What to do with Your Bearded Dragon While on Vacation

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

List of vacation must haves! Timer: amzn.to/4fmgpJq Smart timer: amzn.to/40C3nTA Smart thermometer: amzn.to/40whA4O Bluetooth thermometer: amzn.to/4ecvdJh Thermostat: amzn.to/3CkwYH6 Wifi Camera: amzn.to/3YRx4Pz Mister: amzn.to/3Yzf1fC

[@MadMeeper]

A plastic bin is a fantastic temporary enclosure tbh - my geriatric beardie needed to be closely monitored and medicated frequently towards end of life. She came with me anytime I was away from the house for more than a few hours. Cut a hole in the top, put some mesh, and set up a basking bulb in a nice quiet location wherever I was staying. For most of her life though, I did exactly what you recommended. The convenience of having a lot of this automated as well is nice for the day to day.

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Yeah you are correct the plastic bins come in handy for more than storage.

[@riley_live7119]

literally going on a trip in a few days for a week and was panicking about my animals and keeping everyone safe. Thank you!

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Happy to help!

[@G.r.e.g.g.l.e.s]

Thanks for the critter cam recommendations! In my area, we always have the problem of it being too cold, not too hot! So luckily, I never need the thermostat to power a failsafe, but a 24/7 undertank heat mat at 68 degrees in the hot hide.

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

I understand that! Some people from Canada tell me their house temps and I’m like how do you live in such temps haha

[@Teogeeko]

This is very informative and practical. Thank you!

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Happy to help

[@AquaticMoose]

Top-tier content Chief 🤟 stoked to see the new lighting video(s). Don't over think it, they're gonna be great!

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Thank you! Definitely just gonna record and post

[@EARTH-833]

This is perfect it’s what I’ve been needing!

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Happy to help!

[@clydedavis3623]

Yo homie! Rude posting this on the second to last day of my week long trip to Vegas! Haha what timing! Awesome video as always though and thanks for the content. Lucjily of course ive watched your content for awhile and have my setup like this anyway and had no worries before my vacation and even have a friend well versed in my animals, along with an asinine amount of sticky notes by me. 😂 Have a blessed day.

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Haha sorry but hey sounds like you have it covered! Have a great time in Vegas!

[@chrisg2419]

Great video Chief! If you can, a video on leopard gecko brumation would be great. I'm new to owning one and I'm not sure if I should brumate her or even how.

[@jeffreymagni1272]

Hey Chief. If you don't want to use an on off thermostat and run it on the cheap... you can use your Govee temp sensor to send a Bluetooth signal to Govee timer which will shut off your basking lamp at an extreme temp. If you wanna splurge and go all out, you can add the Govee timer to your thermostat and if that fails, for example gets stuck on.. the Govee timer will cut it off- extra protection.. I love the Govee stuff. It's affordable and you can do so much with it.

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Thank you so much I never even thought of that much appreciated! Love these helpful tips and tricks

[@jeffreymagni1272]

@ChiefSweetsUniverse yeah it's under AutoRun in the app. If you click the sensor and dig down you'll see it. Try it out :-) I use the function now to turn my cooling fans on when cool side hits 82F on my BD enclosure. You can even have a temp sensor in your room to trigger a Govee room heater at night if trying to manage night temps. Sky is the limit! ;-)

[@Tydean]

I brought my breaded dragon on vacation once, it was awesome he had a cooler bag with the heater blower on him for most of the 8 hour drive, he stayed in the bathtub for 5 days with his lights hanging above him. He was so well behaved I miss that boy

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Very nice! Good job

[@cri326]

Omg this video was so helpful cause I am going away and wasn’t sure what to do

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Happy to help

[@P-chanThefrenchie]

Omg thanks for this great video, I'm going away for two weeks and I was freaking out where to leave my bearded dragon. And I didn't wanna leave it in my sister house because her place it's too cold. I'm going to leave him in the house and they can check on him every two days 😅

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Yes! That’s the way! When I go out for two weeks I’ll have someone check them once a week just for safety myself but my stuff usually has no issues even two weeks alone

[@ruthturk]

Thanks! I needed to hear that it was ok if my leopard gecko didn't eat every other day and that they can be independent. I am a new gecko owner and it relieves my anxiety that it is ok if they don't eat every week and can be independent.

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Yeah adults should definitely not be fed every day they should have days where they don’t eat as it keeps them healthy and not obese as well

[@dragongirl215]

Those are some amazing tips bro! One question tho; What do you do if you're away for three weeks to a month for feeding, since the rest seems pretty simple?

