Do bearded dragons need veterinary care?
Absolutely. They are animals. They have health. They have medical needs. And we want to make sure that they have a long and happy life with you.
Dr. Stephanie Munyon
Brook-Falls Veterinary Hospital
What are the types of breeds of bearded dragons?
So, the bearded dragon you see most commonly is the Central Inland Bearded Dragon, or Pagoma vidiceps. There are a few other species out in the pet trade. Most commonly is a really small guy called the Rankin's Dragon, or Pagoma henrylosini, I believe. They are much tinier and have a different shaped head. The biggest bearded dragon you can get is a subspecies called the German Giant.
Do bearded dragons make good, safe pets?
They are one of the best reptiles for pets. They're very personable and very easy to handle. There are risks mostly of salmonella, so you always need to wash your hands after handling your bearded dragon. And maybe not share your sandwich with them.
What do I need for a bearded dragon habitat?
Space. They take at least a 55-gallon terrarium when they are full grown. You can start small when they're tiny, itty-bitty guys, because they start this big as hatchlings. But then you get a big lady like a guy who needs much more room.
When do bearded dragons sleep, and what do bearded dragons like to sleep on?
Bearded dragons sleep the same time you and I do at night. So when it gets dark, they go to bed. And in general, they like to sleep under something. So they'll sleep under a rock or a log.
Do bearded dragons need light at night, and what is the best UVB light for bearded dragons?
They don't need light at night. Depending on the temperature of your house, they might need supplemental heating in certain areas of their cage. But we don't want to interrupt their day-night cycle by having a red or a blue light on at night. And as for UVB, that's something you're going to have on during the day. And the general brands that we like are Zoo Med, Arcadia, Zilla is also pretty good. And in general, we lean more towards the two UVB lights or mercury vapor bulbs.
Would a bearded dragon need UVB and UVA lighting?
Yes, they do need both. UVB is the one that gets missed the most. Pretty much all of the lights are going to have UVA, not all of them are going to have UVB. That's a separate bulb then.
Are bearded dragons friendly and social?
Most of them are. They have personalities just like you or me. So most of them enjoy being handled or having time with you. Some of them are a bit more standoffish. Like Agave being your beardy brooch right now as we're talking about her family.
What can live with a bearded dragon?
Bearded dragons should live by themselves. They can live in groups in the wild, but they're able to get away from each other. If you house bearded dragons together and you're not prepared, they can take chunks out of each other. And I've seen most commonly tails missing, but I have met bearded dragons with no feet because of friends.
Do bearded dragons like to be pet or held?
A lot of them do. As you can see, Agave is pretty comfortable here. A lot of them like to be, I can't see where she is, pet on the top of her head and she's saying no thank you right now. She's just going to hide underneath your chin there.
How do I know how to pick up a bearded dragon?
I compare them to a spiky pancake. So you kind of use a spatula method and she's not going to cooperate. So you make sure that we have nice support under our body. You can even support our feet a bit, but you can see she's completely supported and comfortable.
Where are bearded dragons from and what is their natural habitat?
Bearded dragons are from Australia. They're from the outback, so it's very arid and flat.
Are bearded dragons cold-blooded?
They are cold-blooded or ectothermic, so they take their heat from the environment.
Are bearded dragons an invasive species?
Not that I know of.
Are bearded dragons endangered?
Also not that I know of.
Are bearded dragons smart?
They can't be. Sometimes we wish they were smarter. They aren't going to know the difference between a hornworm you give them versus a green plastic bug. They will need both.
How long do bearded dragons live?
Bearded dragons generally live 8-10 years. They can live longer. I think the oldest I've seen is 15.
Do bearded dragons smell?
Their poop does, but they don't in general.
Do bearded dragons make noises?
They generally make a hissing noise when they're upset with you.
Do bearded dragons change color?
They mostly change intensity of color on their general body. But on their beard itself, when they're upset or overstimulated or stressed, they can change that to black.
How do I tell if a bearded dragon is male or female? So in other words, how to sex a bearded dragon.
They're kind of a tricky one. Males, a good, very strong male, will have what we call, she says no you can't look, femoral pores on their back legs. So they'll have these bumps that are really prominent on the underside of their back legs. Females or less strong males can have smaller ones. And sometimes the males you can see their hemipene bulges on the bottom of their tail. But bearded dragons can be tricky to sex sometimes.
Are male bearded dragons bigger than female?
Not always. We do certainly have some very small petite females who are only 300 grams. And then you have big ladies like Agave who are 550 grams.
How can I tell the age of a bearded dragon?
Once they hit adulthood, it's hard to tell. So your bearded dragon should be fully grown by a year to a year and a half of age.
What do bearded dragons eat?
They are mainly insectivores when they're babies because they need a higher energy diet. And then they convert to a more herbivorous diet as they get older. Or they should. Some of them are picky.
Do bearded dragons drink water?
They, in general, don't go to bowls and drink. They are morning dew drinkers. So if you spray them or mist them in the morning, they'll drink that way. Or if you soak them, a lot of times they'll drink. But most of the time they won't just go take a slurp from a bowl of water.
How long can bearded dragons go without eating?
That depends on their age. With the young guys, we start to worry if they aren't eating for more than a day. With the bigger guys, we start to worry if it's more than a week.
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