Bearded dragons, often called “beardies”, are popular pet lizards native to central Australia. They get their name from their defense mechanism: when threatened, they puff out the skin under their chin, which darkens to look like a beard. Known for their docile nature and relatively easy care, they make excellent pets for reptile enthusiasts of all levels.
It’s important to remember that all reptiles can carry infectious diseases like Salmonella, which can be passed to humans. Always wash your hands thoroughly before and after handling your bearded dragon or anything in its enclosure.
Understanding Your Bearded Dragon: Key Characteristics
| Characteristic | Details |
|---|---|
| Care Difficulty | Beginner-friendly |
| Average Lifespan | 8–10 years with proper care |
| Adult Size | Up to 24 inches (half tail) |
| Diet | Omnivorous |
| Minimum Habitat Size | 20 gallons (juveniles), 40+ gallons (adults) |
Essential Supplies for Bearded Dragon Care
Setting up a proper habitat is the first step in learning How To Take Care Of Bearded Dragons. Here’s a comprehensive list of supplies you’ll need to ensure your beardie thrives:
- Habitat:
- Appropriately sized tank (minimum 20 gallons for juveniles, 40+ gallons for adults) with a secure, screened lid for ventilation.
- Food & Water:
- Bearded dragon food pellets (for supplemental nutrition)
- Live insects (crickets, mealworms, roaches, etc.)
- Fresh vegetables and fruits
- Treats (occasionally, in moderation)
- Food and water dishes (shallow and easy to access)
- Mealworm dish (to contain mealworms)
- Cricket keeper (for storing live crickets)
- Cricket food and quencher (to gut-load crickets)
- Habitat Décor & Substrate:
- Substrate (reptile carpet, paper towels, or specialized reptile substrate – avoid loose substrates for beginners)
- Moss (sphagnum moss for humidity hide)
- Hideaway places (at least two, one for the warm and one for the cool side)
- Climbing décor (branches, rocks)
- Plants (non-toxic, reptile-safe plants)
- Heating & Lighting:
- Heat light and fixture (ceramic heat emitter or incandescent bulb)
- Under-tank heater (optional, for supplemental heat)
- UVB lighting and fixture (essential for vitamin D3 synthesis)
- Supplements & Monitoring:
- Multivitamin supplement (reptile-specific)
- Calcium supplement with and without vitamin D3
- Thermometers (at least two, digital recommended)
- Humidity gauge (hygrometer)
- Mister (for increasing humidity if needed)
Creating the Perfect Bearded Dragon Habitat
A well-designed habitat is crucial for proper bearded dragon care. Let’s break down the key elements:
Tank Size: Space to Thrive
For juvenile bearded dragons, start with a 20-gallon tank. As they grow rapidly, you’ll need to upgrade. Adult bearded dragons require a minimum of a 40-gallon tank, but bigger is always better. A larger enclosure allows for a better temperature gradient and more space for exercise and enrichment, contributing significantly to their overall well-being. Always ensure the tank has a screened lid for ventilation and to prevent escapes.
Setting Up a Safe and Comfortable Environment
Bearded dragons are solitary creatures, and housing males together is highly discouraged due to their territorial nature, which can lead to aggression and injury. While females might be housed together, it requires careful monitoring to ensure compatibility and sufficient space. A good rule of thumb is to adhere to the 40-gallon minimum per adult bearded dragon when considering housing multiple females. Never house different reptile species together.
Also, avoid housing males and females together unless you are a knowledgeable breeder and prepared for the responsibilities of breeding. Females should be at least two years old before breeding as younger females can experience complications with egg-laying.
Temperature: Replicating Their Natural Environment
Bearded dragons are desert reptiles and require a temperature gradient within their enclosure to regulate their body temperature effectively. This means one side of the tank should be warm (basking area), and the other side cooler.
- Basking Area: Aim for 100-110°F (38-43°C) at the basking spot.
- Warm Side: Maintain 90-95°F (32-35°C) ambient temperature.
- Cool Side: Keep the cool side of the tank around 75-80°F (24-27°C).
- Nighttime: Temperatures can drop to 65-70°F (18-21°C) at night.
