Bearded Dragons

[DiscoPat]

Does anyone know how difficult it is to give a bearded dragon optimal living conditions? I have a Savannah monitor and after I move him to his huge cage I will have a 4x2x2 empty enclosure I could use for a bearded dragon. Would this be big enough for a good amount of time and how big should it be for when they are adults.

Also what are the temp gradients required, or substrate information. Feeding habits.

Basically I am looking for someone who has a lot of experience with them and if they are a semi easy lizard to care for. (in comparison to Savs)

[beardeds4life]

Yes very easy. A 4x2x2 will house one its entire life. Just look up care sheets. There is no point in making someone type it all.

[SpOoKy]

I will give you a quick run down of how I keep my beardies since I have found each is different. It is good to follow a guideline but you will find each animal does better with little changes specific to them.

I have multilple basking spots created with one bulb that produces surface temps in the range of 120-100. They use them all. My oldest will bask at 120 where my youngest usually doesnt go much higher then 111.
UVB buld of 10.0 must be used, no lower. Also you will have to change these every 6 months or so because even if they are giving light, the UVB will deteriorate.

Substrate- both mine are on a sand/soil mix. Gives them places to dig and lay eggs (for the female), also creates stimulation by allowing them to dig for bugs.
Do not use Calci-sand even though it says vet approved for lizards. It is always a no no. if ingested can be fatal. Paper towel or tiles will also work although they do not allow for beardies to dig.

Food- young beardies need high protein diet. Basically the same inverts you feed to your sav but for beardies you need to watch the size. Feed them nothing larger then the space between their eyes. They will not rip up large prey like a monitor they will just swallow and this can cause blocked airway and impaction problems. Offer a young one a veggie salad to get him used to greens a young age. salad will make up almost 80% of their diet as adults.

Here is a link to a great bearded dragon site that will go over all the appropriate food items.
Nutrition Content (http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Nutrition.html)

Any more question just ask :)

[Drgnfly2265]

Beardies are really easy to care for.

40 gallon breeder tanks are the smallest that should be used for one adult. But, of course, if you can give it a bigger area then thats even better. And I think that beardies should be housed seperately.

Subtrate - I use a non-adhesive shelf liner that I just cut to fit the bottom of the tank. When they poo all I have to do it wipe it up. Another idea that people use is tile. I would stay away from loose substrate, just my opinion.

Temps - Babies require a little higher temp than adults. For babies I had a basking spot temp of 105 and the cool side about 80-85. Now that my girls are adults I keep their basking temp at 95 and the cool side at 80-85.

Food - Babies need a lot of protien. 80% protien and 20% greens. Good feeders are reptiworms/pheonix worms, crickets, dubia roaches, superworms (once the beardie is long enough), and silk worms. Make sure the feeders are no longer than the length between their eyes. Waxworms and hornworms can be used as treats. My girls LOVE them :laugh: Once they are adults, their diet switches to 80% greens and 20% protien. The link that SpOoky posted is a great place for more food ideas! Now that my girls are adults I'll feed them greens in the morning and a couple of superworms when I get home (every other day for the superworms).

Here are some pics of my girls tanks...
Here is Midna's viv
http://i920.photobucket.com/albums/ad46/drgnfly2265/Yaddle/setupM.jpg

And here is Yaddle's viv
http://i920.photobucket.com/albums/ad46/drgnfly2265/Yaddle/setupY.jpg

[DiscoPat]

Thank you so much guys. What is the biggest one have you been around or know them to get?

[Drgnfly2265]

Thank you so much guys. What is the biggest one have you been around or know them to get?
Yaddle is 17 1/2 inches. I seen one at Petco that was HUGE. It was a male that was 28" long. Of couse I had to get a picture :bouncy:
http://i920.photobucket.com/albums/ad46/drgnfly2265/hugebeardie.jpg

[DiscoPat]

That lizard is huge. I wonder how it got so big.

[Drgnfly2265]

That lizard is huge. I wonder how it got so big.
I wish I knew. I wanted to ask so many questions but we had to leave.

[brooksy]

It could be a true German Giant beardie. Its so handsome looking!
I too would recommend only one per enclosure and the size you have with hive lots of space to be enjoyed if you give it many things to run over/under/around. It is the size I will have my stackable enclosures made in.
And I would recommend tile. Easy to clean, you just take out the messy tile and wash it. And this avoids impaction from particulate substrates.

