A Guide to Understanding and Raising Bearded Dragons

Bearded dragons (genus Pogona) are desert and semi-arid reptiles. There are eight eight known species, some of which are popularly kept as exotic pets by many reptile lovers.

Among those kept as pets, the inland or central bearded dragon (Pogona vitticeps) is the most commonly. However, a few people have the Pygmy or Rankin’s Dragon (Pogona henrylawsoni) and rarely Eastern Bearded dragons (Pogona barbata).

In this discussion, we will be focusing on inland or central bearded dragon. Otherwise, see Rankin’s Dragon or Eastern Bearded dragon.

Classification

• Class: Reptilia
• Order: Squamata
• Suborder: Iguania
• Family: Agamidae
• Genus: Pogona
• Species: P. vitticeps.

Quick facts

Description and appearance

Bearded dragons have a beard-like pouch on their throat’s underside covered with spiny scales. They puff these pouches and their color changes for various reasons.

These agamid lizards have a broad body, a wide triangular head, a robust tail (that is more than half their overall length), and short, stout legs.

Their neck sides and back of their heads are covered with spiny reptilian scales and they have a row of these spines on the sides of their body starting from their forelimbs, running towards their tail.

Bearded dragon standard colors range from light tan to brown to reddish-brown with yellow, orange, or red hints.

Besides the typical color, appearance, and texture, you will find several bearded dragon morphs that have slight visual differences from a standard one, such as:

• Hypomelanistic (hypo)
• Translucent or trans
• German giants
• Leatherbacks
• Slikbacks or silkies
• Macroscale
• Silverback
• Zeros, snows, or whites (patternless)
• Witblits
• Wero
• Tiger
• Genetic stripped
• Dunner
• Paradox

Typical morph colors include red, orange, tangerine, tans, browns, yellows like golden and sand fire) citrus, albino, purple, blue, blue flame, pastel, silvery, white, all whites, pale, and so on. 

Finally, note that a morph can have several traits, such as hypo and trans or tiger and citrus in color.

Bearded dragon housing and habitat

Bearded dragons need a correct tank, terrarium, or vivarium size that is kept at ideal conditions (temperature and humidity) and provided with UVA and UVB light.

It should be well ventilated, and placed in areas with little or no disruptions, away from direct sunlight (will cause overheating). They also need various enrichments, furniture, and décor.

Finally, the tank should be secure to prevent escape or attack by predators or access by other house pets. Common bearded dragon predators are goannas (a kind of lizards), foxes, dingoes, snakes, feral cats, or birds of prey

1. Living arrangement

Since they are solitary critters, bearded dragons should be housed alone as keeping them may result in breeding, fighting, or competition for food and other resources.

2. Tank type and material of construction

Bearded dragons can live in glass terrariums or tanks, wooded (wood and glass), plywood, melamine, PVC, vison cages, ABS tanks, or you can even modify your fish tank. You have the freedom to go for what you like. However, glass tanks are the most popular.

What to avoid: Avoid using wire mesh as it will be hard to retain ideal conditions (temperature and humidity), and it will injure your bearded dragon’s nose.

3. Ideal tank size

The ideal tank size depends on your bearded dragon’s size, which is related to its age, and you should consider not just the volume but also dimensions, i.e., it must be broad and long enough. Some tall ones may have a large volume but will not be suitable as these pets are not arboreal.

