Livingston Lizard Lounge

~ Livingston Lizard Lounge ~

Bearded Dragon Care Sheet

~Selecting Your Bearded Dragon~

This is the first and biggest decision you will make in becoming a Bearded Dragon owner.

*There is no need to buy two for companionship as Dragons can be kept solitary or in groups (adult males can't be housed with other adlut males).

*Try to avoid any smaller than 6 inches due to fragility of hatchlings.

*Active and plump dragons are usually the healthiest.

*Eyes need to be in movement and aware of their surroundings.

*Mainly ask questions of the breeders as they will help you find a perfect fit for you.

~Relocation stress~

is very common for bearded dragons both young and old. This is a very critical time for your dragon. The time can range from a couple of days to a few weeks. There are some ways to help make the transition easier on your dragon.

~Side Effects ~

Loss of appetite, lethargic, lazy, timid, parasites, stress markings and staying away from the heat.

~Tips~

*Don’t make sudden environment changes in the beginning, like over crowding of decorations. Keep it basic such as River Rock.

*Get the dragon on a day and night schedule.

*Consistently feed, water and change substrate at same time each day.
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*Keep the handling of your dragon to a minimum until eating properly.

~Feeding and Supplements~

This is how to keep your dragon colorful and happy. There are various types of greens, bugs and supplements to keep your dragon healthy and beautiful.

This is a guideline do not feed your dragon anything bigger than the space between its eyes.*

Remove live food after 30 minutes of feeding.*

*Greens: be cautious of pesticides and switch up on greens to get all the vitamins needed.

*Rinse all greens under water.

*Spritz all greens with water.

~Top 4 Greens~ dice greens for babies into tiny squares and adults into 1-2 inch squares.

*Collard Greens ~ Great staple, high calcium, moderate oxalates

*Dandelion Greens ~ High calcium, high vit. A, moderate oxalates

*Mustard Greens ~ High vit. C, high vit. A, moderate oxalates, goitrogens

*Turnip Greens ~ High vit. C (6%), high vit. A (76 IU/g), mod. oxalates

~Bug Sizing~

*Hatchlings – 6 inches: ¼ to 3/8 inch crickets, small to medium Phoenix worms

*6 – 9 inches: 3/8 to ½ inch crickets, mini meal worms (tenebrio obsucrus), large Phoenix worms

*9 – 12 inches: ½ to ¾ inches crickets, mini meal worms (tenebrio obsucrus), large Phoenix worms

*12+ inches: 1 inch to adult crickets, super worms, horned worms, roaches

~Calcium & Vitamins~

*Sticky Tounge Farms: Mineral All 0 (outdoor formula). This is the only supplement you will need.

~Watering is a very important aspect of caring for your dragon. Dragons use a small amount of water as there bodies do not waste it.
*Spritz all greens with water as this is where they get a large supply of water intake.

*Spritz water on your dragon a few times daily.

*Bathing should be 3 times weekly for babies and once weekly for adults.

*When bathing have the water shallow and luke warm for approximately 10 minutes.

*Leaving a water dish is not recommended, for humidity and sanitary reasons.

~Housing is essential to the well being and happiness of your dragon.

*Critter Condos© are top of the line cages equipped with necessary lighting, heating and ventilation while maintaining a beautiful habitat and easy access.

*48"X24"X18" = This is the ideal size for 1-3 adult dragons

*36"X24"X18" = This is the minimum size for 1 adult dragon

*33"X16"X16" = This is a good starter for babies

~Decoration is a great way to keep your dragon happy

* Remember to check all decorations for hiding bugs after feeding. *

*River Rock is good as it absorbs the heat and is nice for basking.

*Wood is nice as it lets the dragon get to a higher more comfortable place.

~Heating and Lighting is the most important part of your dragon’s habitat due to the cold-blooded trait. Lighting and heating is what helps your dragon digest, shed, immune system maintenance and even bermate. There are various types of lighting and heating that are available.

*Temperature: 100-105 F for the hot side and 80-85 F for the cool side*

*Nighttime Temperature: Can drop to 50 F *

*Humidity: 35-45*

     ~UV Lighting ~ UV will help your dragon to absorb calcium and process Vitamin D3.

*Mercury Vapor Bulb (MVB) ~ This type of lighting will provide both heat and UV. Lighting should be no closer than 12 inches due to the major UV output.

*Fluorescent Tube~ This type of lighting needs to be within 6-18 inches of your dragon as a rule. Along with the fluorescent tube you will need to purchase a heat bulb with bright white lighting.

*Coil & Compact~ This type of lighting could be hazardous and is not recommended.

*Heating~Due to the cold-blooded nature of your dragon you will need a heat source.

*Lighting~This is the safest and most common type of heat source used. If you use the above mentioned MVB you will not need additional heat sources. If you use UV fluorescent tube you will need to add an extra bulb.

     ~Heaters & Rocks ~This is a very dangerous source for heating of the dragons. Heat Rocks and Under-Tank-Heaters can cause serious thermal burns to your dragon and are not recommended.

    ~Substrate is the substance or material that goes on the bottom of your dragon’s habitat. This is one of the key points to your dragon’s ease of living and comfort. No matter the type of substrate you have it will have to be cleaned or replaced on a daily basis.

Reptile Carpet* ~ This is the ideal substrate for your dragon’s environment. Not just is this the most attractive but it is fairly easy to clean. It is best to have two pieces of carpet and while cleaning one replace it with the other. To clean you just wash off the carpet daily. It may be more costly in the beginning but will save you money in the long run by not having to replace it as often as other substrates.

Child’s Play Sand* ~ This is the ideal substrate if you are looking for lower maintenance with affordability while maintaining an appealing environment. The cleaning is just scooping out any bowel movements from the sand daily. Use the sterilized sand and steer clear of any Silica warnings! This is more work in the beginning as you will need to sift out all the larger pebbles so they do not go thru your dragon’s digestive system.

Newspaper & Paper *~ This is also an ideal substrate if your main concern is cost and ease of cleaning. To clean you just replace daily. Paper products work well however they are not that appealing.

Shelf Liner* ~ This is basic shelf liner that is ideal for hatchlings due to the ease of cleaning and to reduce the chance of impaction. This is not recommended for bigger dragons as their droppings are more moist and leak through the material.

Reptile Bark *~ This is not recommended for any reason. While bark may look nice it is an easy hide-away for the crickets. Another negative is if your dragon is to ingest a piece of bark may result in fatality.