Keeping Bearded Dragons As Pets

Hello i'm called Matthew , I'm a huge fan of bearded dragons and i find them really easy to care for even though i'm only thirteen. I got my first pair of bearded dragons from shirley aquactics as a breeding pair. I have had lots of new experences keeping bearded dragons in which i've really enjoyed. So here is a bit more about my experinces in detail.

Are they good pets ?
This Autumn half term I will have three years of working experience with Bearded Dragons and I still think they are fantastic pets due to they adore human interaction and if ignored they will just keep scratching a the glass until let out or interacted with. Even more, They don't have to be taken a walk at all but in hotter countries some people walk them on a leash and collar.

They do need their diet being watched as they can become lethargic when missing important supplement but once you created a diet sheet telling what vegetable they have each day it becomes very easy.

How did it get it's name ?
Bearded Dragons name is applied to this lizard due to be able to inflate the lower skin under the lower jaw bone. Giving it a beard like display.

What does it look like?
Bearded Dragon are 3 foot from tail tip to point of nose. They also have 4 short power full legs that enables them to jump high and leap far distance. The powerful legs also help the females dig the burrows to lay their eggs. Each of the feet has four nails that are very sharp to help dig and climb. Also They change change their scale colour to lighter and darker shades depending on how cold or hot there are which enables them to adsorb more heat or reflect more heat. They also inflate their beard when becoming threatened or territorial. As well, the bearded can change colour mostly to pitch black in these situations.

Why have a Bearded Dragon as a pet ?
Bearded Dragons are the most popular reptile in the reptile market. This is due to their interesting stance and behaviour. Further more, most Bearded Dragons enjoy human contact which is most important. They also carry a range of different characteristics.

How hard are Bearded Dragons to own ?

Bearded Dragons are quite easy to get hold of all year round. As well you don't need a DWA licence to own them. To find more information check out Bearded Dragon Breeders Index.

How hard are they to keep ?
Bearded Dragons are particular cheap to look after. You can feed them on vegetable from your local supermarket. You also will need to buy 5 tubs of live food that last two weeks for a pair of bearded dragons. The apart from the electricity bill (mostly weather like England).

Bearded Dragon vivariums
A Bearded Dragon are enclosed in wooden vivariums with sliding glass panels so that your able to enter the vivarium. In England I strongly recommend you buy an vivexotic vivarium measuring 1220mm (length) by 470mm (depth) by 525mm (height). I brought mine from an ebay user which was the cheapest supplier of that size vivariums.

Heating and Lighting
Your Bearded Dragon usually lives in Australia where the generally temperature is very hot. These means that a vivarium in cooler countries will need a basking bulb. I usually use a ceramic bulb 120w which in my experience is better than the standard glass bulbs. As well these ceramic bulbs heat better also the wave pattern help your bearded dragon repair its scales vessels. I strongly recommend using exo-Terra Ceramic Heat Wave Reptile Basking Lamp 120w for bearded dragon for the basking spot. The basking spot should be between 90 to 100 Fahrenheit during the day and around 60 to 70 Fahrenheit during the night. You will also need a timer so that in the summer season they will have 12 hours of basking heat and during the winter they will need 8 hours of basking heat.
You will also need to buy a UV tube. I personally recommend you buy a exo-terra repti-glo 10.0 UVB tubes measuring 36 inch for the vivarium measuring 220mm (length) by 470mm (depth) by 525mm (height). As you Bearded Dragon doesn't get sunlight you need a UV to create the sun. This also need to be on a timer set the same hours as the basking bulb.

Controlling the Basking Bulb.
When having Bearded Dragons you use a basking bulb but you need to be able to control it and set it to around 90-100 Fahrenheit in the basking spot. To do this you will need a habistat with a dimming thermostat. I do recommend you use Living Earth electronic : dimming thermostat habistat. I also recommend that you have this on a timer from 7:00am to 7:00 for summer but in the winter you need to cut down from 12 hours of heat to 8 hours of heat. This is to create winter and summer seasons which is most important as if they don't slow down you can cause internal damage and younger age death.

