Buying a Bearded Dragon – 5 Steps to Choosing a Healthy Beardie
When most people are interested in buying a bearded dragon they will head straight for the nearest pet store who carries them. They will then purchase the first beardie the store clerk grabs and shoves in a box for them. Everything might go great for a few days, weeks, even months if their lucky. Only to find one day that something isn’t quite right, and an expensive vet trip ensues.
But not you.
You had the right frame of mind to look for some information before you jump into the fire…and you will be rewarded.
When buying any animal, or any-thing for that matter, there are a few particulars you want to keep in mind, so that you don’t find yourself with buyer’s remorse. Even worse,the possibility of prematurely losing a pet that you have just created a new bond with. All due to a preexisting health condition that you have no control over, but could have avoided.
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Here are 5 steps that will give you the knowledge to make an educated purchase:
Ask Around - Do you already know someone who currently owns a beardie? Ask them if they know of a good breeder in your area, and where to get cheap supplies while your at it. You can also use the good ol’ internet to look for reputable breeders. Observe - From the second you pull into the driveway of a potential seller, you need to have your eyes wide open and observe your surroundings well. Take note the organization and cleanliness of everything from the parking lot, to the reptile enclosures themselves. These observations will be good indicators of how well the lizards are taken care of. If someone doesn’t care enough to clean their own house…how well can they be taking care of their animals? Habitat - I mentioned this in step two, but it is deserving of its own separate number. You need to carefully look at everything in the enclosure. Is the cage size adequate? Are the accessories and substrate clean? What are the temperatures? These are all clues to how the bearded dragon is cared for. The Lizard - Of course we need to take a close and careful look at the beardie itself. Notice if there are any deformities within the spine, claws, limbs. They should be active and watching you intently. Also look for any open wounds or burns.
Inquire - Ask the breeder questions. If they know what they are doing, they should have no trouble answering any of your basic inquiries. Ask them anything from what the dragon is being fed, how much, how often, their age etc…
Owning a bearded dragon is a very satisfying experience. Because of their temperament, you quickly grow very attached to these loveable lizards like you would with a cat or dog. I pains me to think that some people have this experience cut short, simply because they did not have the proper knowledge prior to buying their pet.
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So, you’ve got yourself a small dragon. Well, baby bearded dragons require slightly different care than their older counterparts. Keep reading to pick up a few tips on caring for baby beardies.
Habitat
Obviously, adults need a larger enclosure than juveniles. It’s important that you don’t house a baby in a vivarium that’s way too large. It will likely make him very uncomfortable. Babies should be kept in a maximum 20 gallon tank until at least four months old. Don’t forget to put some rocks, wood, and sticks in the habitat so he can climb around.
Substrate
The type of substrate that you use with baby bearded dragons is very important. Since they’re pretty sloppy eaters, they commonly ingest pieces of substrate. Therefore, it’s best to use carpet or some type of paper product as a substrate. As your beardie ages, you can change the substrate to sand.
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Crickets
You need to feed babies crickets on a regular basis. Provide all he can eat within 15 minutes. However, it’s important that you don’t feed him crickets that are too large for him. Not only may he choke on the oversized cricket, it may also lead to impaction or pressure on the spinal cord which can cause paralysis.
Water
Baby dragons don’t usually drink their water from a bowl. Instead, they usually choose to get water from misting or soaking. It’s best to mist them about three times each day to ensure that they stay hydrated. Older dragons tend to eat more salads, so they get water from them.
Mates
Are you thinking about moving your baby dragon in with others sometime in the future. Well, you need to make sure that they’re approximately the same size. If not, the larger dragon will probably be aggressive and attack the smaller one.
There are probably many more things you need to learn about caring for bearded dragons. Fortunately, bearded-dragon-care.net provides everything you need to get started. So, stop by today to start reading about topics such as how to setup proper bearded dragon housing.
A Bearded Dragon is a Great Exotic for Certain Types of People
I’m a long time bearded dragon owner (ten years and counting) and know well the rewards associated with this type of pet ownership. Certainly, bearded dragons are not for everyone (small children, for example) but they can be a unique, piquant alternative for those people looking for a new kind of pet.
