So yous're getting a new bearded dragon? Congratulations! One of the nigh exciting things you can do before he arrives is put together his new home. Only it can likewise exist a really overwhelming task, because at that place is no shortage of opinions on how to create the perfect bearded dragon tank setup . What kind of material should y'all apply? How hot should the tank exist? Is sand really that bad? What kind of lights practice y'all need?

Don't be overwhelmed! We're sharing the nuts you demand to create your platonic bearded dragon tank setup and become an overview of what is rubber and what is non when information technology comes to preparing your dragon's new home.

Bearded Dragon Tank Setup: Supplies

Before you bring your dragon home, y'all'll need to accept the following supplies:

  • Enclosure
  • UVB light
  • Heating element, thermometer, and hygrometer
  • Basking rock or log
  • Floor
  • Some shallow dishes for water and food
  • Live feeder insects and tweezers
  • Acceptable infinite in your dwelling house

Bearded Dragon Tank Setup: The Enclosure

Start things kickoff! What kind of enclosure do yous want your bearded dragon to be living in? This is an important decision. Your dragon will spend quite a lot of fourth dimension hither, and it's important to brand him as happy every bit possible.

There are a number of factors to consider when choosing the best enclosure for your bearded dragon tank setup: size, material, and where y'all volition keep the enclosure in your home.

Size. What size tank does a bearded dragon demand? The size of your bearded dragon will help you lot determine the size of the enclosure. The standard size for disguised dragons is forty gallons, although many adults are as well large for this size and may go stressed. Here is a good rule of thumb for choosing a tank size based on your dragon'southward length:

  • Baby (under 10 inches long): xx gallons
  • Juveniles (10 to sixteen inches long): twoscore gallons
  • Adults (over 16 inches long): 50 to 75 gallons
  • Adults (over twenty inches long): 75 to 125 gallons

If yous plan on getting a baby disguised dragon, it may be tempting to buy a 20-gallon tank. If you determine to do this, simply retrieve dragons tend to grow fast and then y'all will soon need a forty-gallon tank. Many Dragon Keepers end up getting a forty-gallon tank even for a infant to avoid buying another one so soon later, but information technology's upwardly to you.

Y'all may decide to get a 20-gallon for now because you take a small space and you'll exist moving shortly. Or possibly you are keeping a baby and then giving him to a friend. It all depends on your circumstances and preferences.

Choosing the proper size tank for your bearded dragon helps them to feel comfy and less stressed, specially in those first few weeks when y'all bring them dwelling and they are adjusting to a whole new environment. A good size tank prevents glass surfing too, which is often caused by dragons feeling too caged in.

Closeup of a bearded dragon in his terrarium

Enclosure Material

Now let's discuss what is the all-time textile to use for your tank. In that location are definitely enough to cull from, and if y'all start looking up options online you may experience overwhelmed. If yous aren't going to build your own tank DIY style, chances are y'all'll buy ane online or at a pet shop. Here are some of the basic tanks that you tin choose from:

  • Drinking glass . A popular option, drinking glass terrariums are sturdy, widely available, and usually come with a screen chapeau that improves airflow and helps regulate the low humidity dragons need. You can also become a front end-opening glass terrarium that makes it like shooting fish in a barrel to admission your pet and make clean the tank.On the downside, glass is a poor oestrus insulator, then you lot'll have to check the temperature regularly to brand sure information technology'due south not too cold. This isn't too difficult to commit to particularly if you have a thermometer gun.
  • Wood and Glass. Many Dragon Keepers opt to become a terrarium fabricated of wood and drinking glass instead of only drinking glass with a screen top. Oft this ways there is one side that is drinking glass and the balance is woods. Wood is an excellent rut insulator, so this may be a better choice for you than a full drinking glass terrarium if you live in a colder area or like to keep your home temperature low. It likewise may offer y'all more than peace of listen and then y'all don't have to worry nearly your dragon's heat as much.
  • PVC Plastic is another option. It's quite lightweight, and there are generally a lot of colors you tin can choose from. PVC enclosures are often designed for stacking, which is platonic if you plan on adopting more than i dragon.Ane mutual result with PVC terrariums is poor airflow, so you have to be a little more vigilant with the humidity levels than with other cages. This shouldn't be as well difficult if you become into the addiction of checking the humidity on a regular ground.
  • Screen. In your search for a terrarium you may encounter some that have walls made from wire screens. These are extremely dangerous for disguised dragons. In addition to the obvious heating upshot, screen cages can injure bearded dragons.Of course, glass terrariums with a screen lid are a different story, because the bearded dragon volition likely not be able to reach the screen lid. Just be sure to arrange any decor, plants, etc in such a style that your dragon is protected from the wire screen, and keep an eye on your dragon for scratches especially on his nose.

