Caring for your Bearded Dragon
Bearded dragons are one of the most popular reptile's.
They grow up to 24 inches. They live a long time with an average of 7-12 years when properly cared for. They are easy to tame and can be held and come out of there viv .
finding a Vet to treat your pets
Finding a good reptile vet is the first thing you should do when you get your dragon. Bearded dragons can get many kinds of parasites and when left untreated can kill your pet. Taking a fecal sample in is the cheapest way to solve this problem. Ask if they will check the sample without seeing the dragon first. Many will do this but will not give out meds until the reptile is seen. Finding a good reptile vet in your area is not always easy but is necessary.
Enclosures
Baby bearded dragons can be kept in small 20 gallon long tanks. Reptile tanks are usually wider and lower in height to give the maximum floor space. Juvenile (4 months or so) and adult dragons are very active and need larger enclosures to keep them happy and healthy. Once your dragon is 10-12 inches it really needs to move up to a bigger tank. The smallest size tank a juvenile or adult can be housed in is a 40 gallon breeder tank. A pair should be kept in a minimum 75 gallon tank. Tank size can also vary according to the size of your dragons. A 24 inch male will need more space then an 18 inch male. The larger space you can give your bearded dragons the happier they will be.
You can also custom build wooden enclosures or buy specially made PVC or Melamine cages. There are many cages available on the market today that are suited well for bearded dragons. A quick search online should turn up many results.caresheet for pictures and more info on cages.
A tank will need a screened lid, not a glass one. Some companies spell special sliding ones. Most stores sell lids for standard sizes. If you can’t find the size you need, you can custom build one using wood and hardware cloth.
Substrate
What to use on the bottom of your bearded dragon cage is a highly debated topic. We keep our babies with no substrate at all. When they grow to 10 inches or more they can be introduced to a substrate if you wish. You can use paper towels, newspaper, sand. It is best looking of the substrates that is easy to change. Changing your cage often will cut down on the chance of your dragon getting sick.
Some dragons ingest a lot of sand while eating. If you notice this you may want to feed your dragon in a separate feeding container.
The best place to get sand. This will allow you to anchor rocks and branches into the sand.
Furniture
You want your beardies to be happy but try not to go overboard and crowd the cage. Remember that furnishing take up space and so you want the furnishings to be functional. Branches large enough for the beardie to lay on are good to get your pet near his basking site. If your cage is tall find a way to use the space up high. Beardies love to climb up high. Hemp rope can be wound tightly around to make the branches easier to grip. Rocks are also wonderful because they warm up from the lights. Make sure the rocks are stable and that your beardie can’t dig under them and hurt themselves. You can also include real or artificial plants. Ponytail palms, snake plants, jade, and pothos, all seem to work well. Make sure they are free of chemicals because your beardie might eat them. Be prepared to replace them as they can be hard on the plants. You do want a hiding spot for your beardie as they LOVE to hide. Half logs that are sold in pet stores work well (get a large one since they grow fast) and so do flower pots turned on their sides. Be creative. It can be a low space. They like to squeeze in places.
Cleaning the Cage
You will need to scoop the feces out of the cage daily. You can use a small cup. I take some of the sand from around the poop also to keep the cage cleaner. The sand should be changed about once a month depending on the size of the enclosure and the number of beardies. A small cage with 2 dragons will have to be changed much more then a large cage with one dragon.
When emptied, the tank should be scrubbed with soapy water, Nolvasan, or very diluted bleach (10% bleach, 90% water). It needs to be rinsed off well and dried. Nolvasan is a veterinary disinfectant that can be bought online. The generic version is chlorhexadine diacetate and is cheaper. Nolvasan needs to be diluted so a gallon will last forever. It also will not leave any smell as bleach can if not properly rinsed. No matter what you use make sure you soak all rocks, branches, and other things in the cage in the cleaner and then rinse and dry well. Make sure the food bowls are washed in soapy water daily.
