BEARDED DRAGONS  

  • Native to Australia, they live in rocky and arid regions of the country and are adept climbers.
  • They are omnivorous, eating both insects and plants.
  • Adults can reach 16-24 inches and can live 10-15 years.

Diet

As hatchlings, Bearded Dragons start out almost strictly insectivorous but as they age Bearded Dragons become more and more omnivorous. Babies will eat a few dozen insects daily. At only a few weeks old they will begin to eat fresh greens. Initially, it is best to feed them fresh greens in the morning and offer insects in a dish 24/7. At around 6 months give veggies in the AM and offer insects only at night. Around 8-9 months you can continue giving them fresh greens every day and offer insects less and less until they are eating veggies every day and eating insects about twice a week.

Along with fresh greens (collard, mustard, dandelion), some fresh vegetables and fresh fruits can be mixed in. Fresh greens should be at least 75% of what your Bearded Dragon is taking in with other mixed veggies being no more than 20% and fruits being no more than 5%. Always research any food before feeding it to your Bearded Dragon to be sure it is safe.

Calcium without vitamin D3 supplement is essential to a Bearded Dragons health. Insects should always be dusted, and you can dust the veggies once a week. Calcium with vitamin D3 should be used once or twice a week in place of the calcium without D3.  

Housing  

Bearded Dragons should always be housed separately. As babies they can get along fine but within a few months they can cause damage to one another’s limbs and tails. If not separated early enough, they can sometimes greatly injure each other or even cause fatalities.

Juveniles can be started in a 20 gallon long cage but will soon outgrow it. Adults require at least a 40 gallon breeder or larger. Be sure to furnish the cage with a hide spot and decorations for basking. Bearded Dragons love to bask with their body in a more vertical position, so having a large branch or rock for them to climb up and lay on under their basking spot is ideal.

Bearded Dragons bask in direct sunlight in the wild and have high UVB requirements. A mercury vapor bulb (ZooMed’s Powersun, or ExoTerra’s SolarGlo) is ideal, if not essential, providing everything they need. A mercury vapor bulb will provide adequate heat, UVB, and UVA for your Bearded Dragon. Be sure to replace mercury vapor bulbs every 6 months (UVB wears out after 6 months). If you choose to do a heat bulb with UVA and a linear UVB bulb, the linear bulb only needs to be replaced every 12 months. The mercury vapor bulb should be kept on one end of the cage to provide a proper heat gradient. Bearded Dragons should have a basking spot of 90 -95 º F as babies and 70-80 º F on the cool side during the day. Adult Bearded Dragons can have basking spots as high as 100–110 º F. At night temperatures can drop in the low 70’s and supplemental heat may not be needed. If room temperature is below 70 at night, a low wattage (about 50 watts) infrared or black night bulb can be used.

Handling & Care

Bearded dragons have often been referred to as the lap dog of lizards due to their very docile nature. As babies, they can move a little more quickly but with a few regular handlings tame down very quickly.

Spot cleaning by removing feces daily will ensure a healthy, clean environment. Bedding should be thrown away and the entire cage and decorations wiped clean once every few months. Always wash your hands with anti-bacterial soap after handling any animal.

Health

Never feed any reptile insects that are found outside or use any decorations that are brought in from outdoors. There are outdoor insects that may be toxic or items that may have come in contact with toxic pesticides, etc. Metabolic Bone Disease is common in reptiles but with a proper diet and supplementation is easily avoidable. Respiratory distress can occur if the cage temperature changes radically, if temperatures are too low and/or if humidity is high and the cage is damp. Mouth rot (infectious stomatitis) can occur if a respiratory infection goes un-treated.