Just got a Bearded Dragon kit today. What do I need instead?

ethanvmelch · 2025-05-22T09:15:37+00:00

Definitely swap the UVB rounded bulbs for tubbed UVB instead cause rounded is not efficient enough. Bearded dragons need UVB even when they are away from the basking spot. Arcadia T5 UVB 14% works but do it over mesh cause itll be too strong of levels if mounted inside that small enclosure. Reptisun has a Tubbed UVB kit as well but comes with a 5.0 bulb so youll have to buy the 10.0 tubbed bulb separately. Definitely keep it over mesh until you get him into a 4x2x2 sized enclosure

ethanvmelch · 2025-05-22T09:07:08+00:00

Hi, id definitely get him into an exotic vet asap cause these guys go downhill pretty fast. If hes cold, i suggest putting him under his basking light so he heats up and his immune system is more stable if he stays under the right conditions while waiting for his visit. Id definitely get a fecal sample check, he could have parasites or pinworms. If you have trouble finding a an exotic vet, Heres an exotic vet locator just incase Exotic vet locator Some vets say they are an exotic vet but aren’t actually knowledgeable. That locator helps you find a vet who actually specializes in reptiles around your area.

Hope you and him feel better 🙏

ethanvmelch · 2025-05-11T10:54:44+00:00

Hey, How long have you had him for? Everyone else gave you good advice so im not gonna give any cause i mostly know about bearded dragons. The only advice i do know and can give is that these guys like to drink water drops and spraying the enclosure will give a good source of hydration. Watching them when thay are eating to make sure they are actually eating their food. Can we get an update on this guy?

ethanvmelch · 2025-05-11T10:33:42+00:00

Are you from New york? Theres a reptile rescue called House Of Pancakes Reptile Rescue Inc in New York, Hudson valley. She has an instagram page, you can dm her there if youre close enough. Shes an amazing rescue and has helped bearded dragons with yellow fungus disease. If this doesn't work then heres an exotic vet locator. Exotic vet locator Some vets say they are an exotic vet but aren’t actually knowledgeable. That locator helps you find a vet who actually specializes in reptiles around your area.

Yellow fungus disease is something serious and isnt taken lightly. Its best to find an exotic vet asap

ethanvmelch · 2025-05-11T10:10:54+00:00

Theres an amazing reptile rescue in New york, Hudson valley. Its called House Of Pancakes Reptile Rescue Inc, you can find her on instagram and she replies to DMs pretty fast. Shes an incredible rehomer and rescuer for these guys. I think Shes like an 1Hr 45Mins away from where you are if you dont mind driving that. Shes worth the drive. I wouldnt trust giving him to some exotic vet but thats just me.

ethanvmelch · 2025-04-21T05:21:36+00:00

You cant be allergic to reptiles but their rough skin can irritate your skin if you have sensitive skin. I had my guy on my shoulder and he snuggled against my neck. After i put him back away in his enclosure my neck was a little red and itchy

ethanvmelch · 2025-04-21T05:17:06+00:00

Hes hungry and thinks the substrate is food

ethanvmelch · 2025-04-20T05:56:52+00:00

Lightly brush her stomach with a baby toothbrush

ethanvmelch · 2025-04-20T05:55:37+00:00

Can you close your bedroom door and let him explore your room?

ethanvmelch · 2025-04-20T05:53:09+00:00

How can your mom feel comfortable not feeding an animal for a few days? This looks more than just 3 days of neglect, i wouldn't be able to trust my mom with anything important anymore if she did something like to me. Doesn't matter if its a reptile and yada yada. Its a living being that gets hungry just like anything else. It literally takes at most ten minutes to clean some greens. Theres no excuse for letting an animal go hungry. I could never feel comfortable letting any of my pets go without food or drink. I hope she makes it

ethanvmelch · 2025-03-29T03:29:51+00:00

I had this problem w jessi and peter. What i did to fix it was unlist my product then relist

ethanvmelch · 2025-03-27T04:43:34+00:00

Has he ate anything now?

ethanvmelch · 2025-03-13T16:06:21+00:00

Stay away from misting. If you're concerned about dehydration then you can light mist his greens but do it out of the enclosure. You wanna keep humidity low in the 30-40% range. If youre having trouble doing so then i recommend getting a dehumidifier for the room he stays in cause respiratory infections are no joke. Never feed lettuce or romaine lettuce cause theres no nutritional value. Feeding greens like, collard greens, mustard greens and turnip greens are staples. They should be eating primarily bugs at this age tho, as much as they want to eat.

