Substrates are one of the most highly debated topics there are for bearded dragons. You can find a decent break-down of them here:
http://bearded-dragons.com/boards/index.php/topic,6.0.htmlYou can replace the flannel-covered heat rock (fire hazard!) with a cheap 100-watt lightbulb placed over an ordinary largish rock. Be sure to wash the rock first; a soak in hot water and a scrub should do. Most of us use river rocks. Heat rocks have been known to have electrical shorts, as most electronics exposed to heat and/or water can do. This would burn the belly of your dragon and he would likely die if it happened. You'll need a UVB bulb as well, which is a special bulb that mimics the sun in a way that allows him to digest calcium. It will need to be replaced twice a year in order to remain effective (it can still emit light when the sun-mimicing effects have worn off), and you'll need to avoid the coil-shaped bulbs as they can burn his eyes. Get a tube-shaped one the length of his enclosure at a strength of 10, and keep it 6-8 inches from your dragon.
He'll also need a cool spot. If your enclosure is large enough, this can be done simply with a hide-away that he can easily crawl in and out of, placed on the opposite end of his basking spot. The terrarium should be a bit larger than what you have: 36"x18"x18" is recommended. Length and depth are what is important. Height is debatable; just make sure your beardie can easily reach the light source/s but still be able to escape them. They sell any variety of hide-aways made of wood, rock, or fake rock at pet stores for anywhere from $5 to $50. Choose what you like.
He'll need live prey. If you can raise your own you'll save a BUNDLE, and roaches are preferred over crickets as they don't make so much noise and tend to have a lower mortality rate. Dubias, Lobsters, and Turks are currently the recommended favorites of this forum... I only have experience with Lobsters and can offer a good link to care for them here:
http://www.progeckos.com/caresheets/lobster.htm I like them because they reproduce so rapidly and have live young. They also don't require so much protein as some other varieties, which means their food can sometimes be crunched up stale cereal instead of specially-bought cat food or dog food. I also add some of an old jar of cricket food... be sure when using cricket food to NOT use the calcium-fortified varieties, as this can harm roaches. They're also supposed to be offered veggies/fruits, but I've had so many problems with fruit fly infestations that I will only offer them dry foods. With the water from Watersorb crystals
http://www.watersorb.com/ they've been kept healthy for a very long time. Buy the 2-4 mm version (labeled Large) for best results. It comes in dry pellets that will expand to jelatin when added to water. With 1 tsb of the pre-mixed stuff for each 1 cup of water, it will last you a LONG time. Let it sit in a cup for an hour or so to absorb all the water, then put in a shallow dish and place inside your roach bin. In the end, a $10 terrarium-sized rubbermaid bin, a dark, warm place, some Watersorb, and leftover stale (but not spoiled! avoid mold!) foods... makes for an incredibly cheap and low-maintenance food source that should last your beardie for the rest of his life.
Here's an AMAZING list of choices for veggies and fruits. You'll want to bookmark this one! http://www.beautifuldragons.503xtreme.com/Nutrition.htmlHow much and how often of what to feed has been debated, and "30%-40% protein and 60%-70% plant matter" is what is recommended for adults. I like to make sure both are readily available and leave it up to the dragons. My male has been generally lazy for all of his life and leans heavily towards the greens. My female has been skittish since I got her and has boundless energy... leans more towards the bugs. They're both adults so I can't blame it on age. I readily compare this behavior vs. food-preferences to humans, lol! The easiest way to keep both available is to offer fresh greens in a shallow dish every day, removing what isn't eaten at night. Offer as many bugs as he will eat in a 10-15 minute period a few times a week, removing what isn't eaten right after. Most preferred bugs are nocturnal and he is not, so letting any stay overnight could bother him. You can feed these inside or outside of his terrarium, whichever is easiest for you.
Most on this forum will advise against pellets for dragons, as they don't have enough nutrition over an extended period of time. I use them anyway as a back-up source. If for whatever reason my bugs are wiped out, or it's late in the day and their available greens have become old because I'm still at work, there's a dish of pellets in the corner they have the option to investigate. It's also wonderful for if I need to be away for the weekend or something. Consider it a non-greasy version of most fast food chains... it has enough to sustain them, but you wouldn't want them living off of it. You can wet them, but I don't, and I do keep a dish of water in there as well. My dragons drink from it now and then, though I've heard from others that theirs won't.
Giving baths every day is awesome!! It's not required, weekly is more common, but it's a great way to keep him clean and hydrated. You can also wrap him gently in a small towel to help him dry off afterward... I hold mine against my chest or in my lap for a few minutes to calm them, otherwise they don't like it and try to squirm away, trailing water all over the floor. Yes, they'll usually poo in it, and this is actually great because it's easier clean-up, and you know when they've recently done it you can take them somewhere without worrying about them doing it on your floor, furniture, or worse -- people!
