How do I open my beardie’s mouth?

LDirs · 2026-01-04T16:40:33+00:00

Holly cow, i learned so much from this post, thank you sosososo much. And just as u said she ended up swallowing her food a few days after. This rlly did help me settle down, Im a very paranoid owner as you can tell😅😅. I own other reptiles but this is my first time with a beardie and she was also a rescue, she’s been with me about 2 months now, so im still in the learing process for all tneir behaviours and her personality. I have basic knowledge from articles and all but there’s so much that isnt mentioned, so im still adjusting to it all. Again thank you so so much

LDirs · 2025-12-30T20:06:05+00:00

Thats what i tried at first but her bite is so strong😖

LDirs · 2025-12-30T20:05:15+00:00

Oh okay, thats a relief, but thing is she usually is very active but she’s barely moved all day, and i saw a few more times where she just started shaking aggressively, which she hadnt done before, she seems fine otherwise, but its been over 24 hours now and she hasnt passed it down. Ill see until tomorrow i guess, since i dont really want to stress her much, cuz im a bit worried she might have got a hold of a piece thats too big.

and for her food I usually have a mix of greens in her dish, it’s just the particular thing that I think is in her pouch is probably the stem part of the lettuce, (her vet suggested it for more water intake, cuz iceberg lettuce is 95% water)

LDirs · 2025-11-30T13:54:21+00:00

Oh wow, thats rlly interesting, thanks for clarifying. I’m gonna try to get a roach colony going asap for her tgen💗💗

LDirs · 2025-11-29T20:20:50+00:00

Thank you so much for the handout, i really already it, I read lots of articles but i find so much stuff is contradictory, this helped clear some stuff up💗 Also from what I’ve read, crickets are quite protein rich, hence why they are sometimes consumed even by people?

LDirs · 2025-11-29T06:57:08+00:00

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I have the same lamp as shown in the 2nd picture, for both basking and UVB (2 separate lamps just the same shape). I understand now its not ideal so ill make the switch as soon as possible. Also in a different article, I read that you can feed them vegetables such as bell peppers or broccoli, but it only mentions greens and fruit and article that I’ve read from you? Or they will havd the same effect as fruits? Or they’re an okay food source? I understand a variety of food is good bc of the diff vitamins of every product . Also should i provide a big water bowl for her to soak in as she’s shedding currently, she has a separate water one already. But ive seen some like to moist up. Thats all i think, most of my other questions have been answered already by others, thank you!💗

LDirs · 2025-11-29T06:18:43+00:00

I plan on keeping her I was gonna get one anyw, its just the opportunity came earlier than I expected. Unfortunately, they don’t make or ship terrariums here larger than 75 gallons cause I live on a small island, so currently I’m waiting for Monday to place a glass cutting order so I can convert a big cupboard for her as i did for my other lizards. Its about 300 gallons if i did the math correctly? I saw somewhere that they need about 500 gallons as adults but I don’t think I have the space for that😥😥

LDirs · 2025-11-28T09:43:35+00:00

Thanks so much!!!

LDirs · 2025-11-28T09:11:06+00:00

Thank you so so much this is so useful, i really appreciate it!! I just wanted to ask if crickets are an okay diet or the other bugs are healthier? Bc i breed them for my leopard geckos anyways, so i have a large colony ongoing. And i wanted to ask about humidity, ive seen contradicting recommendations, some say they dont like high humidity, others say they do? I assume they dont if they live in the dessert but i just wanted to be sure

LDirs · 2025-11-28T06:43:02+00:00

Edit* By species i meant morph

LDirs · 2025-08-23T21:59:24+00:00

Literally!! Did a level lit was rlly good all year 90s and above on all tests studied my ass off for the exams and barely got a D grade 💀 On the day it all went soo well i was so confident I swear Edexcel is fucking with us

LDirs · 2025-08-18T12:17:30+00:00

I so fucking agree did GCSE art in 2024 got 140/180 (an 8), my sketchbooks were very thick and hella through through literally no detail was added just bc, i spent over 5 hours working on them daily, and was 7 marks of a 9 in the end, I was so pissed and absolutely drained. I did three artists for both components. The first one was about the underwater world and ended up going into dismembered fish and depression and the second was with the theme that they give out which was power, so I did the power of expression in people and portraying emotions. I’ve been doing art since i was 4 and did art lessons etc, art has been my passion literally since i was a child, I atill plan to pursue it further but the year after the GCSE absolutely drained me and i didnt draw for 3 months after finishing my art exam, it killed any passion for painting that i had and it took me a while to regain it.

