Bearded-Dragons.com Tips

1. Yes, you need uva/uvb bulb AND Heat lamp...Christy
2. You can use a regular lightbulb for heat, as long as the temp is right...Christy
3. No calci-sand, it may be harmful...Christy
4. No crix bigger then the space between your dragon's eyes...Christy
5. Dragons do not normally drink from a dish, mist them and soak them in a warm bath a couple times per week...Christy
6. If the poop stinks worse than normal, take a fecal sample to the vet. Probably parasites...Christy
7. Do not use hotrocks...Christy
8. Males normally can't be kept together without fighting...Christy
9. Babies may not want to eat vegetables for a while...Christy
10. It's normal for your dragon to bulge it's eyes for a few seconds from time to time...Mia
11. Fireflies can be deadly if eaten by a dragon...Mia
12. Hardware stores and stores like Walmart, Kmart, etc. sell inexpensive strip light fixtures that work just as well with reptisun bulbs as those expensive pet store fixtures...Mia
13. You can purchase a digital indoor/outdoor thermometer for around $20.00 to keep track of both the hot & cool sides of the tank...ME
14. A recessed spot light bulb is a great way to concentrate the heat on only one side of the tank...ME
15. Play sand is an easy & economical substrate but make sure you pass the sand through a screen or strainer to remove any larger grains of sand...ME
16. Keep your habitat simple, crickets love to hide...ME
17. Always remember we're here if you need us...ME
18. When basking under a hot spotlight or direct sun, beardies may gape in order to cool down...Christy
19. Shelters should be made available and placed out of the range of the basking light...Christy
20. Any "food animals" offered need to be fed a high quality diet...Christy
21. Remove uneaten crickets from your tank, young dragons can become stressed from excess crickets climbing on them...Christy
22. A baby dragon should be fed 3x daily, and when fed crickets, s/he should be given as many as they will eat in 10-15 minutes...Mia
23. Remember to dust your crickets with calcium with D3 at one feeding per day, and with vitamins 1-2 times a week...Mia
24. Never take your dragon outside to sun in a glass tank. The glass amplifies the heat, and can quickly become fatal for your pet...Mia
25. Teaching your dragon to eat/drink from an eyedropper or syringe when they're feeling well is fairly easy, and makes medicating or hand feeding them in the future much easier should you ever need to...Mia
26. Male dragons housed together will almost surely fight at some point, and can seriously injure one another...Mia
27. A food processor or $10 Smart Chopper can cut your veggie prep time in half...Mia
28. While your dragon is shedding, it's mood and appetite might change..Angel
29. If you find that your dragon hasen't pooped in a while, try soaking them in warm water up to their shoulders...Angel
30. Make sure to research everything BEFORE buying your dragon...Angel
31. While sunning your Beardie outside, make sure they are "protected" from other predators.....TNR
32. Beardies love to climb, make sure their tank furnishings are safe and secure....TNR
33. A well balanced diet will help your beardie live a long and prosperous life....TNR
34. Find a good veterinarian for your beardie BEFORE you need one...TNR
35. Enclosures should be longer and wider rather than higher...Chris
36. Put tiny crickets in a bowl with greens. The crickets can't get out, and as the beardie tries to catch them, he'll accidently eat the greens. After a couple of days, he should start eating the greens on his own...Elissa
37. Don't reach over your dragon to pick it up. It will just scare him. Try from the side or front...Chris
38. Your beardie should be able to come within at least 12 inches of the UVB bulb in order to gain it's full effectiveness...Aren
39. Remember that hatchlings and juvies are more skittish than adults so handling your youngsters at a safe level from the floor will help prevent injuries when he/she decides to make a run for it unexpectedly...Aren
40. It's a good idea for your beardie to have fecal checkups every 6 months or so...Dee
41. A salad of dark greens, squash, and veggies should be offered daily, even if your dragon doesn't eat it. Fruits can be added on occasion for a treat...Zookeeper
42. Make sure to feed your dragon no sooner than one hour after lights on and no later than two hours before lights out...Zookeeper
43. When a beardie is shedding it is good to give him a bath once a day until the shedding is done. The water aids in the shedding...Zookeeper
44. The dot on top of a bearded dragons head is normal, it is called a third eye...Zookeeper
