Housing your Dragon

Adult dragons require fairly large enclosures. The larger you get the happier you dragon will be. For two adult dragons we provide them with custom made melamine enclosures 4 ft X 2 ft X 2ft. We are able to house two females comfortably in the four foot size. Our males are kept singly in 3ft X 2ft X 2ft. Your enclosure must consist of a basking site (Hot side) and the other side a cooler side. Temperatures on the basking surface must be 105-110 degrees on the surface of a rock or piece of wood. This hot surface temperature is needed for the dragon to properly digest it's food. The opposite side should be cooler around 75-80 degrees. This creates a temperature gradient from one side to the other which dragons need to thermo-regulate, or keep their bodies at the optimum temperatures as needed. Our cages are kept rather simple. Dragons seem to do better in simple enclosures with a basking log, or slate rock for a basking site, a cave or hide to get out of the light and for security, and a food bowl.  Young dragons and juveniles require a smaller area. This aids in helping them find their food, and to give them a sense of security as well. This can easily be done by sectioning off a section of the large tank, and as the dragon grows and sharpens it's hunting skills the divider can be moved back giving more room to the dragon. When getting a dragon that has been shipped I recommend to keep handling to a minimum, and if in a glass cage I suggest covering the sides with paper so the dragon cannot see out. A young dragon that's been through shipping coming into a new tank can be rather stressed. Doing the above will help the dragon get use to the cage, and feeding routine before his view opens up to the room, and all the things going on around him.

Lighting Requirements

Bearded dragons are a diurnal species, meaning they are active during the day. They bask in the morning sun rays to get up to a temperature that will allow them to start their daily activities of searching for food, After eating the dragon will return to a raised log or rock bed to again raise his temperature to properly digest it's meal. We provide all our dragons with both UVA, and UVB producing lights. In some of our enclosures we use dual fluorescent fixtures with a high UVB output Zoomed Repti-Sun 10.0, and a Lumichrome xx1. Lumichrome xx1 bulbs have the highest color rendering index available (98%), but do not produce sufficient UVB rays, so we use the dual fixtures 1 bulb produces the high UVB the dragons need, and the other produces a high intensity bright white light great for viewing. If you choose to use a fluorescent bulb and fixture, you must also provide a separate incandescent or halogen light over the basking spot to provide the heat. We use halogen for providing a heat source here, and making a basking site for our dragons. Fluorescent style bulbs do not throw the UVB rays as far as the mercury vapors, and have to be placed within 8-10 inches (Repti-Sun 10.0 produce higher UVB then the average fluorescent, and can be as far as 18 inches away) of the dragon to provide them with the beneficial UVB rays. This can be done by raising the basking spot closer to the bulb. Mercury vapor bulbs give off the needed heat, and both UVA/UVB light. These bulbs also are able to throw UVA/UVB rays much farther then fluorescent bulbs. We use these in a few of our taller glass cages, and recommend the Westron Mega Ray brand that can be purchased at www.reptileuv.com. These bulbs have the highest UVB rating to date, and have been thoroughly tested, and researched ( I recommend a full shaded hide for cages with these Mega Ray bulbs). When using such a light make sure the fixture is ceramic, and able to handle the wattage of the bulbs. UVB rays are important as they help in the synthesis of vitamin D3. Vitamin D3 aids in the metabolism of calcium which is necessary for proper bone growth. If calcium is not able to be absorbed a variety of bone related conditions can arise. One being Metabolic Bone Disease which if not caught in time will weaken the bones, and eventually end in deformities, and death of the reptile.

