Enclosure Set-Up
Hatchlings can initially be housed together and I would recommend a 2ft/ 60cm long enclosure as a minimum for 1-3 hatchlings. A smaller enclosure allows the hatchlings to locate their food easily. This enclosure can be a glass reptile tank, converted fishtank or melamine/wooden enclosure.
Bearded Dragons grow quickly so a larger enclosure may be required in 2-3 months. A 4ft / 120cm long enclosure would be suitable for 2-3 adult Dragons.
Substrate and Furniture.
I use washed beach sand as a substrate for hatchlings and adults and have done for many years successfully. Other options include bark chips, fake grass, marine carpet and newspaper or butchers paper though not recommended. All substrates have their pros and cons so consider your own situation and needs when choosing its needs. Remembering the goal is to provide a clean hygienic environment for your Bearded Dragons as natural as possible.
A rock or stack of pavers under the basking spot will give them a place to soak up the rays. Logs, rocks and hides will provide security and decoration.
Housing
Bearded dragons may be housed together as hatchlings as long as they are all around the same size. As they mature you will notice that 1 or 2 might grow quicker and act more dominant than the rest. This is not indicative of gender; some just grow at a faster rate.
I would recommend separating the smaller hatchlings at this stage for safety reasons and you’ll find they will eventually catch up to the others. Female Bearded Dragons can continue to be housed together at similar sizes or once they have reached their full growth.
Males dragons will need to be separated from around 2-3 months old before dominance issues and injuries occur. Adult males will fight other mature males for dominance so never house mature males together. Males can be then introduced to the females during breeding season and taken out again once they have completed the task.
Heating & lighting
Bearded Dragons are reptiles that love the full sun so plenty of lighting is essential if your Beardies are to remain healthy and active.
I use Mercury Vapour Bulbs (MVB'S) to provide the best natural UVA/UVB available from our Forum store
http://www.abdfreptilesupplies.com.a...product_id=223 . MVB globes are the best possible option to use as they put out high levels of UVA/UVB and the most natural bulb on the market closest to sunlight specs. Normal globes such as the Phillips spot tone types don't emit any UVB only UVA so your dragon will not be as active and will have a smaller appetite. Though very handy for the use on our hatchies as they come in a wide range of wattages 40w, 60w, 75w, and 100w. If using these Philips bulbs it is recommended to use a uvb light source in conjunction with the normal phillips heat bulbs. I reccomend this model that is avaiable at the Forums store
http://www.abdfreptilesupplies.com.a...product_id=219. During the night I turn off all heating and lighting and best to setup up your lights on timers..
Hatchling temps should range from 20-26 Deg C at the cool end to 26-30 Deg C at the hot end with a 30-40 Deg C basking spot.. Adult temps should range from 20-28 Deg C at the cool end to 28-35 Deg C at the hot end with a 35-45 Deg C basking spot..
I can't get through to people just how necessary natural sunlight is for healthy Bearded Dragons and I recommend a few hours of sun a day or every chance you get. They will grow twice as quick and eat a lot more if given plenty of sun. This also avoids the chance of your beardie developing any illnesses such as MBD (Metabolic Bone Disease). This is a common problem in bearded dragons if not given enough UV and calcium. The first signs of MBD are twitching legs along with loss of appetite and body weakening. Any signs of this and you should take your beardie to your vet.
One way of achieving some sunlight time is to build or buy a suitable portable enclosure or an outdoor enclosure. Any enclosure will need to have water and some shade to escape the heat if needed. One cheap option is a large plastic tub with wire mesh inserted in the the lid. Cut away the centre of the lid, leaving the edges and locking mechanism intact. Cut wire mesh to suit the hole and hot glue it into place.
Be cautious on hot days – direct sun can quickly overheat your Beardies and result in tragedy.
Food & Feeding
Bearded dragons live naturally on insects and plants. You can buy live insects (crickets, woodies, silkworms and mealworms) from your pet store or online. I do not recommend feeding of mealworms as for their outer shell (exoskeleton) and low nutritional value. Though they can be good to put some weight on gravid females etc
Feed your dragon twice a day offering them fresh greens before the insects, this often helps them to get started on greens and vegetables. For hatchlings, cut the vegetables and fruit into small pieces. Do not overfeed or offer to larger food items as this will increase the risk of impaction.
Insects should be dusted with calcium powder every 2nd day and dusted with a vitamin powder once or twice a week. Do this before feeding to your Beardies. I only use VetaFarm brand as I've found this to be the best product and has a balanced mix of calcium and vitamins in one
http://www.abdfreptilesupplies.com.a...product_id=123 . There are many pellet forms of food available and some brands better than others, most can also be softened in some fruit juice if needed.
As Beardies grow they will eat more fruit and vegetables. Some suitable food items are fancy lettuce (NOT iceberg as it can cause diarrhea), cabbage, bok choy, beans, Shelled peas, hibiscus and dandelion flowers, clover, orange, grapes etc.
A good rule of thumb is to not feed anything bigger than the width of their eyes/head. This will avoid any choking or compaction problems.
Make sure they always have fresh water in a solid bowl to avoid them knocking it over. Hatchlings will sometimes not drink from a bowl so misting them everyday will keep them hydrated and will also help their shedding process.
Good luck with your beardies !
Written by
Brett Allen -
www.brettixreptiles.com
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I am new to beardies. Is a 100W infared globe to much wattage for the basking spot? Just had the thermometer underneath and it registered 49.9C! I am thinking at that temp, it would fry my future beardies... would 50W be more ideal? The heap lamp sits about 15cm away from the basking point
Originally Posted by Brettix
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