Lost and Found Lizard

Be very careful if you get crickets those damn little things always escape. You'll have chirping all night all over the house.

Back when I was in college, we bought a few hundred crickets and released them in the neighboring frat house ... 

-Allen

A bear die is an amazing pet. But to take care of one is a little harder to do properly and they eat more then my dogs do. There are a few things you need to take in. It need a min of a 30-40 gallon terrarium. You need a cool side and a hot side. You need a under tank heat pad as well as a Uva uvb bulb. These produce the right light waves to help produce much needed enzymes to help the dragon digest food and also keep it from getting mbd. You should have it her a basking rock or some grape vine wood that's been treated so your not bringing pests into your home or to harm the dragon. The Dragon eats a very wide diet. I would keep greens  I in the cage every other day. Mustard greens red leaf lettuce are great for your new friend. I have also found they love strawberries. It's like cracked to them. I would dust every feeding with a calcium powder. On days you don't feed greens I fed super worms, dubia, crickets, locusts, horn worms and once a month I would feed a pinky mouse and if it's big enough a crawler or hopper mouse. Your going to want to keep on hand some vitamin powder to feed every couple days and calcium powder your feeders it her daily or every other day. I would also suggest to find a vet that specializes in herps In your area and have them do a facial exam. Beardies can have parasites and I'd hate for you to loose your new friend. If you have any questions feel free to send me a message I've been breeding Beardies for years now and would love to help any way I can.

This is my hypo trans leustic sand fire  german giant female she literally eats more per week then my two small dogs. She's currently for sale at a friends shop if anyone's interested lol. Oh and btw I'm 6'3 and from head to tail her head on my knee cap to the tips of my toes if I lay her there. Just to show how big she is lol

I had an Iguana years ago that was about 10" long when we got him and just shy of 6' when I had to give him away to a friend to provide a room for my newborn.  Anywho, I was given the advise to always wash hands thoroughly after handling him as herps can carry Ecoli.  Not sure if bearded dragons have this potential or not?

I've been told the same thing. I have never gotten sick because of my animals but I still wash my hands before and after handling them to keep us all safe just as a precaution. I also breed geckos and I do the same with them just in case.

Be very careful if you get crickets those damn little things always escape. You'll have chirping all night all over the house.

Back when I was in college, we bought a few hundred crickets and released them in the neighboring frat house ... 

-Allen

Nice! In Okinawa, we dumped a bucket full of hermit crabs in the neighboring barracks air handler. Good times.

A bear die is an amazing pet. But to take care of one is a little harder to do properly and they eat more then my dogs do. There are a few things you need to take in. It need a min of a 30-40 gallon terrarium. You need a cool side and a hot side. You need a under tank heat pad as well as a Uva uvb bulb. These produce the right light waves to help produce much needed enzymes to help the dragon digest food and also keep it from getting mbd. You should have it her a basking rock or some grape vine wood that's been treated so your not bringing pests into your home or to harm the dragon. The Dragon eats a very wide diet. I would keep greens  I in the cage every other day. Mustard greens red leaf lettuce are great for your new friend. I have also found they love strawberries. It's like cracked to them. I would dust every feeding with a calcium powder. On days you don't feed greens I fed super worms, dubia, crickets, locusts, horn worms and once a month I would feed a pinky mouse and if it's big enough a crawler or hopper mouse. Your going to want to keep on hand some vitamin powder to feed every couple days and calcium powder your feeders it her daily or every other day. I would also suggest to find a vet that specializes in herps In your area and have them do a facial exam. Beardies can have parasites and I'd hate for you to loose your new friend. If you have any questions feel free to send me a message I've been breeding Beardies for years now and would love to help any way I can.

Thanks Gecko.  Will look into all you say.  I have a feeling this one needs some re-nourishment.  Frank was saying that one of his neighbors has seen him out before ... like a few months in the wild.  And it does look a little skinny compared to other pics I've seen.  Still, not lethargic at all, and appears to have a good appetite, so I'm hoping all is healthy with him.  Sounds like a varied diet is a good thing.

