How do I Look after a Bearded Dragon?

For those who’re in search of a extra unique kind pet, you is likely to be contemplating a bearded dragon. Bearded dragons are distinctive, fascinating creatures that make nice companions. However it’s essential to know find out how to take care of them correctly earlier than bringing one residence. On this publish, we’ll provide you with all the knowledge you should maintain your bearded dragon and guarantee she or he has an extended and wholesome life. So in case you’re able to find out about bearded dragons, preserve studying!

They’re affectionate, comparatively straightforward to take care of, and also you don’t need to take them for walks.  With just a few fundamental care, bearded dragons may be nice pets for years to come back.

Earlier than we get to that fundamental care, listed here are some enjoyable info about bearded dragons:

• They’re named for the scales on the underside of their head that when puffed out resemble a beard.
• Bearded dragons are 12-24 inches (30-60 cm) in measurement relying on species, gender, atmosphere and food plan.
• Native to the Australian deserts, they’ve additionally been recognized to inhabit woodlands and savannas.
• With correct care, beardies can stay into their early teenage years as pets.

Making a Home a House

Bearded dragons can stay comfortably in a tank, cage or terrarium.  Glass fish aquariums are a well-liked selection as they arrive is correct sizes, are see-through and simple to search out.  Different prospects embrace imaginative and prescient cages, PVC cages, or melamine cages.  These cages fluctuate in price and execs and cons.  It’s all about what’s finest for you and your beardie.  No matter kind of cage you select, be sure that it has a lid that’s breathable so as to preserve the humidity contained in the cage to a minimal.

As acknowledged above, the scale of bearded dragon can partially be decided by the scale of their cage.  The larger the cage, the extra alternative for development, so the larger the cage you possibly can handle, the higher.  Most child beardies do advantageous in a 20 gallon tank, whereas adults want extra like a 100 gallon tank or bigger.

After getting your tank or cage, it’s time so as to add the required equipment.

• Lighting, suppose desert solar. Bearded dragons are used to spending their days basking within the scorching, dry desert so the tank lighting must carefully mimic that solar.
  • Your bearded dragon will want two gentle sources. The primary is a full spectrum UV gentle that spans the size of the tank.
  • The second gentle is a basking gentle that gives warmth. It is a vibrant white gentle that’s able to making the basking spot temperature of 95-110 levels.
• Bedding for the tank needs to be a stable kind materials relatively than unfastened. Straightforward and obtainable supplies embrace newspaper, butcher paper or a fantastic product known as reptile carpet.
• Don’t overlook the furnishings. You wouldn’t desire a front room with out a sofa, so don’t depart your beardie with out some comforts as nicely.  The barebones for furnishings can be a basking platform that enables them to get inside 6-8 inches of their basking gentle so as to heat themselves.  Don’t be afraid to look into hammocks, branches, and hides to interact your bearded dragon and make it extra like residence.

What’s to Eat?

Within the wilds of Australia, bearded dragons eat small bugs, vegatables and fruits.  Due to this fact, your bearded dragon’s food plan ought to mimic that.

• • Bugs are the muse, particularly for a child beardie. Rising our bodies want extra bugs than the adults, so feed our child bugs 3 occasions a day to the grownup’s one feeding.  For each age teams, feed as many bugs as your lizard can eat in 10 minutes after which take away the remaining bugs.  One of the best bugs to feed embrace:
    • Black Soldier Fly Larvae
    • Crickets
    • Earthworms
    • Locusts
    • Butterworms for child beardies solely

• • Recent fruits and veggies needs to be left within the tank always to your bearded dragon to snack on as he pleases. You should definitely preserve them contemporary and exchange them as wanted.  A number of good decisions of each greens and fruits are:
    • Bell peppers
    • Cucumber
    • Carrots
    • Cabbage
    • Celery
    • Apples
    • Blueberries
    • Pears
    • Plums
    • Raisins
    • Bearded dragons also can munch on basil, chives, clover, dandelion greens, oregano, sage, thyme

• • The record of meals to not feed could also be extra essential and embrace:
    • Bugs that you just seize your self. They’ll comprise parasites or different dangerous issues that may make your lizard sick.
    • Lettuce and spinach
    • Avocados

• Don’t overlook the nutritional vitamins! Bearded dragons will want some vitamin and mineral supplementation, primarily iron, vitamin D3 and calcium.  There’s a giant number of industrial dietary supplements obtainable at any pet retailer or on-line.

What about Healthcare?

