How to Prepare For Your Baby Bearded Dragon

Bearded dragons can make great pets for all kinds of people with all different lifestyles. Learning what you need to know before getting a beardie can be overwhelming and confusing. Below, I will give you the basics that you should know and have before bringing home your baby.

Research

Before bringing your baby bearded dragon home, it is so important to do a lot of research and make sure you have all the information that you may need. It would be best to get your information from multiple different sources and compare them to ensure your dragon will be getting the best care possible. Youtube is a great resource for acquiring knowledge on bearded dragon care. It is smart to research things like how to find a responsible breeder, what to feed your dragon, where to buy feeder insects and what type of lighting will be best for your setup. You should also take some time to make sure that you have an exotic veterinarian near you that sees reptiles. Just like with any other pet, it is a good idea to have yearly exams with an experienced vet that you trust.

Enclosure

The next thing that you absolutely need before bringing your dragon home is an enclosure for them. If you are getting a baby, it may be a good idea to start with a smaller enclosure so that they aren’t overwhelmed. When doing this, you must be prepared to upgrade them as they grow. You will need to make sure that you have the proper lighting including a heat bulb as well as a linear UVB light. There should be a heat gradient in the enclosure. This means that one side of the tank will be the cool side and the other end will be the warm side. The space in between the cool and warm areas should be between the temperatures on either end. The proper temperatures will change slightly from hatchling to adult as babies require more heat. You will also need enrichment for your dragon. A great way to add some variety to your dragons life is to get cage decorations that have different textures and feelings. You should provide somewhere that they can hide (even though many dragons won’t use this) as well as somewhere for the dragon to bask. Sticks and branches are a good option as you may notice that your dragon will climb to the top in order to soak up more heat and sun. Rougher surfaces are also very helpful to your dragons when they are shedding their skin.

Food

The next thing that you will need before bringing your dragon home is something for them to eat when they get there! You should have a variety of bugs on hand so that your new family member has a few options to try out. Some good options to try at first would be dubia roaches, BSFL, lesser worms and wax worms. You should also have a proper supply of fresh veggies to offer. Lastly, you will need a few supplements to make sure that your baby grows up to be healthy and strong. Many keepers recommend providing a multivitamin as well as calcium and D3 supplements. When they are a baby, a dragon's food should be dusted with calcium every day and with vitamins three times a week. Once they grow up, you can cut that back to calcium every two to three days and vitamins twice a week.

The baby!

Once you have gotten all of these things together, all you need is your baby dragon! As mentioned before, it is important that you purchase your dragon from a responsible and ethical breeder. Whether you are purchasing from a reptile show or from an online breeder, do your research and check out some reviews. Finding a good breeder is the foundation of having a healthy and happy dragon for years to come. Once your baby arrives home, give them some time to decompress and get used to their new life. Don’t be alarmed if they don’t eat for the first couple of days and try not to handle them for a few days as tempting as it may be. Always be willing to learn more and strive to give your dragon the best life that you possibly can. Most important of all, have patience and enjoy falling in love with your new best friend!