Archive for metabolic bone disease
Bearded Dragon Care and Feeding
Posted by: | CommentsBearded Dragon Care. Your bearded dragon requires loving care if it’s to survive for the decade or more, some have been known to live in captivity, and you can provide it with the best care by following a few easy guidelines.
One of the most enjoyable parts of taking care of a beardie, young or old, is feeding it the live insects and varied vegetables it needs to stay healthy, so learn everything you can about the nutritional requirements.
A bearded dragon who lives in the Australian wilds thrives on variety.
Away from the trappings of human habitation, these lizards will forage for insects of all types, feasting when and wherever they find something they like.
Your feeding routine must accurately replicate the type of diet the bearded dragon needs to stay healthy, providing it with the requisite amounts of proteins, fats, carbohydrates and ever-important vitamins and minerals.
Bearded dragons absorb sunlight as they bask, synthesising vitamin D3.
At home, you can include full-spectrum UVB lighting to help your pet accomplish this vital nutritional task, but you’d still be wise to include vitamin supplements in its diet.
By allowing your insects to feed on nutritious “gut-loading” foods or dusting them with vitamin powder before you let the lizard have at them, you can supplement their diets with essential Calcium and other minerals.
One major rule you always ought to adhere to when feeding a bearded dragon is to ensure the foods they receive are appropriately sized.
As a general guideline, anything bigger than the space between the lizard’s eyes is too large, and must be broken apart. This seems a simple rule to follow, but failure to do so leads to major health issues.
Large pieces of food can become impacted inside a dragon’s body, causing lack of bowel movements, paralysis or the development of painful spinal lumps.
Always make sure to feed your dragon properly, and follow our Bearded Dragon Care blog for other essential care tips.
Bearded Dragon Care – Lighting
Posted by: | CommentsFor the best care of your Bearded Dragon it’s important to remember where they come from.
In its natural environment, your new bearded dragon would spend its time crawling about and lounging on fence posts, tree branches or any other out of the way spots where it could easily bask in the full glory of the Aussie sun.
Hot days are ideal, and the weather patterns that we might find uncomfortable are the perfect conditions for these cold-blooded creatures. Your setup at home must accurately replicate the full-spectrum of lighting available in the great outdoors if you want to properly have the best Bearded Dragon care.
Many owners allow their dragons to bask in outdoor cages on sunny days when the temperature is over 70ºF to supplement their artificial light regimen.
While technology can’t imitate the sun perfectly, we can ensure that our bearded dragon friends have the next best thing. UVB lighting provides bearded dragons with the full range of light they need to stay warm and comfy all year long, even indoors.
Reptile lights often include percentage information, numeric ratings that indicate how powerful the UVB light they produce is. Ratings of at least 5.0 are typically the most appropriate for bearded dragons, as these light levels correspond to the same type of desert climates they originally call home.
The coating on the insides of UVB bulbs wears out after about 6 months, so they ought to be replaced regularly. Leaving them on to achieve the 12-14 hours of light bearded dragons require can create quite a fire hazard as heat builds up so take care to use safe ceramic bulb housings and always place lights overhead so that they extend the full tank length. Directing light through the glass reduces the amount of UV rays available for your bearded dragon.
Your visible light sources may not double as heat sources. In cases where one uses both UVB bulbs and normal light bulbs, it’s important to ensure that the each illuminates separate areas. This way, a lizard can bask without overheating.
The effects of not providing your bearded dragon with the right care are devastating to its health. Insufficient lighting can result in issues like metabolic bone diseases and other major problems, so make sure your dragon has the best chances of staying well with the right lighting.
Understanding Bearded Dragon care will lead to a greater enjoyment of your pet.
