Bearded-Dragon-Freak

UPDATED DECEMBER 31 2009!

So...... yeah.
No more lizards for me. Most of them were stolen by people who were holding them for me while I was moving, and sold on craigslist. The part that sucks the most is that I found the guy's webposting about eleven minutes after he had them all up for sale for $250. I called him and he rejected my calls and continued to do so. I was devistated and I hope they found good homes, because they were my pets. That fucker, I'm so pissed off at him. Other lizards were sold, but all my originals were stolen. It's disgusting, the way people are.
I still love reptiles, but I won't have any for a while, I'm sure. I have two dogs and four cats, and they keep me busy enough. I'm going back to school this new year, so I can get my associates degree in veterinary technology. I love working as a vet tech, but I just had to move back to Ohio and I am currently unemployed. The job market sucks pretty much everywhere but that's okay, I'll figure something out. And as soon as I get my degree I won't have any problems finding a job anywhere.

I will still keep this page up and going, because the care sheet I wrote is the standard to go by, period. And I will still collect icons of those of you who own beardies, or any other reptiles. Please note me if you've got any questions, or leave me a comment. I'll be on more often and will respond.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!
Ash

IF YOU'RE A NEW BEARDED DRAGON OWNER PLEASE TAKE A MINUTE TO LOOK OVER THE CARE SHEET I'VE WRITTEN! IT'S BEEN FEATURED ON SEVERAL BD WEBSITES AND I'VE HAD MY EXOTIC VETERINARIAN WHOM I WORK WITH APPROVE IT AS WELL.

WHAT REPTILES DO YOU HOARD? MESSAGE ME TO LET ME KNOW!!


I would also like to take a moment to let everyone know that Makaio, one of my first two dragons, passed away in September 2006 while in Virginia with a friend. She was a beautiful lizard and I am very saddened by her passing, but I've got literally hundreds of pictures of her that I will always hang onto.


UPDATED July 1, 2006!!
Alright, I've decided to start collecting a list of people who own OTHER reptiles- turtles, snakes, iguanas, etc.... it's interesting to see everyone who's interested in reptiles, and you can meet other people who are into the same herps that you are! Send me a not or leave me a comment listing ALL the reptiles that you own and I'll start a new journal entry dedicated to reptiles other than bearded dragons and their people!
Ash

UPDATED June 23, 2006!!

I have Jubela, Thorin, and Orc back. They're currently shacking up with BlueStrings because my mother is a tad batty and refuses to let any creatures that crawl into the house. Steven will be sending me Gimli and Makaio back from Virginia here in the next few weeks.
All's well. Issues with parents continue, but that will always happen.
I am currently at work. I'm an assistant at Southern Arizona Veterinary Specialty and Emergency. AKA the only 24 hr Emergency vet in the state, it seems like. I work the 4-midnight shift. It's so awesome.
CONTACT INFO
Email - ashthehunter@yahoo.com
YIM - ashthehunter
MSN - kcbugg@hotmail.com




CARE SHEET FOR INLAND BEARDED DRAGONS

This care sheet that I wrote covers just about everything you’d ever need to know about your pet bearded dragon. I have been keeping beardeds for several years now, and I've just started to breed. So far it has been an extremely rewarding experience.  My collection of dragons has grown, I have met some of the top breeders in the country and I have made some amazing friends through the world of reptiles.

Housing - Bearded dragons up to 12 inches in length should be kept in a relatively small aquarium, anywhere from 15-29 gallons. If kept in a large aquarium at a small size, bearded dragons will feel vulnerable and may refuse to eat or bask. Do not use an aquarium under 15 gallons, as it is too difficult to provide a proper heat gradient. By the time your lizard grows over 12 inches, you will be able to move it to a larger enclosure. A 40 gallon breeder aquarium is fine for one adult. Larger would be even better, however. It is recommended that you only keep one lizard per aquarium. It is possible to keep several females together if there is sufficient room, and all of the dragons are equally the same size and temperament. Some individuals may be dominant and will have to be housed alone. Decoration in the aquarium can consist of driftwood, cactus skeletons, and river rocks. Before you put anything in your dragon’s enclosure, you need to be sure that it is clean. It is> best to soak anything you find outdoors in a 10% bleach, 90% water mixture for several hours. Then rinse it off, and bake it at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for at least 15 minutes. Doing this will kill all bugs/germs/parasites that could possibly harm your dragon. Any decorations bought at pet stores or at reptile expos should be cleaned before use as well.