Feeding and watering dishes
In my Bearded Dragon vivarium I have a food dish and a water dish. I currently use Exo-terra medium feeding dish and an exo-terra medium water dish. If not using a water dish you will need to spray your bearded dragon every day twice and a bath every weekend. You can buy these dishes from your local reptile store and I brought mine from ebay.

Basking bulb fitting.
You will also need a basking bulb fitting in which the bulb fits into correctly. This is the power for the bulb and also hold the bulb in positions once set. I currently using ARCADIA CERAMIC LAMP HOLDER AND BRACKET which is really easy to fit. As well the bulbs are able to screw in and unscrew really quickly.

UV tube starter unit
You will also need a UV starter unit that power the UV tube, it also has the on and switch. I currently have my starter unit for the UV plugged into a timer so that it turns on and off at set times. This means you don't forget to turn it on or off. I'am currently using a Arcadia starter unit 25 to 30 watt for a 36" repti- glo 10.0 UV tube.

Substrate for a Bearded Dragon vivarium
There are many different options for Bearded Dragon substrate for their vivarium. If it's a baby bearded dragon I recommend you use a substrate that the store was using as it all ready know the texture but must not use it if your bearded dragon is eating it. The other option is slate or any form of tiles due to your bearded dragon is unlikely to consume the tile and very easy to clean. The tiles also help wear down your bearded dragon nails slowly prevent sharp claws.
I currently using chipsi mais corn of corn which is great as it adsorbs any liquid it gets into contact with and dry clumpy so that your able to just remove that area .

Décor for your bearded Dragon vivarium
In terms for décor for your Bearded Dragon vivariums it's up to you really. The new fashion seems to be the polystyrene covered in sand. To find out more I recommend you read reptile forum post of other who have done it.
I currently using dried drift wood and piping which part I've berried to make it interesting for them. My male mostly like cooling down in the pipes the most. Make sure that the pipe has enough width for them to turn around.

What type food can my Bearded Dragon consume ?
Well Bearded Dragons are omnivore meaning they can eat meat and vegetables. Bearded Dragons can't eat meat from the shops like pork , beef and lamb. But they can eat live food live crickets , Mario worms, supper worms, locusts and pinkies(dead baby mice). They can also have most vegetables from the shops like wild rocket, water crest and Romanian lettuce.

What should a baby Bearded Dragon eat ?
Well I class baby Bearded Dragon up to 6 months. Up to 6 months of age they should be having very fine chopped vegetables. They can have very small sized crickets up to 3 months and after 3 months of age they can eat small sized crickets.
My rule is that they can't have pinkies until age of 8 months. This is they will choke on these pinkies and can't digest them.
I personally don't like giving my Bearded Dragon pinkies but do give them Mario worms or crickets.
Look on the selected diet and food list for more options. This contains a varied diet in which bearded dragons need. You can also use Captive Bred forum which a friendly bunch of people unlike reptile forum which most people read but don't post due people commenting.

What can adult bearded Dragon eat ?
Adult Bearded Dragons from 6 months can eat most vegetables but don't need to worry how fine it is cut. But I always go by the food pieces should be smaller than their head.
Adult Bearded dragons can have most live food but you must use small pinkies for bearded dragons at any age. I personally wouldn't give locusts until 12 months in age.
You must also give calcium supplements for your Bearded Dragon, I either sprinkle it over their vegetable in the food dish or get a small plastic tub or bag and shake the live food with the calcium supplement powder.
You must make sure that your Bearded Dragon diet must come to 5% protein or more.

To read and learn more about Bearded Dragons visit www.crazyreptile.com where there will be many different topics such as Setting Up A Bearded Dragon Vivarium to Sexing Bearded Dragons to Breeding Bearded Dragons to Caring For Bearded Dragon Hatchlings.

Bearded Dragon Manual
(Herpetocultural Library)

Pet Owner's Guide to the Bearded Dragon

Bearded Dragons
(Complete Herp Care Series)

The Bearded Dragon:
An Owner's Guide to a Happy Healthy Pet