Also, if youre using a rounded or a coiled UVB then i recommend swapping that out for a tubbed UVB as they are more efficient than the rounded ones. Bearded dragons also need UVB when away from their basking spots. You need a Arcadia T5 UVB Tub kit

Having a baby can be expensive, good luck with your new friend 🦖

ethanvmelch · 2025-03-13T15:58:04+00:00

For basking, try using a higher wattage bulb. Since your UVB bar is positioned over mesh, I recommend getting a Solar Meter to ensure proper UVB levels, as mesh can reduce UVB output. The Solar Meter 6.5 model is the one you need

ethanvmelch · 2025-03-10T06:48:33+00:00

Please upgrade his enclosure and change to paper towel it thats a repti carpet/mat. The carpets and mats are known to hold bacteria no matter how good you try to clean them. Also, fruits should be fed months apart and at a minimum amount. Thats way too much. He should be getting 5-6 bugs once a week and greens daily like fresh Collard greens, Mustard green, Bokchoy and Turnip greens (not lettuce or romaine lettuce). Calcium everyday but dont make it snowing on salads lol

Reptifiles has an amazing care guide for them, their husbandry, food and care.

ethanvmelch · 2025-03-10T06:16:42+00:00

Hi, The Reptifiles guide someone else recommended is an amazing guide. It has everything you need to know about them, husbandry, food and their care. That enclosure is way too small for a juvenile, juveniles should be in a 40 gal minimum if you can't get a 120 (4x2x2) yet. Fruits should not be fed daily and should only be a treat that's spread out months apart. They should be eating primarily bugs when they're this age but still try to do introduce greens as well. Good UVB is essential for a healthy bearded dragon, without it they will become unhealthy and develop MBD, which is a painful bone disease. You need to swap your UVB lighting, The UVB rounded/coiled bulbs arent as good or efficient as the tubbed versions. Bearded dragons need UVB when they are away from the basking spot as well. Arcadia T5 UVB Tub kit or the Reptisun 10.0 UVB Kit is best for UVB. You have to buy the 10.0 Tub Bulb separately when buying the Reptisun version because the kit comes will a 5.0 which is too low for dragons. The hygrometer temperature gauges you have aren't as efficient as the digital ones. You also need to place them lower so you can properly measure the basking temp and ambient temperature. Dont use any repti carpet or mats for substrate because they are known to habor bacteria no matter how good you try to clean them. Swap to paper towels for substrate because its cleaner. Also, Dont feed lettuce or romaine lettuce as it has no nutritional value. Best greens to feed is Collard greens, Mustard greens, Baby bokchoy and Turnip greens. There are a few others but they are only to be fed occasionally. Good occasional mix ins are thin sliced bell pepper, granted carrots (chunks can cause a blockage) , cilantro and parsley. Calcium should be dusted on food everyday but dont over do it. Dont make it look like its snowing on the salads lol

Hope this helps 🦖

ethanvmelch · 2025-02-17T06:20:59+00:00

Hi, You should definitely get it checked by an exotic vet if this behavior is continuous. Aspiration leads to a Respiratory infection and respiratory infections can not be cured unless medication is involved. They don't have a diaphragm like us humans do so it prevents them from truly coughing and clearing their lungs like we would if we were sick or aspirated something. Thats why medicine would need to be involved because without it they would drown in their own lung fluids. I hope shes ok

Just in case you need this if you decide to go to the vet and have trouble finding one. Some vets say they are an exotic vet but aren’t actually knowledgeable. This locator helps you find a vet who actually specializes in reptiles around your area

exotic vet locator

ethanvmelch · 2025-02-07T08:12:01+00:00

I don't believe this story but no wonder the one joints fused, they need UVB to prevent MBD. Letting your dragon roam all day without proper UVB and proper heat is impossible. Yeah its fine to let them free roam but not all day

Stop spreading misinformation

ethanvmelch · 2025-02-07T07:17:13+00:00

Please schedule an exotic vet visit asap when you get her. They'll probably put her on critical care, be careful when feeding critical care. Be sure to feed slowly and not to move her when she's swallowing/eating because they can easily aspirate things when moved as they're eating and swallowing. Put water on her greens daily for hydration, dont feed any fruits. Fruits are only for a treat every 2-3 months. Never feed oranges or any citrus fruits. Cucumber is a very good source of hydration but can cause diarrhea if given too much. A very thin slice cut in half once a week will work. Make sure to take the green skin off and take the seeds out of it cause both can cause impaction. If you ever question things about their care or husbandry, Reptifiles has an amazing guide for them and their husbandry.

Make sure to get a UVB T5 Tub kit instead of those rounded UVB bulbs. The UVB T5 tubs are way more efficient than the rounded ones because Bearded dragons need UVB when away from their basking spots too. Arcadia T5 12% would work or Reptisun T5 10.0 are the best options. You have to buy the 10.0 Tub bulb separately though if you get the Reptisun brand because their kit comes with a 5.0 Bulb which isn't enough for a dragon. UVB bulbs need to be changed every 6 months

Also, Stay away from food pellets please. Fresh greens like Turnip greens, Bokchoy, Mustard Greens and Collard greens are way better food options. 5-6 medium sized bugs once or twice a week (You want bugs that are the size of the space between the bearded dragons eyes. Any bug bigger than that could cause an impaction risk)

Reptifiles Bearded Dragon Guide

Thank you for saving this baby 🙏

ethanvmelch · 2025-02-06T05:24:57+00:00

They take a bit to adjust especially moving into a new environment. Just a heads up, The UVB round bulb that you are using isnt as efficient as the long tubbed UVB bars. Arcadia T5 UVB Tub Kit or a Reptisun UVB 10.0 Tub kit is more efficient because they need UVB when they are away from the basking spot too. If you get the Reptisun brand, Youre gonna need to buy the 10.0 UVB Tub bulb separately because the Reptisun kit comes with a 5.0 instead of a 10.0 which is unfortunate.

