I rescued a crippled bearded dragon from Petsmart (help)

Tanner Dzula

Arachnoknight
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Feb 29, 2016
Messages
190
I have one of these that I'm not really using for anything other than mixing substrate:
http://www.lllreptile.com/products/11440-large-exo-terra-reptile-den-flat-home

I think I'll put him in that tomorrow - if nothing better turns up.
definitely not ideal, but for sure will work and be decent until you can find something large enough.

idk if they have it going on currently. but i know petco/petsmart do usually have their Dollar Per gallon sales pretty often, and you can grab a decently priced 20g or 40gm which will hold him pretty well for a while(id say 3-5months in the 20g at MOST, and at most 6-10months in a 40g, or until he/she is reaching adult hood, at that point id get a 75+ gallon, depending on the dimensions, I've found some Weird tanks at my local Goodwill my buddy works for, odd custom Fish tank set ups that have worked nicely. )
 

Ellenantula

Arachnoking
Old Timer
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Sep 14, 2014
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2,009
ahhh, the good old bathtub poops.

its amazing how such a simple thing as a warm pool of water can almost instantly trigger a bowl moment. Most of mine, like clockwork, within about 30 seconds of being put into a warm little bath, almost instantly poop haha.
I know!
Sometimes mine really needed a soak so I would have to halt bath to change water because he pooped way too soon!
I've always heard you need about 20 minutes if you're trying to hydrate via cloaca/vent -- hence water change to continue bath.
 

Tanner Dzula

Arachnoknight
Joined
Feb 29, 2016
Messages
190
I know!
Sometimes mine really needed a soak so I would have to halt bath to change water because he pooped way too soon!
I've always heard you need about 20 minutes if you're trying to hydrate via cloaca/vent -- hence water change to continue bath.
yea, thats why for me(well my GF, as she's the one who really loves bath time, usually doing that while i Feed the rest of our zoo haha)
we usually fill it up a little with a little warmth at first just so that they will go right away, and then drain and Really fill it up for a Full good bath haha. one thing I've found that works really nice, is a old baby bath that i had bought for my sister last year when she had her son(one of her friends bought the exact same one and i couldn't return it so i just kept it "just in case")

and noticed you can control the temperature and its not too deep since its for laying down an newborn-infant in it and has a nice gradual slope to it.
works really nice an can keep the water constantly warm, but not hot, at a specific temperature. its also super easy to keep clean and sanitary since its designed for new borns.
 

Ellenantula

Arachnoking
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Sounds like a nicer bathtub than mine has. Mine is black with skull designs around outside -- a large Halloween tub you put ice in to hold drinks at a party.
Hey... it works. But no slope. :(
 

Tanner Dzula

Arachnoknight
Joined
Feb 29, 2016
Messages
190
Sounds like a nicer bathtub than mine has. Mine is black with skull designs around outside -- a large Halloween tub you put ice in to hold drinks at a party.
Hey... it works. But no slope. :(
Do you want to trade? :O that sounds amazing and would go really well with literally everything in our house haha.
 

grimmjowls

Arachnoknight
Joined
May 1, 2016
Messages
204
1. the internet seems to disagree with you.
its highly reccomened to keep any reptile away from Mealworms as a staple because of the Hard chitin. Now this does not include ALL worms, but Specifically mealworms, AKA Tenebrious monitor, especially in younger dragons. now I'm not saying feeding one meal worm is going to instantly cause impaction. but if you use it as a staple(which is something that I'm sure the petsmart he got it from probably tried to tell him, as they always do, because as we all know, they are usually pretty clueless) it has been know to cause impaction in younger dragons.
that being said, if Any worms are going to be fed to a dragon, especially a younger dragon, there are much safer alternatives with a much better "meat to chitin" ratio, and even better alternatives all togetrht to worms as it is( User 666 is a active member and just form his posts i can tell he has access to other, better, feeding materials)



2. did i say it was large enough?
2 things wrong with what you just stated.
first: i literally stated in my last post that it was a *****BASIC***** set up. of course he is going to want to upgrade it later, but this is assuming(because it came from a petsmart and they almost NEVER keep beards until fully grown if they can avoid it) its a younger beardie. and its not far off from the minimum, you stated 4 x 2 x 2 for an adult bearded dragon? look at this, View attachment 240017
its about 1 foot short length wise and 6inches short in height and width. for a Basic first set up, thats not far off and gives him time to save up for an adult enclosure(this was not a planned thing, and I'm not sure he has the money to immediately to spend on a full adult set up, and nor would he need One Right away, depending on the size of the beardy) i can imagine especially if its still a fairly young beardy? no reason to put a fresh young baby beardy thats possibly only 4-10 inches long in a 60+ gallon tank. absolutely no reason at all unless absolutely not wanting to ever rehouse him again.
its an option, but i wouldn't recommend it for a *Basic* set up.

