It is best to get your new babies home ready for them before you purchase them. I like starting babies off in a low profile 20 gallon tank which will last them until they are about 12 inches long. You can go with a bigger enclosure but I would recommend using a divider so they aren’t overwhelmed by a large tank. I also suggest keeping the furnishings to a minimum and stick with basic needs. I use a smooth rock for basking and a stick or a log arrangement so they can get with in 6 inches of their uvb source. For adults a 55 gallon tank is the absolute minimum. I personally have at least 6 square feet of floor space for my dragons which translates to 2 x 3 of useable floor space. You can also add more furniture since adults are much more capable of finding their food.
A dragons lights should be on for 12 to14 hours a day (set on a timer). They need a basking light for heat. Keeping proper temps is a must for any reptile. I use halogen spot or flood bulbs from any home improvement center. You can also use ceramic heat emitters or a mercury vapor bulb which supplies both heat and UVB. The wattage will depend on your household temps and other conditions. You want basking temperatures on the surface of the their basking rock to be 105 to110 degrees. This is crucial for proper digestion. All heat for a dragon should come from above. Under the tank heaters are not needed. Heat rocks are also not needed and can burn your dragon. You will want the cool end to be 80-85 degrees so they can regulate their body temperatures. You will not need a night time heat source if your temps stay above 60 degrees. A good thermometer is a must since their temps are so important to their health. You can find probe thermometers at most department or home improvement stores for under 20 bucks. I like the ones that are also equipped with a humidity gauge. Humidity levels should be around 30 to 60 percent which is fairly easy to maintain since it is the same levels that humans are most comfortable in too.
Besides a good basking bulb dragons also need a good UVB bulb. UVB rays help dragons synthesize vitamin D3 which helps dragons absorb Calcium. Calcium is necessary for dragons to maintain proper bone growth. Without proper Calcium they can develop Metabolic Bone Disease. MBD is basically the weakening of a reptiles bones which can end up in deformities or death if left unchecked. There are 2 types of UVB bulbs, fluorescent and mercury vapor. Fluorescent are the most commonly used and work very well. They do not put out heat so a basking bulb is also needed. I use the Reptisun 10.0 fluorescent bulb for my babies and have had very good results. Other fluorescent bulbs that put out acceptable levels of UVB rays for a dragon include the Reptisun 5.0 and the Reptiglo 8.0. Most other manufacturers make big claims but their bulbs fall very short of the proper amounts of UVB rays needed to keep your dragon healthy. Be cautious and don’t always believe what is printed on the box!!!! A dragon should be able to get within 6 to 8 inches of a fluorescent UVB bulb or the UVB levels will not be sufficient. Fluorescent bulbs should be replaced every 6 months.
Mercury vapor bulbs are another choice for supplying your dragon with UVB rays. These bulbs put out much higher levels of UVB at greater distances. The average minimum distance is 12 inches and they usually put out at least 4 times the amount of UVB rays than a Fluorescent UVB bulb. Most models also produce heat so they work as a basking bulb as well. I prefer the Mega Ray flood EB model from www.reptileuv.com which I use in some of my larger enclosures. Mercury vapor bulbs should also be replaced every 6 months. The exception to this rule is the Mega Ray flood EB series which put out acceptable levels of UVB for a year..
This is what you line the floor of your dragons enclosure with. This subject causes more arguments among dragon owners then anything else. I like to play it safe and choose not use any type of particle based substrate such as sand, calcisand , crushed walnut shell or anything that can be ingested and become impacted. Impaction, to put it simply, is when they get constipated due to blockage, there are many causes all of which can turn deadly and or very costly in a hurry. Many times it is caused by eating their substrate or too large of feeder insects. That is why I choose to play it safe and not use any of it. I personally use ceramic tile cut to fit but not mounted permanently. That way it can be taken out on a regular basis and washed. I also can recommend non adhesive shelf liner and linoleum both of which should be aired out in advance to help with the fumes that can be given off when new. You can also use newspaper or paper towels.
