Tell me about your bearded dragon (care and setup)

Crabs McJones · Feb 12, 2020

Artimusclyde1974 said:
Look at this wild milk snake morph I found hiking in Arizona!

Back in the day I kept a snake, it was called a Brazilian Rainbow Boa. Absolutely gorgeous snake. The iridescence in the sunlight was mesmerizing.

Artimusclyde1974 · Feb 12, 2020

That’s beautiful!
back in high school I had a scrub python mean little guy they are thin for their length and this guy was around 5’ well my sister decided while I was out it would be cool to show it off to her friends and I got a call to come home at 12pm because it struck at her and she ran and never closed the cage... so I had a unhappy scrub python in the rafters of my garage.... at midnight
They are arboreal.... it’s so hard to get a angery snake out of rafters by your self they can pretty much grab with every inch of the body and u only have 2 hands and one must hold your self from falling and the other keeps the teeth at bay.... lol

Han · Feb 12, 2020

I don’t know if this applies to beardies, but for my geckos and snakes I like to use zoomeds cage carpets. A lot less maintenance than most bedding in my experience.

Crabs McJones · Feb 12, 2020

Han said:
I don’t know if this applies to beardies, but for my geckos and snakes I like to use zoomeds cage carpets. A lot less maintenance than most bedding in my experience.

Beardies tend to get their toenails caught in the repticarpets.

MTBake · Feb 12, 2020

Great advice in this thread!

First pet I ever had was a garter snake. I caught it in my back yard when I was around first grade. Kept lots of different reptiles in my days. I got a ball python in the summer before 6th grade. It was already 3 years old when I got it. I still have her today and I'm 38. My best guess is that it's 31 years old this year.

I also have a beardie, a corn snake and a red footed tortoise that'll out live me.

My beardie is around 12 years old if my guess is right on when I get him. Super mellow and just chills out. I let it roam the reptile room at will some times. Its enclosure has a uvb bulb and an incandescent for lighting. I also use a heat strip under the tank to help with temp during the colder months. I usually have to lift the tank up on something so the the strip isn't too close to the glass. Otherwise, it can get too hot. I check this with a temp gun. Try not to let it get past 85 on the substrate(tiles). I have a few different bowls for food and water as I cycle them out when one set is dirty.

Corey Baker · Feb 12, 2020

Beardies are great! i had Rex for 11 years, passed away in 2012. He ran around free in the apartment for years and was "potty trained," meaning i put a 12"x12" tray maybe an inch tall with a little kitty litter in it in the bathroom on tile floor. He learned to go to the bathroom in there. Wasn't easy and he missed quite often but at least it wasn't on the carpet.

They are smarter than people give them credit for. Despite people saying they cant see water... Mine then learned the dish i laid out had water because he would run over and dive headfirst and start drinking. Mind you it was the same dish for most of his life.

The bedding i used was crushed walnut shell i believe. sands and woodchips can be hard on their digestive system and supposedly the walnut was okay.

He would chase cats around the house eventually got a pup that just didn't understand gentle so Rex got a nice big indoor/outdoor cage but loved to sit on a shoulder or your check while watching tv

GOOD LUCK and love them lots as a Beardie can be a great companion

Artimusclyde1974 · Feb 12, 2020

This was jade my 10’ Colombian red tail boa

DarthSimon · Feb 12, 2020

Hiya Dan!

I have a 3 year old Beadie.... Hi name is Frisco. Currently he is in his brumation period, which means he's hibernating. They do this in the winter. My guy eats super worms and collard greens. Cage size is a 40 Gallon, with doors on the front...
As far as lighting, I have a 100W heat bulb, and a Reptisun T5 Fixture.

lpsouth1978 · Feb 12, 2020

I have had several beardies and only one ever went into Brumation. That was awesome. I don't know if it is because I live in the desert and keep temps very consistent or what, but they just never did it.

Corey Baker · Feb 12, 2020

No brumation in the 11 years i had my guy but i live in Southern CA... warm year round. One thing i thought of when he ran around the apartment i always left windows shades open so he could sunbath and there was a large heat blanket i left in a corner turned on for him. I fed mine mostly crickets and super meal worms. Occasionally hotdogs and chicken if i ran out of crickets and worms. Such awesome animals with a ton of character. glad to see others loving theirs too.

Dsnakes · Feb 12, 2020

I’ve had a bit of everything. The beardies were probably the most ‘pet’ like in terms of interactions.

Should we be looking for a tortoise or snake thread next

cromag27 · Feb 12, 2020

forget reptiles. get one of these.

Waters · Feb 13, 2020

I currently have a large Purple Tegu and Bearded Dragon. I have also kept many species of monitors and snakes. Feel free to PM me with any questions you have. This is an older pic of my Tegu (he is about 3.5 feet now) and one of my monitors.

Daniel@R2R · Feb 13, 2020

Thanks for all the help guys! I think I'm going to get the bearded dragon this weekend as part of my wife's Valentine's Day (gotta say...I NEVER thought I'd be buying my girl a lizard for Valentine's Day!!). I've convinced her that we probably couldn't get one for a few months. Haha!