Description
Informative care guide:
The Bearded Dragon is a docile and “easy-to-care” for species that has been captive bred in the USA and Europe for over 30 years. The Bearded Dragon is available in it’s natural color and pattern, but more and more designer color morphs are being bred, making this species attractive for both the beginning reptile enthusiast as well as for the advanced hobbyist.
Bearded Dragon facts:
Scientific name: Pogona vitticeps
Family: Bearded Dragon’s belong to the family Agamidae
Distribution: Deserts & scrubland to subtropical woodlands of Central and parts of Southern Australia
Average hatchling size: 3 ½ – 4 inches (8-10cm)
Average adult size: 16 – 24 inches (40-60cm)
Average life span: 8 to 12 years (some individuals even live 14+ years)
Housing: Exo Terra’s Natural Terrarium LARGE/LOW is ideal for Bearded Dragons. Bearded Dragons are very territorial, so males should never be housed together.
Substrate: the Exo Terra Sand Mat resembles the compacted substrate in the Bearded Dragon’s natural environment. The Sand Mat should be replaced every 3 months, or as needed. CARE TIP: the more often waste is spotted and removed, the longer the Sand Mat will last.
Decoration: Exo Terra offers a variety of decor items for your Bearded Dragon Terrarium including; Branches, Hides & Caves, Rock Outcrops, Skulls, etc. …
Lighting: Bearded Dragons are mainly diurnal, meaning they’re only active during daylight. The Solar Glo all-in-one bulb provides optimal levels of UVA, UVB, visual light and heat to simulate a 12-hour day/night cycle.
Heating: It’s best to offer your Bearded Dragons a daytime temperature gradient between 82-86°F (28-30°C) on the “cool side” of the terrarium (2/3 of the floor space) and a basking area under the Solar Glo all-in-one bulb between 95-105°F (35-40°C) (1/3 of the floor space) so they can thermoregulate their body temperature – keep the nighttime temperature at an average of 72-77°F (22-25°C). Additional heating (like the Exo Terra Heat Cable, Terrarium Substrate Heater, Ceramic Heater, Infrared Basking Spot or Night Heat Lamp) may be necessary if temperatures fall below the recommended range.
Food: Omnivorous – meaning bearded dragons feed on both insects and vegetables/fruits – the insect/vegetable ratio in the diet of bearded dragons less than a year old should be 70% insects – 30% vegetables and while your bearded dragons grows older the ratio should change inversely proportional: for bearded dragons over 1 year old the ratio should be approx. 70% vegetables – 30% insects. In order to provide a well balanced diet, always mix Bearded Dragon Soft Pellets with the vegetables/fruits (not more than 10% fruit) to increase the amount of fiber, vitamins and minerals – always dust your feeder insects with a 1:1 mix of Exo Terra Multivitamin and Calcium +D3 powder supplement – feed juveniles daily and adults every other day.
Watering: Always provide your Bearded Dragons with fresh, clean drinking water in the Exo Terra medium Water Dish. Use Exo Terra Aquatize Terrarium Water Conditioner to remove Chlorine & Chloramine as well as to neutralize heavy metals from the tap water.