A Detailed Guide about the Bearded Dragons

The bearded dragon is a common species of lizard that people keep as their pets. They are enthusiastic, playful, and energetic, and very friendly. Hence, if you love reptiles you may have the best pet option for you.

Bearded dragons, scientifically known as Pogona vitticeps are native of Australia. They are desert lizards. The biggest benefit of having them as a pet is that they are friendly and they can gel well with other pets.

The bearded dragons get their name from their spikey scales below their mouth. The scales resemble a beard. Bearded dragons come in colors like bright yellow, different shaded of brown, red, and even in white. They have a strong muscular flat body with a triangle-shaped face. The biggest striking feature of these animals is that their tails detach if they are threatened. And, if they lose their tail, it does not grow back like other lizards.

Size and  Life cycle

A bearded dragon is usually two feet long in their adulthood. The males are larger and bigger than their female counterparts. As for the bearded dragon lifespan is concerned, they can live in captivity for six years. Some pets even live longer than that.

Their gestures

It is already told that bearded dragons are friendly. They even allow their owner to pet and handle them. They show different types of gestures and if you can understand their gesture than you can easily become feeding to them-

a). Arm waving– They wave their one leg and stand in the other three legs to signal to recognize a human or indicate the submission of a male to male and a female to male.

b). Head Bobbing– a fast motion of the head is used by the males to become intimidating and superior.

c). Puffing their beard– They do it to appear threatening or stretch their muscles.

d). Digging holes– A female can dig holes to lay eggs. Some bearded dragons dig holes to rest or to undergo partial hibernation in a colder climate.

e). Tail twitching– They twitch their tails to show their annoyance and disinterest.

Providing the right house for your pet bearded dragon

If you want to increase bearded dragon lifespan then you need to provide them with a proper living space and nutritional foods. Try to provide them with natural habitat so that they can grow in a proper environment. Two months old bearded dragons can live in a 20-gallon tank. But, if you want to house a fully grown one, you need to have a 50 to 75-gallon tank based on their size. They are larger creatures and insufficient spaces can cause adverse effects on the health of your beloved pet. You can also invest in outdoor pet enclosures that come with a shady place and sunny spots for a healthy living for your pet.

In general, the neared dragons are active during the daytime and sleep at night. Hence, you do not need to do anything out of the box.

For the substrate, a simple reptile carpet is enough. You may also use paper towels or newspapers for the baby bearded dragons. But, make sure to clean the tank waste once per week. Additionally, you need to change the bedding once per month to avoid any health issues.

Bearded dragons come from a desert region. Hence, they always prefer a dry and hot climate. But they are ectotherm in nature and are unable to regulate their body temperature on their own. Hence, the terrarium should be equally distributed of cold places and hot places so that your pet can get both warmth and cold as per their preference. A basking place under a log or a rocky region in the ideal choice. Because it is how the desert is. Now, you need to maintain the temperature of 100-110 degrees F in their sun-basking spot. You can also use a UVB light to imitate the natural sunlight. Please make sure that your pet gets at least 12 hours of basking in the day.

They tend to sleep in a shady place with a temperature ranging from 65 to 75 degrees F and you need to design a hiding place dor them.

They live in the dry region. Hence, you need to spray the terrarium with water mist to control the humidity. Additionally, make sure that the tank wall gets enough droplets of water for your pet.

You can also occasionally give them a bath in hot water and let them wash.

What they eat

Well, bearded dragons are foodies. They eat almost everything. Since they are omnivorous, they can eat plants, insects, and even small mammals. You need to feed them at least two to three times per day to maintain their health. For a younger pet, Dubia roaches are enough. But the adults prefer leafy greens vegetables and some occasional treats of insects or rodents.

Here is your complete guide about having a pet as enigmatic like a bearded dragon. You can take care of them according to the above guide and help your pet to attain a healthy life.