Life Span: 8 to 10 years on average, up to 15. Your dragon is never guaranteed to last 15 years but this can be achieved by using the proper supplements and light that is described below. The knowledge of their diets and general life has grown since most of the original books have been written including the technology of reptile lighting.

Origin: Dragons are native to Australia, however are no longer imported to the States. All Bearded Dragons are now captive breed here.

Size & Appearance: Bearded Dragons can reach up to or around 22 inches on average. Male dragons become larger while this is the main external difference the coloration of the two does not determine their sex. Coloration is strictly a genetic thing that comes from the parents of the offspring. Colors of red, yellow, and orange for instance are referred to as morphs. The brighter coloration is acquired by breeding two dragons with similar color.

Housing: Bearded Dragons can get close to full size within a year, so it’s important to consider this when purchasing your dragon’s home. When full grown they require a cage 36” x 18” minimum. For a juvenile dragon a 20L aquarium will house them between 3 and 6 months.

Lighting and Temperature Requirements: Bearded Dragons are a desert lizard requiring a basking area that ranges from 95 degrees to 110 degrees. It’s important to remember that your dragon needs a cool spot, so keep the basking area on one side of the enclosure and that will make the opposite end at the desired ambient temperature of around 85 degrees. Also never use a hot rock, and when using rocks or ceramic decorations such as caves place them on the opposite end from the lamp. Dragons sense heat from above and can be seriously injured by rocks or decorations that get too hot. Full spectrum lighting should be provided using one of the fluorescent bulbs made for reptiles that produce both UVA and UVB wavelengths. A mercury vapor bulb may also be used, mercury vapor bulbs replace the need of all other day time lighting by providing UVA and UVB and also producing heat. This is the only light that does provide all three. A little costly but worth it in the long run. Any lighting should only be used for 12 to 14 hours a day and should be turned on and off the same time each day by the use of a timer. Bearded Dragons are creatures of habit and wake and sleep the same time each day. Light that goes on and off differently each day can stress your dragon out, causing him to no longer eat and become sick.

Water: Bearded Dragons don’t know how to drink from a water dish instinctively, they need to be shown how. This makes a misting bottle a must. Spraying your dragon once a day to every other day is the only way some dragons will drink. When spraying, just mist the dragon and not the entire cage. This keeps the humidity from getting too high and the sand from getting too saturated. Wet sand that is not dried will grow bacteria, so be sure to stir the sand up as you scoop the cage, this will keep the sand fresh and make it last longer. Also giving your dragon a warm bath once a week is a good idea. Making sure the temperature of the water is warm to the touch but not too warm to keep your hand in there. Dragons also absorb water through their skin, and it’s a digestive aid for them.

Substrate: The best substrate to use is sand. Now a lot of people may disagree but it’s the type of sand that is used that makes the difference. Juvenile dragons however should be kept on newspaper or paper towels for a time until they are a bit larger. When a size of around 6 inches is reached they can then be moved to sand. The sand that I have found to work best is Carib Sea’s Reptile Calci sand. It comes in a few different colors but they can dye the dragon’s skin, it’s temporary but does take away from their natural color. The reason for the Carib Sea brand is that it’s a much finer grain than the one’s made by other companies. While Play Sand may be used for adult dragons it should not be used for juveniles. Calci sand is not fully digestible but the Carib Sea’s finer grains pass through the dragon much easier.

Feeding & Diet: Feeding times and amounts will greatly vary depending on the age and size of your dragon. For Juvenile dragons starting with quarter inch size or smaller crickets is a must. Dragons have a poor digestive system and can get impacted by eating prey that is too large, leading to death if not treated properly. As the dragon grows it’s food source should as well, making sure that crickets feed to them are the same size as the space between their eyes. Most dragons will learn to enjoy such things as collard greens, yellow squash, mustard greens, among other veggies. Some fruits are acceptable as treats only.

Natural Sunlight: Taking your dragon with you on warm   days is something that your dragon will enjoy. Natural sunlight is the best light for them to receive. Make sure that the temperature outside is warm enough so that it will be comfortable for them. Never put them outside in a glass cage, sunlight will be magnified by the glass and heat up too much. Using a screen or mesh cage is best if you wish to set them out unattended and if you watch them try giving them a small kids pool with a little water to soak in under the sun (they’ll be in heaven). Be careful, dragons can look like a good meal to some flying