How much food?  As much as he can eat in a given time period?  Or always have food and let him free feed.  How can I tell if he is a he (or a she?).  Or age?  This one is about 14-15" long.

My boy named him Prince Elf tonight, or Elfie for short.

-Allen

  I got lots of extra love from the boy tonight for the "best pet ever" even though it wasn't a dog.

And once again... thank you Manong Frank!!!

-Allen

That made everything in the world right. Not the Manong part the, "best pet ever"

I'll answer a couple of my questions after doing a short bit of research.  It appears he is a he.  And he is likely maybe 6-12 months old or so.

http://www.thebeardeddragon.org/bearded-dragon.php

-Allen

I love people who answer there own questions lol. For feeding to start I would keep greens in there most times. It's like us gives them fiber and helps them poop. Also as bad as it sounds if you notice a fresh poo check for any little small needle size pieces on the top or around the area. These are pin worms and are very common in these guys and easy to treat. But with feeder bugs I would start with say 10-15 super worms that are dusted or crickets once or twice a day. I know my big girl if I tried to free feed her the bugs would just keep eating until she could barley move. So I had to limit her per day. I would say check out rainbowmealworms.com they are amazing for feeders and cheapest I have found you can buy 1000 count for like 17 bucks and should last you a month or so. Just go to your local pet place get a small 10 gallon tank and some compressed coconut husk and fill it up. Also you can use a plastic bin like you would keep in your garage. These guys do better in cooler areas and can feed off your veggie table scraps or the veggie parts your going to put in the trash. Just remember the better you feed your bugs the better your feeding your reptile.

Frank,

I like the Manong part better. I miss you too.
 

Just got done with fixing up viddles for our HOW event tomorrow. Will make NCKA guys proud. Starting the Texans out with Burgers and man dogs as well as some of my Jalepeno baked beans. Then maybe move on beyond the fried catfish and do a Skipro3 with some pulled pork, but from a wild pig! At least with y'all we all pitched in, I'm doing this one solo and have 30 folks to feed. Thank goodness the lake is just up the highway.

Speaking of lakes, Texas parks and wildlife department just through 4000 trout into out towns lake and also 2500 in a 3 acre pond close to my gym. All the fish are drugged so they won't bite. I'll be doing some C&R on those little buggers next week.

Today was a "put together the tank" day.  Off to Bushy's to pick up a 40 gallon aquarium he had lying around.  Thanks Bushy.  It came with a fluorescent tube light, just needed to get a UVB tube for it.  Needed a lid for the aquarium, didn't find any that fit at the local pet stores, so set off to build one with some 1/4" wire cloth and some trim work.  Stopped by Sirens, a reptile pet store in downtown San Jose, and got some good info.  Too bad they were going out of business and all the good stuff has been sold.  Did get the UVB tube there for 1/2 off!  Off to Pet Smart.  Got a heat lamp, some food (pellets and dried assorted bugs), vitamins, calcium, and a watering bowl.  Et voila, a basic tank is now set up.  Gonna wait for the weekend to take the boy to get crickets and other decorations.  Gotta involve him in the cool stuff like live food and decorations!

How important is an under tank heater?  The lady at Sirens said I didn't need one.  She also recommended a 100W heater light.  At the bottom of the tank it is only in the low 80's.  So I build a temporary cardboard box platform and stairs.  Prince Elfie, as named by the boy, made a beeline for the heat.  With the platform, 4" off the bottom which is about 12" under the light, it's in the low 90's.  Will replace the cardboard platform with some wood.

Prince Elfie is doing fine today.  The lizard pushups sure are cool!  He's eating fine, drinking water fine, and shitting fine.

-Allen

Where's the pics????

Good stuff guys! Now I'm wanting to get back into it. I had it all as a youngster: King snakes, gopher snakes, red tail boa, Burmese python, lizards of all sorts and green iguanas. Never a BD tho. I like the idea of doing it all again, but Sarah might just whoop my ass if I tackle another hobby.   Good luck Allen. Post up some pics!

I present ... Prince Elfie on his new heat perch.

-Allen