Use two thermometers, one on each side of the tank, to monitor temperatures accurately. A digital infrared thermometer can also be very helpful for quickly checking surface temperatures in different areas.
Alt text: A bearded dragon basking on a rock under a heat lamp in its terrarium, demonstrating proper basking behavior for thermoregulation.
Lighting: UVB is Non-Negotiable
Bearded dragons are ectothermic, relying on external heat sources to regulate their body temperature. Beyond heat, UVB lighting is absolutely essential for their health. UVB light allows them to synthesize vitamin D3, which is crucial for calcium absorption and preventing Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD), a debilitating and often fatal condition.
- Heat Source: Use an incandescent bulb or ceramic heat emitter to create the basking area. Adjust the wattage to achieve the correct basking temperature, considering tank size and room temperature.
- UVB Lighting: Provide a full-spectrum UVB bulb specifically designed for reptiles. Ensure it emits UVB and not just UVA.
- Lighting Schedule: Provide 10-12 hours of UVB and heat light daily, mimicking their natural day/night cycle. Turn off heat and UVB lights at night to allow for a natural temperature drop.
- Bulb Replacement: UVB bulbs lose their effectiveness over time, even if they are still emitting visible light. Replace UVB bulbs every 6 months to ensure your bearded dragon is getting adequate UVB exposure. Follow manufacturer’s recommendations for bulb placement distance as UVB intensity varies.
Humidity: Desert Conditions with a Touch of Moisture
While bearded dragons are from Australia’s arid regions, they still require a certain humidity level for healthy shedding and respiratory function.
- Ideal Humidity: Aim for a humidity range of 30% to 50%.
- Monitoring Humidity: Use a hygrometer to monitor humidity levels daily.
- Increasing Humidity: If humidity is too low, mist the enclosure lightly with water, especially during shedding. You can also add a shallow water dish or incorporate live, non-toxic plants. A humidity hide with damp sphagnum moss is also beneficial, especially during shedding periods.
- Decreasing Humidity: Ensure good ventilation by keeping the screened lid unobstructed. If humidity is consistently too high, improve ventilation further.
Substrate: Choosing Safe Bedding
The substrate you choose for your bearded dragon’s enclosure is important for their safety and hygiene.
- Safe Substrates: Reptile carpet, paper towels, slate tiles, or specialized reptile substrates designed to be digestible are safe options. Reptile carpet is easy to clean, and paper towels are a very hygienic and cost-effective option, especially for quarantine or juvenile setups.
- Substrates to Avoid: Avoid loose substrates like sand, wood chips, and walnut shells, especially for beginner keepers. These can be accidentally ingested during feeding, leading to impaction of the gastrointestinal tract, a serious and potentially fatal condition. If using loose substrate like sand, always feed your bearded dragon in a dish or separate feeding enclosure to minimize ingestion risk.
Décor: Enrichment and Functionality
Enriching your bearded dragon’s environment with appropriate décor is key to their well-being and mimics their natural habitat.
Food Dishes: Keeping Meals Clean
Use shallow, sturdy food dishes for both live insects and vegetation to prevent substrate ingestion and keep food clean. Worm dishes and cricket feeders can help contain live prey.
Hiding Areas: Security and Stress Reduction
Provide at least two hide boxes – one on the warm side and one on the cool side of the enclosure. Hides offer security, reduce stress, and allow your bearded dragon to escape direct light and heat when needed. Ensure the hides are appropriately sized so your beardie feels secure inside.
Climbing Branches and Basking Rocks: Exercise and Basking
Sturdy branches and basking rocks are essential for climbing and basking. Place a basking rock or branch directly under the heat lamp to create a designated basking spot. Ensure branches are stable and strong enough to support your bearded dragon’s weight to prevent accidents.
Moss: Humidity Hide Enhancement
Moist sphagnum moss placed inside a hide box on the warm side creates a humidity hide, which is particularly beneficial during shedding. Replace the moss regularly to prevent mold growth.
Plants: Naturalistic Enrichment
Non-toxic live plants can enhance humidity and create a more natural and stimulating environment. Research reptile-safe plants before adding them to the enclosure. Artificial plants are also a low-maintenance option for visual enrichment.
