Overview
Bearded dragons are one of the most recommended lizards for beginner reptile keepers. I kept them for years, and could easily see myself getting another one.
Their small size, docile nature and low maintenance needs make them very easy to care for.
In addition to that, their hardiness and tolerance of a wide range of temperatures (for a reptile) give new lizard owners a little bit of wiggle room to make mistakes and learn as you go without jeopardizing the health of your pet.
Their quirky personalities and enjoyment of human interaction makes the bearded dragon an all round great pet!
Bearded Dragon Care Sheet
| Care level | Beginner |
| Temperament | Calm and docile, usually friendly |
| Native to | Australia |
| Average size | 12-24 inches |
| Cage requirements | 75 gallon enclosure |
| Temperature | 100 degrees basking area, cool side 80 degrees |
| Humidity | 35%-40% |
| Preferred food | Fruit, vegetables, insects and occasional pinky mice |
| Feeding frequency | Daily |
| Lifespan | 10-12 years |
Quick Fact
Bearded dragons are of the genus pogona. There are eight sub-species within this tree. Pogona vitticeps is the most widely kept species in captivity. If you are unsure of the exact species of bearded dragon you have, it is pretty safe to assume this is the one.
If you want to learn more than just care, and see what it’s like owning one, you can read my article Do Bearded Dragons Make Good Pets?
Bearded Dragon Size
Hatchling bearded dragons come out of the egg measuring 3”- 4” from the tip of their nose to the end of their tail.
How large they will get when they reach adulthood is highly dependent on four factors.
- The specific subspecies
- The size of the parents
- The sex
- Their diet
Since most bearded dragons kept in captivity are pogona vitticeps, you can expect an adult length of 12-24 inches on average. The other seven species are actually rare to see in the pet trade, so you would have to go to great lengths to find one and would know.
The size of the parents will go a long ways to letting you know how big your bearded dragon will be.
I always recommend using reputable breeders any time you acquire a new reptile, and any reputable breeder will be happy to show you the parents, and give you their size.
Males typically grow much larger than females, so knowing the sex of your beardy will give you an estimate as well. Males will be closer to the top of the range while females will be closer to the bottom.
Diet is also a determining factor in an adult beardys full grown size.
In fact diet is an extremely important factor for their care and size!
It takes 18 months to 2 years for a bearded dragon to reach full adulthood and sexual maturity, but the majority of its growth actually takes place in the first six months of its life.
Poor diet during this time can severely stunt its growth. A great diet will help it achieve its optimal size.
Bearded Dragon Housing Needs
Setting up a home for your beardy might just be the best part of owning one.
You can make it as simple or as elaborate as you want!
Hatchlings will need an enclosure that measures a minimum of 24” x 12” and is at least 18” tall. That’s about the size of a 20 gallon aquarium.
Adults should have a floor area of 48” x 24” and a height of at least 2′. For comparison, this is about the size of a 75 gallon aquarium.
As for decorations, you’re beardy is going to need a hide box, and a branch to perch on.
Anything beyond that is up to you. Some people enjoy providing hammocks, rocks, fake cactus and other décor.
You should know:
Bearded dragons need to be housed separately. It drives me nuts when I see people posting pictures of them housed together.
- Baby bearded dragons are not yet territorial, but they are always hungry. The sight of another baby’s tail going over a rock looks just like an insect! Keeping them in their own enclosure will reduce the chance of injury.
- Adult bearded dragons can be very territorial. Especially males. Keeping them together can lead to injuries, and at the very least high stress.
- Adult males will chase females. This can also lead to extremely high stress which is unhealthy for your pet.
I hear people say, “I watch them and they are fine together. They love each other!”
They are not fine together, and they do not “love” each other. Don’t humanize your pet. High stress doesn’t always have visible signs, and is often the number one killer of reptiles.
Bearded Dragon Temperature Needs
Bearded dragons, like all reptiles, need an enclosure that provides a gradient range of temperatures in order for them to thermoregulate.