Bearded dragons exhibit some regular behaviors which will appear pretty irregular if you’re not conscious of them.  The important thing to figuring out in case your reptile is sick is figuring out what a wholesome one acts like.

• Brumation is a hibernation cycle that happens naturally in bearded dragons. It often happens within the fall or winter in response to lighting and temperature adjustments.  Bearded dragons are people and due to this fact, will every have a distinct brumation cycle.  Some bearded dragons will sleep for the whole lot, whereas others will take lengthy ‘naps’.  The brumation cycle can final wherever from one week to a number of months.  Bearded dragons might or might not eat throughout this time period, however ought to retain their regular weight regardless.  In case your beardie is one which wakes for transient durations throughout brumation, you possibly can supply vegatables and fruits to see if he has an urge for food.  Nonetheless, if he doesn’t eat, don’t fear about it.
• Shedding is a course of all bearded dragons undergo. It’s like spring cleansing, out with the previous and in with the brand new, pores and skin that’s.  Child dragons will shed regularly to make room for his or her rising our bodies, whereas adults will shed simply a few times a yr.  You possibly can assist your beardie by holding him hydrated with heat baths or spray bottle misting.  You shouldn’t assist him by pulling the pores and skin off your self.  When it’s prepared, it would come by itself.  Indicators your bearded dragon is beginning to shed embrace:
  • Dullness in shade and look
  • Puffed out eyes because the pores and skin loosens to shed
  • There needs to be no irregular discharge from the eyes or discomfort in your dragon.

Now onto the unhealthy bizarre stuff.  We’ve coated the bizarre issues that your bearded dragon will do usually, so let’s hit on some irregular behaviors that may very well be indicators of sickness.

• • Impaction and paralysis. Feeding your bearded dragon meals bigger than the area between their eyes could cause impaction or paralysis.  It is because as the massive meals bolus strikes by means of the intestinal tract, it might put strain on the backbone inflicting lack of using their legs.  You might also discover that your beardie hasn’t gone to the toilet shortly.  To treatment both or each of those issues begin by:
    • Bathing in heat water and gently massaging the stomach. This helps heat the lizard and get issues transferring once more.
    • Hold your bearded dragon off his abdomen. Possibly simpler stated than finished, however you may make a kind of hammock sling that helps his entrance and hind legs however lets his stomach swing free.  This may enable gravity to attract the massive meals merchandise down, away from the backbone and relieve that strain.
    • Ensure you are feeding your bearded dragon the correct sized food plan and providing loads of contemporary water.
    • If none of those at-home measures assist, it’s time to go to your veterinarian.

• • Diarrhea, on the opposite finish of the spectrum, bearded dragons can expertise diarrhea. Primarily attributable to stress or consuming unhealthy meals, diarrhea will also be brought on by parasites.  So if the diarrhea doesn’t go away with assuaging stress and offering correct meals, it might time to see your veterinarian.

• Dehydration could be a concern. Even desert animals want water, so bearded dragons are not any exception.  Widespread indicators of dehydration embrace:
  • Sunken eyes
  • Lack of vitality and urge for food
  • Wrinkled, shriveled pores and skin

If dehydration is suspected, supply your beardie some consuming water components like Pedialyte or sports activities drinks.  If that doesn’t work, you possibly can eye dropper water into his mouth till he perks up.

• Metabolic Bone Illness is because of an absence of calcium or vitamin D within the food plan that causes weakening of the bones. Bear in mind the vitamin and mineral dietary supplements we talked about earlier?  Right here’s why your bearded dragon wants them.  You additionally want to verify your UV gentle is sufficient and your lizard is consuming a wide range of wholesome meals.  Indicators of Metabolic Bone Illness embrace:
  • Jerky, twitchy actions
  • Swellings or bumps in legs, jaw, and spine
  • Spasms or tremors when standing nonetheless

See your veterinarian in case your bearded dragon shows any of those indicators to assist get him again on observe.

• Mites, parasites and different issues that suck blood. Happily your bearded dragon carries round a thick layer of armor that retains most mites and parasites out.  Nonetheless, delicate areas such because the eyes, ears, and GI tract are up for grabs.  See your veterinarian in case your bearded dragon reveals any indicators of mites or parasites resembling:
  • Discharge or swelling within the eyes whereas not shedding
  • Weight reduction with a superb urge for food
  • Diarrhea that doesn’t reply to regular remedies

Lastly, in case your bearded dragon is displaying any worrisome conduct, whether or not irregular or not, it’s value seeing your veterinarian.  It’s higher to make sure to your peace of thoughts and that of your pet.