Cleaning and Maintenance: A Hygienic Habitat
Regular cleaning is essential for maintaining a healthy environment and preventing disease.
- Daily Spot Cleaning: Remove feces, urates (white part of droppings), and uneaten food daily. Wash food and water dishes daily to prevent bacterial growth.
- Weekly Deep Cleaning: A thorough cleaning should be done at least once a week, or more often if you house multiple bearded dragons.
Steps for Deep Cleaning:
- Relocate Your Bearded Dragon: Move your beardie to a secure temporary enclosure.
- Remove Everything: Take out all substrate, décor, and accessories.
- Clean the Tank and Furnishings: Scrub the empty tank and all décor items with reptile-safe habitat cleaner or a diluted 3% bleach solution (1 part bleach to 10 parts water). If using bleach, allow it to sit for at least 10 minutes for disinfection. Always follow manufacturer’s instructions for commercial cleaners.
- Rinse Thoroughly: Rinse the tank and all items extremely thoroughly with water to remove all traces of cleaner or bleach. Residual bleach can be harmful. Allow everything to air dry completely.
- Replace Substrate and Décor: Once dry, add fresh substrate and clean, dry décor back into the enclosure.
- Return Your Bearded Dragon: Place your bearded dragon back into their clean habitat.
Alt text: A person cleaning a bearded dragon terrarium by spraying reptile habitat cleaner and wiping the glass with a paper towel, illustrating proper terrarium hygiene.
Feeding Your Bearded Dragon: A Balanced Diet
Bearded dragons are omnivores, requiring a varied diet of insects, vegetables, and fruits. Diet changes with age:
- Juveniles (0-18 months): Require a protein-rich diet for growth. Insects should make up about 70-80% of their diet, and vegetation 20-30%. Feed juveniles insects 1-2 times daily, as much as they can eat in about 10-15 minutes.
- Adults (18+ months): Need more vegetation and less protein. Vegetation should be 70-80% of their diet, and insects 20-30%. Feed adults insects 2-3 times per week and offer fresh greens daily.
Suitable Insects:
- Crickets (staple)
- Dubia roaches (excellent staple)
- Mealworms (in moderation, high in fat)
- Superworms (treat, high in fat)
- Hornworms (good for hydration and treat)
- Waxworms (treat only, very high in fat)
- Calciworms (good source of calcium)
Vegetables and Fruits:
Offer a variety of leafy greens and vegetables daily. Fruits should be offered in moderation as treats due to their sugar content.
- Leafy Greens: Collard greens, mustard greens, turnip greens, dandelion greens, endive, escarole, bok choy.
- Other Vegetables: Squash (butternut, acorn), bell peppers (no seeds), green beans, carrots (grated), prickly pear pads (spines removed).
- Fruits (treats in moderation): Berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries), banana (small amounts), melon (cantaloupe, watermelon), mango, papaya, kiwi, apples (no seeds).
Foods to Avoid:
- Fireflies (toxic)
- Onions (toxic)
- Mushrooms (toxic)
- Avocado (high in oxalates)
- Spinach, beet greens, rhubarb (high in oxalates – can bind calcium)
Feeding Guidelines:
- Gut-Loading Insects: “Gut-load” insects 24-48 hours before feeding by feeding them nutritious foods like leafy greens, vegetables, and commercial gut-loading diets. This enhances their nutritional value for your bearded dragon.
- Dusting with Supplements: Dust insects with calcium supplement (with D3 a few times a week, and without D3 on other insect feedings) and a multivitamin supplement (once or twice a week). Place insects in a container with supplement powder and gently shake to coat them.
- Insect Size: Insects should be no larger than the space between your bearded dragon’s eyes to prevent impaction.
- Remove Uneaten Insects and Vegetation: Remove uneaten insects after 15-20 minutes to prevent them from stressing or biting your beardie. Discard uneaten fruits and vegetables after 10 hours to prevent spoilage.
- Fresh Water: Always provide fresh, clean water daily in a shallow dish. Bearded dragons may also soak in their water dish, which aids in hydration and shedding.
