Housing Requirements...
One full grown bearded dragon needs about 6 square feet of floor space, but
more is certainly better and, for each additional dragon, add a few more feet
of space to the equation. In the wild bearded dragons come from deserts, grasslands,
and even woodlands of Australia. They will climb onto rocks, low branches,
or perhaps even a fence post- but they're mostly terrestrial or "ground"
lizards. This should be taken into account when setting up their cage. They
definitely benefit from more floor space with a few easy to access perches.
Babies and juveniles can have smaller enclosures, but they need something
bigger as they grow up. Read in more detail
about a babies set up...
Custom Cages: Always a nice option! I've seen some
really great ones. Just keep in mind you might want some ventilation if you
use glass... if you use screen, make sure that it's not too big for the bugs
to escape... if you use wood, keep in mind that it can absorb poo and other
messes... if you use metal, that it can rust if not properly treated.
Screen or Mesh Cages: I'm sure there are a couple
of choices, I've been using "The Reptarium by Apogee" and find works
quite nicely. It's a soft nylon mesh they can climb on. They can tear through
it if they are persistent clawers, but I only ever got one little rip in mine,
which I sewed up. The picture below shows a vertical setup for one of their
model sizes, but for a bearded dragon you'd want to lay them on their sides
to give them more horizontal space. It has zippers on both ends that open
very wide and is pretty heat resistant. This brand makes clear plastic liners
to fit all the cages possible dimensions. These make it possible to hold water-
getting one will make it possible for the cage to hold sandy substrate and
keep spills and poo from seeping through. Mesh provides great ventilation
and air flow, which is really the reason I prefer it for bearded dragons.
It's less rough than metal screen or mesh, which means they are less likely
to rub off the scale right under their mouth.
Glass Aquariums: These can be fine,
but you need a big one to happily fit even a single adult bearded dragon.
I wouldn't use anything less than the standard 55 gallon for an adult because
I think they have 8 square feet of floor space. The larger ones are also usually
taller than they need to be, most UV rays wont effectively reach the bottom
of the set up. This can be fixed by supplying some nice perches though. Make
sure you use a screen lid so the UVB light rays can come through. If you want
to build your own aquarium, there are a lot of online tutorials about it.
If they claw at the glass alot though, they can hurt their finger bones.
(aquarium pic)
Outdoor Enclosures: This only works
in a few places where the environmental conditions are right. Count on having
a place indoors for your dragon even if this is an option for you. Here's
a diagram of a good outdoor enclosure.
(picture coming soon)
Emergency and Travel Carrier: It will
happen that you will need a travel container for your dragon at some point.
Either for a simple vet visit, a move to another city, or if disaster strikes
and you have the option to evacuate with your pet. Be safe, and smart, get
one before you need it. I like to use a cat carrier that has a wire top so,
if I travel, I can hook up an overhead light to act as a source of comfort
to my dragon. These are also airline approved so your dragon can travel with
you on a passenger plane if the need arises. Please check with the airlines
ahead of time, most carries have reptile restrictions. If it happens that
your herp will have to ride in cargo (most likely) please check with a bearded
dragon breeder that ships their babies through the mail to find out how to
safely get yours through the journey. The cargo hold is a place of extremes.
Even in good weather it often ends up being too hot, or too cold, for your
lizard to travel without taking special measures in how you insulate them.
Be sure to write on the side of your carrier with permanent marker your Name,
Phone, Address, Vet's number and name, simple feeding directions (like not
to feed or vet supervised feeding only), and that it is a HARMLESS reptile.
For example: Delta will not allow reptiles, even in cargo, unless you have
a special license. It's also not a bad idea to keep an emergency care package
ready for your dragon (bottled water, food and canned or dry food it can eat,
and a heat pad) and to write up simple care directions to leave by its cage
incase you can't take it with you during an evacuation.
This is my dragon Edy, in a carrier like the one I mention above, after one
of our many cross country moves. She flew from New Jersey to Seattle and then
we drove 6 hours to Central Oregon where we stayed in a hotel for two weeks
while I was looking for a rent house and waiting for her cage to arrive. While
not an ideal environment; it's a trial many pets have to face with their humans.
She was quite relaxed and kept her appetite during the journey. I paid extra
attention to her needs and health and bought her a UVB light directly after
our arrival. Keep in mind that some hotels do not accept pets, keep your pets
caged when you are not supervising them, (especially if housekeeping needs
to come in,) and that hotel carpet and grasses (like that at rest stops) can
be covered with harmful chemicals and pesticides. Never leave ANY pet in a
closed car on a sunny day. I know of many dogs that have died after being
left in a closed vehicle, even on only moderately warm days. The inside of
a car can become an oven quickly. Don't be fooled, Bearded Dragons are in
no way exempt from heat trauma.
Read more about proper lighting
and heat, substrates and
decor, and harmful items.
