Bearded dragons will happily eat vegetables and insects. In the wild they eat mainly insects. They can forage for flowers and leafy greens, but they also eat insects. They can also get protein from these plants, which is great for their diet.
They are likely to shed their skin in the spring and summer when they are eating regularly. Any abnormal shedding may occur near the digits and tip of their tail. When this happens, they may need to be bathed to avoid any infection.
Their natural coloration is dull brown or tan with red or gold highlights, depending on local soil color, but modern breeding practices have produced a variety of color morphs from white to lemon yellow to dark red. Some breeders specialize in dragons with bright blue “tiger bars.” Modern breeding has also produced different scale textures: Dunners (multidirectional scales), Leatherbacks (small, smooth scales), and Silkbacks (no scales).
Bearded dragons can display a variety of morphs. These morphs are mainly based on body types, but can also be derived from selective breeding.
When you’re looking for a bearded dragon, it’s important to understand the different morphs. A morph is a genetic mutation that results in certain traits. The most common are color variations. You can see a wide range of colors in beardies, including beiges, browns, and muted tans.
There are other morphs that result from genetics, such as visual morphs. These are inherited traits that are passed down from parents. They’re often the most unique beardie varieties. Some of them are translucent, meaning they have a transparent appearance. Others, such as hypomelanistic, lack melanin, which makes their skin lighter.
Bearded dragons like many other reptiles have specific lighting requirements that can be really confusing, especially for new owners that don’t have previous experience.
Because of that reason, having a good understanding when it comes to lighting the space of your bearded dragon is very important.
You should know there are plenty of options when it comes to lighting for bearded dragons and choosing the wrong setup can be harmful to your pet. However, if you carefully read our guide you will get plenty of information about setting up proper lighting for your pet.
The enclosure of a Bearded Dragon should be glass with a screen top. Their tank should measure anywhere from four to six feet long, two feet wide, and two to three feet high. To better replicate their natural environment, there should be rocks and branches in the tank to give them places to hide and shade to cool off after basking.
The different colours of bearded dragons are known as morphs. Each morph has its own unique features. Some of them are more striking than others, whereas others are very rare. The genetic information of these morphs allows herpetologists to selectively breed them to produce stronger patterned offspring.
According to data on sunrise and sunset times in bearded dragons’ natural habitat in Australia, a cycle of 14 hours/day during summer and 10 hours/day during winter (with gradual adjustments in-between) is appropriate. Alternatively, syncing your dragon’s lights to your local sunrise/sunset times via a smart plug/power strip should also work well.
It is also a good idea to put heating pads in order to recreate the environment of the bearded drake. This will help keep your beardie comfortable and enable him to be active without getting cold. You might consider purchasing an automatic feeder for your large bearded dragon.
A nest box must be provided for the Bearded Dragons, as they bury their eggs., an area that contains 10-inch deep sand or soil should suffice. Unlike most reptiles, females will lay three clutches of up to 35 eggs per clutch.
Bearded dragons regularly shed their skin; ensure humidity of habitat is at appropriate level to allow proper shedding. To facilitate shedding, soak lizard in warm water in a large container that allows the bearded dragon to immerse their entire body while keeping their head out of water, or provide a shed box, a hide box with moist sphagnum moss. Be sure to replace the water in the soaking dish often to keep it clean and change the moss frequently to prevent mold from developing.
You should also be sure to install heating pads to mimic the bearded dragon's natural environment. This will keep the temperature more comfortable and allow your beardie to stay active without feeling cold. If you have a large bearded dragon, consider getting an automatic feeder to take care of him while you're not home.
beardeddragon.org is a great website for any bearded dragon lover. They feature heaps of valuable information and a large community forum. The forums are definitely a great place to find and talk to other bearded dragon owners. The forum members are some of the most knowledgable folks you’ll find.
If you have some confusion on what insects you should feed, or what are the best vegetables, please check out our The Best Foods for a Bearded Dragon article. There is also an additional PDF version, at the bottom of the above mentioned article, that you are welcome to download and keep as a reference.
Live food for Bearded Dragons includes mealworms and crickets. Depending on their age, a grown bearded dragon should eat about twenty insects a day. Mealworms are not a good choice for juvenile bearded dragons, as the chitin in them can stunt their growth. A better choice is superworms.
Bathing your bearded dragon is important for several reasons. Hydration is one of the biggest ones. Many beardies don't like drinking from bowls, but will happily slurp up their bathwater. Baths are of course also important for hygiene.
Many reptiles do cry, including bearded dragons, but they do this because the flow of tears helps to clean out and protect their eyes, not because they are unhappy.
Bathing your bearded dragon is important for several reasons. Hydration is one of the biggest ones. Many beardies don't like drinking from bowls, but will happily slurp up their bathwater. Baths are of course also important for hygiene.
Bearded dragons are able to imitate other bearded dragons to open doors. “The ability to learn through imitation is thought to be the pinnacle of social learning and long considered a distinctive characteristic of humans.