Post
by Mike » Sat Jun 23, 2012 12:56 am
As far as care they are simple but do require a few basic needs. First they are from the arid Austrailian Outback, so they need it warm. I use simple shop clamp lights with a good wattage bulb spotlighted on a rock or driftwood. Basically a warm basking spot to help digest food. The also require full spectrum(fluorescent tube) lighting to help with metabolism. This lighting is very important and one of the most costly of items next to caging.
I use sand, but any dry substrate works. Play sand is dirt cheap and messes are easy to clean out by sifting out any messes. Beardeds can also eat small amounts of sand safely and it is normal. They are known to ingest it when they are lacking in calcium as well.
Caging is a "bigger is better" approach. The more room the better. Most people want a nice looking glass aquarium and that works fine. I keep the babies in large tupperware totes open topped with my lighting above them.
Feeding is simple but variety is key. More insects and protein as babies but slowly switch into adulthood to more veggies and plant matter. I feed mainly crickets dusted with calcium powder, then mustard greens, kale, collard greens and similar leafy stuff. I will also feed greens as a standby as babies and as something to munch on throughout the day. There is also formulated foods that you can buy at petshops. I have never really used any of these but they probably are pretty good.
Most Beardeds will drink from a basic waterbowl.
Bearded Dragons are probably the most interesting of lizards. They will "wave" to you which is a sign of dominance and in adults is also a courtship thing. It's funny to watch them sit on top of a log and slowly wave their arm out. They will also bob their head real fast with the wave. They are very social and enjoy being held. My buddy lets his adults out around the house and they usually just sit in the windowsill on warm days soaking up the sun. It is VERY unlikely to get bitten by a captive hatched and raised Bearded. Many people will let them out aaround their dogs and cats and they can sometimes get along fine. They are as strong as a tank so you don't have to be really gentle with them.
I do recommend them in pairs or even groups because they are so much fun to watch interact. You get to laugh at them trying to establish dominance over rocks and basking spots.
They can breed within a few years. When they start breeding it can be a LOT! Like I said, we got 70 eggs within a 2 month period(and not trying, it was accidental). We actually thought "she" was a "he".
Anyways, I think that about covers it. I should have 68 of these total(2 eggs went bad during incubation).
BUY MY BEARDEDS!!
