ENCLOSURE

A YOUNG ‹8" BEARDED DRAGON IS GOING TO REQUIRE A MINIMUM OF 30X12 OR 20 GALLONS TO START OFF WITH.

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS TOO BIG OF AN ENCLOSURE, THEREFORE WE RECOMMEND STARTING OFF WITH AN ENCLOSURE THAT WILL SUIT YOUR DRAGON AT ITS ADULT SIZE.

AN ADULT BEARDED DRAGON WILL REQUIRE A MINIMUM OF 48"X18" OR A 75 GALLON TANK. WE PREFER THE FRONT OPENING 4'X2'X2' PVC ENCLOSURES BECAUSE OF THE AMPLE ROOM IS PROVIDES THE DRAGON, AS WELL AS THE CONVENIENCE IT PROVIDES US HUMANS.

MAKE SURE TO ADD PLENTY OF REPTILE SAFE DECOR TO MAKE UP FOR THE EMPTY SPACE. WE SUGGEST THINGS LIKE SPIDER WOOD, GRAPE VINE, AND CORK BARK TO ADD A NATURAL ELEMENT.

BEARDED DRAGONS ARE CONSIDERED SEMI-ARBOREAL AND WILL CLIMB WHEN A VERTICAL ELEMENT IS PROVIDED!

HEATING AND LIGHTING

BEARDED DRAGONS ARE DIURNAL DESERT REPTILES WHICH MEANS THEY REQUIRE HIGH TEMPERATURES AND A SOURCE OF UVB LIGHTING.

A TEMPERATURE GRADIENT SHOULD BE PROVIDED WITH RANGE UP TO 110° ON THE HOT SIDE AND DOWN TO THE MID 70° RANGE ON THE COOLER SIDE. THIS ALLOWS FOR THE LIZARD TO CHOOSE WHICH TEMPERATURE THEY WOULD LIKE TO BE IN AT ALL TIMES.

IN COMBINATION, A SEPARATE FIXTURE EQUIPPED WITH AN APPROPRIATE UVB BULB SHOULD ALSO BE PROVIDED. UVB IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT IN PREVENTING METABOLIC BONE DISEASE WHICH IS BY FAR THE MOST COMMON DISEASE FOUND IN DRAGONS.

THERE ARE A WIDE VARIETY OF PRODUCTS THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR THESE TWO ITEMS, BUT WE PREFER THE CERAMIC HEAT PROJECTORS IN COMBINATION WITH AN OBLONG T5 UVB FIXTURE FOR MAXIMUM RESULTS!

FEEDING

A YOUNG BEARDED DRAGON WILL START OFF EATING AN 80%

FEEDER INSECT AND 20% GREENS DIET.

AN ADULT DRAGON SHOULD BE OFFERED A 20% FEEDER INSECT AND 80% GREENS DIET. HOWEVER, THESE RATIOS CAN SOMETIMES SEEM UNREALISTIC WITH PICKY DRAGONS.

SIMPLY TOSS A FEW INSECTS IN A BOWL WITH GREENS TO ENTICE YOUR PICKY DRAGON INTO EATING THEIR VEGGIES!

FOR FEEDER INSECTS, BEARDED DRAGONS LOVE CRICKETS, DUBIA ROACHES, SUPER-WORMS, MEAL WORMS, HORN WORMS, WAX-WORMS, SILKWORMS, AND BLACK SOLDIER FLY LARVAE.

MEALS SHOULD BE DUSTED WITH D3 CALCIUM TWICE A WEEK TO PREVENT DEVELOPMENT OF METABOLIC BONE DISEASE.

WE RECOMMEND STAYING AWAY FROM ANY MOUSE FEEDER LARGER THAN PINKY MICE. VERTEBRATE LIKE MICE ARE HIGH IN FAT AS WELL AS HAVE BONES AND HAIR THAT BEARDED DRAGONS CANNOT FULLY DIGEST.

SUBSTRATE

CHOOSING THE CORRECT SUBSTRATE FOR YOUR DRAGON IS VERY IMPORTANT.

FOR YOUNG DRAGONS, WE ALWAYS RECOMMEND REPTILE CARPET OR TILE TO LIMIT THE RISK OF IMPACTION.

ONCE THEY HAVE REACHED ABOUT 10", YOU MAY CHOOSE TO SWITCH OVER TO A MORE NATURAL LOOSE SUBSTRATE.

FOR THIS WE RECOMMEND A 50/50 MIX OF ORGANIC REPTILE SOIL WITH A REPTILE SAFE SAND. THIS MIMICS THEIR NATURAL ENVIRONMENT PERFECTLY AND MAY EVEN PROMOTE A DIGGING BEHAVIOR IN YOUR BEARDED DRAGON!

CLEANING

BEARDED DRAGONS CAN BE PRETTY MESSY AND THEIR WASTE SHOULD BE DISPOSED OF AS IT IS LEFT BEHIND.

CARPETED TANKS WILL NEED TO BE WASHED WEEKLY IF NOT MORE FREQUENTLY.

TILED TANKS CAN BE DISINFECTED WITH REPTILE SAFE SPRAY.

TANKS THAT UTILIZE SUBSTATE SHOULD BE FULLY CHANGED MONTHLY.

ASK US HOW THE ADDITION OF A LIVE CLEAN-UP CREW CAN EXTEND THE LIFE OF YOUR SUBSTRATE!

LIFESPAN

THE LIFE SPAN OF A BEARDED DRAGON VARIES DEPENDING ON MULTIPLE FACTORS. EXPECT A COMMITMENT OF AT LEAST 10 YEARS.