Second: if you literally go back and read my post, i specifically stated this WAS the set up i had, this set up was from well over a year ago when my beardy was maybe ~6 months old and literally half the size she is now. i also stated that i had a similar situation where i basicly rescued mine. i was short on budget and the person was going to literally leave it to die outside(i live in arizona and it gets 115+ degrees in the day time in july, i was not going to let that happen) i also got a basic set up for the time being. and not for nothing, but it came in a 20g Long, i opted for a Larger tank immediately rather then keep it in the 20g tank.

i didn't post pictures of her CURRENT set up because it wouldn't be as beneficial to show my current set up for a Fully mature beardy if he has a young beardy. now if he was asking about a future set up, that would be different.
And not for nothing but the bare minimum for an adult Bearded dragon(one not exceeding 20 inches) IS a 40g Breeder View attachment 240018

Of course Ideal is 4x2x2, but i really don't think he has the time or money to Hunt down a Full size 120G Tank(recommended for ADULT sizes of 20+ inches or longer)

and AGAIN if its a juvenile or baby beardy, do you REALLY think sticking it in a full 120G set up is a good idea?

3. i am saying Rabbit pellets(alfalfa) won't cause Compaction because its literally made of "greens" its made edible material ( Alfalfa is even a recommended food to give to beards), versus Sand, Hampter bedding, or god knows what else he might find suggested on internet care sheets(or from the pet store he got it from). the biggest risk stated would be that they are basicly "dried". and obviously if the beardy starts eating a large amount, then sure you'd want to take it out, this is the same with ANY substrate. if your beardy started scarfing down sand from his dig box, would you keep the sand in? no.
sure a Young dragon might choke on a pellet, but its a lot safer using a natural digestible material, then something thats in no way digestible. and again would depend on the size.

let me ask you. if this is a Dragon small enough to choke on a rabbit pellet (between 1/4"-1/2") then why would you be saying that a 40g is below the minimum again? this would mean his beardie would have to be a baby/young juvenile and suggesting he buy a 75G or 120G for that size is very unnecessary. thats like suggesting a full 10g tank for a T. Stirmi sling.

I've raised multiple bearded dragons on them, I know many people who have and there has never been an issue.
on the inverse I've seen so many people lose dragons to them eating large amounts of Sand or other harmful or non-digestible substrates.
i mean, its all up to personal preference, but when something is listed as a non-dangerous food(alfalfa) and there is pellets made of it, why would there be a huge risk of impaction.
but as an alternate, you can use Millet Seed(another non dangerous alternative)
or Sand or other types of material for dig boxes. but again, all up to personal preference.

at the end of the day, NONE of us are truly experts, and as most people would agree, when it comes down to it, Experience is usually the best thing to go on.

i am simply sharing my experience of years of keeping and raising bearded dragons, and giving basic info.
not many other people have chimed in for much more then i have or to nit-pick my post needlessly. if you disagree, feel free to help him.
Sorry, I'm not going to read all of that. You took it personally when I told you your information was wrong.

There is virtually no evidence of impaction from mealworms, just spun wives tales that everyone pounds into the skulls of new owners. You're doing more harm than good. I have fed lots of mealworms in one sitting to my dragons and never had an issue, because the chitin is not the problem. It's bad husbandry that causes it. When a dragon doesn't have the proper temperatures to bask at, he cannot digest it properly. That is a fact. I'm sorry, you are wrong.

You're going off about the size but I don't have the time or interest to read how you think you're more correct in putting your dragon in a small box. This is why Europe is appalled at the United States' keepers apparent need to stay in the past. Times gave changed, we know better now. Stop putting your pride before your animal's health.
4x2x2 is a MINIMUM for an adult. I simply told OP that. I'm not here to try and teach you, I just want to correct the incorrect information you gave OP.

