The Substrate Debate

There are many that would argue the topic of suitable substrates (floor of the habitat)back and fourth. I am bold enough to DARE anyone to find just cause why newspaper on the bottom, and paper towel on top is not the BEST substrate for a Bearded Dragon.

Hygiene wise I believe this to be your best bet.

If you are planning to BREED that is another story entirely.

I use newspaper and paper towels period.

The advantages are FANTASTIC.

I can sleep at night and not worry that my Beardie is impacted with SUBSTRATE. To me that is one less weight off of my shoulders.

My newspaper & paper towel substrate doesn't clump or harbor bacteria.

Remember by process of "elimination" so to speak you can diagnose a lot faster and treat a lot faster.

For more information and education on Bearded Dragon Substrates click below.

This is one of my set up's.

Daisy Juanita on the top section. Jolene on the bottom section.

More Tidbits As We Go....

Do Dragons "EAT" other Dragons? YES. There are cases where Larger Dragons have eatin smaller/younger Dragons. So as a precaution DO NOT HOUSE Larger dragons with smaller ones. (Also, Dragons like to "stack" ontop of one another. The larger ones can "crush" the younger ones.)



Are Dragons Aggressive? Dragons ARE NOT aggressive by nature. This is what makes a Beardie a FANTASTIC pet (among other reasons!)



DO I Have To Bathe My Bearded Dragon? YES. Use Lukewarm water, I usually stick my elbow in the water to test it. You want the water warm, NEVER HOT. I bathe my babies in the kitchen sink. This is a GREAT way for them to soak the water in through their skin, or even drink some in their bath. Another WONDERFUL thing aboout bathing your Dragon is it relaxes them enough, and warms them enough to move their bowles, and they will POOP in the water. Using the Kitchen sink allows me to drain the poop fast and re-fill the sink with clean warm water. I bathe my Dragons 2x to 3x per week. Trust me this is a GREAT BENEFIT for them and for you.

Choices

This site is here for the benefit of Bearded Dragons and their owners.

I have researched a TON of different sources,

and I thought that I would share my knowledge with you.

There are so many business' out there to choose from.

There are price comparisons to be made.

There is an education that only comes from living day to day

with these awesome creatures.

I have read the books, researched tirelessly on the internet, and met some AWESOME people from Breeders to Veterinarians, to fellow Beardie owners.

This site is CONSTANTLY UPDATED.

You may leave comments, ask questions, lend your experiences,

add some information or Beardie Stories to share with everyone.

I encourage you to send photo's of YOUR Bearded Dragons to us, so that we may share them with everyone.

You can also WIN PRIZES!!

We have Beardie Trivia

Photo Contests....

JUST KEEP FOLLOWING THIS BLOG!

We are here to serve you and your precious Dragon(s)!

God Bless,

Barb

Feeding Your Bearded Dragon Part 2

Once you get your crickets and your REP-CAL Powder, get a zip lock bag.

With Feeding Tongs or Tweezers, get the crickets into the zip lock bag, pick up enough powder (usually I grab the powder between my thumb and forefinger.) and then throw the powder in the bag with the crickets.

Lightly shake the zip lock bag. Now you have successfully dusted your crickets and made a GREAT appetizer for your Bearded Dragons!

After the appetizers, I go to work on the Main Course!

I NEVER make the same meal over and over again. I like to keep my Dragons guessing!

VARIETY IS WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT!

*** Remember:

CHOP ALL FOOD FINELY. DO THIS SO YOUR DRAGON DOES NOT CHOKE. ***

VEGGIES I USE ARE: Butter Lettuce, Boston Bib Lettuce, Kale, Collard & Mustard Greens, Parsley, Dandelion Greens, Green Beans, Endive, Carrots Zucchini, Peas, Escarole, Alfalfa (fresh from the produce section) Carrots, Tomato (I use Tomato every blue moon).(You can also use Green Bell Peppers, Butter Squash.)

A NOTE ABOUT LETTUCE: Do not feed your dragons iceberg lettuce as is has very little nutritional value and may give the dragon the 'runs' - prompting dehydration.

FRUITS I USE Cantaloupe, Apples, Blueberries, Blackberries, Peaches, Pears, Grapes, Figs, Banana's (including the skins), Plums, Raspberries, Water Melon, and Strawberries.

INSECTS I USE: Crickets, Silk Worms , Phoenix Worms, Butter Worms, Wax Worms (*High in fat so remember to feed sparingly), Meal Worms, Grasshoppers, and Goliath Worms. (DO NOT FEED Goliath worms to jouvenile Beardies, as these guys are HUGE.)