What temperature do bearded dragons need to be kept at? One side of the cage should have a basking area that reaches 100 degrees F. You can raise this to 110 degrees for juveniles. The opposite end of the enclosure should be 80 degrees F or slightly higher. Night time temperatures can be as low as 65 degrees F. Turning off the heat, and allowing the cage to drop to room temperature will be just fine.
Most people provide a basking light with a perch underneath so your lizard can get closer or further away as needed. Just be careful that they aren’t able to reach the light itself to prevent burns.
Having a wide range like this will allow the dragon to find the spot it needs.
Additional Tip
Be sure that you do not have your enclosure sitting in the sun. This can cause the inside of the cage to get too hot, much like sitting in a car in the sun, and can kill your pet.
Additionally, don’t have the enclosure in a spot that is drafty. Drafts can cause your lizard to develop a respiratory infection.
Bearded Dragon Humidity Levels
These lizards live in a naturally dry and arid environment.
You should provide a humidity range of 35% – 40% for your bearded dragon.
This means you will want to keep their water dish on the cool side of the enclosure to reduce evaporation. You also want to avoid overly misting your dragon or the enclosure.
If you live in an area that is extremely humid, or if you are having troubles keeping the levels low enough in an enclosure, consider placing a dehumidifier in the room where your beardy is housed.
Bearded Dragon Lighting Needs
Bearded dragons receive ultraviolet light directly from the sun. You will want to provide this through full spectrum UVB bulbs.
Your goal here is to provide them care by imitating what they receive in the wild.
What kind of lighting do bearded dragons need? You should provide your bearded dragon with mercury bulbs for basking, and full spectrum fluorescent bulbs for overall lighting. In the summer your beardy will need 14-16 hours of light. This can be reduced to 10-12 hours of light in the winter.
10-12 hours is also the amount of light that should be provided for brumation and breeding.
Best Substrate For A Bearded Dragon
I want to start off by saying sand is NOT a good substrate for bearded dragons. It can be ingested and cause serious health issues including intestinal impact. (basically severe constipation)
I point this out because it is so common to see pictures of pet beardies in an enclosure with a sand substrate.
Don’t do it!
What is the best substrate for a bearded dragon? A good substrate for bearded dragons is a mixture of sand and top soil. Approximately 30% sand and 70% topsoil will help maintain the correct humidity, prevent them from ingesting too much substrate, and is easy to clean and maintain. Plus it looks nice! Be sure to use a topsoil that is free of pesticides and fertilizer.
Here’s a great bearded dragon substrate idea!
One of the coolest enclosures I ever saw actually used ceramic tiles set into place with grout. The tiles were the color of sand, and gave a nice desert look to the cage.
If you are absolutely set on using sand, make sure you are using play sand. I would still strongly suggest that you place food on a dish, and not offer it directly on the substrate itself.
Bearded Dragon Feeding And Diet
Bearded dragons are omnivores, which means they eat both meat and plants.
Most of the time they are not picky eaters, and will readily accept food when it is presented.
Much of a beardy’s nutritional needs are based on their age.
Pro Tip
The size of the food offered should be no bigger than the distance between your beardy’s eyes. This means chopping fruits, veggies and greens down to the appropriate size prior to feeding.
Feeding juvenile bearded dragons
The first six months or so of a bearded dragons life are the most critical to their overall size and health.
The majority of their diet, 70-80 percent, should be made up of gut loaded insects. These are insects that have been fed highly nutritious foods.
Many keepers will feed crickets a protein and vitamin packed diet for 24 hours prior to feeding them to their lizard.
Other healthy insects for juvenile dragons include:
- Roaches
- Fly larvae
- Superworms
- Butterworms
- Earthworms
- Locusts
Do not feed your pet any insects you find outside!
These can have pesticides on them which can be toxic to your pet. They can also pass parasites onto your dragon which can cause major health issues.
You’ll want to offer insects to your juvenile beardy two to three times per day.
Let them eat as many as they want over the course of 15 minutes either by hand feeding one at a time, or by placing 2-3 insects at a time into their enclosure.