[@OfficialGamePigeon]

Does it work if your on a 2 week vacation in July to jamica

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Oh yeah for sure. Especially during winter they hibernate naturally so it’s all good

[@SwooshyDelo]

What do you think about the nets that people recommend

[@Robbies_Company]

Thank you so much I was worrying about leaving my reptile for vacation 👍😀👍

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Yeah mine always do great probably like it better as I’m not stomping around 😂

[@Robbies_Company]

@ 😂

[@RobinHarnish1013]

Chief, thank you for sharing. We are leaving for a week feb 14th for hubbys bday and valentine's day. Great info I will order from your link. I do have another question of topic and really need your help. Neither one of my beardies will drink from a water bowl or anything. The only way I can get them to drink anything even after/ during bermation, is using a eye dropper. PLEASE HELP! They have been this way since I got them and do not know what to do. They are very healthy. But I never see them drink anything. Ive bought the water falls for the tanks and everything. I mist the tanks nothing. Please Help!! 😢

[@eduardopartida7851]

do you connect the timer to the thermostat and the thermostat to the lamps??? how would I go about that?

[@Himariii22]

Is there an airline that lets you take it with you? Like, if you were going to travel to another country for a while, and needed to take it, how would you transport the reptile safely?

[@tjwuollet8806]

how the heck do you have so many outlets for all of your enclosures in one room?

[@rachaelchowk7857]

Hey man I know you might not answer but does a ceramic 100 watt heat dome reflector give a bearded dragon uvb etc ?

[@thegreatalex234]

What does your enclosure cleaning process look like?

[@mistatwanmobiledetailing2325]

Is Osage tree branch good for bearded dragons not much info on that

[@katiewagner3091]

What about when going on vacation for a month?

[@ShyStorm10]

im upgrading my bearded dragons cage i want a picture of him in the cage what will happen if my bearded dragon saw it will it get mad or will it relax

[@melm7734]

Super helpful and reassuring!!! Thank you 😊 I may have missed it, but what about poop? are they okay to just deal with it? Hahah 😅 I guess without food wouldn’t be too much of an issue but thought I’d ask

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Yup unfortunately just for that short time have to deal with any accidents. However if you don’t feed a couple days before they usually don’t poop the whole time you’re gone.

[@Avikeebs]

How old are your beardies? Going to be gone for a like week-ish long vacation for Christmas this year and mine will be one year old. Im assuming growth will be pretty close to being done by then so do you think I can just toss in a few crickets before leaving and he'll be good? Since im driving somewhere Im also considering bringing him along haha.

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

I’ve done it with babies and adults. Babies were always over 4 months old usually tho so well established. Yeah you can toss in some mealworms or super worms as it’s safer in case any escape. Usually crickets can eat a bearded dragon when he sleeps. But yeah sounds like you can leave him and be fine a year old is perfect

[@mrsdrcarr]

Can you use the timer and the temperature probe at the same time-plugged into each other. I have a bearded dragon.

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Yes I plug it all into the timer

[@mrsdrcarr]

Thanks! I’m a brand new beardie mom and he stays in my classroom. I have a camera setup and I have a Dubia enclosure coming for home for long breaks

[@nickbarone8759]

What about feeding when gone for a week ?

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

I don’t feed they will be fine

[@SaLM6682]

Hey Chief! Should the same apply to Leopard Geckos? I got my leopard gecko Lenny 2 weeks ago and my family goes on vacations very often. If you do reply, thanks a lot!

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Yes exact same situation leopard geckos are even better they can handle longer periods than dragons

[@httydd2]

Hi! I have a bearded dragon I got almost 2 months ago(I think he is 3 months?). I upgraded his tank to a 55 gallon and added Jurassic Australian desert sand with tile in his enclosure. Every time I put him in the new tank he eats the sand(small amounts). Will that cause impaction if he eats the sand?

[@alienkid69]

hey, ive had reptiles for years and bearded dragons! eating the sand will cause impaction, loose substrates are very dangerous for young bearded dragons. try replacing the sand with tile, mats, or paper instead. reptile carpet can be good too but be careful of their nails getting stuck in it, id also recommend upgrading tank size further when you can!

[@rubenescobar1190]

Hey boss man how’s it going? I am wanting to purchase a uromastyx in the coming month preferably a male baby red or yellow. Do you have any good recommendations on specific sites/breeders? I was looking at American Reptile Dist. But they seem to have negative reviews. Anything you could help me out with I’d appreciate it thanks man 🙏

[@fatfrog83]

Hi, good morning. What about if you wan't to go on a plane, what should I do then?

