New beardie mom needs help and advice

[Kimberly n Morgana]

Hi, I bought my beardie about 8 days ago. Her name is Morgana and she is so beautiful. She is about 4-5 months old. I use a REPTI GLO 10.0 UVB  and a  100 WATT INTENSE BASKING SPOT BULB FROM EXO-TERRA and a  100 WATT INFRARED HEAT GLO FROM EXO-TERRA BEDTIME LIGHT.
Her diet is : Mustard greens, collard greens, turnip greens, very thin shredded radish, carrots (rare), about 5 crickets and 4-5 mealworms a day.
                 I also give her bottled water in a sprayer and in her bathing tub/water dish. Her insects are dusted in REP-CAL PHOSPHORUS-                 FREE CALCIUM with VIT. D ULTRAFINE POWDER           

Her daytime temp is between 90 - 110 degrees  with a nighttime temp of 80 - 70 degrees and her humidity is about 60% (after I mist her) to 40% normal

She doesn't eat very much of her salad, and in the last 2 days she hasn't been eating many of her bugs either. She is sleeping alot. She is also shedding a little. She doesn't go to the top of her basking limb, she stays about middle to bottom all the time unless shes hunting her food.

Tonight however, she did this strange hiccup thing about 6 - 7 times. She doesn't have a "congested" sound. Nothing gross coming out of her nose, and her poopy is normal.

What have I done wrong ? Does any1 know what to do?

[ladyknite]

Misting isn't necessary.  Neither is a water dish.  If you give her a soak in the tub a couple of times per week, her hydration level will be good.
Mealworms aren't the best feeder.  They're somewhat difficult to digest due to the amount of chitin to the amount of meat in the ratio.  Crickets and roaches are more nutritious feeders.

Part of her issue may be the shed, another part is relocation.  Removing the water dish and the misting from her routine and replacing it with soaks would decrease your possibility of any respiratory issues.  She's young still, so salad isn't her main food just yet.  Keep offering and she'll come around.

[Kimberly n Morgana]

Thank you for taking the time to respond!!!

My next question will be..... Please explain what you mean by "soaking"
Like how long does she need to soak each time, water temp, do I need to add some kindof dechlor, and do I need to completely remove  ALL water from her habitat???

thanks again for your help!

[perfectly_flawed]

Most of us keep absolutely no water in their enclosures. For soaking, just let her soak and play in lukewarm (about the temp you'd bathe a human baby in) water up to her shoulders for at least 15 minutes, 2 or 3 times a week. Most dragons learn to love "bath time" and will swim and play.
She also needs more protein. A dragon under 12 months should be given all they want in 15 minutes 2 or 3 times a day. For most dragons this will be at least 30 appropriately sized crickets, roaches, or silkworms each day. All insects should be smaller than the space between the dragons eyes.

[Kimberly n Morgana]

ty for the reply!

Now for the silk worms, is it ok to use the canned ones? Crickets are easy, I have been bag shakeing them in her calcium powder b4 I feed her.

I cant really use our bathtub for her cause its huge(garden tub) but I can use a small plastic pan, right? About the size people use to soak thier feet?
 We are also trying to hand feed her as much as possible so we will up the amount of crickets she gets a day...
thank you for your help

    @--}----

[perfectly_flawed]

I wouldn't feed any canned bugs, for several reasons. First, there is absolutely no way to know if the bugs were healthy and well cared for before being killed. Secondly, most of them contain preservatives and other nasty chemicals. Fresh is always best - both in bugs and veggies.
You can use anything that she's comfortable in for her soaks. I often use a small dish tub for my little ones.

[Kimberly n Morgana]

Crickets and roaches are more nutritious feeders.












lol....just noticed you told me to feed her roaches....ummm, where do you buy roaches?
like I can go to my sisters and grab some from her walls? or I can buy feeder roaches from somewhere?

I know that sounds crazy buy I didnt know people bred roaches on purpose

[zebrajanie]

I use Jason @
www.theroachguy.com... He and his crew are top notch... Just tell them Janie sent ya... I'm in Savannah by the way... delivery might take 4 days... Make sure to order on Sunday/Mondays, he ships out tues.

Hope this helps...

You'll want Dubias too... I think you'll find them less... roachy.. lol

[Kimberly n Morgana]

ty so much for the reply.....didnt mean to sound crazy but.....kinda wierd!

Will go check him out now,
                                      thanks again

[beardieboy72]

my little bd makes the same hiccuping soun is it almost like a puff and then she closes her mouth