Correct tank sizes are as follows:

• Hatchlings: Newly hatched bearded dragons measure about four inches in length or less. You can keep them in 15-20 gallons tanks, some of which will have dimensions such as 18 by 18 by 12-Inch.
• Babies: They are 0-2 months of age and measure below 10 inches in length. Ideal tank sizes for baby bearded dragons should be at least 20 gallons and more, with typical dimensions being 18″ x 18″ x 18″ or 18″x 18″ x 24″.
• Juveniles: Most juveniles measure 10-16 inches in length and are aged between 2 months to 7 months. Perfect tank sizes for juvenile bearded dragons should be at least 40 gallons. Such terrariums may have dimensions such as 24″ x 18″ x 24″ or 36″ x 18″ x 18″.
• Subadults: Subadults are those aged between 8 and 18 months and may measure 16-20 inches long. The best tank size for subadults should be 55-67 gallons with typical dimensions such as 36″ x 18″ x 18″, 48″ x 18″ x 18″, 36″ x 24″ x 18″, or 36″ x 18″ x 18″.  
• Adults: Adults measure 20 inches or more and are aged at least 18 months. Correct tank sizes for an adult bearded dragon should be at least 75 gallons, with 120 gallons recommended for adults that are 24 inches long. Some of the tank dimensions you may get are 48″x18″x 20″ or 48″ x 24″ x 24″ (4 feet by 2 feet by 2).

Notice: Since the ideal tank or enclosure size depends on your bearded dragon’s size, the tank size you need for your juveniles, subadults, or adults may vary. For instance, adults measuring 16 inches can still live in 40-gallon tanks, while those measuring 20 inches can live in 55 to 67 gallons tanks.

4. Substrate

While you can have a tank with no substrate, it will be a good idea to have a substrate. A suitable substrate for bearded dragons should be safe, easy to clean or spot clean, absorbent, less dusty, and less messy. It should also provide a grip, help wear their nails, prevent microorganism growth, and encourage natural behaviors like digging, look like their natural habitats, and so on.

There are commercial substrates as well as those you can modify one at home, with common types being:

• Sand (loose substrate)
• Stone, porcelain, linoleum, ceramic, or textured slate
• Reptile mats and carpets
• Shelf-liner (non-adhesive and textured)
• Aspen shavings
• Paper towels and newspapers
• Artificial turf or grass
• Leaf litter or leaves
• Alfalfa pellets
• Excavator clay
• Bioactive substrate

There is a debate on the safety of calcium sand (Calci-sand and Vita sand), silica sand, and walnut shells. Talk to your vet for further advice before you use these substrates.

However, avoid bark-chips (Zoo med Repti Bark or Exo Terra Forest Bark), pea rock and gravel, soil or potting soil, perlite, sphagnum moss, and vermiculite. Additionally, avoid rabbit pellets, corn cobs, millet, mulches, pine shavings, AstroTurf, pebbles, or anything with fertilizers and chemicals.

5. Habitat conditions

A tank with a substrate isn’t enough. You need to ensure you maintain the right conditions for these pets, which as follows:

a). Temperature and heat lamps or sources

The optimum core temperature of bearded dragons is about 36.3°C (97.3°F). Therefore, since they are cold-blooded (cannot maintain their body temperature), you need to ensure you maintain the right enclosure temperature.

During the day, the bearded dragon’s tank temperature should be 75-85°F (24-29°C) with the basking spot temperature being 88-100°F (31-38°C).

At night, keep the temperature at 70-75°F (21-24°C) and invest in a night-time heat source if the ambient temperature falls below 65°F (18.3°C).

Typical heat sources include infrared lamps, ceramic heaters, mercury vapor lamps, metallic-halide lamps, heat mats, rocks, strips, cables or pads, and space heaters.

At night, avoid lamps or bulbs with visible light and instead go for ceramic heaters or any other heater without visible or white light as these exotic pets need darkness to sleep well.

Finally, to help monitor temperature have thermometers on the cooler and basking side to monitor the temperature.

b). Full-spectrum UV light (visible light, UVA, and UVB light)

Bearded dragons need a full spectrum ultraviolet light, i.e., that emulates natural daylight with visible and UV light. It should cover at least three-quarters of the tank and overlapping the basking area.

The full spectrum UV light should be available for 12-14 hours in spring and summer and about 8-10 hours during fall and winter (encourages brumation).

Buy bulbs like ReptiSun and many other brands and ensure you replace them after six months or as recommended by manufacturers and mount them at correct distances.