45. Hatchlings and juveniles will sometimes raise their tails when alert. This is absolutely normal...Zookeeper
46. When taking your bearded dragon outside make sure they do not eat outside bugs as they could carry pesticides, herbicides or other chemicals that could be dangerous or deadly to your dragon...Zookeeper
47. When you spray your dragon make sure the water is warm - NOT cold...KC
48. UVB tube lights should be replaced every 6 months to maintain maximum strength...Prometheus
49. Make sure heavy objects are resting on the floor of the vivarium, you don't want to have your beardie get crushed if they dig under it...Prometheus
50. Consult a registered vet before medicating your dragon with anything that you wouldn't use on yourself...gary
51. Spending quality time to really get to know your dragon will answer a LOT of questions...gary
52. It is normal for dragons to dig a depression in the substrate when ready for bed...Erin
53. Information gained from the internet should be taken lightly. The advice could come from someone that's never even kept a bearded dragon...gary
54. Sleeping in unusual positions is normal for beardies. Don't become alarmed if they fall asleep standing on their tail or other funny places...Kitter
55. It's normal for a beardie to display his or her beard (the skin under the chin that will darken and puff out). Beardies do this when they feel threatened or even when they are basking to cool their insides....Kitter
56. Small baby and juvenile dragons can become impacted by eating wood chips used for bedding...Deb Z
57. Be careful not to spoil your dragon with too many waxworms and mealworms. Your dragon may decide it doesn't like regular food any more...Craig S
58. Make sure you give your dragon ample exercise. Let him/her run around a bit, but don't forget to keep your eye on them...RS
59. Keeping a constant eating pattern is part of keeping a bearded dragon healthy...Derrick
60. It's a good idea to get your beardies used to a pelleted diet. Moisten it and mix it with the veggies to get them used to it. I use it when I have to leave for a day or so...crystal
61. Make sure you pick out your dragon YOURSELF--know what to look for: healthy, alert, good habits, etc...Kassie
62. Avoid feeding spinach to a bearded dragon. It can keep calcium locked-up...Kim
63. Some bearded dragons will drink from a water bowl...John
64. Try to handle them a lot when they're babies. Mine has changed from running away from my hand when I grab him to jumping on my hand when I reach for him...Greg
65. Try to clean the sand thoroughly every two or three weeks (or more)...Kayla
66. If you have your beardie outside be careful of other people around that are not paying attention, it could be fatal...John
67. When handling babies/juvies do something they like. Maybe rub or spray some warm water on them, then they'll enjoy being in your hand...Connor
68. If you remove poo right away the cage will not stink...Sammy
69. Get your beardie to know you, handle him frequently...Ryan
70. Keep cats and other pets off of your dragons cage, this could stress him out and make him more open to illness...SASTCOOK
71. Never pick the smallest bearded no matter how cute he may be...WhirlyWig88
72. They love raspberries, these can be hand fed as treats, so your beardie will love you too!...Jenny
73. Don't pick your beardie up by it's tail alone...Mona
74. Avoid gathering wood from outside your yard for your beardy, it can bring in unwanted disease...Kitto
75. If you travel remember this... dragons over heat and die if left in a closed car on a warm or sunny day...angelicaj
76. Many baby dragons won't touch their veggies until after 4 months of age or so. They soon come around...Kat
77. A gaping mouth while basking under correct temps is normal. Your beardie is probably just regulating his body temp...Kat
78. When making an out-door enclosure for your beardie, make sure it is equiped with a shaded area that won't disappear when the sun changes it's angle...Lea
79. Dont't feed a baby or young dragon mealworms, they can't digest them well and it can cause health problems...Kat
80. Make sure you at least handle your dragon daily...Alan
81. Bearded dragons love being rubbed under their chins...Dreamangel13k
82. If your trying to get your dragon to drink from a dish put some berry juice in the water so it becomes scented. The dragon will be attracted to it because of the berry scent. Stop using the berry juice after a while and he/she will be used to drinking from the water...Adam
83. Bearded dragons love red hibiscus. It's good to dust the petals with vitamin powder too...Alex