Lighting and Heating
You will need two types of lighting, UVB and heat lighting. UVB light is essential for many kinds of reptiles. The bulbs simulate the sun allowing the dragons to produce Vitamin D3 which helps them metabolize the calcium they need to maintain health. Without UVB many reptile get Metabolic Bone Disease. We use special reptile florescent bulbs like the Reptisun 5.0 or the Reptisun 10.0, they come in different lengths. The new Reptisun 10.0 is better in tall cages as it gives off more UVB. It is also useful with a screen lid, as the screen does block out some of the UVB light.
These lights need to be within 12 inches of the basking spot and need to be replaced every 6 months because the amount of UVB diminishes. There is a new type of light called a mercury vapor light, some popular brands being T-Rex’s Active UVHeat, Zoo Med’s Powersun, Or Mega-Ray. These combine UVB and heat in one bulb. We don’t use these bulbs, as our cages are not high enough to accommodate them. They are also very expensive and have been known to break easily. There is also some controversy whether they are safe. Research the two types and make your own decision on what is best for you.
For heat you can use your standard household bulbs, reptile basking bulbs, or standard spot lights. If you need larger then 100 watts you can find 150 and 200 watts at home improvement stores. In a taller cage a spot light or basking bulb is best to make sure your basking spot is warm enough. Standard light bulbs work well in cages that are low in height.
Make sure the bulbs are over what will be your dragons basking spot. This should be at one end of the cage. This area needs to be between 100-110 degrees. Babies usually need a warmer spot than adults. Beardies need this heat to be able to digest their food. Use a thermometer to monitor temps. The cooler side of the tank away from the basking site should be around 75-80. At night you should not need heating unless it goes below 65 degrees. Then you can use special night heat lights or undertank heater attached to a thermostat on low. Without the thermostat the undertank heater will be really hot.
Your lights should be on a cycle of about 10-14 hours on in the summer and 10-12 hours on in the winter. We prefer to keep them as close to what is happening here. You can regulate the lights with simple timers.
Feeding
Leafy greens must be offered daily. Greens include mustard greens, collard greens, turnip greens, dandelions, escarole, chicory, and arugula can be staples in their diet. Lettuces does not have much nutritional value and should not make up their whole diet or even a large part. Romaine could be given occasionally if you can’t find the other greens. Spinach, kale, and swiss chard are both high in oxalic acids that bind calcium. They can be given, just not too frequently. Variety is a good idea though. Remember, you don’t have to buy the whole huge bunch of greens. They will weigh whatever you separate out of a big bunch. This is a good way to get a big variety without buying too many greens. Make sure you wash all the veggies to get any pesticides off. Remove large stems (like collard stems), and any rotten parts and then rip the greens into pieces about the size of your dragons head. We cut up all our greens at once and place them in a tupperware container lined with paper towels. This should last about a week in the fridge. Before feeding make sure to rinse the greens you are going to give to your dragon that day if you haven’t done it before. Also wetting the greens before giving them to your dragon is a great way to get extra water into them.
Vegetables like winter squashes, green beans, parsnips, carrots, sweet potato, and others can be grated up and added to the salad. They need to be in chopped very small or grated pieces. Dragons can not chew large chunks and it will be hard for them to digest. Fruits such as all the berries, mango, papaya, grapes, can be added in a small amount. Offering greens in the morning before they get insects is a good way to make sure they eat their vegetables.
Water
We provide water dishes for our dragons. We find some dragons love to drink from a bowl where as others don't. You can wet their greens when you feed them. You also should mist them with a spray bottle but not too much as its not good for the eyes. giving them a bath is good make sure the beardies can stand in the water so they don’t have to swim the whole time. Make the water lukewarm. Make sure to watch them while in the water. They really seem to enjoy it.
Insects
Insects should be offered to babies two or three times a day, and to juveniles and adults daily. As your beardie gets older he or she should be eating less and less insects and more vegetables. Too many insects all through their life will cause kidney damage. Veggies should make up about 10-25% of hatchlings diet and about 50% or more of adults diets. You can feed insects such as crickets(but these are not great) locusts,roaches and silkworms as a staple. Superworms can be feed occasionally to beardies over 12 inches. Mealworms and waxworms are high in fat so only as a treat or to give to a female after laying eggs. Instead we use roaches and superworms to fatten them up the egg laying females.
