp as well.

 

[Defective]

I know those enclosures have a mesh compartment at the back where you put the UV light in

i have a Reptile One enclosure and mine doesnt have this!!

Darkhorse: DO NOT USE that fan heater as a UVB source only basking!! i to have this and my boy is quite happy with his basking spot at 35C but he's 7mths old. it also seems your cool spot temp is to high.Also get a Fluro tube UVb 10.0.

when feeding your lil fellas, remove from enclosure as sand can cause impaction and is not good when ingested to their lil tummies. If still vomiting, ring a herp vet in your area and find out some ideas.

 

[DarkHorse2728]

**Quick Update**

Sand has been removed and put butchers paper down. Plastic cover for UVB 10 has also been removed. Bobby appears a lot better, hand fed him some very small crickets and greens. I was removing them to feed them, but they seem scared in the container with crickets running around, let them out and they want to get into the container to get the crickets.............

At the most they are only eating 4 crickets each maybe twice a day!

 

[JAS101]

what size crickets are u giving them ?
are u using a Reptile One heat/light fan for basking ? as i dont like the idea of blowing all that hot air around , it would play havoc to the cool area temps i would have thought.

 

[hornet]

good sign that he's eating, 8 crix each per day for hatchies should be fine, make sure you dust them before feeding, put them in a paper bag or a plastic container with calcium powder and vitamin powder and give them a shake, will coat them and give your beardies what they need

 

[DarkHorse2728]

what size crickets are u giving them ?
are u using a Reptile One heat/light fan for basking ? as i dont like the idea of blowing all that hot air around , it would play havoc to the cool area temps i would have thought.

We are using the reptile one heat/basking lamp with fan. 50W. I have purchased a 100W ceramic, just waiting on the heat guard for it. Finding that the Microclimate MiniStat 300 is not doing a good job or switching on when the temperature drops below the cool temp setting.

---------- Post added 02-Jan-11 at 04:01 PM ----------

what size crickets are u giving them ?
are u using a Reptile One heat/light fan for basking ? as i dont like the idea of blowing all that hot air around , it would play havoc to the cool area temps i would have thought.

We are using the reptile one heat/basking lamp with fan. 50W. I have purchased a 100W ceramic, just waiting on the heat guard for it. Finding that the Microclimate MiniStat 300 is not doing a good job or switching on when the temperature drops below the cool temp setting.

 

[rio_rat]

make sure youre feeding them when they are warm and will stay warm for a few hrs afterwards

 

[hornet]

make sure youre feeding them when they are warm and will stay warm for a few hrs afterwards

for that reason its always best to feed in the morning or early afternoon

 

[EmDown]

i found when feeding my babies that using a container that does not have clear or transparent sides is better... if they can't see through less chance of them freaking out..... i would also definalty recommend removing from enclosure for feeding as it IS true that crickets will eat the toes off the little guys.... my poor little dru......

about his foot sticking up weirdly... have you checked for old shedding... sometimes it gets stuck in between toes.....

i would also think of setting up a little pool ...... with high temps sometimes it hard to get a cool spot..... yay for 40*C days...... they will go and sit in the water to cool of... it will also help with shedding issues... just make sure they can climb out easily... i use an old plastic plant pot base......

 

[DarkHorse2728]

Again thank you for the replies. Got a little pool, have paper down and a new basking lamp, 100W E27 "Daylight Heat Globe" with heat shield. Although Fred the bigger of the two, jumped off his basking branch and was hanging off the cage/shield, so I may have to lower the branch or remove the shield?

Regards,

Rob

 

[user 16324]

Id say a heat guard around the ceramic heat emitter is pointless if the dragon cant reach the heat source.

 

[Tinky]

Could also try cooling the crickets before feeding. Putting them in the fridge for ten minutes slowes them down. That way your beardies are not in a container with crickets going crazy everywhere, but can stalk and pick their prey off at leasure.

 

[Defective]

freezer may be better!