Who’s a Good Match for a Beardie? First of all, bearded dragons are reptiles, and for that reason are extremely different from typical pets like ferrets and dogs. They’re cold blooded, and perhaps because of this are widely vilified as being apathetic, disaffected, and even sinister. This is utter nonsense. You have to realize a couple of things:
- Their brains are typically much smaller than other domestic animals, which results in a different way of interacting with the environment. They are in no way less intelligent or aware. - Lacking fur or hair of any kind, they are not “cuddly” or playful like most people expect pets to be. - Because they derive body heat from the ambient air temperature, environmental conditions play a large part in determining their overall behavior.
Bearded dragons are rewarding animals to keep in their own way, which is much different from other animals. Much of their time is spent by necessity in their enclosure, so a large part of the enjoyment factor is derived from observing their natural beauty and distinct behaviors. When you do interact with them, it’s often just to hold them or sit with them in the sun, perhaps occasionally hand feeding insects or vegetables.
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Just by reading the previous paragraph most people will know for sure whether or not this creature is something they are interested in.
What Does Their Care Involve? As I mentioned, reptiles draw essential body heat from the environment. In the natural world, this equates to the sun, and all the time that snakes and lizards are widely known to spend sunning. This heat must be replicated in their enclosure and is done so through the use of heat lamps to provide warmth and an fluorescent reptile lamp to provide the crucial UV they must absorb for good health.
Because they are essentially confined to a cage most of their life, from a humane standpoint an adult dragon requires an absolute minimum of a forty to fifty gallon aquarium or terrarium. Optional accoutrements include rocks, branches, gravel or some other natural substrate, a bathing pool and a thermometer.
Feeding primarily consists of a salad of dark, leafy greens such as romaine, kale, collards and others, plus carrots and squash (I usually just peel the outside into small strips with a potato peeler) at a minimum to cover their nutritional needs. Intermittent meals of crickets coated with a specially formulated calcium powder are also highly recommended, as well as occasional treats of other insects such as wax worms. And like all animals, beardies do produce waste which must be dealt with accordingly. If you have time for it, daily soaks in about an inch of warm water are beneficial for their skin, and if timed properly will stimulate them to defecate quite consistently. As far as time, energy and bedding costs go this is a huge savings.
What is the Associated Cost? A baby bearded dragon will run about seventy dollars at a typical herp shop. Solitary creatures by nature, you need only acquire one unless your personal preference is otherwise. Most of the accessories that they require (aquarium, lamps, etc.) can easily and cheaply be found by scouring local yard sales, craigslist or even eBay, and, if worst comes to worst, PetsMart. They will require the correct reptile-grade bulbs, and these will need to be replaced periodically as they burn out (heat bulb) or lose their potency (UV bulb.) Crickets are usually available cheaply at gas stations and other locations that deal in bait, and can always be obtained online for a reasonable cost.
If you’re considering a bearded dragon as a pet for whatever reason, hopefully this article has served to enlighten you on a few key points surrounding their peculiar personalities and specific type of upkeep. If you do make the decision to adopt, be sure to educate yourself on all aspects of their care, which vary considerably for different age ranges, climates, and so on.
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What is the Right Substrate to Use for a Bearded Dragon?
By: Florian Ross
Posted: Aug 06, 2007
Views: 334
Comments: [1]
Bearded Dragons Substrates
The substrate (sometimes called flooring) is the material used to line your dragon’s housing. In their native environment, Beardies live in sandy desert areas. Playground sand is often used because it is relatively dust free and easy to maintain, although there have been reports of intestinal impaction. Substrates can also include wheat bran (pest free and rated for human consumption), outdoor carpeting, non-stick padded shelf liner, and paper towels. Other good substrates are newspaper, pea rock or aquarium gravel.
Be careful if you use any type of loose substrate when decorating, as many dragons will try to dig under their cage furnishings and can become trapped or crushed if furnishings are not wellplaced. Good substrate should be clean and safe. Be careful of substrates that could cause harm to your dragon.
