Bearded Dragon Care Sheet

Things to consider

First and foremost, there are many things you need to consider before getting a Bearded Dragon. If cared for properly, Bearded Dragons can live 8-12 in captivity. This is a long term and serious commitment. Ultimately, they will only be able to rely on you to meet their needs.

Do not buy on impulse. Do your research first.

Are you set up for your new bearded dragon?

Have you located a qualified exotic veterinarian?

Do you have the time to commit to a bearded dragon?

Can you afford the upkeep of a bearded dragon?

How do you feel about having live feeder insects in your home?

Housing Your Bearded Dragon

Bearded dragons require a fairly large enclosure in order to maintain a good temperature gradient. There must be a hot side for basking and a cooler side for them to escape from the heat when they need to.

Never keep more than one bearded dragon in an enclosure. They are solitary lizards and no matter if they appear to be getting along, they are not!

Substrate

Bearded dragons may be desert animals, but they do not live in sand, or any other type of particle substrate. Their natural habitat is rocky, hard packed clay/dirt.

The best substrate you can give a bearded dragon is Reptile Carpet. You can also use paper towels, butcher paper, tile or newspaper.

Heating

Baby and juveniles require the surface temperature at the basking spot to be 105 degrees and cool ambient temperature of 85 degrees.

Adults require the surface temperature at the basking spot to be 100 – 105 degrees and cool ambient temperature of 80 – 85 degrees.

Lighting

Bearded Dragons require 12 -14 hours of full spectrum and UVB lighting.

Furniture

Items to include in your bearded dragon enclosure are:

Hides

Branches for climbing and basking

Hammocks

Shallow water bowl

Large rocks for climbing and basking

Temperature Gauge

Humidity gauge

Keeping your Bearded Dragon Hydrated

Bearded dragons will get some water from their food but that's not going to be enough. You will have to use other methods of keeping them hydrated such as, misting their salad, dripping water on it's nose with a dropper or needleless syringe and bathing once or twice a week.

Diet

Bearded dragons are omnivorous, meaning they eat fruits, vegetables, greens and insects.

Insects that can be fed include, crickets, meal worms, supper worms, wax worms and dubia roaches.

Greens include, among others, turnip greens, collard greens, mustard greens. Never lettuce!

Vegetables include, among others, butternut squash, acorn squash, green beans, tomatoes and such.

Fruits include, among others, mango, melon, figs and apples.

There are also certain types of flowers and herbs that can be fed as well.

Supplements

Multivitamin

It is very important that you chose a Multivitamin that has Beta Carotene instead of synthetic vitamin A. Your Dragon should receive enough vitamin A from diet alone and too much could cause Vitamin A Toxicity.

Calcium

Calcium With Vitamin D3

Vitamin D3 is an essential nutrient that allows the Bearded Dragon to absorb calcium. In the wild, Dragons get all the D3 they need from the sun. In captivity, we need to supply this very important nutrient.

This is very important: if your Bearded Dragon spends at least 1 hour outside in direct sunlight, every single day, then do not use calcium with vitamin D3 added to it.

Calcium Without Vitamin D3

If your Bearded Dragon has time outside in the sun on a daily basis or you are using full spectrum lighting, only use a calcium supplement that does not contain D3.

Check out my article on Setting up a Bearded Dragon Tank on a Budget to see how I save a lot of money on set-up.

For more information and a complete Bearded Dragon care guide follow this link Bearded Dragon Care Guide

Best Pet Lizards for Beginners

As reptiles continue to grow in popularity as pets, you may be considering getting one yourself or for your kids. There are many things that need to be considered before you run out to the pet store and pick one out.

First and foremost, have you done your research? Never bring home a reptile you are not prepared for. Know what type of reptile you want, make sure you already have the equipment that will be required to care for it properly and know how to care for it.

Second, if you have never kept a reptile before, make sure you start with an animal that is relatively easy to care for. Many people make the mistake of getting something like an iguana. They are definitely amazing creatures but not for the beginner. They get very large, can be difficult to handle, require large enclosures and large pocket books.

These lizards made the list of the Best Pet lizards for Beginners due to their ease of care and non-aggressive behavior.



Bearded Dragon

Bearded dragons are very people friendly. Most of them love attention and enjoy human companionship. They are naturally docile lizards and will rarely bit.

Their size will typically range between 18- 20 inches from head to tip of tail, but some have been known to get as large as 24 inches, so they will require a rather large enclosure.

The basis bearded dragon is inexpensive but there are many different colors and morphs available on the market and the more rare a morph is, the more expensive it will be.

Bearded dragons originate from Australia so they do require very hot, arid habitats, so the initial set up for them can be a little pricey but once you are set up, you basically just have to pay for live insects, greens, vegetables and change out their UVB and full spectrum bulbs every six months to a year, depending on which bulbs you use. Regular cage maintenance is required, as well as daily feeding, free roam time and handling.

You can find a basic care guide for bearded dragons by following this link So You Want a Bearded Dragon



Leopard Gecko

Leopard geckos are one of the more popular pet lizards on the market today. They are absolutely one of the most charming and docile lizards you will find, that will find it's way into your heart the first time it looks up at you and you see that smiling face.

They are available in a broad range of colors and patterns that range from vibrant colors to very unique patterns. You are sure to find one that not only look amazing, but will delight you with it's friendly personality.

They generally range between 7-10 inches and males can live as long as twenty years. Females usually live about half as long.

It doesn't take much to keep these little guys happy. They don't require a lot of space, just a couple of hides and live feeder insects and they are good to go. They are nocturnal so don't require special lighting, but plan on only seeing them in the evenings.



Fat-Tailed Gecko

Fat-tailed geckos are much like the leopard gecko. They have the same care requirements, diet, life span and personality. The main differences are their appearance and origin.

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Blue Tongued Skink

Blue tongued skinks make good beginner pets because they are very easy to handle and have a docile nature. They are not as delicate as some of the other lizards mentioned here but you still need to take care when holding them.

Blue tongued skinks are one of the larger beginner lizards, growing up to 30 inches in length, from head to tip of tail. They also have a live span of up to 30 years but average more like 20.

They are a bit expensive to purchase and they do require special heat, lighting, hides and a large enclosure. They are omnivores, so require greens, vegetables, fruit and meat, such as insects and mice, which can be costly as well.

The blue tongued skink will make the perfect pet lizard for a household with younger children, as they have a hard, firm body and can tolerate a child's firm grip better than many other types of lizards.



Crested Gecko

Crested geckos are small in nature, only reaching 6-8 inches in length. They can be handle on a regular basis, but you will need to take some care while doing so, as they are jumpers.

They come in a variety of color morphs and again, the more rare the morph, the most expensive they are.

Crested geckos don't require a very large enclosure or any special heat bulbs, provided the normal temperatures in you home stay between 72 - 78 degrees. They don't really have to have UVB lighting either because they are nocturnal. In the wild they do receive some filtered UVB from the sun while they sleep so you might consider giving them some UVB light for a couple hours a day.

Feeding crested geckos is just a matter of mixing up prepackaged powdered food with water and putting it in a bowl daily. They also enjoy being fed crickets once a week.

The one draw back to crested geckos is you only get to see them once the sun goes down. If you are a night owl, this may be the perfect pet lizard for you.




In conclusion;

Remember to do your research first, to determine which lizard will fit into your lifestyle. Ask yourself a few questions. How much time do you have to devote to your pet lizard? How much can you afford to pay for the lizard and it's upkeep? Are you willing to commit to the lizards needs long term?

Which ever lizard you choose, if taken care of properly, will bring you years of enjoyment.


BudgetPetCare.com