Bearded Dragon Care Sheet
Diet & Nutrition
Bearded dragons need a varied diet that will normally consist of vegetables, insects, and non-citrus fruit. Baby/juvenile beardies require more live insects than adults because they are growing and need the protein. Feeder insects should be gut-loaded and no larger than the space between your beardie’s eyes. We recommend dusting insects with calcium and Vitamin D at least once a week. Commercial diets fortified with real crickets (insects) are also a good option and can provide your pet with proper balance of essential nutrients. Keep in mind that some plants, vegetable, and vitamins are toxic for bearded dragons and should be avoided. Lists are available online and should be followed closely.
Hydration
Provide a food bowl as well as a bowl with fresh dechlorinated water daily. Make sure the water bowl is less than an inch deep. They will not always drink from their water bowl, so keep a spray bottle to mist your beardie several times a day. This mimics the way they get water from rainfall in the wild. You’ll notice your pet lick the water droplets that drip from its nose.
Fluker's provides helpful tips and tricks to follow when trying to supplement live diets with freeze-dried or commercial dry diet foods.
Enclosure Size
Beardies are quite active so they need plenty of floor space. Tank size will depend on the age and size of your lizard. Since they range in size, a good rule of thumb is that your tank should be 3 times as long as your dragon. And since they grow quickly, getting a larger tank from the start is a good idea.
Enclosure Type
Bearded dragons are commonly kept in glass terrariums or tanks, while some owners set their pets up in a cage made from melamine, PVC, or ABS plastic. Be sure to cover your enclosure with a screened lid to prevent your pet from escaping (they can be very skilled escape artists). Avoid glass, plastic, or any other type of solid lid that restricts air flow.
Accessories
Use a good substrate to make your bearded dragon feel more at home. Reptile carpet, newspaper, or porcelain/ceramic tiles are the best options for baby and juvenile beardies and are easiest to maintain. Avoid using small loose particle substrates, such as calcium-based sand, ground walnut shells, or playground sand with babies and juveniles These substrates can lead to impaction. Natural sand is okay for adult beardies.
Accessories
In addition to a basking perch, you can add other accessories to make your beardie feel at home like branches, rocks, or driftwood. Rock dens or “hides” provide shade and give your lizard a place to escape to. They can double as a basking perch if strategically placed. Provide a food bowl as well as a bowl with fresh dechlorinated water daily. Make sure the water bowl is shallow (less than an inch deep) so your beardie can’t drown.
Lighting
Beardies are native to the desert regions in Australia, so they require full-spectrum light (not your standard household bulb) for 12 to 14 hours per day. Full-spectrum bulbs emit light in all the UV ranges, which is what bearded dragons need to remain healthy. The light needs to be evenly spread throughout the tank. Your pet also needs a basking bulb, as well as a way to get close to the heat emitted from it (they’re usually placed on top of the enclosure), such as a reptile hammock or a basking ramp.
Temperature & Humidity
Maintaining proper heat is essential to the health and well-being of a bearded dragon. You’ll need two good quality thermometers to maintain a proper temperature gradient throughout the habitat. The basking side of the tank should be warmer: 90-93°F for adults, 95-100°F for juveniles. The other side should be cooler: 80-90°F. At night, turn the lights off and allow the temperature to drop to 70-75°F. Humidity should be kept below 60% at all times.
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