How to Take Care of Bearded Dragons

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The Bearded Dragon is a type of pet lizard from Australia. It is one of the most popular pet lizards today. One reason the Bearded Dragon is so popular is because it is active during the day. Most people find lizards that sleep during the day quite boring. Bearded Dragons are easy lizards to own and they require very little maintenance. Like any other animal, however, they do need care. Before you choose one as a pet, you must know what will be expected of you.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

15 gallon tank
55 gallon tank
Sand
Screen
River rocks
Large branch
Reflector dome with a low watt light bulb
Light timer
Spray bottle

Step1

Supply your Bearded Dragon with a tank big enough for him to run. Young 12-inch hatchlings need only a 15-gallon tank. Adults, however, need a 55 gallon tank for 2. Usually male and female Bearded Dragons live together in one tank.

Step2

Fill the bottom of your tank with sand. Sand is cheap and low maintenance. While you pour it into the bottom, run it through a sifter or a screen to weed out any pebbles. Young Bearded Dragons could try to eat the pebbles and die.

Step3

Provide a basking and climbing area for the Bearded Dragon. Place a couple of large river rocks in one corner for basking. They heat nicely under basking lights. Then, place a large branch in the center of the tank for climbing.

Step4

Place a reflector dome with a low watt light bulb in one corner of the tank. It should be above the basking rocks. At their peak temperature, the basking rocks should reach into the low 100's. The other side of the tank should remain around 85 degrees during the day.

Step5

Place a light timer on the reflector dome. You can purchase these at any discount or hardware store. Set the light to be on for 14 hours during the day. At night, when the light is off, the cage temperature can safely drop into the low 60's.

Step6

Feed your Bearded Dragon bugs such as crickets, mealworms and pinkies. Baby Dragons eat 80 percent bugs and 20 percent greens. Feed a 2- to 4-month old dragon some 3-week old crickets twice per day. Give a 4-month and older dragon a couple of 4 \-week old crickets twice a day.

Step7

Provide the dragon with greens at all times. Constantly have things such as shredded carrots, parsley, collard greens and squash available. Variety is the key.

Step8

Spray a Bearded Dragon with a water mister twice a day for babies and 3 or 4 times a week for adults. If they continue lapping up the water, keep spraying their heads until they stop. This mimics the way they drink in the wild, from morning dew on plants.

Tips & Warnings

If you have more than 2 adult dragons, add 4 square feet per dragon to the 55-gallon tank requirement.
Make sure you rid all rocks, and branches of parasites. You will need to soak them in a solution of 90 percent water and 10 percent bleach.

Comments

mvjlinx said

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on 9/19/2008 More bearded dragons die because of the lack of UVB rays they need. I dragon MUST be exposed to UVB and UVA rays or they will die from metabolic bone desease. It is frustrating that so many people purchase exotic pets but don't take the time to learn about the pet and it's needs. It's more frustrating going in to a pet store that sells these pets but fail to provide the proper equipment for the product they are selling. Dragons need the UVB light to digest their food and it also help provide calcium... with out this they will die a horrible death because all their bones break.