Location in Your Habitation

Some first-time Dragon Keepers might not realize how of import it is to make up one's mind where you lot will put your disguised dragon ahead of time. It will save you a lot of stress if y'all clear a place and get everything set before you lot bring your new reptile friend abode. Here are some guidelines in deciding where to keep your dragon's new home:

  • Do not place your dragon in straight sunlight.This tin can actually kill your bearded dragon. Although sunlight is good for them in the wild, in a domestic surroundings information technology quickly becomes deadly. The oestrus from the sun hands becomes trapped in the terrarium—especially if it'southward drinking glass—and the temperature will get life-threatening to your dragon. A good quality UVB lamp is the best way to provide the oestrus and light they need.
  • Know ahead of time how much room you need. If you've never owned a reptile before, yous may non realize how large the tank actually is, and the amount of infinite it takes upward may surprise you. The standard size 40-gallon tank is 36 inches long by 18 inches wide by 18 inches deep. You will demand a sturdy surface to set it on, so make sure you lot measure in advance.
  • If you lot have other pets or small children, make certain the disguised dragon's tank is out of their reach. Cats and dogs can kill your dragon. If you lot tin't keep your dragon in a dissever room from your cat or dog, brand absolutely certain that the enclosure volition non topple and that the lid is secure. If you accept small children, never let them almost the tank unsupervised, and exist sure the terrarium is out of their reach. Children can be seriously hurt if they manage to topple the tank, not to mention your dragon could exist hurt or killed.
  • At the aforementioned time, make sure you tin can access the tank easily. You will need to clean the tank, accept your dragon out for playtime and baths, and give your dragon lots of love, so it's all-time to make sure you can easily get to the tank.
  • Keep the enclosure away from loud noises. Loud noises tend to actually upset bearded dragons. For example, if you have a big screen TV that you lookout man frequently, or if you play electrical guitar, or if there is a side of your firm where yous can hear constant traffic, attempt to keep your dragon out of earshot.
  • Keep the tank in a place that is light during the day and night at night. While you volition be providing UVB calorie-free 12 hours a mean solar day for your dragon, they have trouble sleeping if lights are left on at night, then it'southward all-time to place them in an area that is quiet and dark at night. This is particularly important during brumation if your disguised dragon ends up going through that process.

Two bearded dragons

Practice Not Plan for Cohabitation

If you are planning to adopt multiple bearded dragons or if y'all already have 1 and are calculation to your reptile family, please practise not firm them together. It is rarely a good idea.

  • Disguised dragons are territorial and could kill each other, especially if you house two males together.
  • If you business firm two females together, the less dominant of the two could go seriously sick considering the more than ascendant 1 volition take over the nutrient basin and the basking spot.
  • If you business firm a male and female together, they volition brainstorm to reproduce and you must be prepared to take care of multiple baby dragons.

Disguised Dragon Tank Setup: Flooring

Another key component in giving your beardie a comfortable home is choosing the best flooring. There are quite a lot of options available, and unfortunately not all of them are safe. When you think nigh what flooring you lot want to use, the most important factor to consider is what is best for your dragon? What will aid your dragon feel happy and comfortable in their new home? What volition continue them clean and safety? What flooring is safe for them and like shooting fish in a barrel for y'all to take intendance of? Let's go to the "lesser" of it.

Some of the very popular options are not safe for your bearded dragon, and some are. It'southward all-time to exercise your research and be fully informed before y'all make a decision. You can even give your local vet or reptile shelter a call and weigh their opinion as well.

Best and Worst Flooring Options

Substrate is a hotly debated topic amidst Dragon Keepers. Many substrates are truly unsafe for disguised dragons for the following reasons:

  • They can crusade impaction, eye and nose irritation, and even internal injury.
  • They can besides exist really difficult to go along complimentary of leaner and parasites.
  • Live insects can easily hide in substrate.

    • If you lot choose to use substrate, you must really do your research and brand absolutely sure that yous are choosing the safest option for your dragon.

    Sand is one of the nearly common substrates that people use for their dragons. But it is very dangerous for your dragon. While sand is part of dragons' natural habitat in the desert, the sand that you see for sale at pet stores and online is non Australian desert sand. It can crusade gut impaction and tin can easily exist inhaled, causing respiratory issues; not to mention it tin can also get stuck in your beardie's eyes, causing irritation.

    Pebbles and rocks are a big no likewise. These can cause impaction and break your dragon's teeth.

    Pebbles

    Walnut shells, for similar reasons, pose an farthermost threat to your dragon's health.

    Other substrates are available for bearded dragons as well. These are often made up of some kind of wood chips, calcium pulverization, coconut fiber, or some kind of edible material. We highly recommend consulting with your vet if you lot are interested in using this kind of substrate. While the ones made of edible or calcium-infused materials are unsafe, some of the forest options may work well for you lot depending on your situation.

