6 month old bearded dragon

Question
QUESTION: Hi Tracie, I just bought a 6 month old beardie for my son. We have only had him a couple of days now. We have been feeding him about 8 crickets per day and he has been eating them but he has not eaten any salad stuff or drinking any water but he is lively and happily basking. He also waves his arm sometimes. I am a bit concerned about if he is getting enough food and should he be getting any other supplements? The man at the pet store said, he does not need any calcium supplement, as he will get that from his uv light. What about water for him, can you advise me on this? Tonight he has dug up his substrate and is sleeping under it! This is on the side, where his heat pad is and not on the cool side. I have read a book on their care and needs but the book says one thing and the man at the pet store says another!! Can you advise me?  Thanks.
Regards from karen

ANSWER: Hello Karen,

One thing to remember is that he will probably go through a brief relocation stress due to being rehomed right now.  
It sounds like he is doing pretty well though if he is eating & basking for you.  
Chances are, he was not fed much in the way of greens or vegetation previously.  Also, a lot of times they are not very interested in greens either.
That is incorrect regarding the calcium supplementation.  He will need the calcium 5 times per week until he is around 1 year or so.  Which UVB light are you using, a fluorescent tube bulb or a compact/coil light?  
What type of basking light are you using currently?  Do you have a thermometer that you use?  What are the basking temperatures right now?  
Which substrate are you using?  
Normally during the day when the basking light is on, a heating pad will not be needed.  They can overheat with overhead heat & under tank heat is used.  Also, they do not tend to feel heat very well on their bellies as they don't have heat sensors there.  So, they can get burned relatively easily before it registers to them to move away.
If you need heating over night, you can use a ceramic heat emitter for heating during the winter.  
Are you using a bright white basking light right now?  
You may keep a water dish in his tank, but, he might not use it.  Normally baths are good to help with hydration.  Also, you can train him to drink from a plastic dropper too.  If he begins eating greens & vegetation he will get some moisture that way also.

Tracie

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

QUESTION: Hi Tracie,

Thanks for your quick response and helping me with my set up and care of our new beardie. You have asked me some questions regarding his heating and substrate? I hope you will be able to advise me on where i might be going wrong?
I love the wee guy, he is so funny, gentle and comes when i call to him and will happily let me pick him up and at night before i switch off his lights, i put him in his wee house on the cool end and he settles for the night. I am already so attached to him, (how could you not be) I just dont want to get his care wrong!!!
I am using a fluorescent tube bulb, 6% UVB, 18WATT, 24".
The basking light is a screw in spotlamp and it is bright white. I dont have a thermometer (will be going for one in the morning) but i would say its pretty hot in there! To give you an idea, the heatpad stays on all the time and the UVB light and basking light come on at 8AM and stay on for twelve hours until 8PM (everyday).
I am using a beach wood chippings substrate and used the full two bags that came with the set-up. His tank is 3ft long and 23" wide. I managed to get him to drink by taking him over to his water dish and splashing my finger in the water and he took a drink. Today we gave him a bath but only in the sink, with a little water but he seemed to like it, as he was happy to stand and have his back wet with a water dropper, when he had enough, he climbed onto my hand and up my arm, then we put some kitchen towel over him and he sat there on my sons hand. So he seems to be doing ok but i need to get this heating sorted out for him as he cant tell me! I have noticed come midday he goes off his basking log and hides under the plants. He also opens his mouth a fair bit, when basking. I will get calcium today for him.
I will also find out the temp in his cage and let you know.
I hope you can guide me.
Thanks so much Tracie.
Regards Karen

Answer
Hello Karen,

Well, hopefully this will be an easy fix for him.  Great sized tank for him!  He should be happy with that.
It is usually not a good idea to house bearded dragons on loose substrates as they can become impacted on them & the loose substrate holds too much moisture & bacteria from feces.  The best choices of substrate are non adhesive shelf liner, felt, paper towels, or tiles.  Carpet is also acceptable also, just make sure it is a short type so his claws don't get hooked on it.
It is very important that you know the temperatures in his tank.  The temperatures affect them greatly.  If it is too hot, or too cold it will affect their appetites.  Were you able to find a digital probe or a temp gun?
The basking temperatures should be a range of 95-110 with a cooler end of around 78-82.  
During the day while you have the basking light on, I would go ahead & turn the heating pad off as he might be getting too hot.  They don't feel heat from below very well as they don't have heat sensors on their ventral sides.  Once his lights go off, if you feel that he needs some nighttime heating, you can turn the heating pad on but make sure there is a towel in between him & the heating pad.
What brand of fluorescent tube is that, it should state on the base of the bulb.  I do need to know because most of the tube bulbs are not good & do not emit very good quality of UVB for them.  The time of 8am to 8pm is absolutely perfect so definitely stick with that schedule for him.
The calcium should be used 5 times per week, once daily on his feeders or his greens whichever is easier for you or which way he prefers it.  

Let me know how he is doing.  They are so precious, aren't they?  I am happy you are enjoying him.

Tracie