Your ‘beardie’ is cute, alert, and playful. Although its care and management is easy, you want to give it the very best. Here are tips for bearded dragon care.
Feeding
Eating time is fun for the omnivorous bearded dragon. They consume a mixture of insects and vegetables. The young ones take 80% insects and 20% plants while the adults do 80% plants and 20% insects. The feeding patterns depend on their size. The large ones typically eat once per day while babies eat three times per day. Consult a veterinarian for accurate food quantity.
What size of insect does your bearded dragon eat? The rule is to never feed anything larger than the distance between your pet’s eyes. Feeder insects suitable for bearded dragons include Dubia insects, waxworms, silkworms, red worms, mealworms, butterworms, earthworms, and superworms.
You can either feed by gut loading or dusting. For dusting, put the insects and nutrients /vitamins in a bag and lightly shake it. The insects get a coating of nutrients for your pet’s diet. Do this once a week. Gut loading is simply feeding the animal with the nutrients you want directly.
The reptiles consume leafy greens, spring greens, kales, Chinese leaf, pea shoots, endive, bell peppers, and other vegetables. Additionally, fruits make a healthy diet too. These plants can be chopped and served as a salad or clipped to the side of the bowl.
Water
A shallow dish of water will do. But if your dragon loves a good soak, offer a large bowl where it can climb in and splash occasionally.
Housing
A large dragon is comfortable in an enclosed 55 to 75 gallon tank. The juveniles can use smaller tanks. The reptiles are both tree-dwelling and ground perching. Provide perch items such as logs, branches, and sturdy rocks in a basking area within the tank.
Temperatures
The ideal cool temperatures are between 80 and 85 F while warmth should be 95 to 105 F. At night, the heat can be at 65 -70 F. You can heat the enclosure with a ceramic heater, an incandescent light, or a mercury vapour bulb. Check the temperatures using a thermometer.
Light
The pet reptile sleeps at night and is awake during the day. Ensure an alternating 12-hour light and 12-hour dark sessions. Additionally, the dragon benefits from exposure to UV lighting. Ensure the bulb is within 12 inches of the animal. If outdoors, provide a shade where your pet can shelter after basking in the sun.
Humidity
Keep the humidity levels between 35% and 40%. To raise the humidity, mist the reptile. Also, place substrate to maintain the humidity level and to give the enclosure a natural look. However, avoid sand and wood shavings that can easily be ingested by the bearded dragons- especially the young ones.
Last Word
The beardie is easy to look after. These bearded dragon care tips will keep your pet healthy and active. Always consult a veterinarian for individual food estimates and health issues.