Substrates

There are many substrates that can be used to cover the bottom of your enclosures. Some safer then others. This is one of the topics that is debated by many reptile owners. Keep in mind particle substrates can be swallowed by your dragon, and can obstruct digestion, and cause impaction. Impaction can be deadly if the obstruction cannot be passed. Some particle substrates used by some are washed children's play sand, wheat bran, lizard litter. These all have their pros and cons. Babies or young dragons are suggested to be kept on a non particulate substrate as to avoid impaction. Some used are paper towels, newspapers, Repti-Carpet or indoor outdoor carpeting. Here at Mystical-Dragons the substrate of choice is a Duck brand non slip shelf liner. This can be used in conjunction with paper towels or newspaper or alone.  In using the paper towels or newspaper it makes for easier cleanup.  Being the first to use this on their dragons cages I've found it to be a safe, sanitary, and an easy substrate to keep clean. It comes in rolls that are cut to the size of the enclosures. I spot clean the tanks daily to clean out poop. This is done with Nolvasan that has been properly diluted and put into a spray bottle, and wiped up with a paper towel. It's as easy as that to keep clean. Every other week or so I take out the shelf liners and soak them in a light bleach and water mixture, rinse real well (make sure no bleach residue is left on them) and hang to air dry. Always have a second set on hand so while one set is air drying you have one to put in your cage. Another great disinfectant that can be used is Nolvasan which would be a safer alternative to bleach, this disinfectant is used in most veterinary offices. This substrate is much more sanitary than sand or bran as there is no fecal or liquid left behind. It simply can't soak in. Even if you spot clean a particulate substrate daily there is always some left behind. That is just a breeding ground for bacteria, and even parasites that can be ingested. Not to mention the pain, and hassle it is to change the sand.

Babies and Juvenile Feeding

Bearded Dragons are an omnivorous reptile. Meaning they eat both insects (animal protein), and vegetable matter in the wild. In captivity we look to provide them with both. Dragons will eat many different insects. Some of the insects that can be purchased are crickets, super worms, wax worms, meal worms, roaches, butter worms, silk worms, horn worms, and Goliath worms just to name the most popular fed. One thing to make sure of is the size of the prey should never be larger then the space between their eyes. Veggies, greens, and fruits are also an important part of their diets. The majority being fed should be dark leafy greens like collard, dandelion greens, mustard greens, turnip greens, endive, and escarole just to name a few. Added to these greens can be different veggies like sweet potato, carrots, snap peas, squash, parsnip. Fruits like mango, papaya, apples, and different berries. We keep our mixed salads with a ratio of 65% greens 25% veggies, and 10% fruits. On top of the salads I place Zoomed pellets, or Rep-Cal pellets. Most important thing is variety. Dragons of different ages require different ratios of greens to insects, and different amounts. Dragons also need supplementing. Calcium with D3 is needed to help balance out a high phosphorus diet, and will provide the calcium needed for proper bone growth. For young dragons under 6 months of age I dust one insect feeding a day, Six days a week with either Rep-Cal with D3, or Minerall I, both of these I highly recommend, and are used exclusively here at Mystical-Dragons.  I usually pour about a teaspoon of the calcium and D3 into a cup and put the crickets in the cup and shake till they are thoroughly coated in the powder. Once a week dragons should also get a dusting of multi-vitamins on one of the cricket feedings each week. I personally use Herptivite applied the same way as you would the calcium powder. Young dragons require a different schedule in feedings then would older more mature dragons. Here at Mystical-Dragons all our babies get fed three meals a day. The first being a variety salad that is heavily misted with water. This will help in keeping your dragons hydrated. Keep in mind many young dragons do not start eating their greens right away and may need some coaxing. Try brightening up the salads with yellow and orange veggies, and colored pellets like Rep-Cal brand juvenile pellets. A lot of the time it is the different colors that gets them to taste them. Also another suggestion would be to move or drop the pieces into the bowl one by one. Sometimes the movement as well will trigger a feeding response. The babies salads get put in about 1 hour after the lights have been on so that they have had time to heat up to the proper temperatures. We've had dragons eat greens from the start, and we had some not eat them until they were older juveniles. Main thing is to always offer them daily even if they are just tasting here and there, or only taking when being hand fed. After their first salad meal whether they have eaten any or not, they get their first feeding of live foods. For babies and young dragons crickets are the insect of choice around here. The crickets should be gut loaded first. This means you feed the crickets a healthy diet so your dragon is also getting the same nutrients. This will be a good way to get them eating and tasting the greens, and pellets they are not too hot on. Crickets should be fed this high nutrient diet at least 12 - 24 hours before feeding them to your dragons. Two major things can not be stressed enough is to make sure the prey you are feeding are the right size for the dragon, and that they are being dusted with the proper supplements. Young dragons are fed as many crickets as they can eat in a 15 minute time frame, or until they loose interest in eating. Many young dragons can eat 25-40 appropriate sized crickets in one feeding with no problems.  The third feeding of the day is also a live feeding again they are given crickets, as many as they can eat in a 15 minute time frame. Always make sure that at the end of the day no live food is left in the enclosure overnight. Crickets and other live food will use your dragon as their meal. As the dragons mature a bit and become juveniles approximately 12-14 inches in length we try to widen their insect diets a bit. Small-medium super worms, silk worms, freshly shed meal worms, and wax worms are added as treats only.

