Bearded Dragon Care Guide: Enclosure, Heat, UVB, Food and Health

Bearded dragons at a glance

The central bearded dragon, Pogona vitticeps, comes from the arid and semi-arid areas of central and eastern Australia, and is the species most commonly kept as a pet.¹ It is active by day and gets its heat from the sun.⁴

Adult length

18–22 in¹

Lifespan

7–12 years (VCA); 10–15+ (RSPCA)¹⁴

Smallest enclosure

4 × 2 × 2 ft⁴

Basking spot

100–113°F⁴⁶

Cool end

72–80°F²⁴

Humidity

30–40%⁴

UVB at basking spot

UV index 3.0–5.0⁴

Diet

Insects and greens³

Housing

Alone¹⁴⁵

What you need before you bring one home

• An enclosure of at least 4 × 2 × 2 feet for an adult, with a secure, ventilated top⁴²
• A linear UVB tube (T5 high output) in a reflector, plus a fixture to mount it⁴⁶
• Two halogen or incandescent heat lamps over the basking spot⁶
• A thermostat, a digital thermometer and an infrared thermometer for surface temperatures⁴²
• A flat basking stone, a hide at each end, and branches to climb⁴
• A digging box, and a hygrometer for humidity⁴
• A shallow water dish, a food dish, calcium and multivitamin powders⁴³
• A plug-in timer for the lights⁴

Set the enclosure up and run it for at least a week before the dragon arrives, so you can adjust heat and light without stressing it.⁴

Enclosure size

The minimum sizes in the main sources have risen over the years:

Source	Minimum for one adult
RSPCA	120 × 60 × 60 cm, about 4 × 2 × 2 ft4
VCA	A 60- to 100-gallon tank or larger; length at least three times the dragon’s total length, width at least 16 in2
ReptiFiles	6 × 2 × 2 ft, with 4 × 2 × 2 ft acceptable for dragons that stay under about 18 in5

ReptiFiles notes that the UK’s Federation of British Herpetologists now recommends about 6 × 3 × 3 ft for the genus.⁵ Juveniles can start smaller: VCA gives a 20-gallon tank as a minimum for a juvenile, depending on its size.²

Our enclosure size guide compares these in detail.

Heat, light and UVB

Zone	RSPCA	VCA	ReptiFiles
Hot end	38–42°C (100–108°F)4	90–100°F air2	108–113°F basking surface6
Cool end	22–26°C (72–79°F)4	75–80°F2	77–85°F surface6
Night	Not below 20–22°C (68–72°F)4	Extra heat may not be needed if the cool end stays at 65–80°F2	55–75°F6

The ReptiFiles figure is higher because it is a surface temperature, measured on the basking stone itself.⁶

• UVB. The RSPCA recommends a high-output 10–12% UVB tube covering up to half the enclosure length, at the hot end, giving a UV index of 3.0–5.0 at the basking spot and zero in the shade.⁴ ReptiFiles aims for 4.0–4.5.⁶
• Nothing in between. UVB does not pass through glass or plastic, and mesh cuts it too.⁶²
• Pale morphs such as albinos need a lower UV index, at most 3.0.⁴
• Day length. About 12 hours on and 12 off, on a timer. Turn all lights off at night.⁴
• Safety. Keep the dragon’s back at least 25–30 cm (10–12 in) from the heat lamp, and guard all bulbs.⁴

The full detail, including lamp distances, is in our lighting and UVB guide.

Humidity

Bearded dragons need low humidity. The RSPCA gives about 30–40%, measured at the cool end, and says to add ventilation if it runs higher.⁴ ReptiFiles gives a wider 30–60%.⁶

Substrate

Sources split on loose substrate. VCA advises paper or reptile carpet and warns against sand.² The RSPCA allows sand or a sand and soil mix for healthy adults, or stone tiles with a digging box.⁴ VCA and the RSPCA both warn against calcium sand, walnut shell and wood chips,²⁴ and the RVC says never to use wood chip.⁸

See bearded dragon substrate for both sides.

Food

Bearded dragons eat live insects and plants. Young dragons need more insects; adults need mostly leafy greens.¹

	RSPCA	ReptiFiles
Young dragons	About 65% insects, 35% greens; babies fed twice a day4	60–80% insects for hatchlings, 60% for juveniles7
Adults	About 40% insects, 60% greens, fed once a day4	15–30% insects; insects twice a week, salad three times a week7

• Insect size: no bigger than the dragon’s mouth (RSPCA) or the space between its eyes (ReptiFiles).⁴⁷
• Gut-load insects for 24–48 hours before feeding.⁴
• Greens: collard, mustard and turnip greens, watercress, rocket, chicory, dandelion and clover are good choices. Avoid spinach, and feed cabbage and kale in moderation.⁴³
• Calcium: dust food lightly, and follow the label. With enough UVB, the RSPCA says you will not need high dietary vitamin D3.⁴
• Feed in the morning, so the dragon can digest during the day.⁴

The full food list is in what can bearded dragons eat.

Water

Many dragons rarely drink from a bowl, because they get much of their water from food. Still keep a large, shallow dish of fresh water at the cool end, and change it at least daily.⁴ VCA suggests misting greens before feeding.³

Handling

• Do not handle a new dragon for its first week.⁴
• Scoop it up gently with both hands, supporting all four legs. Never surprise or grab it.⁴
• If it backs away or threatens to bite, leave it and try another time.⁴
• Keep sessions to about 10–15 minutes, so its body temperature does not drop.⁴
• Keep other pets away. Wash your hands after handling, because reptiles can carry Salmonella.⁴

Housing more than one

House bearded dragons alone.¹⁴ Males are territorial and can fight; groups of females keep a pecking order and may bite off toes and tails.⁴ A male and female will breed, and adults can kill or eat juveniles.⁵

Shedding

Bearded dragons shed in pieces, not all in one go.¹⁴ Young dragons shed more often.⁴ The skin looks dull before it comes off. Do not pull stuck skin, because it can tear the new skin beneath. A five-minute soak in shallow, tepid water helps soften leftover patches.⁴ Skin stuck on the toes can cut off blood flow, so ask a vet if it does not come off.⁴

Brumation

In cooler months many adults slow down, sleep more and eat less. They should not lose weight or stop eating entirely.⁴ Read our brumation guide, and is my bearded dragon dead or brumating? if yours seems unresponsive.

Health: what normal looks like

A healthy dragon has clear, bright eyes, holds its chest and head up, has a round, full tail base and a clean vent, and gets brighter in color after basking.¹⁴ Droppings should be long and quite firm, with a dark part and a white urate.⁴ See our poop guide.

Common problems include:

• Metabolic bone disease, most often from too little UVB. Signs include muscle twitching, swollen legs, fragile bones and, later, deformed limbs, jaw, spine or tail.⁴
• Intestinal parasites. Many dragons may have pinworms or other parasites, even captive-bred ones.¹
• Egg-binding. Females can produce eggs without ever meeting a male. Give adult females a digging box to lay in.⁴

Book a vet check soon after you bring your dragon home. The vet may recommend a fecal test for parasites.¹ The RVC recommends a yearly health check after that.⁸