CARE SHEET
Congratulations on your new reptile pet!
I’ve put together just a few care notes to get you started.
THE MOVE:
The move for a baby lizard is quite stressfull, beacuse of this Its important to leave your dragon be for the first week so he/she can get use to their new home.
Please do not handle in this time only feed and water as needed. You may find in this time your lizard seems to be off his or her food for a few days, but don’t worry this is completely normal behaviour, however if it goes on for longer then a week please contact me so we can go over a few things and get your little one back on track and eating.
DIET:
Its important that babies have a high calcium, high protein diet for the first year of their lives.
The first year I recommend feeding 80% live food 20% salad and veg. Be sure to dust the live feeders with calcium.
Once they hit one year of age their diet will change to 80% salad and veg and 20% live food, you can also drop back on the calcium intake so long as your uvb is in check.
You should only ever feed a high calcium diet to babies, gavid females (pregnant) or a sick lizard that requires it. High calcium diets can do just as much damage as a low one, its important to drop back the calcium intake once they hit one.
I have put together a listed of the things we feed our babies below.
Crickets, mealworms, dried mealworms, spinach, pumkin, broccoli, carrot, kale.
Please make sure all salad and veggies are finely chopped before feeding.
Please make sure all bugs are the correct size before feeding.
Housing:
Providing adequate temperature gradients within a dragon’s enclosure is essential for their health and wellbeing. Bearded dragons require a hot basking spot maintained between 40-44ËšC. They should have access to an elevated piece of timber or rock ornament to allow them to bask within 15-20cm of the heat source. The cool end of the enclosure should be maintained between 24-28ËšC.
The enclosure size should be at least 4ft or bigger for an adult dragon. Babies can be housed in smaller enclosures but will need to be moved to a bigger enclosure as they grow. Keep in mind babies will hit adult size between 1 to 2 years of age. Ultraviolet light (UV) plays an important role in a dragon’s growth and development. A 10.0 UVB light must be used as a source of artificial UV lighting in the dragon’s enclosure. Dragons should also have access to unfiltered, natural light at least once or twice a week. They also require a ‘day and night’ cycle with heat and UV lights running for approximately 10-12 hours each day, set on a timer.
Health checks:
Parasites can travel in an on food sources such as crickets, salad, and veggies. It’s a very common thing and hard to avoid, so It’s important to get your lizard friend checked up every six months as these guys can carry parasites and nasty bugs without showing any signs! A simple Fecal flotation test and check over will do the trick by a herp vet or if you know how you can do it yourself.
Fast Facts:
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How long will my Bearded Dragon live? They can live from 10 - 15 years
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How big will my Bearded Dragon grow? They will grow 20-25cm (Pygmy); 40-60cm (Central)
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What size of tank is recommended for my Bearded Dragon? 4ft
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What does a Bearded Dragon eat? 80% live food 20% salad veg for the first year
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What housing requirements do I need? 4ft enclosure, UVB 10,0, ceramic heat light or globe, a place to hide, a place to climb, a place to dig and a water bowl.
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How often do I need vet check-ups? Every six months.
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How easy is it to look after a Bearded Dragon? They are a medium maintenance pet.