Materials to Avoid:
The following are bad for one main reason – impaction. A lot of stores may try and tell you that they are suitable, they may even be using them themselves, but they are wrong.
Read more articles
Bearded Dragon Secret Manual Review – Bearded Dragon Secret Manual Bonus
Bathing Bearded Dragons – How To Do This
Bearded Dragons Impaction – How To Avoid It?
Basic Guide for Housing a Bearded Dragon
Each of the following has been proven to cause impaction and death to Bearded Dragons (as well as other reptiles) and should be avoided:
- Corn Cob: Hard, large and indigestible for Beardies.
- Walnut Shell: It looks harmless enough, but the edges are very sharp and it could kill your dragon very easily. There have been documented impaction deaths in Bearded Dragons from this. Also goes under a variety of brand names, so check package labeling careful before listening to and buying from pet stores.
- Calcisand: The problem with this product is twofold. First, they like the flavor of it and may eat it if they are lacking adequate calcium in their diet. Second, it can clump and form an indigestible bolus in their digestive tract.
- Repti Bark: very fibrous and could easily end up causing impaction and has been known to end up lodged in the vent.
- Original lizard litter (made from the kenfa tree) and Jungle Blend.
Substrates such as mulch, shredded tree bark, or corn cob should not be used as they can hold moisture and promote bacterial growth.
Any of the wood shaving like cedar or pine should also be avoided – cedar had dangerous aromatic oils and pine can get impacted if ingested.
You should be also be very cautious using bleach on Dragon’s enclosure, the heat from their lights can cause toxic fumes from the bleach.
Substrates to use:
There are several good substrates. The use of one or another depends of severall factors – like the age of the dragon(s), their numbers and others.
One very important tip: It is extremely important to make sure you never use sand in your beardy’ s cage until they are bigger then 6 inches in length – not including the tail.
All the best for you and your dragon(s),
Florian Ross
Florian Ross – About the Author:
Florian Ross developed comprehensive guides to help people succeed with their bearded dragon pet. Find out more tips about raising a Bearded Dragon and how to have your bearded dragon lizard live two times longer with his popular free ecourse .
Would you like to get in on his free Newsletter? Visit www.pets-lovers.com to get started today!
Article Tags:
bearded, dragon, dragons, bearded dragon, bearded dragons, pet lizard, pet lizards
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Bearded Dragons Cage – Controlling the Temperature
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Basic Guide for Housing a Bearded Dragon
Bearded Dragons need a large enough habitat to allow for a variety of distances from the heat source. A glass aquarium is recommended for security, ease of maintenance, and pet viewing. To avoid the expense of multiple habitats as your pet grows to adulthood, consider using a partition that can be easily adjusted.
By: Florian Ross
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Comments on this article [1]
Add new Comment
Well first off, beardies are from the desert but the ROCKY deserts, therefore there is no sand. They are used to rough ground. People get that mixed up a lot. For that same reason I chose to get walnut shells for my beardies. You and a lot of places say they are dangerous but my beardies have NEVER suffered impaction by eating the bedding. Maybe its the type I use? I buy whats called DesertBlend by r-zilla. Also, I wanted to add that not only should babies be kept off sand but probably anything except paper towels.
Catherine Gray
Apr 22, 2009
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Breeding bearded dragons requires more than putting a male and female together. If you’re trying to breed these lizards, there are a few things you need to know beforehand. This article will give you a few tips.
Age
It’s a mistake to breed beardies at a young age. Younger dragons have an increased risk of egg binding as well as other health problems. Females bred at too early of an age usually have a shorter lifespan. It’s best to wait until they’re at least 18 months old.
Behavior
When ready to breed, the male’s beard will darken. He will try to get the female to notice him by bobbing his head and stomping his feet. Females will slowly bob their head in return and wave their arms. The male often gets quite violent when mating as he will bite at the female’s neck to steady his position.
Lay Area
When your dragons start displaying their mating behavior, it’s important that you setup a lay area for the eggs. If the female can’t find a proper area to lay her eggs, she may become egg-bound. The area should be large and filled with moist soil and sand.
