Getting a bearded dragon...

[annabug1028]

Hello all! I am looking to get a bearded dragon and in all my research I came across this site! Any and all advice/care instructions you have please let me know! I want to know everything I can to make sure I give my beardie the best home possible! Some things I want to know about are: Diet, Handling, Lights, Bathing, Bonding, Water intake, etc. Honestly just tell me everything you know! Oh, I will also be purchasing the bearded dragon as a baby. Thanks!

 

[HoomanSlave]

Diet: Bearded dragons are omnivorous and need a large variety of foods to stay healthy. Dubia roaches, silkworms, and black soldier fly larvae are great staples, and crickets are okay but not ideal. Superworms and mealworms are okay when fed to adults in moderation-only a few a week. Hornworms are another common treat insect that are high in calcium and water, and can be offered once a week. A baby bearded dragon needs to be fed 3-5 times a day. Allow the beardie to eat as much as it wants in a 10-minute time period. You can expect to spend around $15 a day on feeding a baby insects. As they grow, the amount of veggies they need to eat increases and their protein needs decrease. Good veggies to feed daily are sweet potato, squash, and a variety of green leafy vegetables. They can also have bell pepper, carrots, and fruit once or twice a week. Avoid rhubarb, avocado, chocolate, dairy products, caffeine, insects larger than the space between their eyes, spinach, and human snacks. You can also give canned insects and gel food mixes as a treat or in an emergency.

Handling: The easiest way to approach a beardie is to reach in from the front or side and scoop it up. Let the beardie rest on your arm or chest, making sure the whole body is supported. For babies, be very careful when picking them up. Never lift a beardie up by its tail.

Lights: Lighting can be complicated at first, especially with all the conflicting information. Here's a quick little guide: https://beardeddragon.boards.net/thread/8/bearded-dragon-lighting-faqs

Bathing: Only bathe a bearded dragon once or twice a week at most. They aren't designed to be constantly bathed, it can dry out their scales and some are very stressed by it. Don't put them in water above their knees (or whatever lizards have in place of knees), and the water shouldn't be too cold or too hot. 90-100 degrees F is a good temperature.

Bonding: Spend a little time each day with your beardie. Gradually increase the amount of time you spend with it daily. Hand-feed the beardie treats and talk to it quietly. Some beardies will like to be handled more than others.

Water intake: Having a water dish is controversial, and some beardies will not drink from standing water. It's your choice whether or not to have one in the cage. Beardies will get most of their water from the food they eat, especially veggies and high-moisture bugs such as hornworms. They will also drink in the bath when they have the chance.

Habitat: An adult bearded dragon should have a 75 gallon enclosure minimum. A 120 gallon, or 4x2x2 feet, is an ideal size and gives them plenty of room. Enclosures come in a lot of different materials-plastic, acrylic, wood, and glass are common. Some hold heat and humidity better than others. For substrate, you can use either tile, paper towels, or non-adhesive shelf liner. Most loose substrates sold in pet stores are dangerous (especially ground walnut and calcium sand). If you choose to use a solid substrate you will need to provide a dig box filled with soil or fleece scraps, especially for a female bearded dragon. Beardies are semi-arboreal and should have lots of branches and rocks to climb on. They should also have at least two hides-one on the cool side and one on the warm side.

Brumation: Beardies around one year and older may go into brumation, also known as winter shutdown. This can happen at any time of year, even in the summer and spring because they can sense that it's winter in Australia. During brumation, reduce the tank temps and the hours the light are on and weigh the dragon regularly to make sure it isn't losing excessive weight. The time they spend brumating varies, and some will only partially brumate. It's normal for them to sleep all day and refuse food during brumation, but this is also a symptom of many illnesses so you have to be careful.

Beardies should not be kept with any other animal aside from isopods and bioactive cleanup crews. They enjoy handling and are the closest thing to a dog you can find in the small lizards category.