Housing multiple dragons together - I do NOT recommend that you house dragons together, however if you absolutely must, the only dragons you should house together are females of the same size and temperament, and baby dragons. Some baby dragons may be aggressive however, so you might have to separate them unless you want nips. DO NOT house males/females. The male will force the female into submission and mate with her repeatedly until she is so stressed out that she just gives up. DO NOT house males/males. They will fight each other, sometimes to the death. Male dragons will stress eachother out tremendously even if they do not fight.
If you house two adult females together you need a minimum of 6 square feet floor space for them.

Substrates - This topic is very highly debated, and you will hear many different suggestions on what to use. I prefer to use paper towels/newspaper/reptile carpet. If you wish to use sand, be warned. There have been many documented cases of impaction from the calci-sand, vita-sand, and all that other stuff. Some people use washed play sand, but I feel that using sand is not as sanitary as paper towel, newspaper, or reptile carpet. When the animal defecates in sand, it is impossible to remove all of the poo, urates, and fluid from sand. Therefore, without completely changing the sand every time your animal answers the call of nature, they will basically be living in their own toilet. Some people also believe that repti-bark and ‘lizard litter’ (crushed walnut shells) are a good choice. When ingested, bark and crushed shells can and will pass through the lizard’s stomach if you are lucky, but they will begin to tear at the lizard’s intestines over time, which is not something you or your dragon wants.

Lighting – Your dragon NEEDS special lighting in order to thrive, and you should take this into consideration before you even bring home your new pet. The first type of bulb you need will produce heat for your dragon that assists with digestion. I prefer to use the Zoo Med incandescent basking spot lamps for heat. These bulbs come in different watts, and you will have to test different watt bulbs until you find one which provides the proper heat gradient for the basking spot and the overall enclosure. You should use a reflector dome fixture for these bulbs. The second type of lighting you need is a UVB strip light. I use the Zoo Med Reptisun 10.0 bulb. The UVB rays from this bulb help assist reptiles maintain the correct levels of calcium and vitamin D3. Without a UVB bulb, your reptile may be susceptible to metabolic bone disease which is painful and can be fatal. It is important that you have these bulbs no further than 18 inches from your reptile. This light should be replaced at least once every six months for the proper amount of UVB rays.

Feeding - Bearded dragons eat an incredible amount of food for their size, especially when they are 18 months and younger. Be prepared to spend a lot of money on food for your dragon(s).
DUSTING FOOD Before you read the feeding schedule below, take this into account. You will need to supplement your dragon’s dinner with RepCal powdered phosphorous free calcium w/ D3 and RepCal Herptivite. I dust all live food with calcium for dragons under 18 months (and gravid females) six times a week, and with the Herptivite three times a week. Dragons over 18 months get calcium on their salad every other day and Herptivite dusted live prey 2 times a week.
GUT LOADING FOOD INSECTS You will want to be sure that they prey item you use to feed your dragons have been fed well themselves. I gutload crickets with greens I feed my dragons and leftover rep-cal pellets. I also provide apples and other fruit for moisture. If you choose to use silkworms as a staple, you will have to purchase their mulberry food along with when you buy them.  
Hatchling – 12 months: Feed the dragon crickets (or any other of the staple prey item list provided below) EVERY DAY, at least 2-3 times, let the dragon eat as much as it will within 15 minutes. IMPORTANT! NEVER FEED YOUR DRAGON ANYTHING LARGER THAN THE SPACE BETWEEN IT’S EYES! Doing this can result in paralysis. Always feed baby dragons small crickets. You should provide salad/pellets as well. I usually always have salad (see list of greens below) and pellets (I use RepCal juvenile bearded dragon pellets for this. Most dragons love pellets. See how to prepare them below.) available for my dragons to munch on throughout the day. Sometimes the dragon may seem like it will refuse to eat greens, but you still must provide them every day. Your dragon will eventually get into a habit of eating some of the greens, if not all of them. I have some dragons who love their greens and fruit, and some dragons who just nibble on them occasionally.
  12 months – 18 months: You should cut down on live prey by about 12 months of age. Offer the dragon live prey, as much as it eats in 15 minutes, once a day. Offer more salad, pellets and fruit as a treat.
Dragons 18 months and older: By this time, your dragon is now an adult. It will still grow throughout the rest of its life, but not at the rate it did when it was younger. You should now give your adult dragon greens, pellets and fruit every single day and 6-10 adult crickets and a few worms 4-6 days a week.