Eggs
It generally takes anywhere between four and six weeks for the female to lay her eggs. You should be aware that the eggs won’t hatch on their own if you leave them there. Instead, you need to dig them up very gently, making sure you don’t turn them upside down.
Females tend to lay some infertile eggs in their first clutch. They will be yellow when held up to a candle. Also, they will have a gelatin-like feel to them. On the other hand, fertile eggs feel more like leather. They will appear pink when candled. You should also be able to see a developing, round embryo inside.
Incubation
You should setup your incubator around the same time you construct the lay area to ensure it’s ready. The temperature should be between 82 and 84 degrees Fahrenheit. There should also be plenty of humidity. The eggs should hatch in about two months.
Looking for even more bearded dragon info? Then make sure you come by bearded-dragon-care.net today! Start learning everything you need to know about caring for dragons.
When intending to get a bearded dragon as your pet, make sure that you are geared up to deal with it for a long amount of time. It’s because a bearded dragon life span can reach for about 10-20 years when taken care of appropriately. This article will go over a few guidelines regarding how to look after your pet lizard so that it will get to the optimum bearded dragon life expectancy.
The very first thing that you can do so that your pet can reach the life-span of a bearded dragon is simply by feeding it appropriately. The suitable balance among insects and vegetables are determined by the age of the bearded dragon. In most cases, a young bearded dragon consumes more insects whilst an adult feeds on more veggies. In addition, you should not feed your bearded dragon fireflies, citrus fruits, tomato, avocado and rhubarb as they can be very dangerous for your pet.
The next thing that you can do to be certain that your pet gets to the bearded dragon life-span is by guarding your pet from impaction. Impaction can cause the death of your pet bearded dragon so it is best if you could protect it from the dangers that can cause the condition. To do this, you have to utilize the right substrate for the enclosure, not feeding the bearded dragon foods which are so big or chitinous insects, and constantly maintaining suitable temperature of the cage. This way they can digest their food more properly preventing digestive obstruction from occurring.
Another method of making sure that your pet attains the bearded dragon life expectancy is simply by looking after your dragon whenever it’s sick. Whenever you notice certain behavioral as well as physiological modifications in your pet like lethargy, rapid weight reduction, and not enough appetite, you have to seek advice from an animal health professional promptly so that you will know the needed things to do. You may likewise have to look for a reptile vet as those that commonly looks after traditional pets like cats and dogs have a distinct specialty area.
Taking care of a bearded dragon is easy and you really need to keep in mind these simple reminders to make sure that your pet reaches the bearded dragon life expectancy.
A Guide to Optimizing Your Bearded Dragon Enclosure Setup
It is a very rewarding experience to recreate an animal’s natural habitat so that it can live comfortably as your new beloved pet. You essentially get to become the creator of an environment of its own which must sustain and accommodate the needs of that animal. This type of setup is usually required for all types of fish and reptiles. This includes bearded dragons, which are a fantastic reptile to keep and can be very enjoyable. As an owner, you have an enormous responsibility to ensure the welfare of your dragon and maintain the optimal environmental conditions at all times. To do this you will require the following:
A reptile tank
Substrate
Lighting
Basking rock or perch
Hideaway shelte
Food/water
Other accessories
The size of the tank required will depend on its age, size and species. From now on, ‘Bearded Dragon’ and the nickname ‘beardie’ will refer to the most commonly found species of dragon in the pet trade, the Inland Bearded Dragon.
An appropriately sized tank is necessary to keep your beardie active, alert and happy. This is important as this is where your beardie will spend most of his time. It’s recommended that an adult be housed in a 180 gallon tank. Baby and juvenile bearded dragons do not require as much space, however young beardies don’t stay young forever so investing in a quality tank from the start will save you the expense of upgrading later.
To allow your bearded dragon to feel safe and secure, you should also make sure you cover a wall of the tank with a non see-through material.
Substrate is an essential item in your enclosure. It is used to make cleaning the tank quick and easy and to provide a surface in which your pet can run and rest on comfortably. It also prevents the floor, which is usually made of glass, from overheating and burning your dragon. It absorbs fluid and some contain and absorb odors and supply nutritional benefits if consumed.
