Bearded Dragons Care Sheet

Inland bearded dragon - (Pogona vitticeps)

Care Sheet

Longevity: 7-10 years (Good captive conditions)

Size: Up to nearly two feet.

Behaviors:

Beard display: Defensive behavior (primarily by males and more readily during breeding season.

Arm waving: Young, often when larger dragons are in sight and during basking, older females, during breeding when males get aggressive, behavior not common in older males.

Head Bobbing: Aggressive action in males, drastic (usually rapid) up and down head movement.

Bowing: Up in down motion by females, slow push ups, submissive behavior.

Gaping: When basking or in direct sunlight, dragons may gape to cool down.

Enclosures:

Number of animals per enclosure:

Bearded dragons can be kept singly or in sexual pairs; also in breeding groups consisting of one male and two are more females. Two males with several females may be kept together in larger enclosures, two basking areas should be provided and still expect some fighting among males during breeding season.

The minimum requirements that allow for a good quality of life:

Indoor vivaria: 36"Lx16"Wx17"H (may be smaller for a single dragon) but a larger vivarium is preferred.

Substrate: Sand (no finer than #30), lizard litter, alfalfa pellets.

Landscaping: Bearded dragons climb. Basking and resting areas should be created with large rocks and or wood sections. Also, shelters should be provided out of the range of the basking lights.

Lighting: One spot light over each basking area. Also full-spectrum lighting is highly recommended. Recommend exposing bearded dragons to direct sunlight for at least 30 min., 3 times a week.

Heating: Daytime Temperature should be 80-85 degrees F (26.7-29.4 C) with at least one basking area reaching 88-95 degrees F. Use thermometers, DON'T guess!

Feeding:

Food sources: Crickets, mealworms, king mealworms (super worms), and plant food (Kale, Collards, etc.).

1-2 Months 3/8" crickets twice a day (vitamin/mineral supplemented for 1st feeding). Finely chopped kale & chopped frozen mixed vegies, thawed every other day.

2-4 Months 1/2" crickets twice a day (vitamin/mineral supplemented for 1st feeding every other day). Finely chopped kale, mustard greens, collards, bok choy, romaine, squash) and finely chopped mixed vegies every other day.

4 ms.-Maturity 3/4" crickets once to twice daily. (vitamin/mineral supplemented every other day). Chopped kale, mustard greens, collards, bok choy, romaine, squash) and mixed vegies every other feeding.

Adults Prewing crickets and/or super worms every 1 to 2 days. (vitamin/mineral supplemented twice a week). Chopped kale, mustard greens, collards, bok choy, romaine, squash) every other feeding.

Vitamin/mineral supplement: 1 part multi vitamin to 2-5 parts calcium powder(Rep-Cal phosphorous free).

No more crickets! We have done away with feeding crickets/mealworms and vegies except for occasional snacks. We now feed them Rep-Cal bearded dragon food (a dry food - pellets in a jar). A small dish daily for hatchlings up to 6 inches SVL, followed by hand feeding the little ones once a day (usually evenings). Larger dragons 6 inches SVL and up, we give 5-6 pellets daily. Watch your fingers if you hand feed them these pellets. For both the juvenile and adult food, you soak the food in warm tap water about 5 or 10 minutes before you feed it to them. The food should feel spongy.

Water: Fresh clean water should be offered three times a week in a shallow dish.

Warning: Lightning Bugs are DEADLY POISONOUS to Bearded Dragons! This highlights the dangers of feeding wild caught insects to your bearded dragons. Our rule is no wild caught insects. The insect may be safe but you never know where that bug has been. The bug may have eaten weed poison or bug poison.