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Most planes don’t allow it you’ll have to contact whichever plane you go on and they will guide you through the process

[@fatfrog83]

@@ChiefSweetsUniverse ok, thanks for the info. I'm trying to get a bearded dragon but it's kind of hard becacuse my parents hate lizards. Could you make a video of how to pursuase your parents on how to get one

[@lena_blue]

Very helpful tips! I have a Pac-Man frog who is almost 1 year old, I know you can feed them only once a week when they are adults, and therefore leaving them for a week with a mister should be ok, but I can’t find a straight answer if 1 year old is adult or not?

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Yeah exactly right they will be fine if you leave them and just have the mister

[@HippoSniffer-b9i]

What do you do about the poop that stinks up the whole room?

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

That’s why you don’t want to feed before you leave just leave water.

[@fatfrog83]

@ChiefSweetsUniverse ok, thanks for the info. I'm trying to get a bearded dragon but it's kind of hard becacuse my parents hate lizards. Could you make a video of how to pursuase your parents on how to get one

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Haha understandable. It’s hard to make a video on persuasion but I would say that they spend most the time in the tank since they need the heat and uvb. Also if he escaped he would just fall asleep somewhere as he wouldn’t have heat or uvb to get the body temp to be active. The initial investment is a lot around $400 but after that probably only spending $30 a month at most.

[@fatfrog83]

@@ChiefSweetsUniverse they don't care that much about the money

[@SoyPr0stitut0]

So I Might Have A Dumb Question But Do All The Lights Have To Be On And Off A Certain Time? Or Just The Day Light, Light.

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

All lights off at night and all lights on during the day. So 7am all lights on. 7pm all lights off

[@SoyPr0stitut0]

@ChiefSweetsUniverse Thank You! Do You Think A 100w Basking Light Would Be Enough For A 50 Gallon?

[@applejuice-4706]

I’m new to the community and have had my dragon for a few days.. I think it’s about 3 to 4 months old. I have about 60 crickets wandering around in a 40 gallon tank. He only eats them a few times a day.. his tail is shedding, can I always keep about 50+ crickets in there the crickets? I noticed they die pretty quickly when I keep them in a separate container, even after feeding them vegetables.

[@alienkid69]

keep your crickets in a ventilated box in a dry area if you dont already. and i know a lot of places say for feeding to put as many crickets in the tank within a 10-15 minute period, but its very wasteful as a lot of the crickets just end up dying before the reptile eats them and you end up spending so much money on feeders that go unused. see about how many of the crickets your beardie eats a day to try and limit how much to put in, a lot of crickets running around the tank is unsafe as they can bite and a lot of them all together can do some damage.

[@applejuice-4706]

Thank you!

[@alienkid69]

@@applejuice-4706 of course!

[@devaun5894]

Hey, man. I have an important question. Can i put a baby bearded in a 120gal? And if so, do i use the same lighting you have in one of your videos? Thank you!

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Yes you can. I’m working on a best lighting guide for dragons should be out this week

[@toni9638]

I got a question about the thermostat/ temperature so for the cold side if it gets hot it turn heat off but do u set it if the cold side gets to cold or how do you work that out also for the thermostat and the heat lamp this probably a stupid question but if u use on doe the hot side gets more hot or colder once the lights are on or off (sorry if this question makes no sense I'm not sure how to put it in the sentence) For the UVB lighing ive seem many other videos and some say u need to 2/3 of the take but you say just the hot side what is best for baby and or adult

[@dannaderrick]

So I’m getting all of my bearded dragon stuff December 1 and then when January 1 comes around I’m gonna go and get my bearded dragon. I’ve been trying to figure out what I need for him and how can I keep him from dying because I do rodeo on the weekends. Is there a way that I can take him with me to keep them nice and warm

[@alienkid69]

moving your reptile around every weekend would be worse than just leaving it alone for the two/three days on the weekend due to the stress and constant temperature changes. id say just feed it and water it before you leave and take chiefs advice of investing in a timer switch.

[@Charlotteweddle]

Do you have to use any kind of a warning source inside the tub when you travel? I bought some of those small hand packs , they last 10 hours and plan to slip them under a towel under him.

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

No if your traveling and temps are between 60f - 89f you should be fine.

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

If it is below 60f you can use some warmers or the heater in a car but they will usually just sleep the way

[@RickyJohnson-cb5xx]

Hi, question: can kids 10-12 years old have a bearded dragon?

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Yes I got my first when I was 10 years old

[@RickyJohnson-cb5xx]

@ ok thanks my kid wanted one and she said she watched your videos

[@shayomen1608]

My beardie is just under a year old and I’m worried about not feeding them for a week, is it still fine to not feed them for the week? I was wondering as she’s still growing and is young. Thank you so much for this video 😃

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Yeah I was gonna include that but felt as it might have been too boring to ramble for another couple minutes haha. I should have. However as most keepers know babies will sometimes not eat for a week when coming home for the first time. So don’t have to worry too much.

