Bearded dragons are exceptionally popular as pets, with a calm, curious temperament and array of social behaviors that makes them a safe, entertaining first reptile. They have full-color vision and a keen sense of smell that helps them recognize their keepers, and some people claim that their dragons respond to their names. All bearded dragons available for sale outside of Australia are captive bred.
Alone, Bearded Dragons are happy and friendly lizards. They will occasionally hide, but are content to frequently change back and forth between their basking-spot and shade. It is possible for Bearded Dragons to go through a brumation period where they eat slightly less regularly and sleep for two weeks to four months. Many breeders will send their dragons through brumation before sexing. This can be achieved by keeping the tank at 60℉-75℉ for 4-6 weeks and gradually increasing the temperature with time.
I find reptiles so wonderfully captivating, challenging, and diverse that I have dedicated my career to understanding them better. That’s how ReptiFiles was born! What is ReptiFiles®? reptifiles.com is a compilation of factual, science-based research from the best reptile care resources in the world, packaged in one neat website. I mainly focus on writing comprehensive reptile care manuals, but you’ll also find abbreviated care sheets, product reviews, resource directories, and the occasional blog post here.
Bearded Dragon Resource Bearded Dragons make great pets but require complex care. Poor care and misinformation are making this popular pet a liability. This article will help you set up a tank and provide information about caring for beardies.
Bearded dragons can display a variety of morphs. These morphs are mainly based on body types, but can also be derived from selective breeding.
When you’re looking for a bearded dragon, it’s important to understand the different morphs. A morph is a genetic mutation that results in certain traits. The most common are color variations. You can see a wide range of colors in beardies, including beiges, browns, and muted tans.
There are other morphs that result from genetics, such as visual morphs. These are inherited traits that are passed down from parents. They’re often the most unique beardie varieties. Some of them are translucent, meaning they have a transparent appearance. Others, such as hypomelanistic, lack melanin, which makes their skin lighter.
Bearded dragons like many other reptiles have specific lighting requirements that can be really confusing, especially for new owners that don’t have previous experience.
Because of that reason, having a good understanding when it comes to lighting the space of your bearded dragon is very important.
You should know there are plenty of options when it comes to lighting for bearded dragons and choosing the wrong setup can be harmful to your pet. However, if you carefully read our guide you will get plenty of information about setting up proper lighting for your pet.
Become one of 70,000+ people to join this community since it was first established in the year 2000. While raising our bearded dragons we have relied upon several resources that were invaluable for gaining much of the knowledge and expertise given here on Bearded Dragon Care 101. We would like to take a minute to tell you about the books and resources we have used to help us to become a successful bearded dragon owners.
This robust-looking lizard can grow to around 45cm including their long tail, so they need enough space to roam around. A 120cm long x 60cm high x 60 cm wide vivarium is the minimum size you'll need for one adult dragon.
According to data on sunrise and sunset times in bearded dragons’ natural habitat in Australia, a cycle of 14 hours/day during summer and 10 hours/day during winter (with gradual adjustments in-between) is appropriate. Alternatively, syncing your dragon’s lights to your local sunrise/sunset times via a smart plug/power strip should also work well.
Bearded Dragon Care Bearded dragons require a clean environment in which to thrive. It is necessary to clean the habitat regularly, including the substrate and accessories. This can be accomplished using a sponge, washcloth, or soft-bristled toothbrush. However, you should not let the habitat become too dirty, as it can pose a serious threat to the health of the animal.
Handling a bearded drake's skin can cause serious scratches. The reptile will become more docile after it has been acclimated. Avoiding minor scrapes or cuts by wearing long-sleeved clothes and gloves when handling the beardie is important. It is important to remember that all reptiles have the potential for Salmonella bacteria. If not treated, it can cause serious illness.
Their natural coloration is dull brown or tan with red or gold highlights, depending on local soil color, but modern breeding practices have produced a variety of color morphs from white to lemon yellow to dark red. Some breeders specialize in dragons with bright blue “tiger bars.” Modern breeding has also produced different scale textures: Dunners (multidirectional scales), Leatherbacks (small, smooth scales), and Silkbacks (no scales).
It's important to add accessories to your beardy's vivarium, such as rocks and branches to climb on. You can also help your beardy feel secure by making sure they have some good hiding areas. Bearded dragons need a vivarium that ranges from a hotter (38 to 42°C) bright end, to a cooler (22 to 26°C) shaded end. As well as this, you'll need to provide a 10 to 12 per cent fluorescent UV tube at the hot end, to stop your beardy from getting metabolic bone disease. It's also essential to keep humidity low - use a hygrometer to measure this at the cool end.
All in all, Beardies are an easy-going reptile that eats an accessible diet. They do have heating and lighting requirements, but these are easily attainable with the correct setup
They received their name due to the flap of skin under their chin which opens up to scare off predators. The common name Bearded Dragon refers to all 8 species of the genus Pogona. They used to be in the genus Amphibolurus grouping, but has since been placed in Pogona.
The humidity in the tank should stay between 30%-40%, and this can be maintained by misting the tank every 48 hours. The exact humidity and temperature depends on the geographical location and ultimately the species of Bearded Dragon you have in captivity. In general, temperatures are very high and the humidity is relatively low.
A young bearded dragon (4 to 18 months old) will have a bowel movement every day or so, while you can expect those older than 18 months to poop 1-7 times a week.
Turtles, tortoises, bearded dragons, iguanas, and chameleons are some common examples of reptiles that need UVB light. This helps prevent animals from developing hypocalcemia (or lack of calcium). UVB lights should be kept on during the day and turned off at night and should be used along with calcium supplements.
Many reptiles do cry, including bearded dragons, but they do this because the flow of tears helps to clean out and protect their eyes, not because they are unhappy.
Since bearded dragons are naturally solitary creatures, they do not get lonely if placed alone in a cage or left for some time away from their keeper. They much prefer having their food and heat to themselves rather than sharing it with another bearded dragon.