| Captive Care & Husbandry of the Bearded Dragon (Pogona vitticeps) |
Natural Environment
The inland Bearded dragon is the most common species found in the pet
trade. It is native to central Australia, an area of dry scrub land. Australia
has banned the export of any native species, and so all bearded dragons
available at reptile shows and in pet stores are captive bred.
Vivarium Size & Design
For a hatchling bearded dragon, a 20 gallon long aquarium with a screen
top is an appropriate size. Shorter aquariums, like 10 gallons, will not
allow for a proper heat gradient to be set up and maintained.
Within a few months, your new baby beardie will have reached a size that
requires a larger vivarium. The minimum footprint for an adult bearded
dragon vivarium is 36" long by 18" wide. These are the base dimensions
of a standard 40 gallon breeder aquarium. A better size would be 48"
long by 18" wide-- the size of a 75 gallon aquarium.
The best types of substrate to use for bearded dragons would be things
that hold heat well but are not particulate. Bearded dragons are very
"licky" lizards and can accidentally ingest particulate substrates when
hunting or just by laying on them. We utilize slate tiles in our bearded
dragon vivariums. Many people use paper-- newsprint, paper towels,
butcher block paper, and other types of papers. Some choose to use fine
sand for adult bearded dragons, regardless of the risk. Please avoid the
use of Calci-Sand. This type of sand can cause serious intestinal
impaction in your bearded dragon. (Read more!)
Provide your bearded dragon with a few hides large enough to
accommodate its entire body along with some basking spots. You can
use wooden branches, half logs or ceramic reptile basking ornaments for
this purpose.
A large water bowl is the last feature you need to outfit your dragons cage.
Temperature
Bearded dragons do well with an ambient air temperature in the mid-80's
and a basking spot of between 100 and 105 degrees Fahrenheit. You
can provide the basking spot by using a dome-style heat reflector and a
75-150 watt bulb (depending on ambient air temps in your house.
An under tank heating pad (UTH) can be used to keep the night time
temps from dropping too low.
Always use a digital thermometer to carefully monitor the temperatures in
your lizard's cage. Temperatures that are too high can cause serious
burns.
Lighting
Bearded dragons need to have at least 12-14 hours of intense UV lighting
in order to correctly digest food and undergo critical body processes. We
use the ExoTerra 10.0 UV fluorescent bulbs with our bearded dragons.
Humidity
Bearded dragons are not rainforest animals. They do not need to be
misted, although an occasional soaking in tepid water can help to loosen
stuck skin pieces and help them to defecate. Aim for moderate humidity
levels and excellent ventilation in your vivariums.
Feeding
Juvenile bearded dragons need higher protein content in their diets. They
should be fed often-- as much as 4 times per day-- as many crickets as
they will eat in a sitting. Feed prey items that are no larger than the space
between your bearded dragons eyes.
Also offer shredded and chopped greens several times per week. Greens
such as collard and kale, and vegetables such as squash are good types
to use. You can also provide fruits once or twice a week. Red fruits like
raspberry and strawberry are favorites of our beardies.
Adult bearded dragons should have veggies every other day or so, and
protein sources like super worms or crickets once or twice per week.
Temperament & Handling
Bearded dragons are wonderful animals for handling. They can become
dog-tame with regular gentle handling sessions and seem to really enjoy
spending time with their people. For this reason, bearded dragons make
wonderful family reptiles.
Gender & Compatibility
Gender on bearded dragons can be assessed by looking at the femoral
pores at the base of the legs. For instructions, click HERE.
Bearded dragons can be housed together as adults, although it is better
to house them separately. This can prevent disease transmission and aid
the keeper in keeping track of feeding and health of each individual lizard.
Lifespan
Bearded dragons can live up to 15 years with proper care.
The inland Bearded dragon is the most common species found in the pet
trade. It is native to central Australia, an area of dry scrub land. Australia
has banned the export of any native species, and so all bearded dragons
available at reptile shows and in pet stores are captive bred.
Vivarium Size & Design
For a hatchling bearded dragon, a 20 gallon long aquarium with a screen
top is an appropriate size. Shorter aquariums, like 10 gallons, will not
allow for a proper heat gradient to be set up and maintained.
Within a few months, your new baby beardie will have reached a size that
requires a larger vivarium. The minimum footprint for an adult bearded
dragon vivarium is 36" long by 18" wide. These are the base dimensions
of a standard 40 gallon breeder aquarium. A better size would be 48"
long by 18" wide-- the size of a 75 gallon aquarium.
The best types of substrate to use for bearded dragons would be things
that hold heat well but are not particulate. Bearded dragons are very
"licky" lizards and can accidentally ingest particulate substrates when
hunting or just by laying on them. We utilize slate tiles in our bearded
dragon vivariums. Many people use paper-- newsprint, paper towels,
butcher block paper, and other types of papers. Some choose to use fine
sand for adult bearded dragons, regardless of the risk. Please avoid the
use of Calci-Sand. This type of sand can cause serious intestinal
impaction in your bearded dragon. (Read more!)
Provide your bearded dragon with a few hides large enough to
accommodate its entire body along with some basking spots. You can
use wooden branches, half logs or ceramic reptile basking ornaments for
this purpose.
A large water bowl is the last feature you need to outfit your dragons cage.
Temperature
Bearded dragons do well with an ambient air temperature in the mid-80's
and a basking spot of between 100 and 105 degrees Fahrenheit. You
can provide the basking spot by using a dome-style heat reflector and a
75-150 watt bulb (depending on ambient air temps in your house.
An under tank heating pad (UTH) can be used to keep the night time
temps from dropping too low.
Always use a digital thermometer to carefully monitor the temperatures in
your lizard's cage. Temperatures that are too high can cause serious
burns.
Lighting
Bearded dragons need to have at least 12-14 hours of intense UV lighting
in order to correctly digest food and undergo critical body processes. We
use the ExoTerra 10.0 UV fluorescent bulbs with our bearded dragons.
Humidity
Bearded dragons are not rainforest animals. They do not need to be
misted, although an occasional soaking in tepid water can help to loosen
stuck skin pieces and help them to defecate. Aim for moderate humidity
levels and excellent ventilation in your vivariums.
Feeding
Juvenile bearded dragons need higher protein content in their diets. They
should be fed often-- as much as 4 times per day-- as many crickets as
they will eat in a sitting. Feed prey items that are no larger than the space
between your bearded dragons eyes.
Also offer shredded and chopped greens several times per week. Greens
such as collard and kale, and vegetables such as squash are good types
to use. You can also provide fruits once or twice a week. Red fruits like
raspberry and strawberry are favorites of our beardies.
Adult bearded dragons should have veggies every other day or so, and
protein sources like super worms or crickets once or twice per week.
Temperament & Handling
Bearded dragons are wonderful animals for handling. They can become
dog-tame with regular gentle handling sessions and seem to really enjoy
spending time with their people. For this reason, bearded dragons make
wonderful family reptiles.
Gender & Compatibility
Gender on bearded dragons can be assessed by looking at the femoral
pores at the base of the legs. For instructions, click HERE.
Bearded dragons can be housed together as adults, although it is better
to house them separately. This can prevent disease transmission and aid
the keeper in keeping track of feeding and health of each individual lizard.
Lifespan
Bearded dragons can live up to 15 years with proper care.
| An example of a cage suitable for a medium sized Bearded Dragon. The cage in the photo is a 40 gallon breeder (36" x 18"). |
| Tank is a male Bearded dragon. He goes with us to school and community events and has been handled by people of all ages. |
| Bearded dragons will sometimes bite the hand that feeds them. |
