Bearded Dragon
Bearded Dragon
Bearded Dragons are gentle, intelligent and confident lizards, which makes them interesting and rewarding pets. They grow to around 600mm in length and show real personality. They are easy to care for and are regularly bred in captivity.
Selecting Your Bearded Dragon
When purchasing a Bearded Dragon it is recommended to go to a reputable reptile shop or breeder. They will be only too happy to let you see the selection of dragons they have available. The Beardy should be confident with handling although hatchlings often take a minute or two to settle down. They should be bright and clean looking. Check the Beardy is alert and strong looking. They are confident and active animals so should be on show in their vivarium.
They can be kept in pairs or groups so long as there is no more than 1 male as they are very territorial. If you do have male and females be prepared for them to breed. Females have been known to produce eggs without mating, a suitable nesting box should be provided for gravid (pregnant) females.
Housing
Bearded Dragons are large and active lizards so should be given a large vivarium, a minimum size of 1200x610x610mm (48x24x24").
A wooden Vivarium is recommended as they are better insulated than glass or plastic tanks, so therefore easier to get the heating set up correctly. A wooden vivarium will offer more privacy as they only have a glass front.
Heating
Temperature is very important in reptile care as they cannot produce there own body heat and need to be kept with in a suitable range to help the body function correctly.
Bearded Dragons require basking areas of up to 45°C (113°F) with a background temperature of 30°C (86°F). These temperatures can be achieved by using basking lights and a ceramic heater. A thermostat should always control the Ceramic heater. Ideally basking lights in particular ones with a higher wattage should be controlled by a separate thermostat.
At night the temperature should drop to of 26°C (78°F).
It is very important to know what the temperature is, so check regularly with an accurate thermometer. Do not guess or take temperature by hand (if it feels warm or cold)
Lighting
Bearded Dragons require UV light to help use calcium from their diet and prevent Metabolic Bone Disease. We recommend using lamp with 10-12% UVb such as Zoo Meds ReptiSun 10.00 or the Arcadia D3+. These lamps need replacing every 12 months.
Basking Lights are also important and help provide heat.
A simply 12 hour light cycle is ideal for a Bearded Dragon
Water
It is important to provide your dragon with fresh water every day, in a shallow bowl to help the Beardy and crickets climb out of the water. Although Bearded dragons are from arid regions of Australia they are prone to dehydration, to prevent this it is important to spray your dragon with water every morning and/or bathing in warm water. Don't spray your beardy more than once a day as this will raise the humidity and can cause respiratory problems.
Hides and Décor
Bearded Dragons require a few branches and rocks to climb on. The vivarium can be decorated with plastic plants as these look very attractive and offer some privacy. These will also be used by the crickets and locusts to hide in, encouraging your dragon to actively hunt them. Live plants however are a poor choice, as the heat will kill them very quickly and the dragons and crickets will eat them.
Feeding
Bearded Dragons are omnivorous, so require a mixed diet of Insects and salad. Leafy salads, such as Rocket, Water Cress, Dandelions and mixed salads are readily available and easy to use. Try to offer variety to keep a balanced diet.. Salads should be offered every day.
Beardies will eat crickets, locusts, mealworms, and wax worms. Crickets and locusts are to be used as the main foods as they are lower in fat than wax worms and easier to digest than mealworms. Vitamin powders are very important to prevent problems such as Metabolic Bone Disease, which is a calcium deficiency, and can be a serious problem and happen very quickly with young dragons that are growing quickly. It is easy to prevent with the regular use of vitamin powders. Insects should only be offered to Bearded Dragons every other day as this encourages them to eat more of their salad.
Treats of mealworms and wax worms can be offered occasionally.
Maintenance
Bearded dragons can produce quite a lot of waste so the vivarium and decorations should be cleaned regularly. Clean and refill the water bowl on a daily basis. Depending on cage conditions, remove all substrate & cage furniture and completely disinfect using safe disinfectant. Rinse the enclosure thoroughly and allow to dry before replacing cage furniture and your Beardy.
Shedding
Bearded Dragons shed their skin as they grow and will do so a little at a time. They rarely have any problems shedding.
Conclusion
Bearded Dragons are rewarding pets to keep. Be prepared for the amount of food and space they require.
The Bearded Dragon Manual
£9.99
Recommended if you are interested in or keep Bearded dragons
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