Picking a pet is a difficult job. Most people opt for either a dog or a cat. They are classic first choices. But they also need a lot of maintenance. For people who don’t like mammals as much, bearded dragons are a great choice. First of all, the name is superior to any other pet name in existence.
It’s a dragon, what more could you want from it. They are easy to maintain, and if you do everything correctly, they can live for a long time. These lizards are native to the Australian continent. But they are also present in stores all around the United States. Click here to read more.
Many of them differ in color, but most of them are brown, with a long tail, and a recognizable beard. Since they can be quite social, and they attach themselves with their owners, you might not see the reason how they got their name.
When they feel threatened, these lizards flatten out their entire bodies, and they puff out their beards. In the meantime, their mouths are fully open to make them appear bigger. It’s a great thing to see if it happens sometimes, but don’t make them feel angry or threatened just because you want to see the spectacle.
Between the sexes, males have a darker patch in the neck area. An exciting thing that happens during their mating season is that almost every species’ beards turn jet black. This occurs when they feel stressed. This is how you will know they are upset, and maybe give them an extra treat.
How do you take care of them?
The first thing you’re going to need is a 55 to 75-gallon tank. On top of that, it would be great if you add a screen top. Now, you might be wondering why you’re going to need such a big tank for a baby lizard. Well, you’ll be surprised by how fast they grow. Get a lot of tricks from this site https://beardeddragonguidance.com/.
When you get it, then it’s time to set the environment. This is where you can use your creativity. A couple of big rocks, branches, and logs are the basics. Make sure that one of the logs you get is hollow, so they have a place to hide. That will keep them comfortable and happy.
As soon as you set the environment, then it’s time to set the heat. There are three things to keep in mind when it comes to taking care of reptiles. They need a gradient, basking, and nighttime temperatures. Firstly, set the heat during the day to be somewhere in between 80 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit. The basking spot should be at least 10 to 20 degrees warmer.
That means it will range between 95 and 105 degrees. Finally, at night, cool the place down to 70 degrees. You can use different types of heaters. The most common ones are ceramic heaters, incandescent lights, or even mercury vapor bulbs. All of these are excellent choices, and you should pick the thing that suits you the most.
When you install the heating source, make sure to leave a thermometer inside. That will tell you the exact temperature. Don’t rely on your gut feeling because that can frequently be wrong. For example, if it’s a hot day outside, you won’t have to turn on the heater to the max. In the winter, you might want to make the tank a bit hotter during the evenings.
Next comes the lighting. Getting a fluorescent bulb is an absolute necessity. Beardies need UV light. Get a timer that turns the bulb on and off at 12-hour intervals. That mimics their real environment, and it will be perfectly adequate. During the summer months, when there is a lot of sun, you can take your dragon outside.
They are small creatures, so that you can take them with your hands. Don’t bring the tank outside since the glass causes a greenhouse effect, which can raise the temperatures fast and make them uncomfortable. When they’re outside, make sure there is shade nearby. Since they are cold-blooded creatures, they can’t sweat and need to thermoregulate differently than us.
What do they eat?
Bearded dragons will eat almost anything. They are omnivores by nature. That means they’ll eat bugs, plants, and small animals. But, since they’re in captivity, it will be your job to give them all the nutrients they need.
The best combination for them is insects and vegetables. When they are juvenile, you should feed them three times per day. As soon as they get big enough, the best method is once a day. The correct period when you should make the switch is going to be determined by your vet.
An easy way to see if you can feed them a big bug is to measure the distance between your pet’s eyes. Their food shouldn’t be more significant than that distance. You should know that there is a wide range of bugs that are full of nutrients. For starters, there are earthworms, waxworms, red worms, and crickets.
Before you feed them to your beardie, feed the insects with nutritious food. That can be anything full of vitamin D and calcium. This is a process known as gut loading. As for the water, a bowl should be sufficient. Some dragons want to bathe in the water. In that case, get a bigger container, and that will do the job.
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