Giving them as many crickets as they can eat in a 5-10 minute period is a good idea. Many baby dragons will eat 25-50 crickets in a sitting. Never leave crickets in the cage overnight, especially with babies. They can serious hurt babies by munching on them as food. Some people choose to feed their beardies in a separate tank to avoid this. Never give babies large crickets. They need to be no bigger then the space between their eyes. Serious harm can be caused by hatchings eating large crickets.
Insect Care
We suggest buying roaches online. We buy our roaches from http://www.exotic-pet-shop.co.uk/ You can cut part of the lid out and glue a piece of screen over it for ventilation. You could also use a 10-15 gallon fish tank with a screen lid. These are very cheap to buy and easy to clean.
When your roaches arrive, cut one side off and quickly lower it into the container and bang on the top and shake all the roaches out. In warm weather, doing this outside is best, but with a little practice, you won't lose any crickets. Place some of the egg crate that came with them in the container for them to hide in. Add a couple of paper towel rolls also. The roaches will hide in the rolls making it easy for you to just shake them into your feeding container to dust with calcium.
You can buy some bug grub from the a pet shop. The insects eat the gutload and then when the dragon eats the insect it will get all those nutrients.
You will also need to add something for them to drink. We use a insect jelly we find it does not go moldy like fruit will & its very good for them.
Superworms can be kept the same way. We usually add an inch of Cheerios with the gutload because the worms bury in it. They can't climb the sides. They can live for up to two months.Silkworms are the hardest to care for and you really need to learn about them before you buy any. They are more expensive then roaches.
Supplementation
Dust insects with a calcium with D3 (Rep-Cal) vitamin daily or whenever live insects is offered. We put the crickets in a large yogurt container and shake them up with the vitamin dust and then serve them to the beardies. They get very excited when they see this container. About 2 times a week you should dust with a multivitamin instead of the calcium.We use wiser reptile brands.
Reptiles carry salmonella naturally. Make sure adults and children wash with antibacterial hand wash after contact with your dragons.
Bearded dragons are one of the most popular reptile's.
They grow up to 24 inches. They live a long time with an average of 7-12 years when properly cared for. They are easy to tame and can be held and come out of there viv .
finding a Vet to treat your pets
Finding a good reptile vet is the first thing you should do when you get your dragon. Bearded dragons can get many kinds of parasites and when left untreated can kill your pet. Taking a fecal sample in is the cheapest way to solve this problem. Ask if they will check the sample without seeing the dragon first. Many will do this but will not give out meds until the reptile is seen. Finding a good reptile vet in your area is not always easy but is necessary.
Enclosures
Baby bearded dragons can be kept in small 20 gallon long tanks. Reptile tanks are usually wider and lower in height to give the maximum floor space. Juvenile (4 months or so) and adult dragons are very active and need larger enclosures to keep them happy and healthy. Once your dragon is 10-12 inches it really needs to move up to a bigger tank. The smallest size tank a juvenile or adult can be housed in is a 40 gallon breeder tank. A pair should be kept in a minimum 75 gallon tank. Tank size can also vary according to the size of your dragons. A 24 inch male will need more space then an 18 inch male. The larger space you can give your bearded dragons the happier they will be.
You can also custom build wooden enclosures or buy specially made PVC or Melamine cages. There are many cages available on the market today that are suited well for bearded dragons. A quick search online should turn up many results.caresheet for pictures and more info on cages.
A tank will need a screened lid, not a glass one. Some companies spell special sliding ones. Most stores sell lids for standard sizes. If you can’t find the size you need, you can custom build one using wood and hardware cloth.
Substrate
What to use on the bottom of your bearded dragon cage is a highly debated topic. We keep our babies with no substrate at all. When they grow to 10 inches or more they can be introduced to a substrate if you wish. You can use paper towels, newspaper, sand. It is best looking of the substrates that is easy to change. Changing your cage often will cut down on the chance of your dragon getting sick.
Some dragons ingest a lot of sand while eating. If you notice this you may want to feed your dragon in a separate feeding container.
