About Bearded Dragons...
Bearded Dragon is the common name for any Agamid lizard in the genus Pogona, all of which come from Australia. They get this name from the flap of skin under their neck which they can puff out, usually when afraid, to make themselves look bigger and more intimidating- as you guessed, it also makes them look like they have a bit of a beard.

I am not a vet but, in owning them over the past 12 years, I have picked up some decent advice from vets, books, and breeders which I'd like to share in the section below. Always do your own research though, don't just trust some intenet site. This section is still under construction and will be for a while, I'm not the best writer in the world so I go back and delete or rephrase stuff a lot.

Species, Characteristics, and Behavior...
Species... In recent years Pogona Vitticeps, or the inland bearded dragon, has become fairly popular in the pet trade. With good reason, they're easy to care for, trusting, docile, and fun to interact with. Because they're relatively easy to breed in captivity we're even starting to see more variety in color and size. Read in more detail...

Diet and Housing Requirements...
Things you will need to keep one as a pet are a sizable cage, a perch and hiding box, good UVB lighting, proper heat, lots of food, the knowledge of what's generally bad for them, the number of a decent herp vet, and of course- your adoration. *heart* For more detail on any of these subjects, please check out the sections below...

Their Enclosure: I believe that they really need a minimum of 6 square feet of floor space in their cage. I prefer mesh or screen cages with a minimum of 9 square feet of floor space, but there are a variety of good options out there. Read in more detail...

Decor and Substrate: They like some decorations, like a hiding cave in the cooler part of their cage, a high spot to sit on in the warmer part of their cage, and maybe some sand to dig in- this last one is very optional -but they do seem to like to dig out a "nest" at night. I discuss a few of the most common, and safer, options here: Read in more detail...

Good Lighting and Proper Heat: It's almost as important to their health as eating is! They need an ambient day time temperature range of about 80-85 and about 105-110 in their basking spot. It should also get no lower than about 60 at night. 10-14 hours of light a day is also required for their well-being since they are sun lovers. I must stress: Don't skimp on their lighting. They need high amounts of UVB rays, which you can't get from normal light bulbs or through window glass. Read in more detail...

Diet and Water: Their diet is a varied one. I'll list, and discuss, some of the things that I believe are good for them to eat and then I'll talk about snack food in another section. Soaking and/or Misting is also a must, but there are some do's and don't surrounding their water supply. Read in more detail...

Bringing Home Baby: Special notes about the care of young, or small, bearded dragons. Read in more detail...

Things to Avoid...
This mostly includes food and cage accessories so, check out this section, you might be surprised. But first of all: Do not use electric heat rocks! Dragons are not built to absorb their heat through their tummies. A real rock may be hot when they get on it, but eventually it will cool to the ambient air temp as their body shades it. Not only can even a small electric under-belly-heat-source cause burns, it can also cook internal organs. Below are some quick examples of things to use sparingly, or to avoid all together, click on the linked headers for more detail...

Substrates to avoid and why:

• Beach Sand
• Calcium Sand
• Bark Shavings
• Saw Dust
• Ground Walnut Shells
• Potting Soil
• Pebbles (anything smaller than their mouth can cause blockage)

Foods to avoid and why:

• Iceberg Lettuce
• Spinach
• Pinky Mice
• Meal Worms
• Fireflies
• Anything longer, or wider, than the space between their eyes.

Sexing and Breeding...
I'll leave most of this up to the breeders to discuss. But there are some general guidelines you can follow if you want to guestamate the sex of your dragon. If you are intent on breeding, or housing two or more together, please get a more expert opinion. Read in more detail...

Illness...
They are fairly hardy, especially compared to many other captive bred lizards, but if they are not provided with proper diet and husbandry, it is not unlikely that they will fall ill. Some of the most common problems you might encounter are listed here along with a brief description and links to more detailed articles. Read in more detail...

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