Bearded Dragon care sheet
The friendly, daytime lizard — but it lives or dies by its lighting. This is the complete bearded dragon care guide: housing, feeding, cleaning, routine, handling, life stages and the setup checklist.
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Quick facts
- Typical lifespan
- 10–15 years
- Adult size
- 16–24 inches nose to tail
- Enclosure (adult)
- 4×2×2 ft minimum (about 120 gallons)
- Basking temperature
- 95–105°F (35–41°C)
- UVB
- Required — 10.0 / desert strength tube
Environment: Basking 95–105°F (35–41°C), cool side 75–85°F (24–29°C). Humidity 30–40%. Strong UVB tube, 12–14 hour day cycle. Activity: Diurnal. Diet: Omnivore — insects plus leafy greens.
Housing & setup
- A 4×2×2 ft enclosure is the practical minimum for an adult; floor space matters more than height for this species.
- You need two bulbs: a basking bulb for heat and a UVB tube spanning part of the enclosure. Without UVB, dragons develop metabolic bone disease.
- Place the UVB tube inside the enclosure (not behind mesh) at the manufacturer-recommended distance, and replace it every 6–12 months — output fades long before the bulb looks dead.
- Use a solid substrate such as paper towel, slate or a tile for young dragons; loose substrate only for healthy adults and never sand.
Feeding
How often: Juveniles eat insects 2–3 times a day; adults get insects 2–3 times a week plus daily greens.
How much: A juvenile may eat 20–50 appropriately sized insects a day; an adult settles at roughly 10–20 insects twice a week plus a salad the size of its head.
- Gut-load insects and dust them with calcium (without D3 daily, with D3 a few times a week depending on your vet or breeder guidance).
- Staple greens: collard, mustard, turnip, dandelion. Avoid spinach as a staple and never feed avocado.
- Insects should be smaller than the gap between the dragon's eyes.
- Salad should be offered fresh every morning and removed before it wilts.
Cleaning & hygiene
- Spot-clean droppings daily.
- Wipe basking rocks and glass as needed.
- Full clean and disinfect every 4–6 weeks.
- Offer shallow baths 1–2 times a week — many dragons drink and defecate in water.
- Keep the water bowl clean; many dragons ignore standing water, so bathing and misting greens cover hydration.
Care routine
Daily
- Turn lights on for a 12–14 hour day
- Fresh salad
- Check basking temperature
- Spot-clean
Weekly
- Insect feeds (adults 2–3×)
- Bath once or twice
- Clean water bowl
- Weigh a growing dragon
Monthly
- Full enclosure clean
- Check UVB tube age (replace every 6–12 months)
- Deep-clean hides and decor
Handling
- Scoop from the side with both hands supporting the body and legs; never grab the tail.
- Start with short daily sessions of a few minutes and build up.
- Always supervise — dragons are fast and can jump from height.
- A darkened beard and a black, puffed beard signal stress; give them space.
Life stages
Juvenile (0–8 months)
High insect volume, daily salads introduced early, temperatures and UVB critically important for bone growth.
Sub-adult (8–18 months)
Insect volume drops, greens become the bulk of the diet, growth slows.
Adult (18 months+)
Insects twice a week, daily greens, stable enclosure; females may lay infertile eggs and need a suitable dig box.
Setup checklist
Everything you want in place before your bearded dragon comes home:
- 4×2×2 ft enclosure with front or top access
- Basking bulb plus ceramic heat emitter if nights are cool
- UVB tube (10.0) with reflector, mounted at correct distance
- Digital thermometers at basking and cool ends
- Basking platform and a hide
- Flat rock or tile substrate for juveniles
- Calcium powder and a gut-loading insect tub
Not veterinary advice. This guide covers husbandry — housing, feeding, cleaning and handling. If your animal is injured, lethargic, off food for an unusual length of time or behaving abnormally, contact a veterinarian.
Frequently asked questions
What temperature should a bearded dragon basking spot be?
Surface temperature of about 95–105°F (35–41°C) for adults, measured with an infrared thermometer on the basking surface. The cool end should sit around 75–85°F so the dragon can choose.
How far should the UVB light be?
Follow the tube manufacturer's chart — commonly 12–18 inches from the basking surface for a 10.0 tube mounted inside the enclosure, with no glass or fine mesh between bulb and animal.
How often do bearded dragons eat?
Adults get a daily salad plus insects two or three times a week. Juveniles under eight months need insects two or three times daily because they are growing fast.