[@shayomen1608]

@ thank you so much, I’ve found your videos very informative and they’re helped me so much in looking after my beardie.

[@MerelASMR.]

Hi my name is Merel and i am considering to buy a bearded dragon. Your video´s have been informative but i do have a question. Is it oke to have a vertical terarium? I have 1 that is 65×37×200cm.😉

[@alienkid69]

bearded dragons do much better with larger floor space, and a good chunk of the vertical height will be taken up by substrate. i wouldnt say its too bad once you take advantage of all of the space with lots of climbing sticks, rocks etc

[@Smashsquadgameslbozo]

should i only have one thermometer? cuz i have an issue of it being like 115 Fahrenheit on the hot side.

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

You can the heat lamps will heat up thermometers and give false readings sometimes under the hot side

[@Smashsquadgameslbozo]

@@ChiefSweetsUniverse oh didnt know that

[@eliora9108]

My mom is sensitive to wifi and stuff like that. So what could you do insted?should I have some one come over every day, or what?

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Yeah then you’ll just have to use the old fashioned timers and have someone check up on it

[@ripcitydjango1357]

I bought my daughter bearded dragons from Petsmart and both did not make it. Which made her super sad. We did every thing right but same result. I want to get her another one but not from them.

[@sophializama1766]

Is it okay to use this strategy of not feeding even if they are a baby = 9 inches?

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Yeah as you may know or might hear lots of times when you bring them home from the store they may not eat for a couple days just from the stress of the move. Don’t have to worry as they will be just fine a week without food

[@sophializama1766]

@@ChiefSweetsUniverse okay thanks!!

[@ReptileShow2]

Can you do one for a Leopard Gecko

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Yeah but this is exactly what I use for my leopard gecko so it’s essentially the same

[@ReptileShow2]

@ ok thanks

[@reginojacobo1050]

I went on vacation for two weeks and I left someone feeding my food, but I noticed he was feeding my animals at night.. I was very disappointed about it. I'm planning to go to Mexico during Xmas for two weeks. I hall all of the above. as you already know I have beaded dragons and bros. I never put water . should I put water and have someone change it ?

[@sticksnstones7716]

Why are you misting your dragon?

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

During summer if you go on vacation and it’s hot it helps cool and hydrate as dragons drink mainly from droplets like in the wild during spring rains. Plus you would only mist once in like a two week period. Just for those who might be gone for 2-3 weeks. Most once to make sure if he wants water he gets it

[@sticksnstones7716]

Dragons do not drink. And they don’t like humidity. What you’re telling people to do goes against everything we know about dragons.

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

@ dragons do drink it’s well documented in the wild when rains come they will drink the water. This is old folklore husbandry. Humidity isn’t an issue either you see bearded dragon breeders like fairytale dragons breeding amazing dragons outdoors in the high humidity of Florida. It’s just outdated information. I’ve had dragons and bred them for two decades misted every now and then. Never had issues. Also never paid attention to humidity the entire time. The Outback has a rainy season it’s not bone dry 365 days a year. Hope this helps as many vets and researchers are trying to get rid of these old myths.

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

@ check out this breeder who breeds in the high humidity of Florida outdoors! kzbin.info/www/bejne/poDVhaCclLF9ndksi=ghk_9WAMGM6AVqVf

[@MaybeInAnotherLife..figgy99]

I have a rat I'm trying to sell, will you take it? Ty for the vid btw❤

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Sorry can’t take him thank you tho

[@MaybeInAnotherLife..figgy99]

@@ChiefSweetsUniverseok all good!

[@AlexAllenKale]

Yooooo

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Heyoo!

[@Plzmasn]

Hey there chief I was wondering. I know this question is off video topic but I recently made my own substrate based off of one of yours videos and you said a 70/30 ratio of top soil to play sand was good. I also then hear u added peat moss to one of your mixtures and was wondering if I should do the same. I have a 40 gallon enclosure for a 3 year old leopard gecko. And plan on making the tank bioactive. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

Yeah I do love adding peat moss but it is getting hard to find so if you can find it definitely add it in!

[@Plzmasn]

@ Thanks man. I already got some. And Hate to bother but if you don’t mind telling me a good ratio for all 3 I’d be happy to hear and oblige by it.

[@ChiefSweetsUniverse]

@@Plzmasn I like to make most of the mix peat moss like 50% then like 35% sand and the rest top soil

[@rachaelchowk7857]

Hey man I know you might not answer but does a ceramic 100 watt heat dome reflector give a bearded dragon uvb etc ?