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Bearded Dragons make great pets and they are quickly becoming the country's most popular reptiles. Coming face to face with an adult bearded dragon may seem a bit intimidating or perhaps even dangerous at first, but sales of these lovable lizards have reached an all-time high as more people discover just how docile and harmless these spiny creatures are.
If you are thinking of buying a bearded dragon, but don't know if you will be able to pick it up without being afraid of it, purchase a juvenile dragon, (about 8 weeks to 6 months old). Bearded Dragons are very cute when they are young and are not the least bit frightening. A newly hatched dragon is adorable as well, but they tend to be skittish and defensive at a very young age. If you do happen to buy a very young dragon handle it on a daily basis. Also as bearded dragons increase in size they become much more receptive to handling. It won’t be long before you’ll be able to place your “beardie” on your shoulder and show him off to the public. You’ll quickly realize an adult lizard as a companion can be quite an asset if you want to attract attention and make new friends, or, on the other hand, it can also keep your enemies at a comfortable distance.
Although Bearded Dragons are hardy reptiles, setting up a suitable habitat is very important. A small 10 or 20 gallon aquarium is fine at first, but as your dragon grows his home needs to grow as well. A 40-55 gallon tank is a suitable enclosure for an average size adult about 18“ in length. You can line the aquarium with washed play sand, large, clean pebbles or just something as simple as newspaper. A substrate for baby dragons, 2 - 8 weeks old, should be clean paper towels changed on a daily basis. Avoid most commercially prepared substances as a majority of them are potentially harmful.
Proper lighting and temperatures play an important part in successfully keeping a Bearded Dragon. A "beardies" natural habitat is in the desert and these little darlings like to bask in the heat. Provide a daytime basking temperature of about 95 - 100 degrees. This is easily accomplished by purchasing a reflector fixture from a hardware store and placing an ordinary 40 watt light bulb in it. You should have the lamp at just one end of the tank so your dragon can retreat to cooler areas if he needs to. Hang it over a rock and check the temperature with a simple indoor/outdoor thermometer. Purchased electric heat-rocks are not recommended. They can burn them if they stay on there too long. Bearded Dragons spend alot of time basking and the heat from the rock warms their bellies and aides in digestion. Control the amount of heat by raising or lowering the bulb. Turn the basking light off at night, or better yet, put it on a timer set to conform with the normal current daylight hours. Dragons like to sleep as soon as it begins to get dark outside and in their natural desert habitat the night temperatures drop considerably.. They do well with overnight temperatures of around 60 -70 degrees.
Another light that you should consider getting for your reptile is a full spectrum UVB bulb. The manufacturers of these bulbs claim they imitate natural sunshine, but this claim is sometimes debated. If you can take your bearded dragon outside for some sunshine a few days a week then this extra light source may not be necessary. If you bring him outside be sure to keep him in a screened and ventilated area, or, better yet, sit out there with him. Be sure there is some shade nearby that he can go to if he gets too hot and don't put him in a glass tank because as the hot sun heats up the glass he will get overheated and could die. The UVB bulb could be especially beneficial in the wintertime as taking a dragon outside for some sun is not possible in cooler climates.
Up until recently, live crickets were the main diet for a bearded dragon. Other live food items include pinkies, (newborn mice), mealworms, silkworms and some species of roaches. Today there are new formulas of food available that are specially formulated to replace the need for feeding large quantities of crickets or other live prey. These lizards have an incredible appetite, especially during their first year, and feeding several dozen crickets or more per day can become quite costly. The best thing to do for a very young dragon, four weeks or younger, is to offer him plenty of live crickets 2 or 3 times a day the first two weeks you bring him home. Dust the crickets with calcium powder daily and a reptile multi-vitamin weekly. After you have your dragon eating without any hesitation substitute the crickets with a good brand of bearded dragon food. Repcal makes a formula that most dragons seem to like and it is available in an adult blend as well as a juvenile one. If you are having trouble getting him to eat the dragon food you can wiggle it around on the end of a toothpick or small wooden skewer near his mouth or just drop the pellets one by one near him to simulate the movement of live prey. Before long he will get used to the idea that no more crickets are coming and he'll be eating his prepared food directly out of his dish.
Whether you choose to feed mostly live prey or a purchased prepared food, supplement both with plenty of greens and vegetables. Collard, kale and dandelion greens are very good for your pet and should be kept in a small dish for them to munch on during the day. Shredded carrots and squash, fresh green beans and spinach should also be part of your new pets diet. Never feed iceburg lettuce as it gives them diarrhea and could cause them to dehydrate. If you wet the food in their veggie bowl they can lick the water from it, therefore making a special water dish unnecessary.
Bearded dragons enjoy a good soak in warm water and doing this once a week will also keep them from suffering from dehydration as well as provide moisture that will help him shed any loose skin. Just place a few inches of water in a large container and add a rock that he can use to climb out when he wants to. Don’t be alarmed if your dragon keeps his head under water for several minutes. He is just taking a very long drink.
Making a decision to get a new pet should never be taken lightly. A responsible pet owner knows when something is not quite right with his pet and sometimes a trip to the vet is in order, especially if your dragon has a loss of weight or appetite. An adult dragon will slow his eating habits down considerably in the cooler months and may even brumate, (take a very long winter nap). A brumating dragon can be easily be mistaken for a dying one because the lizard may sleep for several months before deciding to become active and resume eating and basking again. You should discuss any medical concerns about your bearded dragon with a good reptile vet.
Bearded dragons are wonderful lizards and making one a part of your family can be very rewarding, even for younger children. While some more demanding pets become tiresome nuisances, a Bearded Dragon requires little care. A small bowl of food every other day, a nice hot place to bask, a cooler place to sleep and some exposure to natural sunlight are really all that are required. The first time you sneak a peek into his tank at night and see him curled up and sleeping peacefully you will fall in love with him and you will understand why so many people adore this impressive breed of reptile.
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