The rest... I'm sorry but I think it's just more of the same.
 

grimmjowls

Arachnoknight
Joined
May 1, 2016
Messages
204
Sand is a fine substrate. Not the best, but its fine. Please don't mislead OP.
 

grimmjowls

Arachnoknight
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May 1, 2016
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I feel so many of the BD injuries are from housing them together -- they have a brief babyhood when they can safely share a tank and then it's carnage, imo. :banghead:

You've gotten a lot of information so I won't write my own tome. Just be sure to provide a warm basking side and not-as-warm side. They require UVB and basking lamps, a hide, mine adores his hammock as well as a soft fleece blanket to nap on. Mine does get mealies but since mine is an adult -- he has to earn them by eating some veggies too. Bathing for 20 minutes in warm (NOT HOT) water helps with hydration both for absorption through cloaca/vent as well as sometimes drinking some water during bath (and mine uses chooses to poop during a bath which ends bath time lol). I bathe twice weekly and trust mine gets enough moisture through wet veg/fruit.
I don't use loose substrate -- many people use tile -- I use a carpet (with a backup carpet) and keep the spare one clean. Carpets are probably a bigger concern if nail maintenance is ignored. Buy the biggest tank you can -- 40 gallon is minimum for an adult -- always go bigger if you can.

Best of luck -- BDs are amazing companion pets!
Baths are useless. Their skin is proven to be basically waterproof, they don't absorb anything. The only way a dragon can hydrate in a bath is through directly drinking. In nature, they get most, if not all, of their moisture from their diet.

Also, don't soak to get your dragon to poop, and don't "massage his belly." People suggest that but it's bad because it forces the dragon to go prematurely and could cause a prolapse.
 

Nephila Edulis

Arachnoknight
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Feb 27, 2017
Messages
201
Baths are useless. Their skin is proven to be basically waterproof, they don't absorb anything. The only way a dragon can hydrate in a bath is through directly drinking. In nature, they get most, if not all, of their moisture from their diet.

Also, don't soak to get your dragon to poop, and don't "massage his belly." People suggest that but it's bad because it forces the dragon to go prematurely and could cause a prolapse.
And if your dragon (or leopard gecko, etc, etc.) is actually impacted should you get it to poop?
 

grimmjowls

Arachnoknight
Joined
May 1, 2016
Messages
204
And if your dragon (or leopard gecko, etc, etc.) is actually impacted should you get it to poop?
Bring it to the vet. You can't know an impaction from just a poop taking awhile. If your pet is impacted, it won't poop for you. It's IMPACTED and needs a vet.
 

Nephila Edulis

Arachnoknight
Joined
Feb 27, 2017
Messages
201
Bring it to the vet. You can't know an impaction from just a poop taking awhile. If your pet is impacted, it won't poop for you. It's IMPACTED and needs a vet.
I haven't kept a dragon in years so sorry if I am wrong all the time
 

Nephila Edulis

Arachnoknight
Joined
Feb 27, 2017
Messages
201
Bring it to the vet. You can't know an impaction from just a poop taking awhile. If your pet is impacted, it won't poop for you. It's IMPACTED and needs a vet.
well that's the obvious option, but if you can't afford vet bills it's a different story unless you want to give your dragon to somebody who can pay for the vet bills. But most keepers aren't so willing to let their beloved pets go
 

basin79

ArachnoGod
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5,893
I've got to ask this.

Petco seems to be an absolutely disgusting organisation from the horrific threads I've read on this board.

Why would you support them in ANY way? Buying crickets off them is supporting them.

Second question why the hell aren't the stores closed down if the mistreatment is so evident and in the public eye?
 

basin79

ArachnoGod
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A full spectrum tube bulb needs to be within 30cm of the dragon for it to take advantage of it and needs to be changed every 6 months.

With your little fella having a damaged keg you'll probably have to lower the bulb rather than put a branch in the enclosure for it to get close enough to get the benefit.
 

user 666

Arachnobaron
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Jan 27, 2017
Messages
355
I've got to ask this.

Petco seems to be an absolutely disgusting organisation from the horrific threads I've read on this board.

Why would you support them in ANY way? Buying crickets off them is supporting them.

Second question why the hell aren't the stores closed down if the mistreatment is so evident and in the public eye?
Because I have to buy my bird food dog food, and T prey somewhere. And frankly, there isn't a huge difference between the chain pet stores and the niche T dealers.

The one makes their money off of accessories and cares not one whit for the animals. The other only cares about the animals because it doesn't sell the accessories, and that care only extends as far as making the sale. (This thread is not the place for this discussion, and in any case I have a longer pot about this elsewhere.)

A full spectrum tube bulb needs to be within 30cm of the dragon for it to take advantage of it and needs to be changed every 6 months.

With your little fella having a damaged keg you'll probably have to lower the bulb rather than put a branch in the enclosure for it to get close enough to get the benefit.
I have bulbs in my storage bin.

And he's climbing pretty nicely, although that probably won't last as he gets older and bigger.
 
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