Bearded dragons are cold-blooded creatures which mean they require an external heat source to help regulate their body temperature. To do this you will need to provide an artificial light that gives off UVA and UVB rays. The light should be out of reach of your bearded dragon to prevent burns occurring but be close enough to maintain an appropriate heat.
With this said you will need to add a basking rock, branch or other perch to allow your bearded dragon to bask. This is a natural behavior which they have often been seen to do on roads and highways in Australia. Yes, this can be highly dangerous, but really points out how necessary it is for beardie survival. In saying this however, they also need shade. This gives them a place to cool down when they get too hot. In fact they’re usually seen moving between the hot and cool areas of their enclosure on a regular basis. This is how they maintain their body temperature and is a perfectly normal behavior.
This outlines the major items required in an enclosure. However no bearded dragon can live without food and water. Providing a food and water dish is a good way to keep the enclosure clean and keep it looking tidy.
Bearded dragons are fairly easy to keep happy. As long as they have plenty of space, heat, shade, food and water you and your beardie should enjoy many years together. You might even like to add some extra accessories to the enclosure such as extra branches, rocks, caves, plants, etc. These can be very appealing and will only improve the living conditions of your dragon.
Feed the beardie crickets each day a minimum of 2-3 times per day. You have to let the dragon eat as much as it will within 15 minutes.
Always feed baby dragons small crickets as pointed out above .
You should also provide salad and pellets as well. I more often than not always have salad and pellets available for my dragons to munch on throughout the course of the day. From time to time the dragon may seem like it’ll refuse to eat greens, but you still must provide them every day. Your dragon will eventually start a habit of eating some of the greens, if not all of them.
I have a number of dragons who love their greens and fruit, and many dragons who just nibble on them occasionally.
12 months – 18 months:
You should cut down on live prey by about twelve months of age. Offer the dragon live prey, as much as it eats in 15 minutes, once a day. Offer more salad, pellets and fruit as a luxury.
18 months and older:
By this point, your dragon has become an adult. It’ll still grow throughout the remainder of its life, but not at the rate it did when it was younger. You should now provide your adult dragon greens, pellets and fruit every single day and 6-10 adult crickets and a few worms 4-6 days a week.
When feeding Bearded dragons more than twice a day, only feed the quantity of insects which can be consumed within fifteen minutes per feeding. A satisfied b earded dragon will scamper away, close its eyes and have a nap on the basking rock. Don’t leave free roaming insects in your beardies tank because it can cause significant amounts of anxiety to any size dragon.
Keep the feeding schedule the same by feeding insects at the same time each and every day and always ensure that greens are available during the entire day, even if no insects are offered.
A good tip to remember is to make use of an electric timer to switch the lights on in the morning. This allows you to sleep while they’re waking up. You can then begin your daily Bearded dragon feeding schedule about two hours later.
If you want to have a healthy, happy and interactive bearded dragon. If you want a step-by-step blueprint for selecting your beardie, raising him, feeding him, and maintaining his health…then you can not afford to miss out on my FREE “Bearded Dragon Care Secrets” newsletter.
My FREE newsletter will teach you EVERYTHING you need to know about raising and caring for beardies, all in one place!
In my FREE Mini-Course, You’ll Learn:
How to choose a healthy Bearded Dragon at the store Bearded dragon care and feeding Kinds of Bearded Dragons and which ones make the best pets Bearded dragon habitat setup Handling a bearded dragon An exact procedure for breeding bearded dragons The basics of the Bearded Dragon diet, breeding and general care! Much, much more
In the wild, bearded dragons are omnivores, eating a mixture of invertebrate and vertebrate prey (such as insects and smaller animals) as well as plant material. What can Bearded Dragons eat in captivity? They need a balanced diet of meat and vegetable matter – a combination of insects and greens and vegetables.
The diet of a juvenile dragon (2-4 months of age) will consist of approximately 80% insects and 20% greens. Young dragons should be fed 2-3 times daily. If insufficient food is fed, young dragons may nip at the tails and toes of their cage mates.
As your dragon grows, he will start to eat more vegetable matter.
