Baby Dragon

Bearded Dragon Care Sheet – 5 Vital Aspects of Proper Keeping

Due to the fact that there is quite a bit of incorrect information floating around the internet regarding this lizard, I decided to create my own bearded dragon care sheet that highlights the 5 most important things any beardie owner should know.

1. Habitat – A 20 gallon is the minimum size for baby and young juvenile dragons, while a 40 gallon is the smallest recommended for mature beardies. You want a material that is easy to clean, access and has good ventilation.

   You will need a large enough hide, or shelter so your pet can retreat from the heat when it wishes, and you will need branches or rocks that allow them to bask under the heat lamps. And of course you will need a food, and possibly a water dish.

    

2. Substrate – For young dragons, paper towels, butcher paper, newspaper, or reptile carpet is recommended. You can use any of these for adults also, but some prefer to move on to tile or other solid forms of substrate. Loose materials such as sand are not recommended, as they can cause impaction if ingested.

    

3. Lighting – You will need a flourescent UV bulb to provide the vitamin D3 within your beardies body. This should span the length of the cage and be placed no further than 12″ from your lizard.

   You will also need a basking light. This can be anything from a household lightbulb, to a more expensive, reptile-specific halogen.

    

4. Heating – Beardies need a heat gradient ranging from 95-115F in the basking area, to 85F on the cooler side. A digital thermometer is highly recommended to ensure proper temps at all times. You will need to play around with different bulbs and wattage until you reach the desired heat gradient within the cage.

   Never use heat rocks as they will cause burns.

    

5. Diet – Babies (0-6 months) Feed 2-3 times daily as many insects as they will eat within 10-15 min.

   Juveniles (6-10 months) 1-2 times daily

   Sub-adult (10-14 months) 1 time a day

   Adult (over 14 months) About 50 a week. You can offer a few every couple days, or a large amount once a weel or so depending on your dragon’s preference.

   Make sure your insects are no bigger than the space between your beardie’s eyes. Always check his stool for undigested insect parts, which is a good sign that the feeders are too big.

   For all ages, fresh veggies should always be available. A baby dragon’s diet consists of 80% protein and 20% veggies. An adult is 20% protein and 80% veggies. Spray your veggies with water to help with hydration.

About the Author

This is only a drop in the bucket when compared to everything one needs to know to raise the most beautiful and happy lizards. If however, you have the right size tank, lighting, temperatures, and are feeding them the proper amounts of food, you are doing pretty good.

Caring for Bearded Dragons is a fairly easy and very fun experience once all the proper information has been obtained. Take a look at their more in-depth care sheet found here Bearded Dragon Care Sheet

Snookles ( Baby Dragon ) and little bird duet