Posted by admin | Posted in Bearded Dragon Care | Posted on 01-04-2009
Tags: bearded, dragon, dragons, lizard,, pets
Thinking of getting a Bearded Dragon?
I am thinking of getting a bearded dragon. I have had alot of pets (dogs, cats, birds, rodents…etc.) over the years and am fairly experienced at keeping pets, but I have never had a lizard of any kind. I was told a Beardie was a good first lizard. I need advise on feeding and especially housing. Are crickets better then worms? What is the best housing? I was looking up habitats on petstore sites, but I don’t know what’s better, the aquariums, or the screened cages. It seems like the airflow in the screen cages wouls be better, but I am worried the lizard will damage it and escape, and one reviewer on one site said he had problems with CRICKETS eating the screens! Also, what is more important to the Beardie, floor space to strech out, or head space to climb up (a long enclosure or a high enclosure)? If you know a good website to order good habitats from that would be apreciated! ThanX.
Screen cages do not hold the higher heat that Beardies need to thrive.
A longer enclosure with a good amount of floor space is definitely best for Beardies. Beardies also like plenty of room to run, and need to be able to reach within 12 inches of the UV lighting on the top of their cage.
As far as bugs….I like to vary their diet between crickets and superworms, with the occasional waxworm for treats. Mealworms have a very high chitin (shell) to meat ratio, superworms are much better for them as long as they are big enough to eat them. Be sure to always dust their bugs with calcium supplements.
AVoid sand as a substrate..too often it is ingested and leads to an impaction. Even that Calci-sand that they claim is digestible is NOT. I prefer to use paper towels or slate tile as flooring for all of my Beardies, I just won’t take a chance with their health.
Note: Lettuce is a very poor choice of food…….it has very little actual nutrition. Beardeds need things like collard greens, mustard greens, dandilion greens, kale, escarole…..good, nutritious greens. They can also have finely cut or shredded veggies like green beans, peppers, squash, carrot, and okra added. Fruits such as strawberries (all of my dragons’ favorite), grapes, melon, etc can be added on occasion as treats.
Hand Feeding Spike, the Bearded Dragon Lizard
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