and how much will it cost roughly in au dollars and how to set it up
Price is honestly something YOU should research as some people are way cheaper or way more expensive then some others so its definitely worth its.I will try to awesome this by telling you my exact setup and experience in purchasing and owning bearded dragons i will start with the basics of a setup followed by a list of everything.
To start a 20 gallon long will do a baby good for about 4-5 months but beardies grow very fast and at 4-6 months need to be in a 55 gallon minimum for 1 some people say 40 but thats cramped i have mine in a 60 gallon and mine is not pleased with its size i will be upgrading it soon and remember bigger is always better.Ok and on UVB and UVA/Basking you will decide what watts and UVB to use based on what size tank you have and you need to be precise just a few inches can make a big difference.For babies up to 6 months should be kept on paper towels cheap and easy after 6 months you can put him on play sand or a mix of play sand and organic top soil (make sure it has no additives (white stuff) and it shouldn't smell like cow crap) which they will burrow in or you can lay tile down easy to clean and looks nice.Just make sure you dont use bark or calci-sand both normally=DEATH especially calci-sand it taste good to them so they eat it and cant go poo and well die its called impaction (if your beardie ever gets this give him a 30 min soak in warm water helps them poo). You dont need a water bowl its pointless they dont see still water plus it only increases humidity which they do not need just mist your beardie once a day and he will drink the water from his head also give it a weekly bath in luke warm water it will keep him clean and he'll drink the water.And you'll want some branches/rocks for the basking spot and a feeding bowl to put greens and worms in.One last thing just so you know the temps should be 90-95 * f on the warm side and 80-85 * f on the cool side and a basking spot at 100-115 * fi would invest in 2 DIGITAL Thermometers the analog ones are horrid and can be off by 10 * which is very bad.Also if you have the money and temp gun to measure the basking spot if you cant get one just place the probe on the basking spot and see what it peaks at.And the humidity anywhere from 0-40% they like dryness and replace UVB as the brand you bought recommends . And almost for got at night the temp can fall to 65 * f any lower i would buy an infrared heat bulb to run at night as for food mainly feed crickets but try and mix it up and dont forget greens like collard, mustard and escarole greens as a baby their diet should be 80% insects-20% greens and as adults 80% greens-20% insects.
pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com OK here is the list.
1.A 20 long starter cage for a baby.
2.A 55 gallon minimum cage and up for an adult.
3.UVB light can be a tube or compact (non-visible light).
4.Basking light which will produce UVA (visible light).
5.Paper towels for the youngsters or sand/dirt or tile for 6 months and up.
6.Lighting fixtures 1-2 for heating/basking and 1-2 for UVB (i just have one over the basking spot cause hes their all day anyway).
7.Branches or rocks for basking.
8.Spray bottle for misting.
9.Crickets/insects.
10.Greens use google for a full safe list.
11.Digital thermometers.
12.OPTIONAL a timer for your lights makes life easy.
Well if youve read this far i hope this was helpful if i didnt cover something sorry its late but if you need more help ive got nothing better to do so just shoot me a message. ^__^
Almost everything has been told already . All i would like to add is the handling part for the bearded dragon which i found pretty interesting on
pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com
Wikipedia:
"A person handling a bearded dragon must make sure all of its body is being supported. Beardies like all four limbs to be supported. It must not be held by its chest without extreme care, as it may make it difficult for the animal to breathe. The most comfortable position for the animal is lying down in the person's hand or on the person's chest. Miniature bearded dragons are very friendly as long as they have been handled since they were young. Many owners report an almost dog-like affection [ citation needed]. It is advised to not pick up a dragon by their tail. Bearded dragons tails do not grow back and should be treated with care. In the wild predators often approach from above. Choose to gently 'scoop' up your beardie in both hands, supporting arms and legs. If children will be handling, be sure to teach them proper support and approach. If handling the Eastern Bearded Dragon, hold it carefully and make sure it is immobilized since they can be aggressive, which could lead to accidents. "
I am not certain about Australian dollars, but you will need to have at least a 20 gallon Long tank to start with, and eventually a 40 Gallon tank ... Also, your dragon must have UVA/UVB light, which is about US $ 25-60. I use rabbit food pellets for substrate so that if they accidentally eat it, it won't harm them. It is also very easy to clean up, from spot cleaning to a full substrate change. They also will need things to climb on, like a stick, etc ... the light will need to have a lamp hood. Also, remember that the UVA/UVB light will need to be replaced every 6 months. Even though the bulb still puts out light and heat, it does NOT continue to put out the UVA/UVB spectrum of light.