GOOD staple prey items
Crickets
Lobster Roaches
Silkworms

Good treat insects
Superworms
Waxworms
Butterworms
Madagascar Hissing Roaches

List of good greens to feed
Mustard greens
Collard greens
Endive
Escarole
Dandelion greens and flowers

List of fruits/other veggies that are good as a treat ( - Indicates things that can be fed daily)
All types of squash
Fresh snow peas & green beans
Dandelion flowers
Mango
Papaya
Apples
Guava
Bell Pepper
Cactus pad
Grapes
Pears
Peaches
Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries (a favorite of my dragons)
Melon (very occasional)
Rose petals

Pellets: Pellets can be either bought at local pet stores in small quantities or you can buy them online at reptiledirect.com. I buy RepCal pellets in five pound bags online. To prepare them, take a small amount (we’re talking a teaspoon full, few pellets go a long way) and just barely cover them with hot water. Let them sit for 5-10 minutes and you’re set. Just put them in your dragon’s salad and he’ll munch them all up. Pellets are NOT a replacement diet for crickets and salad no matter what you might be told. They are a diet supplement.

List of things NOT to feed</u>
(The below is the REAL list of what not to feed, no matter what you are told by pet stores. Pet stores are misinformed and very rarely know what they are talking about.)

  Protein  
Mealworms
Pinkie mice, hoppers, full grown mice
Any wild bugs you catch
Spiders
Fish
Earth worms
Beef/chicken/pork
Other lizards (geckos, anoles, other dragons. And yes, bearded dragons ARE cannibalistic.)
And most importantly……    Lightening bugs/fire flies  

  Fruit and Vegetables  
Spinach
Kale
Artichoke
Rhubarb
Any citrus
Tomatoes
Potatoes
Anything else starchy
Eggplant
Avocado


Water/Bathing - I do not supply a standing water dish for any of my dragons. All a standing water dish does is provide unwanted extra humidity along with an extra place for your dragons to use as a place for them to relieve themselves. I do, however, mist my dragons with clean water a few times a day. They also get a ‘bath’ at least every other day. To give your dragon a ‘bath’ – disinfect a sink in the house, and make sure there are NO chemicals or soap anywhere around. Put a clean washcloth in the sink and fill the sink with lukewarm water up to your dragon’s shoulders. Let them soak for about 5-10 minutes, depending on how much your dragon likes it. Some love the bath and some hate it – you’ll just have to improvise.

Shipping Bearded Dragons - Yes, hundreds of baby bearded dragons and other reptiles are shipped every year. It is safe for the reptiles, and a great, easy way to get a high quality young dragon. Shipping used to be between $20-$30, but the price has dramatically increased over the past several years and you can now expect to pay anywhere from $40 - $60+! Most places ship their dragons out in a small box insulated with Styrofoam, and depending on the time of year / weather, they may also put a heat or cold pack in with the dragon to keep the proper temperature. Live reptiles are usually shipped out the next day after purchase for overnight shipping. The dragon should arrive at your door usually before noon. It is always good to call and let the sellers know when you receive your lizard.