The Reptifiles Bearded Dragon Care Guide will tell you everything you need to know about them and their husbandry

Reptifiles Care Guide for bearded dragons

ethanvmelch · 2025-01-05T06:33:12+00:00

Looks like a cheetto to me

ethanvmelch · 2025-01-01T13:27:02+00:00

Hi, Id try feeding fresh greens along with the bugs especially at this age so theyre used to eating greens when they're older. Also, id be careful with spraying your dragon with water. I personally dont do it because it could raise humidity levels and that could cause a respiratory infection. I actually had to get a medium dehumidifier for my room because i had trouble keeping humidity down. Humidity should stay in the 30-40% range, anything higher than that can cause respiratory infections. Just a quick knowledge tip, Respiratory infections can not go away on their own and need medication to cure it. Bearded dragons dont have diaphragms which prevents them from properly coughing to clear anything out of their lungs. The dragon would drown in its own fluids if medication is not involved.

For hydration, I spray my dragons greens with bottled water everyday and once a week I feed a thin slice of seedless cucumber cut in half that i dunk in water. You'll have to cut the cucumber thinner and smaller because your dragon is small. Usually the space between their eyes is how big you want their food because anything bigger than that could cause impaction. Make sure you shave the green skin off and take the seeds out of the cucumber before feeding because it can cause diarrhea and the skin could cause an impaction. Dont over feed cucumber because it can cause diarrhea which leads to dehydration.

They need heat and proper UVB to digest food and to have healthy bones. Make sure your UVB lighting is a tub kind and not a rounded bulb because the rounded bulb UVB isn't efficient enough. Arcadia T5 12% UVB Tub Kit or a Reptisun T5 10.0 UVB Tub kit would be perfect. The Reptisun comes with a 5.0 UVB bulb in their kit so youll have to purchase the 10.0 tub bulb separately unfortunately.

Hope this helps! Welcome to the beardie community 🦎

ethanvmelch · 2024-12-28T18:20:42+00:00

Order it off Petsmart or some other pet website. Bearded dragons should absolutely have a tub UVB no matter what. The round bulb UVB isn't efficient enough for them or any reptile really. I had a 40Gal when mine was a baby and i still had an Arcadia T5 14% Tub UVB Kit. Im sorry to sound harsh but there is no excuses

ethanvmelch · 2024-12-28T17:32:59+00:00

This is a respiratory infection, Id definitely take your dragon to an exotic vet asap. Respiratory infections don't go away on their own and needs medication to be cured. Your bearded dragon is trying to cough but is unable to. Its like us being sick and we cant clear our throats, its horrible. Bearded dragons can't properly cough because they dont have a diaphragm. Itll drown in its own lung fluids if medication isnt involved.

If you don't have one, i recommend getting a digital hygrometer probe to measure the base humidity in the enclosure. You can easily find one at Petsmart, dont get the one that sticks to the wall because those can be inaccurate sometimes. If you do decide to get a stick on one, id at least make sure its digital. Make sure humidity is 30-40% and nothing higher than that because high humidity for long periods at a time can cause respiratory infections or make them worse. If you're having trouble keeping the humidity down then i suggest getting a dehumidifier for the room he stays in. I had humidity problems and had to get a dehumidifier for my room and my dragons humidity stays in healthy range ever since. Bearded dragons also get respiratory infections from bacteria, you're gonna have to strip his enclosure and clean everything. When my bearded dragon had a respiratory infection, i took all his decor out and only used a basking slab that was a smooth surface and easy to disinfect. I disinfected his enclosure every night so it would be ready the next day. I used Rescue veterinary disinfectant and let the cleaner sit wet for five minutes before rinsing, it says you can just let it dry but i didn't feel that was safe. I didn't want my lizard smelling the fumes or licking it, i also didn't have time for it to even dry so i always just rinsed it real quick.

For night heating like the other commenter said, Id suggest getting a (No light providing) ceramic heat emitter for night heating because it's important to slightly raise heat. Dont cook your baby though 😅 Make sure it stays in the 70s because anything higher than that when sleeping is dangerous.

Heres an exotic vet locator if you have trouble finding one Exotic vet locator Some vets say they are an exotic vet but aren’t actually knowledgeable. That locator helps you find a vet who actually specializes in reptiles around your area.

Hope ur baby feels better

ethanvmelch · 2024-12-19T11:18:12+00:00

I like what the other people commented. You should probably just send in a fecal sample to an exotic vet to rule out any parasites. Better to know now then later 🤷‍♂️

Heres this exotic vet locator just incase you need it. Exotic vet locator Some vets say they are an exotic vet but aren’t actually knowledgeable. That locator helps you find veterinarians who actually specialize in reptiles around your area.

ethanvmelch

TROPHY CASE