Basics To Create A Great Bearded Dragon Enclosure And Setup Requirements

One of the most important things a bearded dragon owner should do is to make his reptile feel that it is living in its natural habitat. And doing this is more complicated than it seems because these reptiles have been designed to live in the wild and not within tanks or cages. Bearded dragons have originated from Australia; and they exist in this continent in eight variations or species. Each specie has its own territory and preferred living conditions—some of them prefer to live in desert and dry lands; some in coastlines and caves; some in seasonally wet forests; while others can be seen perching on tree branches and fences in urban areas. But the most commonly domesticated specie is the Pogona vitticeps or the inland bearded dragon. Hence, this discussion would mainly focus in creating great bearded dragon setups for this particular type.

The inland bearded dragon thrives in the deserts and parched woodlands of the Australian continent where there are scorching-hot summers and extremely cold winters. They love the heat of the sun and can be commonly found basking in rocks during day time. It is a diurnal reptile and hunts for food and does its other activities during the day. With the right conditions, bearded dragons can reach a size of 24 inches. So with these information in mind we can now get to the main part of knowing the factors that will make up a great bearded dragon habitat.

Enclosure Or Cage

A 55 to 60 gallon glass tank will make a good home for your adult bearded dragon; and for hatchlings or babies, a 10 to 15 gallon aquarium will be appropriate. Cages made of wires are not ideal as they are not able to preserve a certain degree of temperature and they might also cause injuries to your reptile. And when you do create or set up an enclosure for your pet, make sure that they are easy to clean and would allow regular disinfection. If you want a bigger tank than the 60-gallon, we recommend zen habitat bearded dragon enclosure.

Lighting

This element may seem insignificant at first look but proper lighting can keep your bearded dragon healthy. But lighting does not merely mean the installation of any type of light bulb but would entail the use of specialty fluorescent bulbs that are able to emit a full spectrum UV light—a type of light that is required by your dragon’s body in order to properly metabolize calcium.

Substrate

This is the flooring of your tank or cage. A good substrate is not only pleasing to look at but is also safe for your pet, absorbent and easy to clean. Some of the most recommended substrates are paper towels, newspapers and indoor or outdoor carpets. Substrates that may be harmful to your pets would include gravels, wood shavings and wetting agents.

Furniture

This comprises climbing objects, rocks, hide boxes and artificial plants. This will not only make your cage look more appealing but will also add comfort to your dragon’s living conditions. Climbing objects can be any pitch and sap-free branch that is stable and secure. Rocks are best placed on basking sites; and hiding boxes can help reduce your reptile’s stress when they are frightened.

There is a nice website about bearded dragons where you can find a list of best bearded dragon enclosures. You can visit this website; it will help you find the right cage for your bearded dragon.