Bearded Dragons are one of the main species of lizard being kept if captivity, they are excellent for children as a first exotic pet. Found only throughout Australia, they are a large species growing to a total length of 15-24 inches when adult.
| Origin | Australia |
|---|---|
| Environment | Scrubland and Savannas |
| Adults Size | Up to 60cm |
| Suitability | Beginner |
| Lifespan | Up to 15 years |
| Food Type | Omnivorous |
Bearded Dragons obtain their name due to puffing out their throat during defence and courtship displays. Both sexes do this, but males have a darker throat that turns jet black during a display. There are many colour morphs available now, but the general colour of the Bearded Dragon is a mixture of brown shades. They have small spikes protruding from their throat, on top of their head, around their ears and running down the side of the body.
Bearded Dragons are a large species measuring a total length of 380-610mm (15-24”). Hatchlings are very small compared to the adults measuring 75-10mm (3-4”). Bearded Dragons can live up to 10 years in captivity.
Where are Bearded Dragons from?
Bearded Dragons are found within Australia only. They are widely distributed throughout the Eastern states to the Eastern half of South Australia and South-eastern Northern territory.
Their habitat also varies from subtropical woodlands, scrublands, savannas, shore areas and deserts.
How do you keep Bearded Dragons?
Bearded Dragons are one of the easiest and hardiest species of lizards to keep as long as their requirements are met. They must be housed alone to avoid becoming territorial and/or over breeding of females. They do not require companionship, wild Bearded Dragons are solitary, only seeking out a mate during the breeding season.
Large enclosures are best for Bearded Dragons so they can maintain their body temperature through thermoregulation, our Essentials Starter Kits contain everything you need to keep a Bearded Dragon happy and healthy for life.
We recommend a minimum of 48x24x24” (120x60x60cm) sized vivarium for housing a Bearded Dragon. As they are so fast growing and have the same requirements, hatchlings can be housed in adult sized enclosures with no issues. This size vivarium is a minimum requirement with good reason; the space will of course be readily utilised by the dragon, but most importantly, the larger size allows for effective thermoregulation. The more spacious the enclosure, the larger the distance between the warm sides heat lamp and the cooler side - allowing the animal the freedom to choose it's optimum temperature throughout the day.
You should aim to provide a basking area with a daytime temperature between 35-43C (95-110F) the cool end of the vivarium should be in the range of 26-30C (80-85F). This can be acheived by using a white basking spot bulb or a halogen lamp placed within a bulb guard to protect the animal from thermal burns. Red bulbs should be avoided as this can impair the range of their vision, white bulbs are the best option for the dragon. They have a specialised scale in the middle of their head called a Parietal Eye, which essentially acts as a sensor. This helps the dragon sense light, shadows and navigate their surroundings. An essential thermostat ensures that the temperature your animal requires is kept constant, with no risk of over/under heating. During the night the temperature should drop no lower than 16C (60F), most house temperatures don’t drop below this, but if yours does, you can use a ceramic bulb on a thermostat on the warm side of the vivarium.
We do not recommend the use of heat mats for this species, they prefer to sit and bask in the sun as they would in the wild. Mats provide surface temperature only and do not effectively heat the surrounding air like a heat bulb does. There have been cases where dragons have burnt their bellies on mats, when their bodies were sensing that heat from above was within a safe range. Even on a thermostat, it is not worth the risk for this species.
UVB light is vital for this species and must be used to help Bearded Dragons obtain the Vitamin D-3 they require. We advise using a 10%+ T5 UVB tube, simulating the levels of sunlight they have access to from their home in the wild. The lighting is recommended to be on for 12 hours during the day and switched off at night to allow for a natural night time light and temperature drop. UVB not only aids their physical wellbeing, it also regulates their circadian rhythm, stimulates their natural breeding cycles and contributes to their mental wellbeing - alongside aiding the absorption of calcium and vitamins.
We use and recommend a Bearded Dragon specific substrate. These are blended to mimic the Australian outback as closely as possible. Studies have shown that if the UV index and temperatures are optimum, it enables the dragons digestive system to function perfectly and a loose particle substrate is hugely beneficial with minimal risk. You should also place cork bark branches and rocks for your Bearded Dragon to climb on, offering both areas for basking on and environmental enrichment.
Bearded Dragons are “Omnivorous'' which means they feed on both plant and animal matter. When feeding live insects, ensure that the food is no larger than the width of the Bearded Dragons head. If too large, this could cause impaction or they could choke on the food. It is also best to feed young Bearded Dragons two times a day instead of one large meal to prevent this.
The majority of reptiles and amphibians in captivity require additional calcium, vitamin and minerals to compensate for eating a less varied diet than their wild ancestors. The easiest method for coating your livefood is to put a little supplement powder in a zip-lock bag, add the insects and gently shake. Use some forceps to transfer the livefood into your enclosure. This way, you are not wasting your supplements and only dusting the insects needed per feed.
Bearded Dragons will eat a number of live insects such as crickets, locusts, mealworms, wax worms and cockroaches. When feeding plant foods, wash and finely chop and place in a dish. Your Bearded Dragon should be fed on 40-60% of plant matter when it is adult, while young offer this alongside the live foods every other day.
We stock a variety of live edible plants we have listed below a few of the plant foods Bearded Dragons will take:
Escarole
Fancy dark lettuces (not iceberg)
Bok Choy
Endive
Water Cress
Prickly Pear
Yellow Squash
Zucchini
Green Beans
Mustard, Collard and Beet Greens
Nasturtium, Hibiscus and Dandelion leaves and flowers
The below foods should be fed as treats only as fruits especially tend to have a laxative effect:
Romaine
Strawberries
Raspberries
Apples
Bananas
Squash
Melon
Mice Pinkies
Caution: Dragons must be housed alone, they are highly territorial and will fight or display dominant behaviours.
