Bearded Dragon

How to Care For Your Bearded Dragon

Introduction

The Bearded Dragon is a lizard native to Australia. There are approximately 6 sub-species, of which are 3 commonly kept - the Central Bearded Dragon, the Eastern Bearded Dragon and the Pygmy Bearded Dragon. The average life span of the Central Bearded Dragon is around 10 years although longer life spans have been reported. Central Bearded Dragons reach adult size (45-60 cm) by 2 years of age.  To own a Bearded Dragon in QLD, a Recreational Wildlife Licence (RWL) is required.

Indoor Captive Husbandry

• Housing: Sufficient space should be provided to your Bearded Dragon to stretch lengthwise and turn without touching the sides of its enclosure.  Bearded Dragons require more floor area than height.  2-3 full sized Bearded Dragons will be able to live comfortably in a 120cm (L) X 90cm (W) X 50cm (H) enclosure. Enclosures should be built from materials that are impervious to liquids and can be readily cleaned e.g. glass or perspex.

• Heat: Lizards are ectothermic, meaning they utilize external heat sources and their behaviour to regulate their body temperature. The preferred body temperature of the Bearded Dragon is 34-35 degrees. Temperature variation should be provided within your Bearded Dragon’s enclosure and therefore the enclosure should be large enough to allow for a thermal gradient. In your enclosure you should aim for a temperature gradient of 26-31°C at the cooler end and 35-40°C at the warm end of the enclosure. Basking sites should approach 40°C. Two heating forms should be provided; one that determines the background ambient temperature and a basking light.  Ambient room temperature should be stable; it is a common mistake to keep vivariums in rooms subject to temperature extremes. All heating devices should be protected to avoid direct contact with your Bearded Dragon as skin burns can occur. For this reason heat rocks should be avoided.

• Humidity: Bearded Dragons prefer a humidity of 30-40%. Inappropriately high humidity can lead to dermatitis and blister disease, whilst low humidity may cause dysecdysis (abnormal shedding of the skin). The humidity of your vivarium can be controlled by altering the size of the water bowl which should be placed at the cooler end of the vivarium.

• Lighting: All lizards should be provided with a cycle of light and dark. A 12h: 12h cycle is optimal and the temperature should cycle with the lighting cycle. Bearded Dragons require UVA and UVB for calcium absorption and nutrient digestion. UVA and UVB are both provided by unfiltered natural sunlight. Alternatively UVA and UVB can be provided by mercury vapours or unshielded 12V dichroic lamps. Ensure UV sources are not greater than 30 cm above your dragon to ensure effectiveness.

• Substrate: Certain substrates such as walnut shells, wood shavings and ground corncob substrates should be avoided due to risk of gut impaction following ingestion. The following substrates are safe to use for your Bearded Dragon: newspaper, pelleted recycled paper, fine sand and gravel.

• Water: Bearded dragons have a water requirement of approximately 20ml/kg/day and may be able to attain this from their diet alone. Your Bearded dragon may not recognise its water bowl as a source of water; frequent misting or a drip system may encourage drinking (see the notes above about humidity).

• Hygiene: All objects in the enclosure should be easily cleaned and disinfected daily. Fresh food and water should be provided daily as your dragon may defecate in food and water bowls.

• Habitat: Your bearded dragon will need somewhere to hide. The following objects can be placed in your Dragons enclosure for enrichment purposes: rocks, logs, boxes and branches. Ensure these objects are secure and unable to cause your reptile harm through movement or ingestion.

Biological Cycle

• Feeding: Bearded dragons are omnivorous; they eat both plants and insects (crickets, mealworms, wood cockroaches, moths and grasshoppers).  These insects should be ‘gut loaded’ prior to feeding to ensure essential nutrients are obtained.  Smaller lizards need to eat every one to two days. When they mature, adults can be fed every 2-3 days. As Bearded Dragons mature they tend to eat more vegetable matter. A variety of vegetables including tomato, zucchini, spinach, squash, cabbage, celery tops, alfalfa and sweet potato can be fed to your Bearded Dragon. Remember to remove any uneaten insects or vegetables from the enclosure at the end of the day.

• Breeding: Males have larger heads, smaller abdominal girth, darker beards and a wider tail base. For dragons older than 6 months, the hemipenal bulge is seen below the cloaca can also be used to differentiate the males from the females. Your vet will be able to confirm the sex for you. Most mating activity in bearded Dragons occurs in spring. Frequent head bobbing, arm waving, nipping, and biting will occur before mating. If the biting is too aggressive the bearded dragons may need to be separated. It is often better to place 2 or 3 females in a cage with one male. The fighting will still occur, but not to the same extent as with a single male and female. Females lay up to 5 clutches with about 4-15 eggs per clutch. Incubation is usually 48-56 days at 31' C.

Veterinary Care

• A yearly health check is essential to assess general health, including parasite infections, bacterial infections, obesity and nutritional problems. If you have any concerns regarding your Bearded Dragons health and wellbeing you should contact your veterinarian immediately as changes in feeding or behaviour may indicate early signs of illness.