Meat food sources for your Bearded Dragon can include pinky mice (for adults) and insects such as:
Crickets – Pinhead crickets for juveniles Wax worms – Extremely fatty so they should be fed sparingly Super Worms – Extremely fatty so they should be fed sparingly King worms Earthworms Cockroaches Silk worms Butter worms Phoenix worms
Freshly molted insects are easier for your Bearded Dragon to digest. You should coat feeder insects with a calcium supplement (powdered calcium carbonate or calcium gluconate) 3-5 times per week for adults; every day for juveniles.
Feeder insects should also be “gut-loaded”. This is a technical term which means the insects are fed nutritious and vitamin-rich foods before they are given to the dragon.
Feed your feeder insects food such as: ground legumes, corn meal, carrots, sweet potatoes, collard greens, mustard greens, broccoli, spinach, apples, oranges, cereals, and rolled oats.
Several commercial products, formulated to be rich in calcium and vitamins, may also be used to gut-load feeder insects.
The size of the feeder insect needs be taken into account. Malnourishment, seizures, and intestinal blockages can occur if bearded dragon hatchlings and juveniles are fed insects too large for them to capture or digest. The general rule of thumb is that the food being provided must not be larger than the space between the animal’s eyes
Bearded Dragon Plant Food Sources
Approximately 20% of your beardie’s diet should be made up of plant matter and consist mainly of green leafy vegetables. Dandelion greens, collard greens, chickory greens, mustard greens, turnip greens, escarole, parsley are all examples of bearded dragon plant food sources.
You may also include other vegetables such as squash, carrots, green beans, peas, bell peppers. Fruit should make up the smallest portion of the diet – berries, apples, grapes, cantaloupe, papaya, mango, blueberries and bananas.
Shred or tear vegetables and fruits into small pieces and mix them together to encourage your dragon to eat all that is offered, and not just pick out his favorite foods.
If you want to have a healthy, happy and interactive bearded dragon. If you want a step-by-step blueprint for selecting your beardie, raising him, feeding him, and maintaining his health…then you can not afford to miss out on my “Bearded Dragon Care Secrets”
My FREE newsletter will teach you EVERYTHING you need to know about raising and caring for beardies, all in one place!
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Before going out and buying a bearded dragon, you should do your research for what they like to eat and how their home should be set up.
I have had my bearded dragon now for almost 3 years and he is growing healthy and happy.
Here are 7 basics tips on what a bearded dragon should eat -
Bearded Dragons love crickets, but do not feed them only crickets. This is not good for the older dragons, but juvenile dragons is fine to feed only crickets.
When feeding them crickets it is vital that you gut-load the crickets. This helps your dragon to maintain a healthy diet. Also make sure that the crickets are about the same size as the width of little dragon’s head. The width of their head is the space between the eyes.
You should also consider getting some vitamin supplements to powder the crickets and the other foods you feed your dragon
Bearded Dragons will eat everything, just about, you give them. Learn the proper lettuce you feed them. DO NOT FEED them Iceberg lettuce! Stick to the Collard Greens, Mustard Greens, etc.
They also love meal worms and king worms but do not give these to them very often, it’s better to keep these on a weekly basis not a daily basis. Also one note to those of you who want to breed you dragons feeding both your males & females LIVE PINKIE MICE.
Bearded Dragons will almost always look and act hungry, Please Do Not over feed them! Set up a regular schedule to feed them once in the morning or evening. Stick to this schedule no matter what, it is better for you and your dragon
Besides just crickets and greens, Bearded Dragons need fruits, such as strawberries, mangoes, zucchini, squash, and carrots. Give your dragon a well balanced diet and both you and your dragon will live long and happy lives. ” till death do us part”
Keep in mind that knowing how to feed your bearded dragon is a good start in preparing to purchase a Bearded Dragon, but you must also learn how important their home setup is too. There is a lot to know about bearded dragons so please do your research.
Bearded Dragons are great first time pets for most kids over the age of about 10. They are docile and easy going pets, and they love human contact.
I hope this articles has educated you some on the diet needed for a Bearded Dragon.
This website is very informative for all reptile lovers. You can learn a lot and purchase products for types of reptiles.