UVB helps bearded dragons to synthesize vitamin D3, and visible light helps regulate cardigan rhythm (wake-sleep cycle), among other roles.

Notice: UVB light doesn’t penetrate glass or plastic. Therefore, don’t put your UV lamps or bulbs behind glass or transparent plastic.

c). Humidity

Always maintain the humidity in your bearded dragon’s tank at 20-40%, with the ideal level being 30% to 40%. Have multiple humidity gauges or meters placed at various points in the tank to ensure you maintain this humidity level.

6. Bearded dragon tank décor and furniture

Besides humidity gauge and thermometers. You also need a few other supplies that include the following:

• Thermostats – help in controlling the temperature
• Light and bulb fixtures
• Décor, toys, and furniture to enrich their lives, i.e., offer playing, basking, climbing, digging or hiding place such as logs, rocks, caves, hideaways, and so on.
• Cover screens (if your tank didn’t have one) or you need replacement.
• Reptiles timers if you want to automate the time heat and light come on or goes off.

Diet, nutrition, and food list

Bearded dragons are omnivorous (they eat both plants and other animals). While in the wild, they will eat fruits, vegetables, herbs, flowers, and other plants and invertebrates like insects, snails, slugs, etc., and prey on small vertebrates like bird hatchlings, dead animals, or lizards they can catch.

On the other hand, they will get water from their food, mist, rain, dew, or drink any standing water. While living in captivity, you need to ensure these lizards have the right diets too.

Their diets should have protein, carbohydrates, fatty acids, vitamins and minerals like beta carotene (boost proper skin coloration and vibrancy), calcium and vitamin D3, vitamin A, iron, and calcium to phosphorus ratio 1.5:1 – 2:1.

Fortunately, when it comes to their food, you have is a wide range of foods to feed them that include the following:

1. Bugs and feeder insects

The best insects and bugs to feed bearded dragons daily (staple) include crickets, roaches, black soldier larvae (Calci-worms or phoenix worms), grasshopper, hornworms, and locusts. Pinky mice and butterworms are good semi-staples.

On the other hand, redworms, tomato hornworms, mealworms, superworms (kingworms), earthworms, nightcrawlers, fall armyworms, fruit flies (flightless) can be fed occasionally.  

What to avoid: Wild-caught bugs or insects, bees, wasps, Eldersburg, dragonflies, mosquitoes, wasps, bugs sold as fish bait, and boxelder bugs. Also, avoid lightning bugs, fireflies, or any glowing worms, seafood (may deplete niacin), and so on.

Finally, note that raw seafood, including sardines, prawns, salmons, squids, tuna, mackerels, crabs, lobsters, and so on, may carry harmful parasites and disease-causing germs.

2. Vegetables

Vegetables are high in various vital nutrients, including folate, vitamin A, C, K, fiber, minerals like potassium, manganese, calcium, etc., as well as phytonutrients. These exotic pets need all these nutrients.

Your bearded dragons can eat fresh, frozen (allow them to thaw naturally), canned (without an additive), or dried (first wet them) vegetables. You can chop or grate them to make eating easier. However, some may require cooking to make them palatable.

Here are safe vegetables suitable for daily, occasional, rare, those to avoid, and those to watch.

a). Daily veggies (staples)

Good daily vegetables for bearded dragons include cactus leaf, prickly pear pads (without thorns), endive, dandelion greens, escarole, radicchio, alfalfa plant (not sprouts), and squash (acorn, spaghetti, scallop, butternut, Hubbard squash).

b). Occasional feeding

These lizards can eat alfalfa sprout, arugula, asparagus, green beans, green peas, carrot, and carrot tops for occasional feeding.