In addition to that, fresh veggies and some fruit should be allowed to stay in the cage throughout the day.
Some juveniles won’t eat much of this, but as they get older they will transition to a diet made up more of greens and less of insects.
Feeding Adult Bearded Dragons
As your beardy gets older and begins reaching its adult size, it won’t need as much meat and protein to sustain growth. This will be somewhere around 18 months.
In fact continuing to feed 70-80% insects at this point can lead to obesity which can cause numerous health issues.
At this point you will want to reduce meat and protein to once every 2-3 days.
The rest of the time you will want to provide them with finely chopped fruits, veggies and fresh greens.
The best diet is one that offers variety. Change things up, and keep your dragon happy. Who wants to eat the same meal every day?
I could provide a huge list of available foods for them to eat, but the truth is bearded dragons will eat nearly any plant, fruit, insect or vegetable you put in front of it.
Just like people, your specific pet is unique and will have likes and dislikes, so you may find some foods that it rejects. Overall though, they are easy to feed.
Rather than make a list of potential foods to feed, I’ll provide you with something I feel is more important.
What Not To Feed A Bearded Dragon
- Iceberg lettuce – There’s nothing inherently wrong or toxic about this food. Its just that regular old lettuce has no nutritional value, and will do nothing for your pet.
- Avocados – This fruit contains a protein known as persin, which is toxic to many animals.
- Spinach – While healthy for humans, spinach will sap the calcium out of the other foods your beardy eats, causing a calcium deficiency.
- Onions – These are too acidic for bearded dragons.
- Rhubarb – This can be poisonous to beardies.
- Lightning bugs/fireflies – I’ve already stated that you should never use insects that you catch, but it’s important to note that fireflies, and any luminescent (glowing) insect, can poison and kill your dragon.
- Garlic – Like onions, this is also too acidic
Supplements Needed For A Bearded Dragon
Vitamins and minerals play an important role in the overall health of your pet.
This is especially true of babies, juveniles and gravid females. They will be able to get much of their nutritional needs through a great diet, but the growing bodies of younger beardies, and the need to develop eggs in gravid females will require more.
Calcium and vitamin D3
These two typically come combined in a single powder form.
Calcium is one of the most important supplements you can offer to a bearded dragon to prevent metabolic bone disease, which is a common health concern.
To feed it to your pet, you simply dust their food with it.
Personally I only dust insects. To me, dusting the fruits and vegetables would make them taste bad. I know the beardy probably won’t mind, and yes I may be humanizing it a bit, but that’s just me. Either way will be fine.
To dust insects, simply put them in a sandwich bag, pour in a little powder, and shake them up. The dust will cover their body, and then be ingested by the lizard.
Babies and gravid females should receive this supplement daily. Juveniles will do well by receiving it every other day. Adults should only be given calcium and vitamin D3 once per week.
Other Supplements
There are numerous other supplements available on the market specifically for reptiles.
These can include vitamin A, iron, phosphorus and other vitamins and minerals.
Additional supplements like these usually aren’t necessary. Following the guidelines I gave above, and adding calcium and vitamin D3 like I recommended should be all you need unless you run into health complications and a veterinarian advises you otherwise.
Bearded Dragon Water Needs
Bearded dragons will often get much of their water needs through the foods they eat.
They should still be offered a water bowl with fresh water at all times. That being said, these guys live in a naturally dry and arid environment and don’t always recognize a bowl of water as a drinking source.
If you feel that your beardy is becoming dehydrated, here are some steps you can take.
- Mist the dragon one to two times per day. Bearded dragons will often lick the water droplets off of their skin as a way of drinking. Be careful not to mist so much that you raise the humidity level of the cage.
- Offer your beardy a bath. Some beardies can become stressed by this, while others absolutely love it. You will have to determine for yourself which is the case for you. These guys will often drink a little water while taking a bath.
- Feed greens that are a little higher in moisture content. I mentioned earlier that you should not feed lettuce since it has no nutritional value. Adding a little bit of lettuce to the diet strictly to help hydrate is OK if you feel it is needed.