Links for reputable sites to buy a baby bearded dragon:
www.diamond-gems.com Diamond-Gems Bearded Dragons
www.sundialreptile.com Sundial Reptile
www.dachiu.com Dachiu Dragons
www.spudsdragons.com Spud’s Dragons
www.kakadudragons.com Kakadu Dragons
www.beardeddragons.biz/ Bearded Dragons.biz

Links to where I buy my supplies! Best deals you will find out there:

LIVE FOOD:
Reptilefood.com (reptilefood.com/reptilefood/de…) is where I purchase my bulk orders of crickets, along with superworms and wax worms as occasional treats.
Crickets - reptilefood.com/reptilefood/de…
Superworms - reptilefood.com/reptilefood/de…
Wax worms -  reptilefood.com/reptilefood/de…
NOTE: Reptilefood.com does ship through the entire Continental US, but I would only order through them if you live in a cool climate. Southern states (AZ, Utah, NM, etc.) should order from a more Southern company. Reptilefood.com is located on the East Coast, and crickets will die if they are shipped in hot weather even if they have a cold pack with them (trust me, I lived in AZ for 18 years and I had almost every single cricket order die out on me within a few days)

BASIC SUPPLIES (dry food, suppliments, lights, etc.)
I order all my supplies from ReptileDirect.com (www.reptiledirect.com/index.as…). They ship anywhere in the US, and have the best prices.

Unfortunately I cannot link to direct pages throughout this website, but if you need help finding something note me and I'll tell you where what you are looking for is.




This care sheet is not complete yet, I am still working on it! It is Copyright ME!! Because I wrote the whole thing, so please credit me if you use it for something. I know of many reptile care sheet snatchers out there, and they really irritate me. I will update this once I finish some more of it!



  Rules for using my stock!  

Credit me
Link to my account
Send me the link to the dev. you used my stock in so I can comment and/or +fav your work
Print policy- If you want to make a print using my stock, that is fine as long as I get sent one print of it. The only exception to this is if there are naked people in it. I don't want random prints of naked people. If you choose to use my stock in something not appropriate for my innocent eyes, then I want five dollars for each print of it you sell.
Using my stock outside of DA is fine ONLY IF you credit me and link me to the finished product. If you wish to sell a print off DA, the same rules found above in the print policy will apply.



Links to my photobuckets!
GimliMakaio-   smg.photobucket.com/albums/v23…
Bagheeradragon-   smg.photobucket.com/albums/v63…
Coronadragon-   s5.photobucket.com/albums/y179…
Rosebutton-   s9.photobucket.com/albums/a83/…
DragonEgg-   smg.photobucket.com/albums/v68…
PeachesnElliot-   s8.photobucket.com/albums/a29/…
PucktheDragon-   s3.photobucket.com/albums/y73/…



ALL OHIO REPTILE SHOW DATES 2006
(If you want to attend the shows, please note me for directions. Make sure to specify which show you want to go to.)
Columbus, Ohio
Jan 21 Feb 11 Mar 11 April 8 May 6 June 10 July 15 Aug 12 Sep 16 Oct 14 Nov 11 Dec 9


Cleveland, Ohio
***COMING SOON***

My Main Account

            

Bearded Dragon owners on Deviantart




Stock Clubs/Libraries I'm listed in



Clubs I'm a member of

This is the page for those of you who aren't bearded dragon parents, but you have some other little scaled friend! Send me a note or leave me a comment regarding the different herps that you own (reptiles/amphibians) and you'll be added to my page and possibly randomly featured in my main journal!

Iguana-



Uromastyx-



Corn Snake-



Frilled Dragon-



Hognose Snake-  



Ball Python-  



Redtail Boa-



Burmese Python-



Leopard Gecko-



Poison Dart Frogs:



Burbur Skink-



White's Tree Frog-



Carpet Python-



Axolotl-



Rat Snakes-  



Painted Turtle-  



Map Turtle-



Milksnake-



Emerald Swift-  



Rainbow Boa-



Veiled Chameleon-



Panther Chameleon-



Bearded Dragon:

(what do YOU have that I don't have listed?)