Care Sheet Information: | 1. Size
Inland Bearded Dragons can reach lengths of 24 inches. German Giants can reach lengths of up to 26 inches. While Rankins Dragons only reach 9-10 inches.
2. Life-Span
The average life-span for Bearded Dragons is 7-10 years.
3. Temperament
Bearded Dragons are very social, most of them enjoy being held. Most owners hold their Bearded Dragons 2-3 times a day. Most Bearded Dragons are very calm, but there are always exceptions. Signs of anger/hormones are black beards, hissing, and flaring their beard. That can mean 2 things: They are scared and defending themselves, or they are wanting to mate.
4. Shedding
Bearded Dragons shed their skin when they grow. When they are juveniles, they shed more often than adults. Signs of shedding are: Loss of appetite (that could mean other things, though), and grayish/white skin.
5. Bearded Dragon Health Problems
Scale Rot
Redness/Blisters on the belly are signs of scale rot. Usually caused by to much humidity. You need to take your lizard to a vet ASAP.
Mites/Ticks
Mites are little brown, red, or black parasites crawling on your lizard. If you notice these black, red, or brown, creatures, get De Flea Reptile Relief , and treat your snake immediately.
Not Shedding
To help your Bearded Dragon shed, soak them in warm (not too warm though) baths every day or so until they are finished.
Respiratory Infection
Bearded Dragons can get respiratory infections if your humidity is too high. If your dragon is wheezing/has a runny nose, take your dragon to the vet ASAP.
6. Cage Size
Baby bearded dragons up to 12 inches can live in 20 gallon long tanks.
Juvenile-Adult bearded dragons require a minimum of a 40 gallon breeder tank, but the bigger the better.
7.Cage Setup
Hides/Accessories
Bearded Dragons do not require a hiding place, but they do need branches to climb and bask on. The branches should get at least 12 inches from the basking spot.
Thermometers
I recommend using accurite digital thermometers. Place the probe on the basking spot, and the actual thermometer on the cool side.
Water
Bearded Dragons do not require water dishes, but you need to soak them 2-3 times a week to ensure they are hydrated.
Humidity
Bearded Dragons require very low humidity. No more than 30%, and no less than 15%.
Temperatures
Bearded Dragons require a basking spot of 105*-115*F when babies/juveniles. They require a basking spot of 100*-105*F when adults. They require a cool side of 80*-85*F. Bearded Dragons sense heat from above, so it is best to use a heat lamp.
Fluorescent Lighting
Bearded Dragons require fluorescent UVB bulbs. They thrive in brightness. You can get a UVB strip light that only produces UVB rays, or a MVB (Mercury Vapor Bulb) which produces UVB and heat rays. You bearded dragon should be able to get within 3-8 inches of the UVB bulb.
8. Substrate
DO NOT USE ANY KIND OF SAND. *AVOID SANDS CALLED "CALCISAND", "VITA SAND", "REPTISAND", AND "REPTILITE". Even though they say they are safe, they are not. They will impact your bearded dragon severely, and sometimes you find out when it is too late.
Safe substrates to use are:
Shelf Liner
Available at your local walmart/target. It is less than 5 dollars. They come in a variety of colors, are very easy to clean, look great, and cannot impact your bearded dragon. Make sure you get the NON-adhesive shelf liner. The brand that I recommend is Duck Easy-liner. To clean it, simply take a wet rag and wipe. This is my absolute favorite substrate.
Newspaper
Newspaper is a good substrate. It is easy to clean, impaction free, non toxic and it is easy to replace. The only thing I don’t like about newspaper is the look.
Astroturf/ Indoor Outdoor carpet.
This is one of my favorite substrates. It is fairly in-expensive, looks good, and is easy to clean. To clean take the piece out and throw it in the washer and dryer. It is convenient to have multiple pieces, that way when one is being washed it can be replaced with another.
Wheat Bran
Wheat bran looks a lot like sand. It is safe if your beardie eats it, and cannot get impacted. It is available at most health and feed stores. It is very inexpensive. Make sure you freeze it/nuke it to get all the little buggies out of it. Wheat bran molds easily, so you cant spray or have a water dish in your cage. This is an OK substrate, personally I don’t like it very much.
Alfalfa Pellets
Alfalfa Pellets mold easily, so you cant spray or have a water dish in your cage. This is an OK substrate, personally I don’t like it very much. It is safe if your beardie eats it, and cannot get impacted
NEVER EVER EVER USE SUBSTRATE MADE OF WOOD CHIPS. SOME WOODS ARE TOXIC, AND ALL WOODS WILL IMPACT YOUR BEARDED DRAGON.
9. Food
Bearded Dragons are omnivorous. They require veggies/fruit every day no matter what age. When they are babies/juveniles they should eat live prey 2-3 times per day. When they get older than can cut down on the live prey, and eat more veggies/fruits. You should dust your dragons crickets with calcium/vitamin powder every day when they are small, and when they are older you can cut down and dust them 2-3 times a week.
You should NEVER feed your dragon fireflies, or mealworms! Fireflies are toxic to bearded dragons, and mealworms will impact them. Good staple live prey include : Crickets, Silkworms, and Roaches. (make sure they are all captive bred prey) Superworms can be given as treats.
Make sure that their food is no bigger than the width between their eyes.
Bearded Dragons can also eat Rep-Cal bearded dragon pellets.
For a complete food list, go to www.beautifuldragons.com ’s nutrition list.
10. Are Bearded Dragons a good first reptile?
Bearded Dragons are one of the easiest, most commonly kept reptiles, due to their great personalities and easy care. They are great with kids, as long as the kids are great with them.
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