Bearded Dragon
Care Sheet
Introduction
If your thinking of getting a bearded dragon as a pet, make sure you do a lot of research first. Bearded dragons can have a life span of 10-15 years in captivity or sometimes longer so you must be prepared to commit to looking after them long term. They make great pets but if you prefer to have one you can cuddle up with and hold then we would suggest maybe re-home a slightly older one. From the age of around 2 years they become a lot easier to handle, where as a baby beardie can be quite fast and scatty.
Enclosure
Their enclosure is called a vivarium. It must be secure to prevent escape and free from hazards that might cause injury.
It needs to have good ventilation as this is essential to reduce the risks of respiratory infections. We recommend the minimum size viv to be 4ft x 2ft x 2ft, although we always say the bigger the better. Bearded dragons live mainly on the ground but will climb a short way onto branches and rocks. They use their environment to warm up and cool down. The way to do this is to create a heat sourse at one end while leaving the other end cool. They need light to be able to detect heat. The viv should have a "basking zone", this is the warmest part the beardie can get.
* Use a 60-100w bulb at the warm end.
* Place a natural stone underneath the bulb, but make sure it is no closer than 25-30cm to your beardie's back as this could result in injury or burns.
* Use a thermostat to regulate the temp.
Hot end = 38-42 degrees
Cool end = 22-26 degrees
Night time = Must not fall below 20-22 degrees
Low humidity is essential to prevent skin or breathing problems. This should be maintained at 30-40%. Beardie's use natural daylight to set their day and night patterns. They need UBV which you get from the sun, this is an important part and allows them to make essential vitamin D in its skin. Vitamin D allows them to store and use calcium. It does not pass through windows so there is no point placing your viv near a window to get their vitamin D from their, this is why it is important to use a UVB lamp. It is always best to spot clean your viv every day and carry out a full deep clean at least once a month.
Diet
You'll find that Bearded dragons tend not to drink that much from their water bowls often as a lot of their moisture is provided from them in there diet. You must, however, always provide a large, shallow dish for them and place it in the cool end should they require it. Beardie's eat both live food, vegetables, fruits & plants. "Safe greens" can include things like Watercress / rocket / Butternut squash / Cress etc. Our beardies also like their raspberries and strawberries. Although they can eat blueberries they tend to be quite fussy about these so try and experiment to find various different things your beardie might like to eat. Live food can include locusts, crickets and calciworms. All live food should be kept in large, well ventilated containers. They too should also be fed vegetables and hydrated well so that all the nutrients are passed on to your beardie. Avoid giving them spinach as this prevents them from absorbing calcium. Kale and cabbage can also affect hormone production so try to avoid these too.
* Young beardies = 65% live food & 35% greens (They should be fed twice a day)
* Juveniles and adults = 40% live food & 60% greens (They should be fed once a day)
It is a good idea to weigh your beardie and keep an eye out for any fluctuation. Beardies can grow to an average size of 45cm long. Live food should be dusted lightly with vitamin and mineral supplement powders before feeding.
Behaviour
It is important to provide enrichment for your beardie. Providing stones for climbing and place a hide at both end of your viv so that they can feel secure. Substrate is important to provide something that your beardie can grip onto and allows them to use their natural behaviours such as digging. With healthy adults, sand substrate or a sand and soil mixture can be used. Always use a reptile safe sand as recommended. Normal builders sand has sharp edges which can cause damage or injury so avoid using this. If you use the wrong substrate your beardie can potentially ingest this and cause your reptile to have digestive tract problems. This can cause a blockage which is referred to as "impaction", this will require a visit to your vet and could be extremely serious.
Company
Bearded dragons are territorial species and should be housed alone. Babies can live together for a short periods of time but you must be aware that as they grow older they can become quite dominating and could fight with each other. Beardies are often known for their spiky folds of skin around their neck which will inflate and turn black if they feel excited, stressed or threatened.
Shedding
There is no rule as to how often they shed their skin. Young beardies tend to shed their skin more often. When they are ready to shed they will become very dull in colour and their old skin will become quite dry. The skin should fall off within a day or two, but don't worry if it takes longer though. Do not pull off the old skin if it seems stuck. This can cause the new skin underneath to tear. If patches still remain after shed, give them a bath in shallow, tepid water to try and soften it. Repeat the process if it still doesn't resolve.
Handling
Getting your bearded dragon used to handling can take time, but keep working on it. Handling them can make it easier for you to check for any health issues. Never surprise your beardie as this can cause them to become stressed and lead to a struggle. You should gently scoop them up with both hands. If you find your beardie becoming too stressed leave them alone and try again another time. The more you try, the more they will grow used to you and they will then learn to trust you enough to handle. On a bright and sunny day take your beardie outside to enjoy some natural UV and enrichment. Make sure they are always safe and secure and have access to a shaded area.
Any concerns
Look out for signs of abnormal droppings: constipation or diarrhoea along with weight loss which can be a concern. One of the most common problems in any reptile is something called MBD. This stands for metabolic bone disease. The most common cause of MBD is the lack of UVB lighting. This results in a vitamin D deficiency and creates muscle weakness and softening of the bones. You will be the best one to know if you think something is wrong with your reptile. Consult your vet if you need any advice.
You can find more information about how to look after your bearded dragon on our YouTube channel.
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