[lukegeorge]

Both a beardie yesterday after reading numerous threads, sites, care sheets etc.

I bought it with the set up it was being kept in which was a 3' viv, heat mat, ceramic heater in one end with a normal bulb in the other end and some saw dust substrate.

Since getting him home I've taken out the ceramic bulb, replaced the normal bulb with a 60w reflector on a thermostat, added a 12% uvb strip bulb with an arcadia starter.

Been feeding him dusted crickets with some greens.

He seems very small, they said they'd had him for 2 years but he looks like a juvenile.

He seem's to be doing ok but I've just noticed some partially digested crickets in his viv.

Anyone with experience notice anything wrong with any of the above?

 

[paraman]

Both a beardie yesterday after reading numerous threads, sites, care sheets etc.

I bought it with the set up it was being kept in which was a 3' viv, heat mat, ceramic heater in one end with a normal bulb in the other end and some saw dust substrate.

Since getting him home I've taken out the ceramic bulb, replaced the normal bulb with a 60w reflector on a thermostat, added a 12% uvb strip bulb with an arcadia starter.

Been feeding him dusted crickets with some greens.

He seems very small, they said they'd had him for 2 years but he looks like a juvenile.

He seem's to be doing ok but I've just noticed some partially digested crickets in his viv.

Anyone with experience notice anything wrong with any of the above?

If I were you I would try this approach. Remove the heat mat. Reinstall the ceramic. Move the spot lamp to the same end as the ceramic. Put a cage on the ceramic and spot. Use the thermostat youve already got to control the ceramic, set it lowish and use that to control the nightime temperature. Use the spot as the daytime temp It needs to be hot under the spotlamp easily 105-110F. You may have to experiment with the wattage of the spot to get the temps consistent or you could get a dimming thermostat and just turn it right down at night. Finaly I would get rid of the sawdust and use kitchen roll as substrate for the timebeing.
As soon as you can I would be inclined to get a bigger viv. A 4x2x2 is the usual quoted size as it gives an adult dragon room to move around and its much easier to get a good thermal gradient in a bigger viv.
There are probably lots of permutatations of the above, so Im not saying this is the only way but it will work.

Ps just because there are no lizards on my sig it doesnt mean that I dont keep them.. I do its just Im primarily a snake keeper.

 

[Meko]

are you using the heatmat? as you don't need one.

The partially digested crickets could be because it was kept on temperatures too low. I'd keep your set up as it is now (minus the heat mat) and keep an eye out for any more semi digested food.

and yeah... get rid of the sawdust.

 

[lukegeorge]

I've still got the heatmat on.

The thermometer in the middle of the viv is reading at 80F the thermostat is set at about 95F (as high as it goes).

Is this hot enough?

 

[paraman]

I've still got the heatmat on.

The thermometer in the middle of the viv is reading at 80F the thermostat is set at about 95F (as high as it goes).

Is this hot enough?

Read what I said above re temps etc. Heat mats effectively only heat what they touch not the air. Beardies are diurnal desert lizards and they are conditioned to be heated from above. The bright spot light encourages them to bask, that in addition the the uv releases preprovitamin d3 into their bloodstream which eventually ends up as d3. D3 is essential in the production of calcium. The reason for the spot and ceramic at the same end is so that there is a thermal gradient night and day it will defeat the object to have two warm ends.

 

[lukegeorge]

Got rid of the sawdust :2thumb:

Now got the ceramic and the spot light at one end working off of the thermostat.

In the day im running the thermostat at 95F and turning it down to 60F at night.

 

[lukegeorge]

Oh and I took the heat mat out as well.

 

[lee young]

I've still got the heatmat on.

The thermometer in the middle of the viv is reading at 80F the thermostat is set at about 95F (as high as it goes).

Is this hot enough?

Is the thermometer you're using one of those rubbish stick on ones? If so, they can be up to 10 degrees out, and stop working after a while. Get yourself a digital thermometer (about £4 on ebay) to measure temps. If you get an indoor/outdoor one with two probes you can use one probe for the hot end and one for the cold end.

Put the probe for the thermostat in the cool end next to the thermometer probe, and set it to 80 in the day and 60 at night. (bear in mind 80 on the thermostat control might not actually be 80, you'll need to double check with your thermometer)

Ideally you want 80 in the cool end, 95 in the warm end and 115 basking spot. It doesnt matter too much if the warm end is a bit too warm, as long as the cold end is cool enough your beardy will be able to thermoregulate fine.

Good luck with your new beardy!!