[beardeds4life]

if you get a german giant you should have a 5 foot cage

[DiscoPat]

It is funny because I was just about to ask about that, so 5x2x1.5 or 5x3x2? Does anyone know if this site is legitimate? Bearded Dragons For Sale - A-1 Reptiles.net (http://www.a1reptiles.net/bearded-dragons-for-sale.html)

[Drgnfly2265]

Finding an actual German Giant is really really hard to do. The bloodline is "watered down". A lot of times when you see someone selling a beardie and they are calling it a German Giant it probably isn't one unless they have proof of the blood lines.

For tank size, a 40 gallon breeder is the smallest for an adult beardie. Bigger is always better of course :)

[woahamie]

Another thing you need - teach them how to eat their greens.
Good things for them to eat:
-Cactus
-Collard green
-Alfalfa plant
-Mustard greens
(but there's a lot more)
If you start them off young, they'll love it. Because once they're adults, they'll be eating more greens, less protein.

As for the UVB, make sure it's a REPTISUN 10.0
It's the best that's on the market right now. And make sure it's the tube, not the coil bulb, ya know, the spiral type. It's been known to give eye problems.

Some people put water bowls in their beardies tank, but I don't cause that raises the humidity up, and it can get your dragon sick. What you can do, and it's what I do, about 3 times a week, I fill up my sink with water, just enough to cover her feet and belly and let her soak there for about 15 mins. they have a slit at the underside of their belly, and it soaks up moisture, keeping them hydrated. It's also a good way to rid them of poopies and stuff they might have stuck to them.


My feeding plan?
-20 large (or small, depending the size you get your dragon) crickets in the morning.
-A fresh salad (I usually do hers with collard greens and cactus) also in the morning, but every other day, cause if not her poop gets a little runny.
-15 large (or small, depending on the size you get your dragon) at night.
MAKE SURE TO CALCIUM POWDER THE CRICKETS! VERY IMPORTANT!
You can also feed them phoenix worms.
Edit: Waxworms, superworms, and mealworms are not staple dietary needs. Those are given as treats!

I have her lights on from 9:30am to 9:30pm. So that way she has her 12 full hours of sun and UVB. Buy a timer, you'll thank me later. $20 at home depot.

I don't recommend sand. That causes impaction, so basically when they swallow that, and it gets clumped, they can't poop and get really sick. And it also stains your dragon, and I'm sure you don't want that. I use linoleum tile for my tank. Works like a charm. Easy cleanup too.
If you can get some sort of background, get it. It doesn't stress them out as much, thinking they're not in a wide open space.

For whatever reason, do not, I mean, DO NOT, ever peel off their skin when they're shedding. It hurts them. Just soak them in water and it'll help relive them of that dead skin.


If you have any questions, PM me. I'm more than happy to help! :D

[DiscoPat]

So will a watered down bloodline one still break 20 inches or so?

also Thank you very much for the detailed info. The more I can get the better because if Bearded Dragons are easy to take care of then I want to give them the best conditions possible for a non insane price.

[beardeds4life]

I disagree woth the statement that superworms are not good feeders and should be given as treats. For adult dragons they are 1,000% better than crickets. Their meat to chitin ration is much better than crickets and 1 adult superworm equals 4 adult crickets because of the amount of unusable parts (i.e. legs). They are also much richer in nutrients. I would switch around your diet. And for adult dragons do not calcium powder the crickets every feeding that is way to much. Maybe once avery 2 days.They should have more greens than protein. They should have superworms instead of a salad once maybe twice a week with as much as they will eat in a 15 minute sitting. Then a few superworms with their salad.

For the u.v. bulb the reptisun is NOT the best on the market. The acacia 12.0 will offer your dragon a lot more u.v. and your dragon will be much brighter. You also sould not have to teach them how to eat greens. It is natural for them. Some get addicted to protein and never eat enough salad but that is the keepers fault.

[beardeds4life]

So will a watered down bloodline one still break 20 inches or so?

also Thank you very much for the detailed info. The more I can get the better because if Bearded Dragons are easy to take care of then I want to give them the best conditions possible for a non insane price.

depending on where you get it from.