The best place to get sand. This will allow you to anchor rocks and branches into the sand.
Furniture
You want your beardies to be happy but try not to go overboard and crowd the cage. Remember that furnishing take up space and so you want the furnishings to be functional. Branches large enough for the beardie to lay on are good to get your pet near his basking site. If your cage is tall find a way to use the space up high. Beardies love to climb up high. Hemp rope can be wound tightly around to make the branches easier to grip. Rocks are also wonderful because they warm up from the lights. Make sure the rocks are stable and that your beardie can’t dig under them and hurt themselves. You can also include real or artificial plants. Ponytail palms, snake plants, jade, and pothos, all seem to work well. Make sure they are free of chemicals because your beardie might eat them. Be prepared to replace them as they can be hard on the plants. You do want a hiding spot for your beardie as they LOVE to hide. Half logs that are sold in pet stores work well (get a large one since they grow fast) and so do flower pots turned on their sides. Be creative. It can be a low space. They like to squeeze in places.
Cleaning the Cage
You will need to scoop the feces out of the cage daily. You can use a small cup. I take some of the sand from around the poop also to keep the cage cleaner. The sand should be changed about once a month depending on the size of the enclosure and the number of beardies. A small cage with 2 dragons will have to be changed much more then a large cage with one dragon.
When emptied, the tank should be scrubbed with soapy water, Nolvasan, or very diluted bleach (10% bleach, 90% water). It needs to be rinsed off well and dried. Nolvasan is a veterinary disinfectant that can be bought online. The generic version is chlorhexadine diacetate and is cheaper. Nolvasan needs to be diluted so a gallon will last forever. It also will not leave any smell as bleach can if not properly rinsed. No matter what you use make sure you soak all rocks, branches, and other things in the cage in the cleaner and then rinse and dry well. Make sure the food bowls are washed in soapy water daily.
Lighting and Heating
You will need two types of lighting, UVB and heat lighting. UVB light is essential for many kinds of reptiles. The bulbs simulate the sun allowing the dragons to produce Vitamin D3 which helps them metabolize the calcium they need to maintain health. Without UVB many reptile get Metabolic Bone Disease. We use special reptile florescent bulbs like the Reptisun 5.0 or the Reptisun 10.0, they come in different lengths. The new Reptisun 10.0 is better in tall cages as it gives off more UVB. It is also useful with a screen lid, as the screen does block out some of the UVB light.
These lights need to be within 12 inches of the basking spot and need to be replaced every 6 months because the amount of UVB diminishes. There is a new type of light called a mercury vapor light, some popular brands being T-Rex’s Active UVHeat, Zoo Med’s Powersun, Or Mega-Ray. These combine UVB and heat in one bulb. We don’t use these bulbs, as our cages are not high enough to accommodate them. They are also very expensive and have been known to break easily. There is also some controversy whether they are safe. Research the two types and make your own decision on what is best for you.
For heat you can use your standard household bulbs, reptile basking bulbs, or standard spot lights. If you need larger then 100 watts you can find 150 and 200 watts at home improvement stores. In a taller cage a spot light or basking bulb is best to make sure your basking spot is warm enough. Standard light bulbs work well in cages that are low in height.
Make sure the bulbs are over what will be your dragons basking spot. This should be at one end of the cage. This area needs to be between 100-110 degrees. Babies usually need a warmer spot than adults. Beardies need this heat to be able to digest their food. Use a thermometer to monitor temps. The cooler side of the tank away from the basking site should be around 75-80. At night you should not need heating unless it goes below 65 degrees. Then you can use special night heat lights or undertank heater attached to a thermostat on low. Without the thermostat the undertank heater will be really hot.
Your lights should be on a cycle of about 10-14 hours on in the summer and 10-12 hours on in the winter. We prefer to keep them as close to what is happening here. You can regulate the lights with simple timers.