Bearded Dragon Care: Beyond the Basics
Shedding: Helping Nature Along
Bearded dragons shed their skin periodically as they grow. Proper humidity (30-50%) is essential for healthy shedding.
- Signs of Shedding: Dull skin, whitish or grayish patches.
- Aiding Shedding: Increase humidity slightly during shedding by misting or providing a humidity hide. You can also offer shallow, warm soaks (lukewarm water, never hot) to help loosen shed. Never forcibly peel shed, as this can damage their skin.
Nail Care: Trimming When Necessary
Most bearded dragons don’t need nail trimming, especially if they have rocks and branches in their enclosure to help naturally wear down their nails. However, if nails become excessively long, you may need to trim them carefully.
- When to Trim: If nails are curling under or making it difficult for your bearded dragon to walk.
- How to Trim: Use reptile nail clippers and only trim the very tips of the nails, avoiding the quick (pink part containing blood vessels). If you’re unsure, consult a veterinarian or experienced reptile keeper.
Bearded Dragon Health: Recognizing Signs of Illness
Regular veterinary check-ups are crucial for preventative care. An annual vet visit is recommended for all bearded dragons.
Annual Veterinary Care
- Annual Check-up: Take your bearded dragon to a reptile-experienced veterinarian for annual wellness exams.
- Transportation: Use a secure carrier (cat carrier or travel cage) for transport.
- Information for Your Vet: Bring photos of your enclosure setup (lighting, heating, décor) and be prepared to discuss diet and husbandry practices. Bring a fresh fecal sample for parasite testing, unless your vet prefers to collect it.
Signs of a Healthy Bearded Dragon
- Bright, clear eyes
- Clean vent (no discharge)
- Healthy appetite
- Alert and active behavior
- Smooth, intact skin (no lesions or retained shed)
- Normal basking behavior
- Healthy weight and body condition
Signs of an Unhealthy Bearded Dragon
- Swollen, sunken, or cloudy eyes, or discharge
- Lesions, sores, or pink spots on skin
- Loss of appetite or refusal to eat
- Lethargy or inactivity
- Discharge from the vent
- Lumps or bumps
- Difficulty walking or abnormal posture
- Sunken belly
- Retained shed, especially on toes, possibly with swelling
Common Bearded Dragon Illnesses
- Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD): Caused by calcium deficiency and lack of UVB, leading to bone deformities, weakness, and fractures.
- Impaction: Blockage of the digestive tract, often due to ingesting substrate or food that is too large.
- Parasites: Internal parasites are common and can cause weight loss, diarrhea, and other health issues.
- Respiratory Infections (RIs): Often caused by incorrect temperature or humidity, leading to wheezing, discharge from nose or mouth, and lethargy.
- Skin Infections: Can be bacterial or fungal, often due to unsanitary conditions or injuries.
- Dystocia (Egg-Binding): Difficulty laying eggs in females.
- Eye Problems: Infections, injuries, or issues related to shedding.
- Trauma: Injuries from falls, improper handling, or enclosure hazards.
If you observe any signs of illness, consult a reptile veterinarian promptly. Early veterinary care significantly improves the chances of successful treatment.
Bearded Dragon FAQs
Are bearded dragons good pets?
Yes! Bearded dragons are known for their docile and friendly personalities. They are relatively easy to care for, enjoy interacting with their owners, and are generally good with children, making them excellent family pets. They are also relatively quiet and don’t require extensive space compared to some other pets.
How long do bearded dragons live?
With proper care, bearded dragons typically live for 8-10 years, and some may even live longer with excellent husbandry and genetics.
How big do bearded dragons get?
Adult bearded dragons can reach up to 2 feet in length, including their tail. Half of their length is typically their tail.
Taking care of a bearded dragon is a rewarding experience. By providing the correct habitat, diet, and care, you can ensure a long, healthy, and enriching life for your scaly companion. Remember to always research and consult with reptile experts or veterinarians if you have any questions or concerns about your bearded dragon’s care.
WRITTEN BY
Maria Zayas, DVMVeterinarian
Dr. Zayas has practiced small animal and exotic medicine all over the United States and currently lives in Colorado with her 3 dogs, 1 cat,…