- Rinse the food, and leave it damp. You don’t want the food to be soggy, but leaving moisture on it will help keep your pet hydrated.
Bearded Dragon Temperament
I’m guessing you already know the answer to this, but I’ll tell you anyways.
Bearded dragons have some of the best temperaments in the reptile pet kingdom. They have so much personality and spunk!
That’s not to say they are always in a good mood.
Just like all animals and even people, there may be times when they just want to be left alone. You won’t have to guess when those times are either. They will puff up their famous beard to let you know to stay away.
Generally speaking, those times are far and in between though. Usually when you see a beardy puffing out its beard, it’s because it is either scared or defending its territory.
Either way, it is a stressful time for the lizard, so this is not behavior that you want to encourage.
You should also know
Bearded dragons do not always play nice with one another. I know I mentioned this before, but it’s important enough to say again.
They should always be housed separately to avoid conflicts. Even though you often see them housed together as babies, they become very territorial as they mature.
Bearded Dragon Handling
Even though bearded dragons have a great temperament, and are generally easy to handle doesn’t mean they are born that way.
Baby beardies can be skittish early on. In the wild, anything that is reaching for them is most likely trying to eat them!
I often compare handling a bearded dragon to teaching a dog to walk with a leash. You see millions of dogs on leashes, but most people either don’t realize, or forget that puppies have to be trained to walk on a leash.
The first time they wear a collar and are hooked to a leash, they usually won’t follow you. Some will just sit there, while others may even fight it. In the end though, it becomes a natural part of their life very quickly and very easily.
Working with your dragon a few times per day, every day, will quickly teach it that you are not a threat. Most will even enjoy it, and want to hang out with you.
Tips for handling a bearded dragon.
- Keep the handling sessions short in the beginning. 10-15 minutes of handling 2-3 times per day will quickly acclimate your pet to interacting with you.
- Never pick up a bearded dragon by the tail. You should pick them up from underneath, and support their entire belly and chest.
- Try to always end handling sessions on a positive note. Your pet should be calm and relaxed when you place them back in the enclosure.
Bearded Dragon Health Issues
Bearded dragons have relatively few health concerns as long as they receive proper care and husbandry.
That being said, there are a few things you should be aware of, and be on the look out for.
- Atadenovirus – This is an extremely contagious virus prevalent with bearded dragons. It can easily be spread from one beardy to the next, can be passed from mother to baby, and can even be spread through contact surfaces. For the most part it is incurable, and is typically either fatal, or will leave your pet with lifelong health issues. There are two ways to prevent this.
- Only buy from reputable breeders. This virus is most often spread through large groups of babies being housed together. A “puppy mill” style breeder is most often at risk of this happening.
- Quarantine any newly purchased bearded dragon for two weeks, and observe it for signs of any illness.
- Metabolic bone disease – This is when the bone tissue is too thin, or abnormal. Signs could include swelling of the jaw or hind limbs, troubles walking, trembling while walking, or constantly staying crouched low to the ground. The cause of this is an improper diet.
- This is generally caused by a diet that is too high in phosphorus, and too low in either calcium, vitamin D3, or both.
- If caught early enough, this disease is treatable through intense correction of the missing nutrients. This should only be treated by a vet.
- This disease is easily preventable by feeding a proper diet, providing adequate supplements, and giving adequate UVB lighting.
- Respiratory infections – This is another health concern that is easily preventable through proper husbandry. It is most often caused by conditions that are too cold, too drafty, or if the dragon is too stressed out for a prolonged period of time.
- Impaction – This is when something undigestable gets stuck in the digestive track. It is usually caused by your beardy ingesting some of its substrate, with sand being one of the most common problems.
- As with most of the other health concerns, this is easily preventable with the proper care and husbandry that I’ve described in this article.
Bearded Dragon Life Span
Beardies are living longer than ever!
When I first began working with them over 20 years ago, the average life expectancy was 6-10 years. Now with modern husbandry, that life expectancy has increased to 10-12 years and is continuing to climb!
In fact, the record for the oldest bearded dragon in captivity is an astounding 18 years!
