Basic Bearded Dragon Care Guidelines

Reptiles make great pets for those with the proper mindset, and Bearded Dragons are among the most popular of those reptile pets. They are sturdy, just small enough, and eat simple, variant diets. With a lifespan of up to fifteen years, they can be a good long term pet, but only with the proper care and attention to the lifestyle and necessities of their diets.

Because they are desert creatures, Bearded Dragons are used to a substantial influx of sunlight. Without the vitamins and calcium acquired from that absorption, Bearded Dragons can become ill quickly. For that reason, keeping a UVA or UVB light on them for the sunlight hours of their day is vital. Often, vitamin supplements mixed into their diets are good as well. Diseases related to the bones’ weakening through Vitamin D, Calcium and Phosphorous deficiencies can include Metallic Bone disease and various other painful issues in your bearded dragon.

Keeping your bearded lizard’s enclosure clean is incredibly important. The possibility of parasites or diseases infiltrating their environment through food or enclosure additions is constant, and for that reason you should keep a close eye on your lizard for any signs of these diseases. Things like weight loss or unhealthy droppings can be directly attributed to a parasite introduced to their space. If you ignore the signs, the parasite could eventually cause the death of your bearded dragon, or at least extreme health problems. A veterinarian can offer quick and easy solutions for treating these issues.

The environment itself, while fairly stable most of the time can cause problem with your beard dragon’s respiratory system if not kept stable. As a cold blooded creature, low levels of heat and too much moisture can spell immediate health problems for your bearded dragon. These can include anything from clogged nostrils to raspy breathing. Immediate care with antibiotics and the adjustment of your tank’s conditions will repair such issues usually without further harm.

If you decide to breed your bearded dragons, or if your female merely happens to get pregnant, it is important to give her a good, comfortable nesting place. Without the nesting place, she could suffer from egg binding, mostly common the first time a female breeds. Besides nesting areas, it is important to ensure your female dragon is mature enough for mating. Immediately see a vet in this case, as egg binding most often leads to death.

A recent problem to arise in bearded dragons is adenovirus. Preying on smaller animals, adenovirus is hard to catch because of its similarity to other health problems. If problems persist after careful treatment, quickly see a vet. As a fatal disease, adenovirus is often not caught until the lizard has already passed.

When purchasing a bearded dragon, keep in mind that these wonderful pets are no different than most other pets in that they require careful attention to keep from becoming ill. With proper attention and care, a bearded dragon can be expected to live a long and healthy life.

Basic Guide for Housing a Bearded Dragon

Bearded Dragons need a large enough habitat to allow for a variety of distances from the heat source. A glass aquarium is recommended for security, ease of maintenance, and pet viewing. To avoid the expense of multiple habitats as your pet grows to adulthood, consider using a partition that can be easily adjusted. This way, throughout the life of the pet, you can use a single large aquarium, 55-70 gallons.

The white melamine is a material that keeps the cage very bright which is important for stimulating a dragon’s appetite. The light (and the UVB) stays inside the cage rather than escaping through the glass sides of an aquarium. Glass fronts will allow the dragon to check out their world and interact with you.

Where to place the cage?

Find a place, on a stable stand or table, where you feel comfortable and where you can watch anytime your little fellow, against a wall. Try to house your dragon somewhere interesting for him or her, but away from high traffic areas and out of direct sunlight. Do not hide the cage away in a seldom frequented place. Bearded Dragons have a big curiosity. They like to be somewhere where they can watch anytime to their human fellow doing their funny things.

The cage need to be organized with a basking light at one end of the tank, another end should be kept as a cooling area; a hide area of branches and potted non-toxic plants, or a hide box in the tank is also necessary; a rock or log for the basking area. Try to improve the animal environment and remember that the more you do to arrange a Beardie’s environment to provide security, the quicker the animal will adjust to its new home and family. Animals that are housed correctly and stress free will remain healthy, eat well, be happier, remain active and alert.

The first days in his new habitat can cause a lot of stress to the Dragon, and because of this they could refuse to eat for some days. To help them accommodate you should:

- Use the first weeks to only watch the dragon and learn the behaviors and feeding habits. Read books on Beardies. Your children will want to play with their new friend. Do not allow anybody to pick up the dragon at this moment.

- For a while you can cover the cage with some milky white panes which won’t let the Dragon see to many things outside.

Housing Young Beardies

Babies and small juveniles can be temporally housed in a 10 – 20 gallon aquarium. Young Beardies less than 10 inches in length need to be housed in a 20 gal long aquarium. This will last them for a few months only though as they grow quickly. You can use Profile Extended Storage Bins. The milky white sides of the bins prevent the dragon from becoming terrified in new surroundings and not eating for the first few days, which can become a serious problem.

It is important to judge the correct size of the enclosure. While the dragon is small, it’s helpful to keep cage furniture to a minimum, so that they can find their food easily. Crickets can hide in deeply grooved logs or under the furniture making it difficult for a baby dragon to locate food. The dragon won’t find them, so will not be able to eat, and the crickets will come out at night and nibble on beardies, who sleep quite soundly, stressing them (this could be serious).

On the other hand, a tank that is too small won’t afford the proper temperature gradients the dragon requires.

As the dragon grows they will need to be moved to bigger cages. The dragon having a bigger size, a tank too small won’t afford the proper temperature gradients the dragon requires, the dragon can no longer get away from the heat and it can cook and die.

Housing Adult Bearded Dragons

Adult Dragons should be housed in nothing smaller than a 40gal breeder tank, but it is recommended that you house a single adult Beardie in a 55 to 60 gallon aquarium. Dragons need branches or rocks to climb on and a hiding place. Any cage furniture should be carefully secured so it can’t fall and injure the Beardie.

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