Hi All - We now have 2 beardies in our family

[Rumplestilzkin]

I purchased a Christmas gift of 2 beardies for my animal-loving 7-year old son. He picked out 2 boys from a local breeder (about 1-1/2 hours from our house) and we have them housed in a 55-gallon aquarium (of which I now know they should not live together and I need to separate them ASAP, which I am working on purchasing a 2nd setup this week).

I am using green lizard liner for the bottom of the tank (not sure what it's actually called), have a food dish for veggies/worms, a water dish (which I now realize I don't need), 2 logs, a 10.0 UVA/UVB long skinny light bulb (Repti-Sun), and a 150-watt tight beam basking spot light that stays on during the day. We feed dusted crickets 1-2 times per day, stock of worms in there all the time, beardie bites, and veggies (although they haven't been too interested in the veggies so far and rarely notice the worms). I spray the babies and sides of the aquarium a couple times a day and have given both of them baths, which they seemed to enjoy. They are often held and are loved very much already (we just got them 4 days ago).

I'm sure this goes without saying, but please let me know if I am doing anything incorrectly.

We haven't decided on their names yet, but have a few ideas (my favorite is Mickey for one of them because the pattern on his head looks like Mickey Mouse).

We also have a 3 new fish (a beta-"Stripey", a convict (no name yet), and a catfish (no name yet)), a young cornsnake, Captain Insano (from Waterboy - because my son says the snake is strong), and 4 dogs (Carlie-fawn boxer-12 years, Dexter-fawn boxer-7 years, Kaiser-Australian Sheppard/Blue Healer mix-7 years, and Dakota-white German Sheppard/Husky mix-3 years). Dexter, our male boxer is very intrigued with the beardies and fish and often watches them.

I am a single mom of 2 boys ages 7 and 16. My brother recently moved in with us from CA until he finds local employment. Although these little guys were my son's Christmas gift, we are all enjoying them very much!

I found this website before we got our new babies and am afraid to think what I would have done without it (actually, we were going to get leopard geckos until i found this site).

Y'all have already been so nice and welcoming - I look forward to getting to know you and learning more about our new family members.

 

[Bellalee]

Welcome! You have some cute beardies. You know to seperate them, and it looks like you have the right bulb. I know it is common knowledge here to make sure that bulb is 6 to 8 in. from the beardies basking spot. And what kind of worms are you giving them?

You don't need to dust crickets multiple times a day unless they aren't eating the dust. And also it's a common practice to dust feeders 5 days a week with calcium with d3. And then dust 2 days with a multivitamin.

I think that's it. I hope you are enjoying them.

Oh and you don't have to spray them, the baths every day which they should be getting should be hydrating them the proper amount. Plus the spraying raises the humidity.

 

[Rumplestilzkin]

thanks for the reply!
I am dusting the crickets with ReptiCal - it says it is Calcium and Vitamin D3. Do i need to get additional dust? If so, which - Calcium or vitamins?

 

[Bellalee]

You have to get just calcium with d3 also and give it to them one feeding a day for 3 extra days since you are already giving it to them 2 times a week with the vitamins.