Jenova
Wise Old Thumper
As requested. 
Genghis is my male beardie. He's about two years old and I adopted him from my friend when he had to move into a flat.
The vivarium is four foot long and eighteen inches deep. This is his second vivarium and when he's older and bigger I'll be getting a six foot one. I use play sand as a substrate (bedding) and I know there are so many views about what you should and shouldn't use so I'll explain my reasoning. He was brought up on a soft substrate so changing him to something hard how he's an adult could hurt or damage his feet. I chose children's play sand after doing a lot of research because of all the loose substrates it seems the least likely to cause impaction if digested due to it's nature and size. It's also easy to clean, I scoop out any poo or uneaten food with a cat litter scoop.
I bought the cabinet and looked on the internet for ideas on how to fill it but all I found were very barren set ups with only one or two things to climb or bask on. The previous vivarium he came in was very nicely made with all sorts in it so I went back to the pet shop he was originally from and asked for some advice. He said he searched the beaches for debris and attached them with aquarium sealant. So I looted his old vivarium and found some stuff around my university. And my friend gave me some rocks from her rockery. Everything was sterilised in boiling water and left to dry before I put it in. I also bought some bamboo root from Pets at Home. It was £25 so pretty expensive but he loves it. And I also bought an aquarium skull ornament for my own enjoyment.
The rocks were carefully placed away from the heat lamps so that they wouldn't get too hot. Beardies can't sense heat with their stomachs so this can be dangerous. And also why you shouldn't use heat mats with them. I have two heat lamps, one of which is turned off at the moment as we have the heating on in the house. One 60watt bulb seems to be keeping the temperature at the hot end at a stable 30 degrees celsius. The UV light is at the front of the vivarium hidden by the 'frame' so that we can't see it but he gets full benefit of it. I have one large flat rock which was put in with the intention of feeding him on so that he was less likely to ingest sand on his veg, but I usually have to hand feed him.
Anyway here are the pictures. Genghis is a little grumpy as he's shedding, but he'll be getting a bath later and some wax worms as a treat to cheer him up.
Full view
The hot side
Genghis in his basking area
The cooler side
The bamboo root
Showing all the different textures of wood in the vivarium.
The feeding rock
The UV light
View of the wires. Nailed in while the vivarium was upside down
Basking
Genghis is my male beardie. He's about two years old and I adopted him from my friend when he had to move into a flat.
The vivarium is four foot long and eighteen inches deep. This is his second vivarium and when he's older and bigger I'll be getting a six foot one. I use play sand as a substrate (bedding) and I know there are so many views about what you should and shouldn't use so I'll explain my reasoning. He was brought up on a soft substrate so changing him to something hard how he's an adult could hurt or damage his feet. I chose children's play sand after doing a lot of research because of all the loose substrates it seems the least likely to cause impaction if digested due to it's nature and size. It's also easy to clean, I scoop out any poo or uneaten food with a cat litter scoop.
I bought the cabinet and looked on the internet for ideas on how to fill it but all I found were very barren set ups with only one or two things to climb or bask on. The previous vivarium he came in was very nicely made with all sorts in it so I went back to the pet shop he was originally from and asked for some advice. He said he searched the beaches for debris and attached them with aquarium sealant. So I looted his old vivarium and found some stuff around my university. And my friend gave me some rocks from her rockery. Everything was sterilised in boiling water and left to dry before I put it in. I also bought some bamboo root from Pets at Home. It was £25 so pretty expensive but he loves it. And I also bought an aquarium skull ornament for my own enjoyment.
The rocks were carefully placed away from the heat lamps so that they wouldn't get too hot. Beardies can't sense heat with their stomachs so this can be dangerous. And also why you shouldn't use heat mats with them. I have two heat lamps, one of which is turned off at the moment as we have the heating on in the house. One 60watt bulb seems to be keeping the temperature at the hot end at a stable 30 degrees celsius. The UV light is at the front of the vivarium hidden by the 'frame' so that we can't see it but he gets full benefit of it. I have one large flat rock which was put in with the intention of feeding him on so that he was less likely to ingest sand on his veg, but I usually have to hand feed him.
Anyway here are the pictures. Genghis is a little grumpy as he's shedding, but he'll be getting a bath later and some wax worms as a treat to cheer him up.
Full view
The hot side
Genghis in his basking area
The cooler side
The bamboo root
Showing all the different textures of wood in the vivarium.
The feeding rock
The UV light
View of the wires. Nailed in while the vivarium was upside down
Basking