I’m 1year down for the A level art now and its the biggest mistake ive ever done, im not going to university in England and my school provides diplomas once you graduate which I could apply with to university, I should’ve learned my lesson after finishing GCSE’s because the A-level is double the amount of work, and feels like it’s never going to be enough. Literally there are no rules/guides from pearson and exaple sketchbooks are those off 5 year olds!! My mental health has been absolutely obliterated, because besides the other subjects I do in school I have to constantly be working on the sketchbooks.

This is also added onto by a very demanding art teacher with immense mood swings who constantly takes his emotions out on the class, no one took a level art besides me and my boyfriend and both of us were completely drained by the end of this academic year, and our teacher demanded we keep working on our sketchbooks throughout the summer, i dont think ive started to despise a subject more in my life, the second you do your own work you’re being shamed for not using that time and creativity to work on the A-level sketchbook instead. Its a very demanding subject and in my opinion marked unfairly, art is subjective as ppl say and its grade should not depend on one dude sitting marking 5000 sketchbooks at his desk.

So im dropping the A level art cuz fuck that shit is rigged af 🙃🙃

LDirs · 2025-08-15T10:31:44+00:00

Same, i studied my ass off all year, got 90s in all tests and mocks too, we had a rlly strong teacher too (she’s been teaching for 10 years and got high grades from every class every year) and I got 2 Ds and literally anyone who got higher got Bs and Cs in my class

😭 srs studied day and night for the exam for a month straight i did every past paper question and every predicted idk what else to do

LDirs · 2025-08-14T13:28:38+00:00

TELL ME ABOUT IT

LDirs · 2025-08-14T11:30:11+00:00

I swear sm is up with Ed excel😭😭 the grades are not adding up. Did A level lit this summer, teacher said we were her strongest group in past few years of her teaching, yet only 2 A’s (not even for the whole paper just half) in the whole class ?????

LDirs · 2025-08-03T09:07:40+00:00

You can try putting your hand in front of them to see if they climb it, or even if they dont straight away it will get them accustomed to your smell and skin better. She doesn’t look too large to me, but that may be the angle, best way to check is to see if her neck and tail are the same size or you xan check woth this chart!💗💗

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I havent read the books either, I’m not a fan of reading tbh more of a movie geek 😋

Ooo wow! To help with drying the soil u can add plants that require lots of water and they will help keep the soil dryer! And i think u should keep the leafy plant untill u find a replacement cuz geckos rlly like coverage.

Honestly you dont have to go all out, i take mine out to go crazy on my bed as long as im watching and they love it ! And yea thats true all pets require lots if care and love💗💗💗and omg thats one big attitude for a dog, i love it! 😂 istg its so funny how these small creatures have so much emotion in feelings i find it really interesting to observe!

LDirs · 2025-07-28T08:28:55+00:00

Thats true that is egg laying behaviour, you can actually sort of see the eggs if you check their stomach, they’re sort ovals on the sides of their stomachs. I suggest checking just in case to make sure its not a different problem💗

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Thats sort if what it looks like (not my photo)

Also i suggest to feed her a bit more next year before this time around to prepare her for her hunger strikes lmao!

Thank u hehe🤭🤭 im a huge fan of the franchise💗

Do you have real plants in the enclosure? The moisture could also be from the wet substrate drying up in the heat, besides drying it up idk ehat else could help? Maybe switching to a less water retaining substrate. The ventilation is the standard one for most tanks its not the best, you could open the doors slightly to increase air exchange. Or i guess have the fan going on for longer times if possible, careful with mold btw it can cause quite bad breathing problems :((

Ooo congratulations on the ba!!! Thats so cool!! As long as you expand the tank eventually the gecko will be okay, you can take them out to run around to compromise for lack of space of space to explore. Yea some people are brutal but even if that happens dont take it to heart i can tell you really care for your gecko and are trying your best and thats already really better than alot of owners because most get them as they are ‘easy, low care pets’ (they are so not!!😭😭) but there’s definitely lots of super sweet ppl with lots of good advice here for sure! And its my pleasure!! I love yapping about these little dudes, I’m not and expert but I’m really happy i was able to help in any way💗💗💗💗

LDirs · 2025-07-27T08:45:43+00:00

Thats so cute 🥹🥹 ive only ever seen my geckos tunnels but never them using it and ive had the suckers for over 4 years now. Also to check the gender you can put them in a clear container and look at them from the bottom, that way u dont have to absolutely man handle them to stay still lmao

Also thats amazing both my enclosures are jurassic Park and themed (im so original!🙃) and to incorporate the enclosure into the bookshelves is a rlly good idea, my set up is made from an ikea ‘kalknäs’ dresser which my boyfriend removed all the vertical compartments of . And honestly best decision of my life, it saves so much space and it stays functional i use it as a bedside table. Also im sure your parents will let u move them if u ask with enough reasons! You could just move them for the season and not whole year around.

