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Care Sheet
How to care for a Bearded Dragon
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I am not a Herp Veterinarian, nor a professional in the field of reptiles. Any information found on this site is from my personal research and experience. If for any reason this information is incomplete or fails to produce desired results I am not liable.
Caring for your Bearded Dragon is the most important part of your dragon's health and life span. The proper care will help your dragon to live longer and healthier. Don't be cheap and expect to spend a lot of money on your new pet. He will eat LOTS of crickets and will need vegetables and special calcium and vitamin supplements. Be prepared to nickel and dime your wallet as you buy more and more supplies for your bearded dragon. If you truly love your new pet (and I hope you do), this will be no problem.
Cleaning
The first thing I would like to make clear about taking care of your dragon is cleanliness. The cleaner his enclosure the healthier he will be. Before placing a dragon in a tank, be sure to use proper cleaning solutions to disinfect the enclosure. If you are using an old, pre owned tank this is a must! I would recommend doing this for new tanks also. You can purchase cleaning solutions at your local pet store that are safe and have directions printed on the label for best results. If you mix your own solution I would recommend 1/10 bleach HEAVILY diluted with water. RINSE THOROUGHLY WITH WATER AND AIR OUT THE ENCLOSURE FOR AT LEAST 30 MINUTES TO AN HOUR before putting your pet inside after cleaning with bleach water. Air the enclosure in a well ventilated area, preferably outside, and dry VERY WELL so there is no moisture left inside. If you use branches from outside, driftwood or rocks from the local creek, bake them in the oven to sterilize them and kill all parasites. You can bake in the oven at about 350 degrees for 30 minutes to an hour, watching carefully as not to burn down the house! Obviously you will let these sit and cool for a long time before placing in the enclosure. You will have to clean up after your dragon daily (some times 2 times a day for juveniles) after they poop. They have strong senses of smell and cleaning this up quickly as possible is a good habit. Once a month it is recommended to disinfect the tank as explained above and clean/change his substrate.
Heating and Lighting
Maintaining the proper temperatures for their enclosure is very important. Juveniles need a basking area of around 95 to 110 degrees, closer to 110 degrees. Adults need between 95 to 105 degrees, usually an average of 100 degrees. Using the correct UVA/UVB bulbs is very important. Dragons absorb nutrients from the UVA/UVB rays they need to be healthy. Place the bulb within 6 inches of their basking area. The best UVA/UVB bulbs available, and should be the only ones you use are a Reptisun 5.0 or 10.0 or a Reptiglo 8.0. Of course a Mercury Vapor Light is the most recommended.
Feeding
Ok, these little guys will eat and eat and eat... This means you will have to feed them regularly and it is very important to do this on a set time schedule. They are creatures of habit and like to eat their breakfast and supper at certain times just like us. Deciding on a time schedule for your dragon will be pretty easy, since they eat earlier in the morning and early afternoon. They eat crickets, waxworms, silk worms, vegetables, greens and fruits. DO NOT feed juveniles meal worms. These have been proven to cause impaction in baby dragons. I feed my dragon 2 times a day with crickets and he has vegetables, greens and fruits in a bowl to eat between meals if he gets hungry. I usually wait a hour after his lights come on (7:30am) for his enclosure to warm up before I feed him his first meal. I return home at around 2:30pm and feed him again before his lights go out at 7:30pm. You don't want to feed them any later than 3 hours before their lights will go off, because the heat is important to their digestive process, and food can rot in their stomach while they sleep if they are fed too late.
Misting
Living in a dry climate the bearded dragons get their water from the insects and vegetables they eat. They also need to be misted with water to make sure they get enough hydration. They absorb the moisture through their skin. Purchase a simple spray bottle with an adjustable spray nozzle so you can adjust it to mist. Warm the water to lukewarm and spray your dragon gently. Spray them one or two times a day. Make sure they have at least 4 hours of basking time when you spray your dragon so he has time to dry before the lights are off. This is very helpful for dragons while they are shedding. Shedding is very itchy for dragons and the water helps soothe the experience.
Handling
Be gentle while picking up Juveniles as you tame them. The best method is to slide your finger under your dragon's belly while he/she is facing you with your hand palm up. This way they can climb onto your open flat hand as your slide your finger under their belly. Never reach down from above your dragon and grab them to pick them up. They mistake you for a predator that is trying to attack them and could have negative results on your taming process. Always try to pick them up while they are facing you, and do this putting your hand towards them at THEIR eye level. Be slow, gentle and confident while doing this. Try talking softly to your dragon to soothe them when they get nervous. If at first they seem scared and run from your hand, be patient and don't stress them too much.
Bathing
Some dragons like this, some don't. Take a container (I use a Rubbermaid tub) and fill with only enough lukewarm water to reach the bend in your dragon’s legs. Place your dragon in gently and keep your hand in the tub for them to crawl onto to get out if they want. If they stay in long enough most will defecate, get them out quickly after this. Be sure to sanitize the tub before and after using to keep it clean for your dragon. If at first they don't like this, try to make it as enjoyable for them as possible.
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