Cage For Bearded Dragon

The first thing you need is to know the age and size of your beardie. If you are planning on getting a baby bearded dragon then you should only need around a 10 gallon tank for the first few months.

If you are planning on getting a juvenile or adult then it is recommended that you start with at least a 20 gallon tank and grow to at least a 40 gallon to 50 gallon tank.

The tank needs to be glass so your beardie can easily see out, as well as you be able to see in. The glass will also keep the heat inside the tank, as beardies need a specific temperature.

The cage for your bearded dragon also needs to have a mess screen top that can be easily removed for feedings and holding your beardie. Make sure that the top is secure. This helps with air flow and keeps pests out of your cage.

Beardies won't climb out of cages as most reptiles will do :)

You can easily pick a glass aquarium up at your local pet store. Here are a few suggestions.

All Living Things 5.5 gallon Reptile Terrarium

All Living Things Fresh Air Screen Cover

Now that you have a nice tank for your beardie, it's time to add some flooring, also known as substrate.

You might hear and/or see others using sand, this is NOT Good to use! Stay AWAY!

If you are getting a baby bearded dragon, then using something like newspaper or paper towels is fine. But if you are getting a juvenile or adult then we highly recommend you use reptile carpet.

It is easy to use and keep clean.

The reason you don't wan to use any type of sand is because if you are feeding your beardie inside his/her cage then they will also ingest the sand or any material you use. This can cause a lot of problems for your beardie like impaction, which can be fatal, it can also cause respiratory problems later on down the road. So the best advice we suggest is to just stay away from any type of lose substrate like sand.

We have always used reptile carpet and have never had any problems with any of our dragons. But you must investigate and research to see what best suits your bearded dragon.

Bearded dragons need to be kept in very specific temperatures. Remember, they are from Central Australia where it gets hot during the day and cool at night, and you need to simulate this as best you can.

There are two things you need for this, an under the tank heating element and an over the tank heating lamp. You will need to set this up so that only one side of the cage for your bearded dragon is heated. Your bearded dragon tank will have a cool side and a hot side, so that your beardie can regulate his/her own temperature.

You might again hear or see others using such things as heating rocks or elements within the cage, DO NOT DO THIS! Beardies will climb on these to get warm, yet they will not realize that the element is burning their skin until it is too late. So never use any type of heating element inside the cage of a bearded dragon.

This is why we recommend using an T-Rex Cobra Heat Pads to keep the tank warm yet still protect the bearded dragon from any type of harm.

You will also need to have a special heating lamp for them. This is important as bearded dragons love to just sit under these lights and bask.

The most important thing when it comes to picking out just the right heating light is to make sure the wattage is correct for the size of tank you are setting up.

You should also get at least 2 All Living Things&reg Round Hygrometer to control the temperatures. You should use at least 3 if you are using a 20 gallon tank or bigger.

Remember your tank for your bearded dragon needs to have a cool side of around 70 degrees, and a hot side ranging from 85 degrees to about 110 degrees during the day.

It is important you provide your beardie with proper lighting. You don't use just any household lights either. They need a special light called UVB, this type of light helps your beardie create the vitamin D they need to help with their digestive system. It also will help them develop proper calcium they need for their bones.

Bearded dragons can easily get what is called metabolic bone disease which will cripple them and eventually kill them. By providing the proper lighting for your bearded dragon, you will help him/her to produce the required amounts of calcium. You will still need to provide the type of diet for your bearded dragon to help them grow healthy.

If you have the time and can protect your bearded dragon, nothing beats natural sunlight. But you must make sure that your beardie is safe from other pests and not able to run off. Taking your beardie outside for about 30 minutes a day will help provide him/her with the proper amount of UVB they need. But you should also have the UVB bulb set up over their tank.

The type of UVB you use will depend on the size of your beardie and the size of your tank.

It is now time to add some proper decorations for your bearded dragon.

Here is a short list of some of the things needed to set up a bearded dragon tank -

Perch
Water dish
Food Dish
Hide Box

Perch -

The first thing you should add to your cage for your bearded dragon is his/her perch. this is important since beardies enjoy basking under their basking lamp. They like to climb but just slightly, they are not avid climbers like other lizards are. You want to make sure that this perch is high enough for your beardie to be up off the ground, yet not high enough that your beardie can reach the top of the tank. Your beardie should only be able to get no more than 3 inches to the top of the tank.

Food Dish -

There should be a food dish in the tank that will hold their vegetables. Bearded Dragons eat insects and vegetables and fruits, so you will need a good size dish depending on the size of your beardie to hold their vegetables and fruits. The food dish should be removed and washed daily, especially if you give your beardie wet fruits. They can mold and go bad, which can cause your beardie to be sick.

Water Dish -

You should have a water dish in the tank at all times and filled with fresh and clean water. The dish also needs to be big enough so that your bearded dragon can get inside and lay down. If you have a baby bearded dragon, make sure the water dish is small, baby bearded dragons can lay in this and possibly drown so make sure your water level is only high enough for him/her to just lay in. You do not want the water to cover over the top of their backs.

**Note** Most bearded dragons will use their water dish as a bathroom, water is a good way to get a bearded dragon use the bathroom. You must make sure if they do this, that you are misting your bearded dragon on a daily basis so they do not dehydrate. When your beardie uses their water dish for a bathroom, make sure to clean it out as soon as possible with fresh water.

Hide Box

Bearded dragons need somewhere they can hide away from outside stress. This is known as a hide box, you should always make sure your beardie has some where safe to hide. This does not have to fancy or anything, in fact it is better if this does not have any type of plants on it. Also be sure there are no sharp edges or holes where your bearded dragon could get stuck. It is okay that the hidebox be a bit rough, like bark, your beardie will use this to rub against to help remove their skin when they shed.