first bearded dragon

Question
QUESTION: We got a baby bd a few weeks ago and after 6 days he died the pet store believes we did nothing wrong that he was probally sick but we have a new one that alittle older about 3-4 months right now he is in a 10 gallon Is that to small(we plan on getting a 55-70 gallon) should we do that now? the temps are about 80 at the cool end and 100-105 at basking spot He is eating about 10 crickets aday. I did notice he is shedding will he eat less? He doesnt touch the green or veggies everyday I put in mustard and colard greens carrots and squashI also tried some baby food but he seems to stay away from it. Im also confused about how often do you mist the tank and the humdity level the guage I have is at the lower end of the cool side of the tank and today it reads 70 how do I lower it? I had him for 4 days and I just want to do everything right hes definately grown on me already
Thanks Kim

ANSWER: Hello Kim, thats too bad that your first Bearded Dragon died. And most BD that come from pet stores aren't too healthy. A ten gallon will be fine for now but he will grow fast. And a 55 gallon long tank is about a good size bigger is always better. You can upgrade whenever you want. It wont be too big for a little guy so as soon as you can get him settled in his final home. The temperatures sound good and he will eat less during his shedding period. Some do and some don't sometimes shedding stresses them out and they wont want to eat as much but still offer the same ammount of food. Young beardies wont eat as much veggies and greens as much as older dragons because they need as much protein as they can get to grow up and be strong. So as long as you still offer him fresh veggies and let him know that they are there then it will be ok and there is no need to force them on him. The veggies sound right and baby food isn't the best veggie for them but its not bad. Usually the fresh veggies have more of hit with bearded dragons. Do not mist the tank at all. Bearded Dragons are from dry and arid places in the wild and they don't require the humidity as tropical lizards do. So no misting. However to keep them hydrated you will want to bathe him either every day or every other day. ( I will include a link at the bottom on how to bathe him) The warmer the tank the less humidity but you don't want to raise the temperature too high. Just keep a small water dish nothing too big. Do NOT mist the tank. And don't use a moisture holding substrate. You don't want to use sand as it can be fatal if accidently or purposely ingested. Slate rocks or ceramic tiles are a nice choice. Paper towels and newspaper are the safest and easiest. Not always the prettiest however. I think that covers all of your questions. Let me know if you need me to cover anything else. Good luck and I hope he lives to be a happy and healthy dragon.

http://www.beautifuldragons.503xtreme.com/GeneralCare.html
(bathing is listed at the bottom of the link above)

Other care and information sites
http://www.beautifuldragons.503xtreme.com/home.html
http://www.anapsid.org/bearded.html
http://www.repticzone.com/caresheets/48.html
FORUM:
http://www.repticzone.com/forums/BeardedDragons-General/index.html


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I feel like I', obsessing over my dragon but I am an animal lover and I don't want anything to happen to this one. WE've had him for 9 days  -=got him on fri i'd say first 3 days he was eating a good amount of cricket 8-10 by weds i noticed he hadn't eaten anything but he was sheding I gave him a waxworm(i know they say its like candy but i wanted to try) he ate it on saturday we moved him to his permanent home a 70-gallon he ate another waxworm but he has eaten no crickets it's now sunday and his belly looks so thin he does drink water a couple times a day from an eye dropper I don't know if I should just let him adjust and as my husband says he'll eat when he's hungry but i'm very concerned any help would be great.
p.s. temps are right and i have newspaper on the bottom

ANSWER: I know how you feel I am the same way with my animals. Well shedding can decrease his appetite and be stressful for him but this is a long time. They can go without food for over a week but its unhealthy for him. Did you do any type of vet check up when you got him? Parasites could cause this problem and if you got him from a pet store then it is most likely the problem. Wax worms can be addictive so be careful with them. (He wont eat anything else if he knows he can get waxwroms) Are the crickets small? Alive? Too big of peices could be causing a stomach ache so watch the size and make sure they are no bigger then the space between his eyes. I like that you will have him in a 70 gallon I am sure he is liking that. It could be the shedding and then a new home. But a vet visit is probably the best to be sure he doesn't have parasites etc. Call vets and see which ones take reptiles see what they recommend. (Bring in a fecal sample, bring in the animal, etc.) I am not in any way a medical expert but I do know that a vet visit should be the first place he goes when you get him. If you got this beardie from the same place you got the last one who died maybe he is sick with the same thing (most likely parasites) So get it looked at. Other then that just keep offering foods and try silk worms they usually love them and they are very nutritious and easy on their stomach. Good luck and I do hope this helps and he starts eating regularly.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I got him from a different place and he hasn't poop in the last few days to bring in a sample (it seems watery and white not brown and white the first  few days) The humidty in the new tank is 85 how can I lower it?

Answer
Talk to your vet about helping is constipation problem. Some people use home remedies (NOT SURE ON HOW EFFECTIVE OR OF ANY STUDIES ON IT) such as a little bit of veggie oil to help slick the insides. You can at least talk to the vet about options. As for lowering the humidity, you need to make it hotter, try getting as hot as it can with him still being in the safe range. Don't mist the tank, Provide a really shallow and small dish of water. Don't use a moisture absorbing type of substrate, All of those things should help. The only more I can tell you is that a vet is starting to sound neccesary. Good luck and I hope he starts eating soon.