Dragons of all ages need phosphorus free calcium and vitamins. Babies need Calcium every day one feeding a day. They will also need a good vitamin 2 times a week. This can be cut back as the get older. At 4 months I cut them back to 5 days a week for Calcium with D3 but still stick with 2 days a week for the vitamins. Once they are over a year they can go to 2 or 3 times a week with Calcium and once a week for the vitamins. Dusting their crickets is the preferred method and I prefer using Repcal brand Calcium with D3 (pink label) and Repcal herptivite vitamins (blue label).
Dragons need a well balanced diet of greens and lots of protein as they are growing . For protein I feed my dragons crickets, silkworms and roaches. I will feed superworms after a dragon reaches 6 months old or 15 inches long what ever comes first. Gutloading your feeder insects is a very important step and helps provide your dragon with nutrients that insects alone cant provide. I feed my crickets a premium blend gutload from www.cricketfood.com I feed this about 12 hours before I offer the crickets to my dragons. Baby Dragons should be allowed to eat as many crickets as they can in a 10 to15 minute time frame 3 times a day. This can be over 50 correctly sized crickets in one feeding. After a dragon reaches 6 or 7 months old you can go to 2 feedings a day. Once a dragon is a year old I only feed a few insects a day for a total of about 35 to 50 a week depending on the dragon. It is very important feed your dragon the correct size crickets. Never feed insects larger then the space between their eyes. Too large of insects is another cause of impaction. Crickets measuring 1/4 inch to 3/8s are normally the correct size for baby dragons.( Don’t forget to dust with the proper supplements!) Do not leave uneaten crickets in with your dragon overnight. They will come out of hiding after the lights go out and nibble on your dragon while it sleeps.
You should also always offer a plate of greens to your dragon everyday. I feed them bite sized greens and veggies from 7 am to 5 pm. Greens, vegetables and fruits take longer to digest so I don’t leave them in with them after 5 pm. Even if your dragon doesn’t seem to be eating their greens they should still be offered. If your dragon isn’t eating its greens you can try hand feeding them by wiggling the greens in front of their nose or balling them up and rolling the greens in front of them. Dragons are always attracted by movement and sometimes this will get a dragon to eat them. Greens that are acceptable staples for everyday feedings include: Collard greens, Dandelion greens, Endive, Escarole, Mustard greens, Squash and Turnip greens. There are others that can be offered in moderation which can be found at this link. It is a great site and should be book marked to any dragon owners favorite sites for easy access. www.beautifuldragons.503xtreme.com/Nutrition.html
Proper hydration is critical for a baby dragon. I offer my babies water at least 3 times a day. Adults should be offered water at least twice a day. This is done by dripping water on the tip of their nose. It may take a minute but normally they will start licking the water. Continue dripping water on their nose until they stop licking. You can use a spray bottle, eye dropper or a syringe for this. I use spray bottles but all 3 work very well. Dragons should also be bathed at least 2 times a week in warm water. A good 10 minute soaking really helps keep them well hydrated. They can absorb water through their vent so even if they aren’t drinking a bath is still beneficial. Misting their greens is also another good way to get water into them. Water dishes are another subject of great debate. I don’t use them and prefer the methods I have listed above. If your humidity levels are low then a shallow water dish is ok but it should be cleaned daily. Babies drown very easy and can drown in a surprisingly shallow amount of water.
Of course keeping the place where any animals lives clean is very important. This includes Bearded dragons. Any poop should be cleaned as soon as it is found. I use the same process to ensure I get as much of the poop cleaned as possible. Paper towels are a must for a dragon owner! Here are the steps I follow:
These steps help ensure that as much fecal matter as possible is cleaned up and helps keeping your dragon healthy and parasite free. I spot clean my tanks everyday and do a full scale clean at least once a week depending on the dragon. Some just seem to be messier then others.
Here is a quick check list to keep your baby happy in his new home.