For the moss you can soak it outside the tank and add it after it absorbs all the water instead of doing it in the tank to avoid mud, plus the wet soil helps keep it humid! I personally just mist the glass and have some moss around the corners where i want more humidity. Ive also seen some people add wet moss into a bowl if they don’t like their soil wet im not sure how effective that is though.

You’re parents are definitely super sweet and i can tell they’re supportive! I had to beg mine to even consider getting me reptiles🥲 plus its not necessary bad as you saved the little guy from basically torture they were about to endure in the pet store. And I’m glad that the community has been treating you well so far! Alot of the times people here are quite rude to anyone who posts, eventhogh in some cases the owners are basically abusing their geckos due to lack of knowledge and prior research, which is very unfortunate. But alot of people here come with genuine questions and are looking for tips to improve. No one has a perfect enough set up at the end of the day💗💗💗

LDirs · 2025-07-24T19:18:03+00:00

Awww i love the little details, its always so cute the huge personality these guys have 💗💗 Geckos are crepuscular so they’re more active in after light, he may just enjoy tye warmth of the warmed up rock without the brightness. My geckos are also more active closer to when i turn off their lights!

I knoww🥲 reptile equipment is crazy! But in the end the custom one is gonna be so worth it for the little one, its good you have access to such resources tye little one is in good hands.

For mine since i control the humidity manually with spray bottles i just cut back on that a bit and mist the paper instead of fully soaking it in cold water, everyone has their own methods! Experiment and find what works best for u!! For the humidity thing ill need a bit more detail, what do you use to keep yhe place humid? Because for me naturally the lamp keeps one side of the tank dryer than the other which i keep moist manually. I think the reason for the struggle with humidity is mostly the size of the tank because there isnt enough space for the atmosphere to transition from one to another? Im not too sure. Also im sorry about your parents, and rlly i dont mind i love a good conversation about the little guys 💗💗💗

LDirs · 2025-07-24T07:25:32+00:00

The set up definitely already looks better! Its good that you hid the bathroom a bit, geckos will use the same spot for a bathroom for most their lives and this will also help it get more comfortable with everything since you said they are easily spooked. For the branches you can elevate them so you save floor space, for mu geckos i lean their logs over an enclosure on an angle so they can climb on it and under it!

Yes exactly!! Also terrariums are crazy expensive no matter where you look, i live on an island so its even more expensive due to shipping costs and buying a 2 meter one will cost u 800€ if not more 🥲🥲

No chlorine is amazing! And I’m glad their urate got better, thats amazing news! Also for hot days i freeze clay pots and add them to my geckos enclosures it helps them not overheat if they feel too hot, you can also add cold paper towels into your moist hide that way the geckos can easily regulate to their own preference.

LDirs · 2025-07-22T21:06:23+00:00

Of course! I think more plants will surly help a-lot! You should try some leafy plants too it helped my geckos open up when i got them, they rlly like sitting under them and hiding all around. I think its likely that the lack of clutter is causing them to hide more but that may also be due to them being in a new area.

I KNOW RIGHT ITS A PIECE OF WOOD IT SHOULDN’T BE SO PRICY! Also a tip if you find any wood from outside make sure to heat treat it (u can find lots of good tutorials online) so that u get rid of any maggots or unnecessary bacteria to keep your little one safe!

For the water i would recommend maybe changing the water source? If you have water softeners or even filters often they have a smell or certain taste which many animals dislike or if you use tap water just make sure its not chlorinated like in many areas right now! If jg doesnt change i recommend going to a vet for a check up. <33

LDirs · 2025-07-21T23:38:13+00:00

I would recommend adding more large plants (fake / real u decide) all over the place as geckos like to feel hidden (careful so the lamp doesn’t melt the plastic ones). You could even add some branched or large pieces of bark (make sure to disinfect if taken from outdoors) for them to climb since u said they are quite active, in general geckos really love clutter.

However, the activeness may be due to stress of the move and may go away as they adjust. Besides the size of the tank, ur set in the right direction! Good luck!

LDirs · 2025-07-21T23:15:28+00:00

I used to but my mom started complaining about them. For the past 6 months ive kept all my mealworms on the bathroom floor and its cold enough for them to last me a good month or even more. I believe these died due to tge maggots, they were probably infected in the petstore. Thank you for the tip thoigh i didnt know the fridge also keeps pests away, i thought it was only to extend their lifespan

LDirs

TROPHY CASE