barbate dragons are one of the most democratic pet reptiles , and for proficient reasonableness . apart from being a dependable beginner reptile that ’s well-situated to keep , they ’re one of the friendliest reptiles you ’ll match . As with any new pet , it ’s important to do your research prior to bringing them home , whether you ’re an expert or a beginner . Although there are eight different coinage , the one that ’s most commonly keep as a pet is the central bearded dragon ( Pogona vitticeps ) .
How to Take Care of a Bearded Dragon
Beardies , as they ’re dearly called , are one of the well-fixed lizards to keep , provided you follow some basic guideline about their care , and you ’re fain to be social with them .
Habitat Setup
The minimal aquarium size of it for a adolescent bearded dragon is 10 to 30 gal . Adults require at least 120 gallon of space to thrive . Typically , because bearded dragon can grow up to 24 inch in length , they do well in an inclosure measuring 3 feet panoptic , 3 feet long , and 2 feet tall . Their tank should not be kept in an area with exposure to lineal sunlight , as this can promptly overheat their inclosure .
You will want several accessories for the army tank to keep a whiskery dragon in a healthy habitat . Like many other reptiles , they need a basking surface area , which generally entails provide a bland - bottom rock or a basking logarithm and a ultraviolet luminosity that produces UVB in the appropriate spectrum . When they ’re not basking , they may desire to obscure away for a while . Choosing a pre - made reptile cave or some variety of do - it - yourself hiding arena is necessary to keep them well-chosen and healthy .
While industrial plant are not necessary , they can aid your beardie feel more unafraid by furnish hiding blot and shade . you may use fake plant or live ones , although your beardie is probable to seek to eat the live ones . Since not all industrial plant are safe for beardies , if you choose to use lively I , use safe plant such as cilantro , jade , junipers , mint , parsley , or ponytail laurel wreath .
The flooring for the cage can be reptile carpet , fine playground grit , or newspaper . substratum that you should never use include gravel , wood shaving , crush corn black-backed gull , or potting soil that carry vermiculite . You may see calcium - based George Sand advertised for bearded dragons , or have the urge to use playground gumption to save on cost , but baby and juveniles should n’t be expose to these sand types , as your beardie might eat them unwittingly when feeding , possibly leading to impingement .
DIY Bearded Dragon Cage
Some reptilian owner prefer to work up their own reptilian habitat for something to the full customized . you may find oneself plans for building your ownbearded dragon habitat online . A suitable home ground can be build up withplywood and sturdy glassas long as it allows for proper air flow and will be secure enough for your preferred beardie .
Temperature Requirements
Bearded dragon amount from natural desert habitats , so they will necessitate an environment that approximates those temperatures . The ambient temperature in the tank should be between 78 and 88 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and in the 70s at night . The basking domain should be about 95 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit .
Diet
Bearded dragons are omnivorous , which think they eat a mixture of animal protein and plants . Proteins must be provided in the variety of insects , including waxworms , wiggler , mealworm , cockroach , and cricket . They can also get their protein from commercially prepared and age - appropriatelizard food options .
Beardies should get saucy veggie day by day , with about ¼ of a young beardie ’s food made of fresh veg . Adults should get about one-half of their daily dieting from unfermented vegetables . They can also eat fruit as an occasional treat . Fruits should be prey in moderation due to their gamy dough message .
Always put up your beardie with tonic water . As a cosmopolitan prescript of thumb , their bowl should be cleaned out day by day and refilled with fresh water . However , if you comment the water develop dirty or mirky , it should be convert rather . The weewee in the bowl should be less than an column inch rich to avoid drown .
You may also detect your beardie does n’t always drink from their sports stadium . In these cases , do n’t be concerned . This is a natural behavior and all you need to do is keep a spray nursing bottle nearby to mist your beardie a few times per day . You will notice they drink the water coming down from their consistency , as it mimic what they would do in the wild .
In addition to nutrient and fresh water system , they should get a calcium supplement twice a week . This usually come in the physique of a powder that you could put on live louse before feeding them to your lizard .
Bearded Dragon Characteristics
A bearded flying lizard darling can be an interesting accession to your rest home . away from being friendly andintelligent reptiles , they have quite a few intriguing characteristics .
Physical Appearance
While you most often see beardies in shades of brown and tan , breeders are producing lizards withnew color and patterns , which are called morphs . Some popular people of color are red , chickenhearted , orangish , violet , and white ( also called a " zero " morph ) . Popular morphs have names like " silkback , " " leatherback , " and " translucent . "
A bearded dragon ’s spur originate on their pharynx , sides of the body , and head . Bearded dragon tails are almost as long as their soundbox . An grownup male person can grow up 2 feet long , admit his tail . They flare the tegument on their throat area when threatened or feeling territorial . This ability makes them look bigger . It ’s also how they pay off the name " barbate " Draco .
Health
The average lifespan of a pet whiskered Draco is 10 to 15 years . When bearded Draco are sick , their back often change to a inglorious colouring material and their legs become light yellow . Their beards may also turn black if they feel scared or unquiet , or if they are in mating season .
Do n’t occupy if you observe front teeth drop , unless this is accompanied by other concerning signs . The whiskered dragon can grow their tooth back . However , unlike some lizards , a beardie can not get their tail back .
Behavior
whiskery Dragon are intelligent and can recognize their owners . Their social awareness is part of what has made them such spectacular pets . Many beardie owners have prepare them to do different doings , including going out for walk on a leash . Not only are they friendly to humans , they ’re also friendly to other beardies . They are social lizard who " wave " to other dragon when they pass by and have been known to flap to their owners , as well .
Cost
barbate Dragon are generally easy to find at most pet stores that sell reptile . They are one of the most democratic pet reptilian in the U.S. A bewhiskered flying dragon will runabout $ 30 to $ 60if they are young . Adults can be around $ 100 . If you have your heart set on a special color or morph , pricing can vary wide . Some colorful beardies may run about $ 200 to $ 500 , while highly essay - after morphs can be as high as $ 1,000 or more .
Bearded Dragons Are a Unique Pet
Spend some time with a beardie and you ’ll quickly see why these reptile are suchpopular favourite . They ’re comparatively easy to care for compare to other favored reptiles , and they ’re favorable , intelligent , and like beinghandled by their owners . If you ’re appear for your first reptile , it ’s hard to pick a better choice than a beardie , though they ’re loved by experienced reptile owners , as well .