Others are bell peppers (green, yellow, red, or any color), pea sprout, wheatgrass, okra, kelp or seaweed, chicory, zucchini, pumpkin, and peeled cucumber.

c). Rare feeding

Vegetables to rarely feed your bearded dragons include corn, ripe tomatoes, cooked or canned beans (garbanzo, kidney, lima, pinto), cooked sweet potatoes, cassava (boiled), yams (cooked), potatoes (cooked), soybeans (canned or cooked) among others.

e). Vegetables high in oxalates

Bearded dragons should eat foods high in oxalates like spinach, radish tops, beet greens, beetroot, Swiss chard, mustard greens, and others rarely, like a few times in a month. Such foods may contribute to metabolic bone disease and kidney damage.

Oxalates will bind with calcium causing low calcium in blood serum, contributing to metabolic bone disease. Also, since calcium oxalates precipitate (forms insoluble crystals), they may cause kidney damage.

f). Veggies high in goitrogens

Be cautious when giving bearded dragon’s vegetables high in goitrogens because they may result in goiter since they decrease thyroid activities.

Some of the vegetables high in goitrogens include spinach, broccoli, cabbage, bok choy, radish greens, brussels sprouts, kale, mustard greens, kohlrabi, watercress, collard greens, and cauliflowers. Others are horseradish, rutabagas, swede, and turnips.

g). Those to avoid

Don’t feed chives, onions, leeks, spring onions, eggplants, rhubarb as they are potentially harmful or toxic.

Also, avoid celery (fibrous), iceberg lettuce, head lettuce, green lettuce, red lettuce, and so on as they have little nutritional value

3. Safe herbs

Bearded dragons can safely eat some herbs such as basil, coriander (cilantro), fennel, lavender, fresh rosemary, borage, thyme, spearmint, lemongrass, parsley, sage, dill, oregano, among others, occasionally as part of the greens mix they eat.

However, keep the parsley low as this herb is high in oxalates and avoid hot pepper or chilis, garlic, and bay leaves.

4. Safe plants and flowers

These reptiles can eat plants such as plantain, clover, rosella leaves, hibiscus leaves, and honeysuckle. The list of safe plants is endless.

5. Flowers

Bearded dragons can also have some flowers such as nasturtiums, dandelion flowers, petunias, pansies, roses, carnation, rosella, hibiscus, among others, as a treat.

6. Fruits

Bearded dragons should eat safe fruits only as an occasional treat and not a part of their regular diet. Fruits shouldn’t account for more than 5-10% of their daily food intake.

We recommend you peel the fruits and grate them when necessary, and remove seeds or pits.

Also, fruits should also be free of any farm chemicals (pesticides, fertilizers, herbicide), fresh (not wilted or molded), and if frozen, let them first naturally thaw.   

Some of the safe fruits that your bearded dragons can eat are:

• Apples (without seeds or core)
• Apricot
• Bananas
• Berries (blueberries, blackberries, cranberries, strawberries, raspberries, and so on)
• Grapes and raisins
• Kiwi
• Mango
• Melons including cantaloupe, honeydew, and watermelon
• Papaya
• Peaches and nectarines
• Pineapple
• Plums
• Prickly pear
• Cantaloupe
• Prunes
• Pears
• Guava  
• Cherries
• Dates
• Pomegranate
• Fig fruits
• Lychee
• Mulberries

What to avoid: Fruits to avoid include avocados, star-fruits, citrus fruits like lemons, grapefruits, limes, oranges, tangerines, citrons, and Yuzu, and any wild picked fruits.

7. Water

Like any other animal, they need drinking water. On average, bearded dragons need 4.5-15 ml, depending on their weight. However, their diet may affect how much they drink. Fresh foods and live insects do help boost hydration.

Lack of water may result in dehydration that will make their eyes sunken, skin wrinkly, and tacky saliva, among other symptoms.

You should give your bearded dragons tap water (not distilled as it lacks vital minerals) with conditioners such as Zoo Med ReptiSafe added to remove chloramines, chlorine and detoxify ammonia nitrates present.

Therefore, ensure you have a shallow water bowl that has fresh, clean water all the time and changes it daily. Also, bathing and misting may help boost hydration.