This is all due to a better understanding of their dietary needs, environmental needs, and just as importantly, better equipment such as UVB bulbs and terrariums.
Although they don’t live as long as some lizards such as the iguana, blue tongue skink, Nile monitor etc…you can still enjoy your pet for many years with the proper care and husbandry.
Breeding Bearded Dragons
Since this is just a care guide, I will only touch on the basics of breeding.
The topic of breeding is worthy of an article all to itself. I will be writing that article in the near future, and will provide a link once it is completed.
Steps To Breed Bearded Dragons
- Make sure they are healthy and sexually mature. – Of all the steps you take, this one is the most vital. Females should at least 350 grams and be 18 months of age. This is the minimum! Two years old and 375 grams or more would be much better.
- Give your beardies a brumation period. – This is a 3 month period of reduced temperature and hours of light per day. Doing this will trigger breeding behaviors, and help the male produce viable sperm.
- Lower the basking temperature to around 80 degrees.
- Decrease night time temperatures to 60 degrees.
- Reduce the number of daylight hours to 10, and increase the hours of darkness to 14.
- You can expect a change in behavior during this time. They might stay in their hide boxes a lot more, refuse to bask and their appetite will be greatly reduced. This is perfectly normal. Continue to provide water at all times, and offer food even if it is not eaten. Just don’t leave live insects in the enclosure. If they aren’t eaten in 15 minutes, remove them.
- Return the temperatures and lighting to normal after three months of brumation. – Within a few days of normal temperature and lighting, you will find your dragons appetite comes roaring back.
- This is the time to fatten them up for breeding.
- Females specifically should be offered calcium and vitamin D3 with every meal, in addition to any other vitamins you offer.
- Offer insects every day instead of every of once every 2-3 days.
- Watch for signs of mating behaviors. – After a few weeks, you should begin to see signs that your bearded dragons are ready, and probably eager, to mate.
- The male lizard’s beard will darken until it is almost completely black.
- Males will begin head bobbing a lot.
- Position the enclosures so the male and female can see one another.
- In addition to head bobbing, the male will stomp his front feet.
- For her part, the female will often appear to wave to the male as a sign that she is receptive to his courtship.
- Place the female in the males cage. – Once the signs of courtship have begun, you can place the female into the males cage.
- The actual copulation can be intense. The male will chase the female around the enclosure until he catches her and is able to mount her. He will bite her neck to hold her in place until he has finished.
- It is important that the enclosure be large enough for the female to have room to get away if she needs to. There should be visual barriers as well.
- Monitor your female for signs that she is overly stressed or injured in case the male gets overly excited and zealous.
- Leave the female in the male’s cage for one week, then return her to her own enclosure. – You will repeat this process three or four times. Leave her with the male for a week, separate them for a week, back and forth over the course of a month.
If you have observed copulation during this time, you should have a gravid female. Egg laying takes place 4-6 weeks after successful copulation.
You should begin to see signs that the female is growing a bit more plump. You might even be able to see the eggs, which will look like marbles, in her belly.
At this time the appetite of the female will be reduced. A few days before she lays her eggs, she will begin looking for a place to deposit them and might become extremely active.
Get a laying box prepared and have an incubator ready for when she lays her eggs.
Bearded Dragon Availability
As I’m sure you know, bearded dragons are readily available from a wide variety of sources.
You should be aware of this if you are considering breeding. The market is overloaded with breeders, and many of them are top notch quality breeders!
Which brings me to the point of telling you that you need to make sure you find and use a top notch quality breeder when you purchase a beardy.
Do your homework. Look for reviews from other people who have made purchases from a breeder you are considering. Ask to see pictures of the parents and their enclosures.
The first step to having a healthy, long lived pet bearded dragon is to make sure it is healthy from the beginning.
Summary
Bearded dragons can make awesome pets.
Their ease of care, quirky natures, great dispositions and general enjoyment of human interaction is unmatched in the reptile world.
Provide them with a good home and great husbandry, and you’ll have a wonderful pet for years to come.