Store Bought/Prepared Dragon Food I Use: I like to use Rep Cal Brand Jouvenile Bearded Dragon Food. This food has small ball like bites that you can soak in juice. I have soaked it in Apple Juice, V8 Pomgranite and Blueberry Juice, and Sunny D (Smooth).

Just A Note About Silkworms : They are naturally the healthiest insect you can get to feed your Beardie. You just can't beat the low-fat content & nutritional value of a silk worm. Silkworms are a high source of Calcium, Protein, Iron, Magnesium, Sodium, and Vitamins B1, B2, and B3.

Things I Have Learned: Super worms. My Vet told me that Super worms are a VERY aggressive worm....They can LITERALLY EAT THROUGH the inside of a Bearded Dragon. So, He suggested that IF you are going to use SUPER WORMS as food, CUT THEIR HEADS OFF before feeding them to your Dragon. ( I tried this for about 2 days and got completely grossed out. So now Super worms are NO LONGER a part of my beardies diets.)

KEEP A SPRAY BOTTLE Full of water around at all times. "MISTING" your Bearded Dragon everyday is a GREAT way to keep them hydrated. A nice SLOW MIST they love it! I also MIST THEIR FOOD. One or two little trigger pulls will do it. This is just another way to keep your Dragon taking in water.

Meal worms: Have hard shells. These can be hard to digest. Be careful not to feed them to your Beardie often. I feed my Adult Beardies the Medium/Small Sized Meal worms 2 - 3 times per week.

BARB'S ONCE A WEEK DRAGON TACO!

The photo on your left is my famous Once A Week "Dragon Taco". I use 1 Full Washed Piece of Butter / or Boston Bib Lettuce. I then chop yellow squash,tomato, green beans, and apple into very small pieces. I lay all of the chopped foods ontop of the piece of lettuce ( you may put a pinch of REP-CAL on to garnish!) THEY LOVE TO TARE LETTUCE! (Again I do this ONLY once per week all other days I chop the lettuce finely for them for proper digestion.)

FUN FOODS / TREATS:

When I refer to "Fun foods" or "Treats" I mean to feed your beardies these SPARINGLY. TINY PIECES. These are in NO WAY to be substitute for a "Meal" for your dragon.

Applesauce, Fruit Yogurt, V8 Pomegranate and Blueberry Juice, Apple juice, tiny piece of a Fig Newton Cookie, Sunny D Smooth Juice, Baby Foods, Whipped Cream From A Can and Banana Cream Pie. In the summer, I BBQ Skinless Chicken. I rip off tiny pieces and hand feed the cooked chicken to my Beardies (They Love It!)

STAY TUNED AS WE COVER A TON OF SUBJECTS FOR YOU.

We have these topics coming soon:

SUBSTRATE

HOUSING

IMPACTED DRAGONS

SPENDING TIME WITH YOUR DRAGON

BREEDING

(Special Breeding Column Series By

Lynn Benjamin Owner of Carolina Designer Dragons)

BROUMATING

SEXING

BEHAVIOR

AND SO MUCH MORE!!

Feeding Your Bearded Dragon PART 1

You will find a TON of information on the internet on what to feed your Bearded Dragon. But stay here.... I have already researched it for you.

Here is what I found to come in handy.

Remember: Variety is the spice of life!

The diet of a JUVENILE DRAGON (2-4 months old) will consist of approximately 80% Insects and 20% Greens.

ADULT DRAGONS are the opposite 80% Greens 20% Insects.

JUVENILE'S should be fed 2 to 3 times per day. If insufficient food is fed, young dragons may nip at the tails and toes of their cage mates.

ALL Dragons need their vitamin suppliments, no matter how much variety you offer. I found REP-CAL CALCIUM WITH VIT. D3 Ultrafine Powder to be a GREAT source of everything the Beardies need to maintain good health.

This is so easy to use. My ritual is : Crickets are the appetizer.... I store the crickets for my adult beardies in a 10 gallon tank with a screen hood. I feed my crickets the BEST! Remember the better you feed your crickets (called "gut loading") the better your beardies eat! (You are what you eat after all!) If you purchase your crickets at a pet store like Petco or Petsmart....

I say this because it is SO MUCH CHEAPER to purchase crickets in bulk online! I also recommend http://www.mulberryfarms.com/ for quality crickets. Remember do not get the SAME SIZE crickets for ADULT AND BABY Beardies.

Follow the rule of thumb....

A Bearded Dragon SHOULD NOT eat anything that is BIGGER than the space between their eyes.

I am giving you a TON of information.

The Best I truly know of as of now.

Part 2 coming within 72 Hours.