I have a new bearded dragon I bought and I want to make sure I can have the healthiest beardie i can get.?

You've got a few problems in your setup..easily fixed.

First, get rid of the heat rock. They are notorious for burning reptiles.

You do not feed him enough and your bugs and veggies are not good choices.

Offer him crix 2-3 times a day and let him eat as many as he wants in about 10 minutes. This can equal 30-50 or more a day. Avoid the mealworms. They are high in fat and have a shell that is hard to digest. Your baby should poop every day, so the mealies might be clogging him up already. Spinach is NOT a good veggie. It is high in oxalates and binds calcium, making whatever calcium he ingests useless. Apples are okay for a treat, but shouldn't be fed every day.

He needs a salad of a dark, leafy green (like collards) and some other healthy veggie (like squash) available every day.

Here is a good site to show which bugs and veggies you should feed your dragon (and which ones you shouldn't!):

http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Nutrition.html

How do you measure the temps? The only accurate way is with a temp gun or a digital thermometer with a probe directly on the basking spot. This temp should be 100-110 (37.7-43.3C) provided with a bright white basking bulb, which can be just a normal household bulb and the cool side should be around 80 (25.5-27.7C).

At night, his temps can get down to the low 60's so you most likely don't need any extra heat at night. Beardies can see the red and blue lights so they should not be used at night because they could disrupt his sleep, making him grumpy and lethargic during the day. If you do need extra heat at night, it is best to use a ceramic heat emitter.

What kind of UVB do you use? Unfortunately, most UVB bulbs on the market are not good quality and can cause health and particularly eye problems in dragons. All compact coil bulbs are dangerous, and the only recommended linear fluorescent bulb is the ReptiSUN 10.0 (not ReptiGLO) in the US or the Arcadia 12% in the UK (http://www.uvguide.co.uk)/

Please continue your research at http://www.beardeddragon.org/ to learn everything you need to know about taking care of your dragon!

Best of luck!

Hello.

It seems you have everything just right. I will answer your questions down below following some important details.

Q:Do I need a hydrometer?

A:No as long as you have a thermometer.

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Q:Is it too hot or cold?

A:Just right.

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Q:Do I feed him enough food?

A:No,if he is a baby feed him at least 20-30 crickets a day,and feed him TWICE a day.

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Q:Do I have a good set up?

A:Yes,sounds like it.

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Ok,so now that we got that out of the way, I would lay off the meal-worms and to just provide as a treat because they are very fattening and not nutritious,and the hard skin can cause impaction. While were on the topic of food I suggest Phoenix Worms,they are very nutritious and one of the best things for a Bearded Dragon. I will provide a link of a Phoenix Worm Online Store (that I order from) and a Nutrition Chart link of what they can and cannot eat. I recommend a Zoo Med Rep-ti Basking Spot Lamp 150 watt,and for the UVB/UVA rays light I suggest a Zoo Med Rep-ti Sun 10.0. Once your little guys gets bigger you NEED a 40-50 gallon tank no bigger or smaller. It is totally ok that he doesn't go in his little hide. Please do NOT use heat rocks! Bearded Dragons cannot feel under their bellies,so that causes them to get burnt! Remove them immediately! I hope this helped and I hope you follow my advice! Good Luck and enjoy your little guy now,they grow up fast!

Sincerly,

Isabella

I'm not an expert but it sounds like you have started off with a very healthy and happy bearded dragon.

The only thing I would add to the list is your nearest vet office which deals with exotic animals, just because you never know when something can go wrong. Best to locate them now and take yours in for a well-pet checkup so they can advise you and get to know your pet at his best.

If you don't have an exotic pet vet clinic nearby, try to get in touch with the closest zoo and ask to speak to their herpetarian curator/keeper. They will very often be able to give you a great deal of advice. Another source is any university. Most have what they call an "extension," which is basically an outreach program for the public. If there is a major university in your area, they likely have a biology professor on staff who has a PhD in herpetology.

My only other advice is to avoid pet stores, dealers, or other individuals with no credentials.

I hope you and your pet enjoy a long, healthy and happy relationship.

Everything looks good except you need to feed him twice a day as many as he wants to eat in 10 minutes but if he is not using the bathroom lower the cricket numbers.

How big is your beardie so I can tell if your feeding him right everything else is fine