| This is what your set up should look like. |
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| (Picture from Kakadu Dragons) |
Cage Set Up
From 6 Weeks to 3 Months Old:
Your dragon will do best in a smaller enclosure. If you have the resources, then you should raise your hatchling
dragon in a 10-30 gallon tank until he/she gets bigger. If you already have a big tank then you may want to partition off
a smaller section for your dragon.
The tank should be bare for a young dragon. Babies can get lost in a large or extremely elaborate tank with
lots of beardie furiniture. They may not be able to find the basking spot easily, and if there are too many places to hide
they may not get enough heat or UVB exposure.
In a hatchling’s tank you want only one basking rock and possibly a simple branch under the UVB light
and no other decorations. If you want to make an elaborate desert scene then wait until your dragon is older.
Never leave a young dragon with a water dish. Hatchlings can drown in a very small amount of water.
From 3 Months and Up:
An Adult dragon should be raised in a large tank. An enclosure should be large enough to provide a wide temperature gradient both horizontally
and vertically. Do not get a fish tank that is very tall as it will be difficult to reach to the bottom. Your
dragon needs floor space more then he needs vertical space. The absolute minimum size tank that an adult dragon can be kept
in is 40 gallons. An adult dragon can survive in a 40 gallon long tank, but it will not thrive there, this is the bare minimum.
If you want a happy adult dragon you need over 6 square feet of floor space. You should have a tank that is at least 3.5 feet
long and 2 feet wide. The more room you have for your dragon the better. A good rule of thumb for the correct sized
tank is make sure it is 2-3x the length of your Bearded Dragon. So, let's say we had a 15 inch long dragon (snout to
tail)... 15 x 3 = 45. A 45 gal tank is what you need for a 15 inch long dragon to thrive. Dragons like to climb,
so having some vertical space (height) is good too, 18-24 inches is a good height range. Tanks, no matter what age
you are housing, should have ample ventilation. An open top or screen topped aqaurium works great.
| Reptarium |
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Reptariums (Full screen cages)
Myth:
Reptarium mesh cages are perfect environments for any reptile of any size!
Truth:
Reptariums are NOT suitable cages for Bearded Dragons. These mesh screen cages do not
hold in the amount of heat needed to sustain a healthy environment for a Bearded Dragon. Beardies need a certain amount
of heat to stay healthy both mentaly and physicaly, they need heat to digest properly and thermoregulate.
Myth:
Pet stores and websites claim, "Reptariums allow the reptile to get fresh air, just like
in the desert! This is essential to their well being!"
Truth:
Yes, that's true. It WILL offer air flow.. however, These cages were
made for outdoor purposes only. You can bring your Beardie outside to sun bathe for a while so you
don't have to worry about them running off or about other wild animals getting to them. That is the only purpose to these
cages.
The proper amount of heat inside of a Bearded Dragon's cage is far more important than
how much air flow there is. A screened lid on a glass aqaurium is MORE than enough ventilation. These cages are simply a waste
of money.
Don't be fooled by websites and pet stores that only care about one thing - Money.If
you want a healthy dragon, don't buy a reptarium!
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