Bearded Dragons are truly one of the best pets to have. That's probably why they're the most common reptile purchased in stores. They are also one of the most common patients seen at the veterinary office! A lot of owners are not given the correct supplies or information when they bring their little buddy home. The most common issues presented to the veterinary team in my 8 years of experience are metabolic bone disease, foreign bodies, parasitic overload, dehydration, gout, and viral infections. One of the biggest misconceptions is in the details- preventing metabolic bone disease is not only done by supplementing calcium. The body cannot absorb this calcium unless there's proper UVB lighting and this light needs to be changed every 6 months. Did you also know that beardies need to be soaked in shallow warm water once to twice weekly? Or that you need "gut load" or add supplements to their diet days before feeding them to your lizard? Before we get into all of that, let's start with a few quick facts!
Bearded Dragons can live to be 8-10 years old.
Their diet changes drastically from juvenile to adulthood.
Female bearded dragons can produce eggs without a male. They are just unfertile.
Beardies make very sweet and relaxed pets!
They require some homework to prevent certain health problems. That's why I'm here! But a trip to the vet at least once a year is also a must! Build a relationship with a reputable exotic animal veterinarian as soon as possible.
Their health relies greatly on proper temperatures and humidity. Most of the illnesses I've seen are related to this and improper diet and supplementation.
Be prepared for the possibility of spaying your bearded dragon. Many females in captivity have difficulty laying eggs and become gravid. This can cause an infection of the coelom if left untreated and become dangerous.
Bearded dragons need dentals too! Stomatitis, or infection of the oral cavity, occurs when their teeth develop too much plaque for too long, just like people! They also have acrodont teeth, meaning that their teeth are part of their jawbone. So once they are lost, they usually do not come back.
It is possible to get Salmonella from lizards, so be sure to wash your hands after handling and to be cautious with young children.
Please remember that this information is to help get pet owners on the right track and should not replace proper veterinary care. All pet owners should schedule their pet's first exam with their exotic animal veterinarian upon initial ownership.
Diet:
Beardies are notorious for being the pacman of lizards. They will eat anything that intrigues them, from insects to pennies. They are especially excited about live prey that can move around the cage. Naturally, they are more carnivorous as juveniles and omnivorous as adults. I will split the diet up into life stages to make everything easier to siphon through. Don't forget to add proper supplementation! I will add that in at the end!
Juveniles (8 months of age or less):
A predominantly carnivorous diet of live insects is required. Nearly 100% of their diet should be of insects that are no bigger than 75% of the width of their head. You can get live crickets and mealworms at our local pet store, but you need to ask for the appropriate size. Young beardies should be fed daily and until they are full. You can adjust the amount based off of this.
Adults (Over 8 months of age): To be fed every 1-2 days.
Protein (25% by volume): The diet should consist of crickets, superworms, and waxworms. Other items that you can offer are the occasional pinky mouse, grasshoppers, and locusts. Lightning bugs are toxic- beware of this when taking your dragon outdoors. The items offered should be no bigger than 75% of the width of your beardie's head.
Chopped Greens (50-55% by volume): A variety of dark leafy greens such as collard greens, kale, romaine lettuce, dandelion, turnip greens, mustard greens, beet greens, bok choy, swiss chard, spinach, chicory, and escarole should be offered. Please rinse your greens before feeding.
Chopped Vegetables (Up to 20% by volume): Squash, bean sprouts, zucchini, broccoli, sweet potato, peas, carrot, okra, beans, and tofu.
Fruit (Less than 5%): Papaya, banana, and melon are nutritious options for fruit.
Gut Loading:
The insects are usually not rich enough in nutrients, so it is incredibly important to feed the insects a special diet before feeding them to your dragon. Mazuri Better Bug Gut Loading Diet is an excellent source of food for your insects. You can find it in the link below. You will feed a fresh supply to the insects daily and also provide a water source, such as a damp cotton ball.
Those little yellow or orange food cubes sold in stores are not an adequate source of nutrition!
Calcium Supplementation:
All insects should be dusted in calcium prior to being fed to your lizard. Simply place the insects in a Ziplock along with the calcium powder, coating them generously. This should be done right before feeding to make sure the calcium stays on and is ingested. Juveniles should have insects dusted once daily while adults should have it done less frequently, such as once or twice weekly. Please consult your veterinarian regarding proper supplementation. If your dragon is used for breeding or is ill, your veterinarian may have special directions for you to follow.
Healthy bearded dragons can use ReptiCaclium, as listed below:
Multivitamin:
A multivitamin should be fed to juveniles once or twice weekly, but every 2-4 weeks for adults. Below is a good multivitamin for bearded dragons:
Too Complicated? You can offer Repashy Calcium and Vitamin Combo ONLY instead.
Water Source:
These lizards do benefit from a water bowl that is easy to enter and exit. The smaller and younger your beardie, the shallower your bowl should be. Depending on how small your pet is and how small your bowl is, you will most likely need to monitor water level as the cage heat will evaporate it within hours. Regular tap water can be used; however, filtered or spring water is ideal since it has been cleaned of impurities. The water bowl should be cleaned daily.
