Bearded Dragon Care in a Nutshell

By Bonnie J. Keller

 

Q. Where do bearded dragons come from, what makes them good pets, and how long do they live?

A: Bearded dragons come from Australia. While Australia does not currently allow exportation of their wildlife, they did many years ago. All current bearded dragons are descendants of those who were exported in the 1970’s and bred. A properly cared-for bearded dragon can easily live 15-20 years, though in past years, many bearded dragons did not survive due to incorrect husbandry practices.

 

Q: Can we keep several together, how big will they get, and how do we keep them tame?

A: Bearded dragons are social animals in the wild, and often will group together. However, do not keep more than one male in a cage, as they will fight once they reach sexual maturity.  Inland bearded dragons are the most common beardie (as they are affectionately called), and will reach 15-20 inches. However, there is a strain called the german giant from an exceptionally large group that can reach 24+ inches in length. Rankins dragons, on the other hand, are a smaller form that reach 10-12 inches.

 

Dragons are generally tamed easily by simply handling them as juveniles. As they mature, their nature is to become very docile and are often described as dogs with scales. They are often quite happy to relax on their owner s shoulder or lap  but don t be surprised if something peaks their curiosity and they take off to investigate!

 

Q: Considering their size, what kind of cage should I use, and what other cage accessories will I need?

A: You should start off with the largest cage possible. One adult dragon should have at least 3-4 square feet of floor space  which translates into at least a 30 gallon long aquarium, or similar sized reptile cage. Many people find that starting with a 40 gallon “breeder tank” or 55 gallon aquarium saves them the expense of buying another aquarium later on. It is not recommended that you let your bearded dragon run loose unsupervised in your home, as there are many things the bearded dragon could damage, or could get injured by. 

 

The substrate of the aquarium or cage should be something that would be safe for a young human child.  Bark, corn cob, gravel and kitty litter could be ingested, and are not recommended. Reptile carpet works very well for aquarium-type cages. Several newer possibilities for reptile substrates include "Lizard Litter", which is supposed to be ingestible, and Calci-Sand.  Both of these products should be available at your local pet store.  While more expensive to start off, they need to be changed infrequently, as you can just scoop out the soiled areas.  Many bearded dragon owners just use newspaper to line their cages.

 

Q: What temperature and humidity does it need?

A: Daytime temps should range between 85-90 degrees, with a basking spot of 90-100 degrees. To achieve this use a combination of under-tank heating pads, ceramic heat emitters, basking spot lights, etc. NO HOT ROCKS, as they have a tendency to overheat and burn your bearded dragon. Use a high-range thermometer in several places to monitor the different temperature zones of your cage. Humidity should be moderate,  and is usually OK with the normal humidity of your home. A water dish for drinking is fine, but it is often recommended to soak your beardie in lukewarm water (chest-deep) once a week. This water will also be used for drinking, swimming and defecation so be sure to disinfect your sink/tub when done.

 

Q: Why does my Bearded dragon need a Vitalite or other UVB bulb?

A: Exposure to unfiltered sunlight or a UVB-producing bulb such as a VitaLite, or Desert 7% bulb is necessary to facilitate Vitamin D3 production.  This is the vitamin that turns calcium into a usable material for bone and nerve cell building and repair. So, without it, an bearded dragon will quickly end up with a condition similar to osteoporosis, as well nerve damage. Sunlight that passes through glass or Plexiglas does NOT transmit UVB, and cannot be substituted. When using a UVB bulb, it must be placed 12-18 inches from where your bearded dragon will spend the most time, and it must NOT have glass or plastic between the bulb and the bearded dragon. (The glass in the bulb is a special glass for this reason.) Several new bulbs on the market, like the PowerSun bulb shown in the slide show,  produce both heat and UVB and are preferable to the fluorescent brands, despite being more expensive. This is due to their longevity and higher range of UVB wavelengths produced.

 

Q: What do they eat, and how much?

A: Bearded dragons are omnivores.  They need the protein of insects or small rodents, as well as the vitamins and minerals of vegetation.

 

Bearded dragon salad (identical to iguana salad!) :

 

Choose 1 or 2 from the following list (2 lbs total): Dandelion greens, mustard greens, collard greens,  turnip or beet or nappa greens, swiss chard

 

You may chop the greens or leave them large.  Leaves with hard stems need to be trimmed.

 

Add to the greens 1 or 2 of the following:1/2 cup cut up sweet potato, fresh green beans, fresh broccoli, grapes, kiwi, strawberries, sugar pea pods, shredded carrot, etc. 

 

Add to this mixture 1/2 tsp of calcium supplement (no Vitamin D added).  You can occasionally (not often!) offer  spinach or cabbage, etc. Chop the vegetables small enough for your bearded dragon to eat or grate them; the greens can be left fairly large. Mix this all together; freeze daily portions to avoid spoilage. Add a crushed vitamin supplement only once every 1-2 weeks. Baby bearded dragons may eat a tablespoon, adults up to ½ cup, depending on how fine you chop/grate it.

 

Insects should be varied. Good choices include crickets, mealworm, zoophobias, silkworms, tomato worms, roaches, etc. These are all often carried in pet stores or online suppliers such as www.reptilefood.com . For young dragons it is important to make sure that the insect offered is no larger than the gap between the eyes. This is a general rule of thumb. Larger prey has been associated with paralysis and death, though no substantive studies have found why. If you live in an area where pesticides and herbicides are not used, you can offer grasshoppers and such. NO LIGHTNING BUGS - they are toxic and will kill your beardie.

You may occasionally offer frozen/thawed pinkies or fuzzies to supplement the insect offerings.

 

Q: How will I know if my bearded dragon is sick, and how can I tell whether it is male or female?

A: Bearded dragons that are healthy will appear alert,  active, and have bright, clear eyes. The coloring of a bearded dragon depends on the origin of the bearded dragon, but you should learn as it grows what is "normal" for yours.  Generally, a sickly grey coloring is the result of either being ill or too cold. If your bearded dragon stops eating or defecating, feels "cold" to the touch, or gives you other reason to believe he is ill, TAKE HIM TO A VET experienced with reptiles.  Small orange or black spots that move around are mites and need to be treated ASAP. To verify that your bearded dragon is a male (or not), look on the underside of his back legs.  A series of large pores, usually filled with a waxy substance, indicates that it is indeed a male. Females will have very small pores. In addition, males have larger, broader heads. Keep in mind that none of these characteristics will be visible until several months of age minimum, sometimes later.

 

Keep in mind that reptiles, as with ALL animals, may carry salmonella. See your doctor or vet for more info on the possible effects of this disease.

 

There is MUCH more to know about bearded dragons. Please contact your local herp society for information, or see the website:  http://www.anapsid.org

 

If you're shopping for bearded dragon supplies,  you'll need:

 

 

For more info on bearded dragons or other reptiles, please contact me!

 

 

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