    Some substrates including wooden chips are quite absorbent and easy to make clean, but there is nonetheless some take chances of impaction and y'all must be vigilant about cleaning them when your dragon goes to the bath.

    The other issue y'all may encounter with these softer, dense substrates is they retain moisture, which can raise the humidity levels in your dragon'due south tank. If y'all get this road, merely use your hygrometer to monitor the humidity.

    One other thing you need to keep in mind with loose substrate is live insect feedings. Live insects such as crickets, Dubia roaches, and worms will effort to escape your bearded dragon during mealtime. This chase tin exist fun to scout and is office of the natural order of things, but it'due south unsafe in a loose substrate setting.

    The insects can easily bury themselves in the substrate and hide until long after feeding fourth dimension. They volition either bite your dragon (crickets are notorious for this, and their biting hurts!) or they will eventually dice and begin to rot in the tank, causing a smell and posing a threat to your dragon's wellness. If you have loose substrate, utilise a special designated surface area away from the substrate for live insect feeding. A large plastic container works quite well for this.

    Sand mats are not a great pick either. They can harm your bearded dragon past scratching them or causing impaction or internal injury when your beardie ingests dislodged pieces.

    Reptile carpet is a great option for your dragon. It doesn't cost much, information technology's easy to make clean, and most options you will detect are designed to forbid odors. You lot practice have to remove it to make clean it, so it's best to have at least ane extra carpet on hand. If you take a baby dragon, you may want to continue more than two carpets since babies go to the bath more often than adults.

    Tile is a very popular choice among Dragon Keepers. Dark-colored ceramic and slate tile are ideal choices. Both materials provide your dragon with traction to motion around comfortably, and dark colors will foreclose the tile from getting cold.

    Make certain y'all don't use vinyl or linoleum, which are likewise slippery for your bearded dragon's claws to gain any traction. The other issue with those materials is they retain a lot of heat and there is nowhere for it to escape in your dragon's tank, so it can fire your dragon.

    Be very careful when putting the tile in your bearded dragon's tank. It can scrape or break the terrarium floor, particularly if it'southward drinking glass. Using a sparse towel or newspaper betwixt the floor and the tile can assist protect the tank's floor.

    Clay is a really fun option for your bearded dragon if you lot have time and are willing to put in a little extra effort to set it up. Yous can become actually artistic with it and sculpt an exciting desert-like terrain with burrows, hills, and hideaways.

    Once you purchase the reptile excavator clay at your local pet store or online, mix it with water and allow it dry in the tank. Your dragon can burrow in the clay but it will non break off and cause impaction. The merely outcome you may run into with clay is every few months you take to remove and replace it, which tin can exist a hassle if you don't have a lot of actress time to have care of that.

    Paper is easily the cheapest choice for your bearded dragon. Information technology's a corking choice for babies since they go to the bathroom a lot and newspaper is incredibly easy to supercede.

    Lightbulb

    Bearded Dragon Tank Setup : Proper Lights, Heating, and Humidity

    Dragons are cold-blooded creatures native to the Australian desert. They don't generate their own trunk heat, then they need proper heating and lighting mimicking their natural habitat in order to survive. Poor lighting or heat can cause metabolic bone disease , a very serious condition that warps your dragon'south skeletal system and inhibits digestion and assimilation of nutrients. Metabolic os disease can paralyze and kill your dragon if left untreated.

    Here are some things y'all'll need to maintain the proper heat, lighting, and humidity that your dragon needs to stay comfy and healthy:

    • UVB lamp. Many vets recommend a self ballasted mercury vapor UVB lamp because they emit heat along with UVB rays. It's all-time to supervene upon the UVB bulb every 6 months to ensure the best quality rays and oestrus for your dragon.
    • Heat lamp and UVB bulb. If you will non be using a UVB lamp that emits estrus as well as UVB rays, and then you will need a heat lamp every bit well as a UVB bulb.
    • Ceramic estrus emitter. You will need this if you are unable to maintain a temperature higher up 65 degrees in your home at dark.
    • Thermometer. To ensure your dragon is getting the proper temperatures at whatsoever given time of the twenty-four hours or night, you'll want to have a proficient thermometer on paw. You could place a couple digital thermometers at either end of your bearded dragon'southward tank, or y'all could employ a temperature gun to quickly scan different areas of the tank.
    • Hygrometer. It's helpful to have a hygrometer to measure the humidity in your dragon's tank.