Sub-Adult and Adult Feeding

When our dragons reach a size of 16-18 inches and over 300 grams they are considered sub adults to me, and their diets change a bit. Greens are still offered first thing in the morning consisting of the same healthy and wide variety of greens, veggies fruits with Zoomed or Rep-Cal pellets on top. At this age and weight we try to get them eating more veggies and pellets then live feeders. We cut back to 1 feeding a day of large crickets towards the evening with treats of super worms, and silkworms. We still offer them all they want in a 15 minute time frame. We feed later in the day now to give them more time to eat healthy veggies and fill up on them a bit as we have now added the high in fat super worms. We dust with calcium every other day, and multi vitamin once weekly. The calcium gets cut back because by this time they are finished with their large growth spurts but still may grow much more. Foster my male at 1 year of age was 21 inches in length and over 600 grams. He is rather large, and quite an exception nowadays ending up at 23 inches and 750 grams. Most of our dragons reach nice large lengths of over 18 inches and 500 grams. We believe this has to do with  healthy wide variety diets, proper supplementation, and proper uvb light. Many people have taken the route of doing without the UVB and just supplementing with calcium and D3 only. I raised all of my dragons with the proper light and supplementation as well, and the growth just does not compare.

Getting your Beardie to drink

It is very important to keep your dragon properly hydrated. Most dragons do not take to drinking out of a water dish, none of my dragons got used to drinking this way.  Our preferred way we get them to drink  would be with a needle less syringe and dropping drops onto the dragons snout. After doing this for awhile the dragons actually knows that its time for a drink and come running to the syringe when thirsty.  No matter what we offer it this way every three days for adults. This also helps if you ever have to administer medication they will be used to drinking from the syringe. You could also lightly mist the dragons with a spray bottle which is very good for young dragons and should be done once a day.  The veggie feedings are another way of getting the needed water to your dragon we mist our salads very heavily with cold water before offering it to the dragons. This keeps the salads fresher longer and also provides water.  Baths also help hydrate dragons. Dragons should be soaked in warm water shoulder high at least once a week, or when your dragons gets dirty. Soaking also aids during shed time. Some dragons actually enjoy their time in the water, during the summer this is a great way to keep them cool while soaking up the natural sunlight.

Note: ALL, and EVERY aspect of a dragons life is controlled or influenced by lighting, and temps. .As long as you have those two things set-up, and done properly you should have no problem getting a dragon to eat, thrive, breed, and live a long happy life. Without proper temps they will not eat, and they will not give chase when food is offered. Temps also control how their bodies work.. They need proper gradient, and availability to high temps of 105-110 degrees for proper digestion of foods. My babies jump for the cricket cup, and it's because their bodies are working at 100%. Like this, and with proper nutrition they grow big, and strong fast! Without proper temps metabolism slows, and you end with a slow growing lazy dragon not interested in food, or much of anything for that matter.. Lighting... we are talking sun loving reptiles here.. NO skimping on light. You wanna skimp, skimp on those pretty flowery decorations that do not a darn thing for the dragon, but look pretty to us. I feel since we take these wonderful reptiles out of the sun for our enjoyment, the least we can do is provide uvb with a high uvb output such as the Mega Ray or Reptisun 10.0. Hey lots of work went into the advancement of uvb producing bulbs. If they are available Take Advantage Of It!!. If you want your dragon healthy, and living at it's optimum these two things have to be 100% correct. Every aspect of a dragons life is controlled by this. You want the dragon to breed you simulate winter cool down, and then spring warm up, you shorten day periods etc.. Proper lighting and temps mean everything folks. The secret to raising great babies in a nut shell..  If you've done without checking temps, and using a good uvb bulb for a long time, trust me you've only seen 50% of your dragons color, and vigor for life. I've turned brown dragons bright orange with proper lighting, temps, and good healthy food. A happy dragon is a bright dragon!!