*Most of these supplies can be found at your local pet stores, but they are usually more expensive too.
Here is a great example of a bowl used for larger bearded dragons:
For baby beardies, you can use thinner bowls such as:
Temperature and Humidity Requirements:
All reptiles have their own Preferred Optimal Temperature Zone (POTZ) and those guidelines must be followed to aid in healthy development and function. They are ectothermic beings, meaning that they rely on the environmental temperatures to regulate their metabolism and organ function. These zones must change during the day and night.
Low humidity and water access leads to dehydration, constipation, gout, and kidney disease.
Daytime Temperatures: Temperatures should range from 80-90 degrees Fahrenheit. This means that the temperature should be 80 on one side and gradually increase to 90 on the other, allowing your reptile to cool off or warm up as needed. In addition, they should have one portion of their cage dedicated to basking where the temperature ranges between 92-100 degrees Fahrenheit.
They should never be kept in a glass cage in direct sunlight. Bearded dragons can warm up quickly, putting them at risk for heatstroke.
Nighttime Temperatures: Temperatures at night should range between 70-75 degrees Fahrenheit. To reach this, you will need to turn off all day lights, UVB light, and make sure that your home's thermostat is set to maintain this temperature range. A night bulb may be required to achieve this. Some say that the red or blue bulbs can interrupt your lizard's sleep cycle, but I have never experienced this. Always remember to use your surface thermometer to check floor temps!
*Under-cage heat mats can be used with heat lamps, but you have to make sure that the cage is the appropriate temperature. Some homes require both while some are able to achieve temps with just the bulbs alone*
I recommend using a surface thermometer and a digital thermometer on both sides of the cage to make sure your requirements are met. *Surface thermometers only read accurately when aimed inside the cage. They cannot be shot through the glass* You can find both of these at a home improvement store or pet store, but they may be cheaper here:
If you decide that you need a heat mat and are unable to get your temperatures right, here is a great device that allows you to regulate those temperatures!
Humidity Requirements: The humidity requirement is naturally lower than many other reptiles since bearded dragons come from a drier climate. Don't let this fool you though! They still need around 30-40% humidity and this can usually be achieved with just having a water bowl. But that depends on the humidity of the home and other factors. Sometimes you will need to add sphagnum moss to increase the percentage. Warm water can be added to the moss, and it can be placed in a bowl in the corner of the cage. That should do the trick!
Sidenote: Bearded dragons must be soaked in a shallow, warm (about 80-85 degrees Fahrenheit) water tub for 15 minutes each time. Juvenile bearded dragons should be soaked at least twice weekly while adults can be soaked once weekly. Baby bearded dragons should be soaked more frequently.
This is required in order to maintain hydration. It also helps them poop!
Lighting and UVB:
Bearded dragons require a good light source in order to see their food and exhibit normal behaviors. They use their parietal eye to respond to the change of day and night. This is why you need a day light that is turned off at night, keeping their cycles to every 12-14 hours consistently. You will want to use florescent bulbs like these:
In order to achieve the proper temperature gradients and basking site, you will need to figure out what strength of bulb you need and distance from the cage's floor. Small cages will require weaker bulbs and more caution in order to not overheat your lizard. Please note: A cage that is the proper size, SHOULD be able to fit a UVB bulb, a basking bulb, and a daytime bulb while still achieving the daytime temperature gradient listed above.
For basking:
UVB Requirement:
A UVB bulb is required for healthy development and calcium absorption. The bulbs come in different sizes and should be about 12-18 inches from the reptile. Most reptile parents are not told that UVB bulbs must be changed once every 6 months in order for it to provide the full effect. This is a recommended brand:
Caging Requirements:
A bearded dragon terrarium should be no smaller than a 75 gallon. But we want to make sure they have the best life, so the more space, the better! They also enjoy reptile huts, hammocks, and branches. Make sure the cage furniture is sturdy enough to support your beardie. I do not recommend heat rocks- I've seen too many thermal burns from them! Always make sure that the temperatures on the items are adequate too. Basking areas are much hotter on rocks and wood. Anything over 110 degrees Fahrenheit can be dangerous.
Substrate (Bedding):
One of the most common foreign bodies found in beardies is caused by the type of bedding used! Coconut husk and sand impactions are pretty typical, especially since beardies love to eat things they shouldn't!
To avoid this, you can provide a "feeding station" that is free of bedding. However, keeping live insects on one side of the cage is nearly impossible and taxing and bearded dragons still sometimes think a piece of bedding looks yummy regardless!
To keep things simple and free of emergency vet bills, I recommend using reptile carpet or tile. Reptile carpet is more esthetically pleasing, but tile is easier to clean!
You are not set to start your bearded dragon journey! Don't forget about how important that first veterinary visit is! Doing all of this means little to nothing if your beardie is hiding an illness or have parasitic overload! Yuck!
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