Care Sheet
Housing
Bearded Dragons require the bare minimum tank size of a 40 gallon breeder (36 x 18 x 17"). While the bigger the better, the tank must be insulated to maintain the proper temperatures. Too small of a tank can cause your dragon to become stunted. Decor can range from logs to rocks to hammocks to beds. As long as the items are able to be properly washed, it will work. Humidity usually isn't a very big issue unless there is no ventilation or air flow, however, try to keep the humidity in the cage below 60%.
Substrate
There are many substrates available on the market but not all of them are safe. Substrates to avoid are reptile sand and crushed walnut sand. They are dangerous for your pets.
For beginners or those without much cleaning time, we recommend tile, paper towel, newspaper, fake grass, non-adhesive shelf liner, or reptile carpet.
For the more advanced keeper with more cleaning time, children's playsand and bioactive are also available choices.
At the end of the day, it's what's easiest and safest for you and your dragon.
Lighting
The admins here at Bearded Dragon Dynasty only recommend 10.0 fluorescent tube UVB bulbs. Reptisun has proven out so far to be the best bulb on the market, and Arcadia isn't too far off. The T8 bulb (pictured right) is the cheaper bulb that lasts generally up to 6 months and should be replaced. The T5 bulb is stronger and lasts longer, needing to be replaced only every 9-12 months.
Mercury Vapor Bulbs (MVBs) are also an option. They give out heat and UVB, however the UVB is only focused on the basking spot instead of spanning the entire tank. That is why we prefer the fluorescent tube bulb.
Bulbs to avoid are the compact coil and the coil. Both bulbs put out very little UVB and only directly under the bulb. Using only these bulbs can result in Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD).
The basking temperature for babies should range from 100-115F.
Adults are usually most comfortable at 100-105F.
The hot side ambient temperature should be 85-90F and the cool side ambient should be in the low to mid 70s.
To measure temperatures, an infrared temperature gun works well. Temperature and humidity gauges can be found at your local home improvement store generally very cheap. Avoid stick on gauges from pet stores.
Diet
As a baby, bearded dragons require a diet of 80% live insects and 20% greens. This ensures that they will have enough protein as they grow very quickly over the next couple of months. Make sure there is always a fresh salad available. They should be fed small insect meals 3 times a day until around 5 months, when they should start getting fed 2 insect meals a day. Around 8 months, one insect meal a day. Once they reach 12 months of age, they should switch to 80% greens and 20% live insects.
As an adult, make sure there is variety in their diet. Staple foods include, but are not limited to, collard greens, mustard greens, turnip greens, and butternut squash. Too much protein in an adult diet can lead to gout, which is a painful disease where crystals grow in the joints.
Bearded Dragons require the bare minimum tank size of a 40 gallon breeder (36 x 18 x 17"). While the bigger the better, the tank must be insulated to maintain the proper temperatures. Too small of a tank can cause your dragon to become stunted. Decor can range from logs to rocks to hammocks to beds. As long as the items are able to be properly washed, it will work. Humidity usually isn't a very big issue unless there is no ventilation or air flow, however, try to keep the humidity in the cage below 60%.
Substrate
There are many substrates available on the market but not all of them are safe. Substrates to avoid are reptile sand and crushed walnut sand. They are dangerous for your pets.
For beginners or those without much cleaning time, we recommend tile, paper towel, newspaper, fake grass, non-adhesive shelf liner, or reptile carpet.
For the more advanced keeper with more cleaning time, children's playsand and bioactive are also available choices.
At the end of the day, it's what's easiest and safest for you and your dragon.
Lighting
The admins here at Bearded Dragon Dynasty only recommend 10.0 fluorescent tube UVB bulbs. Reptisun has proven out so far to be the best bulb on the market, and Arcadia isn't too far off. The T8 bulb (pictured right) is the cheaper bulb that lasts generally up to 6 months and should be replaced. The T5 bulb is stronger and lasts longer, needing to be replaced only every 9-12 months.
Mercury Vapor Bulbs (MVBs) are also an option. They give out heat and UVB, however the UVB is only focused on the basking spot instead of spanning the entire tank. That is why we prefer the fluorescent tube bulb.
Bulbs to avoid are the compact coil and the coil. Both bulbs put out very little UVB and only directly under the bulb. Using only these bulbs can result in Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD).
The basking temperature for babies should range from 100-115F.
Adults are usually most comfortable at 100-105F.
The hot side ambient temperature should be 85-90F and the cool side ambient should be in the low to mid 70s.
To measure temperatures, an infrared temperature gun works well. Temperature and humidity gauges can be found at your local home improvement store generally very cheap. Avoid stick on gauges from pet stores.
Diet
As a baby, bearded dragons require a diet of 80% live insects and 20% greens. This ensures that they will have enough protein as they grow very quickly over the next couple of months. Make sure there is always a fresh salad available. They should be fed small insect meals 3 times a day until around 5 months, when they should start getting fed 2 insect meals a day. Around 8 months, one insect meal a day. Once they reach 12 months of age, they should switch to 80% greens and 20% live insects.
As an adult, make sure there is variety in their diet. Staple foods include, but are not limited to, collard greens, mustard greens, turnip greens, and butternut squash. Too much protein in an adult diet can lead to gout, which is a painful disease where crystals grow in the joints.