Exo Terra has an excellent water dish you should consider. However, avoid water fountains as they may raise humidity.

8. How to feed bearded dragons

Feeder insects should be gut loaded and lightly dusted with calcium and vitamin D3 supplements. Similarly, lightly dust or spray their vegetables with calcium and vitamin D3.

A typical dusting routine is spraying or sprinkling calcium only in their food 2-3 times a week and a calcium supplement with vitamin D3 (or calcium and vitamin D3) 2-3 times a week (4). However, you have to dust a little more frequently for babies and juveniles since they are still growing.

When feeding these pets, ensure the feeder insects you give them are smaller than the space between their eyes to avoid impaction.

On how many insects to give them, allow them to eat as much they want for 10-15 minutes while you can leave veggies for a much longer time, i.e., leave the veggies for up to 4 hours.

Depending on their age, here is how you should feed them:

Additional feeding tips include the following:

• Keep varying the foods they eat (offer variety) for maximum nutritional benefits.
• Feed them after they have attained the optimum temperature, and don’t switch off the heat for at least two hours after eating.
• Use a feeder or feeding bowl if you have a loose substrate like sand. You can also go for cricket feeders, mealworms feeders, feed them with tongs, and so on.
• Remove any uneaten insects since some, like crickets as may bite them at night. On the other hand, veggies may mold and affect average humidity. Remove them after four hours.
• Experiment with various foods to see what they like.

9. Commercial foods

If you don’t prefer handling live feeder insects, there are many commercial bearded dragon foods you can buy that are nutritionally balanced. You will get many foods from top brands like:

• Zoo Med
• Zilla
• Exo Terra
• Nature Zones
• Fluker’s
• Repashy

10. Supplements

If you feed them the right diet, i.e., gut-loaded insects and various vegetables, and in the correct proportion, bearded dragons don’t need supplements, including multivitamins. Only give them supplements if your vet recommends.

Bearded dragon care – handling, habitat maintenance

Besides diet and ensuring a perfect habitat, you will need to care for and maintain their habitat and adhere to various safety tips, including during handling or bathing them. Also, assist young kids with handling and care.

Warning:  Bearded dragons carry zoonotic diseases (can spread to humans from animals) like salmonella and parasites like coccidia or worms. Scratches and bites or touching their body, poop, urine, bedding, open wounds, and habitat may transmit these viruses, bacteria, fungi, or parasites they carry to you.

1. Handling

If you just purchased your bearded dragon, let it have time to adjust to the new habitat before you can handle her. Give them at least four days to a week and only hold them if they are willing to be handled, petted, or carried.

Please wash your hands with warm soapy water before handling them or touching their habitat and after holding them or touching their habitat. Kids below five years, people with compromised immunity, and the elderly shouldn’t handle these lizards or touch their habitats.

Finally, kids below nine years may need supervision while handling these reptiles and ensure they know how to scoop them while supporting them on all their feet. Please don’t pick them with their tails as they are fragile and can break easily.

2. Bathing or a shallow soak

You can also pet or give them baths in lukewarm water for 10-15 minutes, once a week. Additionally, allow them to swim in shallow bowls for up to 30 minutes. Bathing will help keep them hydrated.

3. Cleaning and maintenance

Cleaning and maintenance will require spot cleaning and regular, thorough cleaning with reptile safe cleaning agents or supplies. Typically, here is what cleaning may entail:

a) Daily cleaning

Spot-clean their habitat immediately you notice any dirt or poop, clean and disinfect their feeding and water bowls daily.

b). Weekly cleaning

Clean any non-adsorbent surface weekly with cleaning agents like Zilla Reptile Terrarium Cleaner, the Zoo Med Wipe Out, chlorhexidine solution, etc.

c). Thorough cleaning

Do it periodically after a specific time interval like monthly or after two months. During thorough cleaning, move your bearded dragon to a temporary holding place, dismantle their enclosure, and wipe it clean with a disinfected before thoroughly rinsing it.