Feeding
Leafy greens must be offered daily. Greens include mustard greens, collard greens, turnip greens, dandelions, escarole, chicory, and arugula can be staples in their diet. Lettuces does not have much nutritional value and should not make up their whole diet or even a large part. Romaine could be given occasionally if you can’t find the other greens. Spinach, kale, and swiss chard are both high in oxalic acids that bind calcium. They can be given, just not too frequently. Variety is a good idea though. Remember, you don’t have to buy the whole huge bunch of greens. They will weigh whatever you separate out of a big bunch. This is a good way to get a big variety without buying too many greens. Make sure you wash all the veggies to get any pesticides off. Remove large stems (like collard stems), and any rotten parts and then rip the greens into pieces about the size of your dragons head. We cut up all our greens at once and place them in a tupperware container lined with paper towels. This should last about a week in the fridge. Before feeding make sure to rinse the greens you are going to give to your dragon that day if you haven’t done it before. Also wetting the greens before giving them to your dragon is a great way to get extra water into them.
Vegetables like winter squashes, green beans, parsnips, carrots, sweet potato, and others can be grated up and added to the salad. They need to be in chopped very small or grated pieces. Dragons can not chew large chunks and it will be hard for them to digest. Fruits such as all the berries, mango, papaya, grapes, can be added in a small amount. Offering greens in the morning before they get insects is a good way to make sure they eat their vegetables.
Water
We provide water dishes for our dragons. We find some dragons love to drink from a bowl where as others don't. You can wet their greens when you feed them. You also should mist them with a spray bottle but not too much as its not good for the eyes. giving them a bath is good make sure the beardies can stand in the water so they don’t have to swim the whole time. Make the water lukewarm. Make sure to watch them while in the water. They really seem to enjoy it.
Insects
Insects should be offered to babies two or three times a day, and to juveniles and adults daily. As your beardie gets older he or she should be eating less and less insects and more vegetables. Too many insects all through their life will cause kidney damage. Veggies should make up about 10-25% of hatchlings diet and about 50% or more of adults diets. You can feed insects such as crickets(but these are not great) locusts,roaches and silkworms as a staple. Superworms can be feed occasionally to beardies over 12 inches. Mealworms and waxworms are high in fat so only as a treat or to give to a female after laying eggs. Instead we use roaches and superworms to fatten them up the egg laying females.
Giving them as many crickets as they can eat in a 5-10 minute period is a good idea. Many baby dragons will eat 25-50 crickets in a sitting. Never leave crickets in the cage overnight, especially with babies. They can serious hurt babies by munching on them as food. Some people choose to feed their beardies in a separate tank to avoid this. Never give babies large crickets. They need to be no bigger then the space between their eyes. Serious harm can be caused by hatchings eating large crickets.
Insect Care
We suggest buying roaches online. We buy our roaches from http://www.exotic-pet-shop.co.uk/ You can cut part of the lid out and glue a piece of screen over it for ventilation. You could also use a 10-15 gallon fish tank with a screen lid. These are very cheap to buy and easy to clean.
When your roaches arrive, cut one side off and quickly lower it into the container and bang on the top and shake all the roaches out. In warm weather, doing this outside is best, but with a little practice, you won't lose any crickets. Place some of the egg crate that came with them in the container for them to hide in. Add a couple of paper towel rolls also. The roaches will hide in the rolls making it easy for you to just shake them into your feeding container to dust with calcium.
You can buy some bug grub from the a pet shop. The insects eat the gutload and then when the dragon eats the insect it will get all those nutrients.
You will also need to add something for them to drink. We use a insect jelly we find it does not go moldy like fruit will & its very good for them.
Superworms can be kept the same way. We usually add an inch of Cheerios with the gutload because the worms bury in it. They can't climb the sides. They can live for up to two months.Silkworms are the hardest to care for and you really need to learn about them before you buy any. They are more expensive then roaches.
Supplementation
Dust insects with a calcium with D3 (Rep-Cal) vitamin daily or whenever live insects is offered. We put the crickets in a large yogurt container and shake them up with the vitamin dust and then serve them to the beardies. They get very excited when they see this container. About 2 times a week you should dust with a multivitamin instead of the calcium.We use wiser reptile brands.
Reptiles carry salmonella naturally. Make sure adults and children wash with antibacterial hand wash after contact with your dragons.
