Bearded Dragons have been on the rise in popularity as pets because of their docile demeanor and people friendly personalities. What is often not talked too much about by the pet stores is how much work goes into taking care of these reptiles. Before going out and buying one of these cute hatchlings it is a good idea to do some research on what it takes to care for a bearded dragon.
First thing we will look at is the vivarium also known as a terrarium. A vivarium is usually an enclosed area for keeping and raising animals or plants. Often, a portion of the ecosystem for a particular species is simulated on a smaller scale, with controls for environmental conditions. Proper set up for a bearded dragon is simple a heat lamp to replicate the sun and a UVB bulb which is vital to healthy growth. I have done a lot of research on proper UV lamps and there are quite a few out there that emit erratic wavelengths of light which is very unhealthy for your dragon, my personal favorite is the reptisun 10.0 by ZooMed. In larger vivariums it is not uncommon for two heat lamps to be used giving the dragon a choice on where they will bask. But before I get ahead of myself, for a baby dragon a starter tank either twenty or forty gallons wide will suffice. Tanks with more height than width are not ideal because less floor space for your dragon to move around and they are much harder to regulate with heat and UV because the light has a longer distance to travel. Once your dragon is ten inches long it is a good time to upgrade to a permanent enclosure. A 65 gallon tank or bigger is a healthy space for your dragon to live the rest of his/her happy years.
Dragons live in the desert and need low humidity and high temps to be healthy in their habitat. On the basking side of your tank where your heat lamp is the temperature range should be anywhere from the mid nineties to the mid hundreds, on the cool side lower to upper eighties is a stable temp to let your dragon cool off after basking. Your tanks humidity should never be more than 30% less is fine but never more, this being said you should never leave open water or a water dish in your dragons vivarium it makes it almost impossible to correctly regulate humidity and can give your dragon respiratory problems. Replicating a healthy environment for your dragon is very important in your dragons overall well being. In order to keep an accurate account of your tanks environment I recommend buying a digital thermometer with humidity gauge preferably one with a probe. There are many misconceptions about proper conditions that can be very harmful and potentially deadly for your dragon. One misconception being that sand is an acceptable substrate for your young dragon. This is most defiantly wrong. As a young dragon they should have nothing on the floor of their enclosure but a layer of paper towels. Using sand or other popular substrate like crushed walnut shells is potentially harmful and can harbor bacteria. Bearded dragons smell with their tongues so it is very possible for them to consume large amounts of their substrate which can build up in their intestines causing impaction which is extremely fatal for bearded dragons. Something convenient about paper towels is the ease in which dragon mess or poop can be cleaned up by pulling up the towel and replacing it with a new square it is by far the healthiest way to go. Sand should only be used with adult dragons 18 inches long or bigger and only regular washed play sand for sandboxes NOT calcisand. A popular alternative to substrate is tile which is easily cleaned and sanitized.
Along with a healthy diet of crickets, roaches, and or worms daily it is also important to feed your dragon a well balanced diet of fruits and veggies.
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