Monthly cleaning may also include cleaning carpets, soaking and wiping ceramic tiles, before reassembling them back

Warning: During thoroughly cleaning, unless, in a controlled environment, their core temperature may fall after about 15 minutes.

4. Additional care

Also, here is additional care that these lizards may require:

• Clip long nails: While they hardly get long, you may consider clipping nails if they are very long. Long nails are a sign that their furniture doesn’t wear them down. Use any good pet nail clipper to cut off tiny tips.
• Clean their teeth: Besides dental cleaning required during annual or biannual vet visits, you can also wipe their teeth with oral chlorhexidine solution to boost their oral and dental hygiene.
• Shedding care: During shedding, give them 10-15 minute baths once a week, brush their skin with a soft toothbrush to promote shedding, and use shedding aids like Zilla Shed-Ease Reptile Bath or Zoo Med Repti Shedding Aid when necessary.
• Brumation: During brumation, ensure they have a hiding place, gradually reduce food, UV light time, and basking hours and finally turn off the light and heat when they enter into brumation. When brumation is over, you can gradually restore conditions. However, ensure they have water, and you can give them occasional baths to help boost hydration.

5. Scratches or bites

In case of bites or scratches, thoroughly wash the affected place with warm soapy water, rinse the site and apply a disinfectant.

Health and parasites

A healthy bearded dragon should be active, alert, and energetic as well as have clear, alert, and bright eyes, maintain an upright posture, have vibrant skin, walk normally, eat, bask, behave normally, and so on.

1. Signs of sickness

Some of the signs that your bearded dragon is unwell or sick include the following:

• Lethargy
• Breathing issues (labored, wheezing, gasping, or breathing difficulties)
• Coughing
• Not eating or loss of appetite
• Skin or mouth discoloration
• Discharges (cloacal, nasal, mouth, or ears)
• Vomiting
• Sunken eyes
• Filmy or cloudy eyes,
• Wrinkly skin
• Weight loss
• Diarrhea (watery or runny poop)
• Not popping
• Limping, distorted or hunched posture, haunch or swellings
• injured or swollen body parts
• inactivity and hiding (except for during brumation)
• Stress

In case of any of the above conditions, kindly see your vet for further diagnosis and treatment.

2. Common diseases and conditions

Some of the common disease that your bearded dragon may be suffering from include

• Metabolic bone disease (MBD)
• Tail rot
• Mouth rot
• Respiratory infections.
• Atadenovirus (stargazing or wasting disease)
• Yellow fungus
• Impaction
• Constipation
• Dehydration
• Cancers
• hypocalcemia,
• ear infections
• Eye infections
• Obesity
• Gout
• Head base aneurysms.

3. Common parasites

Some of the internal parasites that a bearded dragon may have include

• Giardia
• Coccidia
• Amebiasis
• Pinworms, tapeworms, roundworms, whipworms, and so on.

On the other hand, common external parasites that your pet may have are:

• Mites
• Ticks are

4. Vet checkup

Take your newly purchased bearded dragon a herp veterinarian for an initial general health status checkup followed by an annual checkup. Some people prefer biannual checks.

Bearded Dragon supply list  

We have looked at the various supplies you need to keep your bearded dragons happy and healthy. Here is a summary

• Tank with a mesh cover
• Substrate
• Heat lamps and ceramic heaters for night time
• Full-spectrum ultraviolet lamps
• Hygrometers
• Thermometers
• Thermostats
• Timers (to automatically turn lights and heat on and off)
• Feeding bowl
• Water bowl
• Décor and furniture – climbing branches, basking rocks, hideaways, artificial and live plants.
• Spray bottle
• Water (non-chlorinated)
• Disinfectants and cleaning supplies
• Food (gut-loaded insects and vegetables)
• Calcium and vitamin D3
• Vivarium backgrounds
• Outfits and costumes
• Toys