I STRONGLY recommend these guys-

BeardedDragons.co (http://www.beardeddragons.co/shop/index.php?route=common/home)

[woahamie]

I disagree woth the statement that superworms are not good feeders and should be given as treats. For adult dragons they are 1,000% better than crickets. Their meat to chitin ration is much better than crickets and 1 adult superworm equals 4 adult crickets because of the amount of unusable parts (i.e. legs). They are also much richer in nutrients. I would switch around your diet. And for adult dragons do not calcium powder the crickets every feeding that is way to much. Maybe once avery 2 days.They should have more greens than protein. They should have superworms instead of a salad once maybe twice a week with as much as they will eat in a 15 minute sitting. Then a few superworms with their salad.

For the u.v. bulb the reptisun is NOT the best on the market. The acacia 12.0 will offer your dragon a lot more u.v. and your dragon will be much brighter. You also sould not have to teach them how to eat greens. It is natural for them. Some get addicted to protein and never eat enough salad but that is the keepers fault.

I meant that if it's still a baby, it shouldn't be eating superworms.
The UVB bulb, yes, the Arcadia 12% is better, but more expensive. At least the reptisun it more economical.
And I know of many, MANY dragons who don't like greens. It's not really the keepers fault. My previous dragon wouldn't even look at them, even if I offered some waxworms mixed in with them. But yes, some do prefer the protein.

Something else I forgot to mention about the UVB... you have to find a way to mount it inside the tank. If you just place it on top of the mesh screen, they won't be getting the beneficial D3 they need. Replace every 6 months!!

[beardeds4life]

I also know many dragons who dont eat greens. It is always 100% the keepers fault. You also do not need to mount the u.v.b in the cage. As long as you dont have extremely fine mesh, it goes the length of the cage, and it is at the proper distance their is no reason to mount the bulb in the cage. I know the Acadia bulb is more expensive but before you said the reptisun was the best when that is scientifically not true. Can I ask where you are getting your information?

[Valvaren]

Its always safer to mount inside, that makes sure they are getting the full bulb and not only half.

Also I don't believe it is 100% the keepers fault and i'd like to know where you are getting YOUR information. My dragon has been offered greens since the day I got her when she was roughly a month old, she is over two now and i've pretty much covered everything she can eat and she just doesn't want any of it.

One thing you need to learn about dragons is they are just as varied as people, some will like things others wont and most are stubborn little children who want nothing more then to be pains in the behind.

[Drgnfly2265]

I don't have a screen lid on my 40 gallon breeder so I just made 2 metal rods hold up the uvb on each side.

[woahamie]

I also know many dragons who dont eat greens. It is always 100% the keepers fault. You also do not need to mount the u.v.b in the cage. As long as you dont have extremely fine mesh, it goes the length of the cage, and it is at the proper distance their is no reason to mount the bulb in the cage. I know the Acadia bulb is more expensive but before you said the reptisun was the best when that is scientifically not true. Can I ask where you are getting your information?


How is it the keepers fault if the dragon doesn't eat greens? o.O

And as for the UVB, sheesh, it's one of the best, better?

[beardeds4life]

I am sorry if I sounded rude it was not meant rude. Most of the cases I see are ill care where the keeper didnt introduce it early enough so the dragons became accustomed to oonly protein so they never ate anything else.

[brooksy]

I wish that my beardie's previous owner had fed a variety of greens, cause since I got my adult beardie from our local reptile society's rescue he has been a bigger fan of crickets or worms and rarely even puts a dent in his salad. Soo frusterating! So if you get a baby, make sure you feed everytype of staple to it that you can at it's age. I know bearded dragons that eat anything, since their owners made an effort to do this and some who refuse all staple veggies.

[woahamie]

I am sorry if I sounded rude it was not meant rude. Most of the cases I see are ill care where the keeper didnt introduce it early enough so the dragons became accustomed to oonly protein so they never ate anything else.

That I completely understand. But there are some cases, that even if introduced as a baby, they won't eat greens. Others devour it like monsters. I know mine does.

The first dragon I got didn't really like greens unless I put some sort of worm in it. Now the one I have now, the first day I got her, I served her a small bowl of salad with no worms, and she ate it like a champ; still does! Every dragon is different.

[beardeds4life]

I wish that my beardie's previous owner had fed a variety of greens, cause since I got my adult beardie from our local reptile society's rescue he has been a bigger fan of crickets or worms and rarely even puts a dent in his salad. Soo frusterating! So if you get a baby, make sure you feed everytype of staple to it that you can at it's age. I know bearded dragons that eat anything, since their owners made an effort to do this and some who refuse all staple veggies.

Try not feeding her for about 3 days and then give her a big salad and hopefully she will start eating them. That is how I always helped people fix it. From then on the dragons would always eat their greens.