    Once you lot have the necessary supplies, keep these lighting, heating, and humidity guidelines in listen for your disguised dragon tank setup :

    • UVB exposure. Whether you go a self ballasted UVB lamp or another kind, ensure your dragon gets 12 hours of UVB ray exposure a twenty-four hours.
    • Humidity. The ideal humidity for bearded dragons is 35 to 40% because that mimics the humidity levels in their natural habitat. This is oft easy to achieve only by providing adequate ventilation (for example, your glass tank screen lid), placing the water dish abroad from the basking spot, and non misting your dragon'southward tank too frequently.
    • Crimson lights. You may find in your research that some disguised dragon tanks have a carmine low-cal on at dark. Although many Dragon Keepers choose to practise this, it's not necessary and can be stressful for your disguised dragon. In the wild, disguised dragons would go to slumber in total darkness, or perhaps under soft moonlight and starlight. Red lights or other night lights you can get for your dragon only aren't the aforementioned. Dragons have trouble sleeping when at that place is too much calorie-free, especially from a bulb or screen. And then information technology's best to avoid adding a red light or dark calorie-free to your dragon'due south tank.
    • Daytime temperatures. Every dragon needs a basking spot, and this spot should be between 95 and 110 degrees Fahrenheit during the day. Other parts of the tank should be cooler so your dragon can regulate torso temperature as needed.
    • Nighttime temperatures. At nighttime, the entire tank should range from 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Of course, yous don't have to proceed a basking spot at night.

    Bearded Dragon Tank Setup: Decor

    Perhaps the most fun part of setting up your dragon's new home is selecting the decor! When it comes to creativity, the heaven'southward the limit. Some Dragon Keepers opt for a laid back, simple environment, while others choose an elaborate theme such as exotic desert or tropical rainforest. If y'all are a kickoff time Dragon Keeper, yous may desire to keep information technology simple to start out, but it'south entirely up to y'all.

    Potted succulents on a desk

    Regardless of your style or theme, hither are some items to include in your bearded dragon tank setup:

    • Basking log or rock. Your bearded dragon will need a large surface to enjoy on beneath the heating lamp. A log or rock is perfect for this.
    • Hideaway. For bedtime, brumation, and post-obit the natural instincts of burrowing, your dragon needs a hibernate. There are plenty of options available and then you can observe one that matches your tank'due south style.
    • Things to climb on. Whether it'southward branches, rocks, logs, or some other fixture that matches your decor theme, bearded dragons beloved to climb on things. Of grade, just make sure there is withal room on the footing for your dragon equally well.
    • Hammock. Disguised dragons love hanging out and lounging in hammocks. Place one in the corner of your tank reverse the heating lamp, and your bearded dragon will thank yous.
    • Plants. Many Dragon Keepers enjoy decorating the terrarium with plants, live or fake.

    Live plants tin can affect the humidity levels in your dragon's tank, then be sure to use your hygrometer often. Keep in mind that your dragon may swallow some of the alive plants, so it's of import to only keep alive plants and herbs that are safe for your bearded dragon to ingest.

      Safe plants include:

      • Aloe vera (If your dragon eats too much of this, she may get diarrhea, so just proceed an eye on things)
      • Herbs such as rosemary, basil, oregano, and parsley (they may wilt in the humidity so replace them when they begin to get bad)
      • Turtle vine
      • Succulents such as echeveria and haworthia
      • Prickly pear cacti (with spines removed)

      Another thing to keep in heed if you are interested in using live plants is that you will accept to water and care for them likewise every bit caring for your dragon. If you've never taken intendance of plants before, you may want to start with a plant exterior the terrarium and get from there.

      Usually information technology'due south safest simply to apply plastic plants. Brand sure they are high quality to minimize the risk of your dragon biting off a piece and choking or becoming impacted. Impaction tin can kill your dragon, so it'southward of import to have the necessary steps to prevent this.

      Bearded Dragon Tank Setup: Feeding Essentials

      • Shallow dishes. For greens, fruits, insects, supplements, and h2o, y'all'll want at to the lowest degree 3 or four shallow dishes on manus.
      • Insect tweezers. For live insect feeding , it's helpful to have one or two pairs of tweezers on paw. Not only can information technology be fun to feed your dragon with the tweezers, merely it can protect you from insects that can pinch or bite, and it's as well a good option for those who would rather non touch live bugs with their easily.
      • Container for feeding. If you are using loose substrate or you desire to go more up-close and personal when feeding your dragon, or if you simply don't want to unleash live insects into the terrarium and prefer a more than independent environment, you'll desire to accept a large, shallow plastic container on hand.
      • Live feeder insects. Whether you are getting a baby, juvenile, or developed disguised dragon, yous will need to include live insects in their diet. Crickets and Dubia roaches are the most popular staple insects, and in that location are plenty to choose from as treats and supplements. Decide ahead of time what insects you lot will showtime with and run into how your dragon likes them. And brand sure you lot understand how to proceed and intendance for the insects yous choose, too.

      Healthy bearded dragons can live up of 10 years with proper care. The terrarium plays a huge office in giving your bearded dragon a healthy, happy life. At present that you know the basics of creating the best bearded dragon tank setup , you can provide your reptile with a abode where she can thrive.

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