Desert Dweller Reptiles

Caring for Your Bearded Dragon (Pogona Vitticeps)

The popularity and demand for bearded dragons has steadily increased over the years. Bearded dragons are the reptile of choice by many hobbyists, largely due to their outgoing personalities, handleability, and their friendly disposition. Under optimum conditions, bearded dragons grow at an astounding rate, usually reaching their adult size of 16 to 24 inches within a year. Therefore, to ensure that your newly acquired pet stays happy and healthy we have enclosed some basic husbandry requirements that must be met. For more information please consult Philippe de Vosjoli and Robert Mailloux's book The General Care and Maintenance of Bearded Dragons.

Husbandry can be divided into 6 general areas: enclosure, substrate, lighting, heating, water, and feeding.

Enclosure: Your housing options are only limited to your imagination. They can range from a 10 gal. plastic tub to a 10' custom enclosure. Just remember your "ideal enclosure" must be large enough to allow sufficient exercise and it must provide a suitable temperature gradient for your lizard (see Heating/Lighting). This can be accomplished by providing rocks, wood and plants throughout the enclosure (space permitting). Recommended plants are: Snake plants, ponytail palms and small palms.

Substrate: There are a variety of substrates that are suitable for your bearded dragon. Personal preference, price, ease of cleaning and water retention usually determine what is used. Some inexpensive substrates are paper, alfalfa pellets, potting soil, sand , and wood chips/shavings (no cedar); paper being the cheapest and the easiest to clean. Regardless of the substrate used, daily cleaning is necessary to ensure a healthy environment.

Lighting/Heating: Lighting considerations for your pet should include both types of light: an incandescent spot light and a full-spectrum fluorescent light for good health. Ultraviolet rays (UVA UVB) are especially important for vitamin D synthesis and calcium metabolism. UV rays will also increase your reptile's appetite, activity level and general health. Therefore, it is essential that you use a high quality ultraviolet emitting fluorescent light such as a 8% or 10% UVB emitting light in the enclosure. Remember: the full-spectrum fluorescent tube should be placed no further than 18-24" from the reptile.

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