7 Steps to Setting Up A Safe, Comfortable and Secure Bearded Dragon Enclosure
When setting up a home for your bearded dragon, there are a number of things you'll need to be aware of. Firstly, what do we call this makeshift beardie habitat? Well many people refer to it as an enclosure, tank, vivarium or in some cases a terrarium. In reality each variation has a slightly different meaning, however they all generally refer to the same thing and that's the most important point. Secondly and most importantly you'll need to setup the enclosure so that it is safe, comfortable and secure. Below are a number of steps to optimizing the enclosure.
• Select and purchase an appropriately sized tank. This needs to be 6 feet long, 2 feet high and approximately 2 feet wide. This is the equivalent of a 180 gallon tank and is necessary to allow your bearded dragon to move, run, bask, climb and hide. As I'm sure you've realised, their natural habitat includes open plains, deserts and forests, providing a huge area to roam free, therefore the more space you can provide the better.
• Lay substrate in the bottom of the tank. This is very important as it absorbs liquids and odors and provides a non slippery surface for your dragon to move about on. Be aware though, there are some bad substrates on the market that can actually be very harmful. So do plenty of research and choose carefully!
• Cover the back wall with a material such as wood, wallpaper (like the kind found in fish tanks) or a more cost effective option is to secure some newspaper on the outer surface. This is to help you dragon feel secure and provides a hideaway from pets or children who might be enjoying the novelty of a pet lizard.
• Provide an adequate source of light and heat. This sort of equipment can be purchased from most pet stores, especially those which specialize in reptiles and fish. As a guideline though, the lighting should give off both UVA and UVB rays and be out of reach from your beardie. Although the heat is essential for their survival, it has also been known to cause severe injury and in a worst case scenario - death.
• Place a basking rock, branch or other perch both under the heat and in a cooler area of the enclosure. This is to accommodate their natural instincts to bask in the sun (they do this to regulate their body temperature) and to climb onto logs or low branches.
• Also ensure your bearded dragon has somewhere to hide. This can be a reptile cave which can be found in pet stores, a hollow log or upside down container. Just make sure it is dark and allows your beardie to completely hide itself from its surroundings.
• Finally, provide a water and food dish. These are essential times for feeding as it helps to keep the tank clean and tide. However if your beardie doesn't like or use the water container you might opt to just spray him once a day with water instead. This is a good alternative that many keepers choose to use.
This is a general outline on the steps to take when setting up your bearded dragon's new home. Remember to do further research and inform yourself on the specific requirements to keeping a bearded dragon. There is plenty of information available on the net, in books or from other reptile keepers, you just need to go looking!
• Select and purchase an appropriately sized tank. This needs to be 6 feet long, 2 feet high and approximately 2 feet wide. This is the equivalent of a 180 gallon tank and is necessary to allow your bearded dragon to move, run, bask, climb and hide. As I'm sure you've realised, their natural habitat includes open plains, deserts and forests, providing a huge area to roam free, therefore the more space you can provide the better.
• Lay substrate in the bottom of the tank. This is very important as it absorbs liquids and odors and provides a non slippery surface for your dragon to move about on. Be aware though, there are some bad substrates on the market that can actually be very harmful. So do plenty of research and choose carefully!
• Cover the back wall with a material such as wood, wallpaper (like the kind found in fish tanks) or a more cost effective option is to secure some newspaper on the outer surface. This is to help you dragon feel secure and provides a hideaway from pets or children who might be enjoying the novelty of a pet lizard.
• Provide an adequate source of light and heat. This sort of equipment can be purchased from most pet stores, especially those which specialize in reptiles and fish. As a guideline though, the lighting should give off both UVA and UVB rays and be out of reach from your beardie. Although the heat is essential for their survival, it has also been known to cause severe injury and in a worst case scenario - death.
• Place a basking rock, branch or other perch both under the heat and in a cooler area of the enclosure. This is to accommodate their natural instincts to bask in the sun (they do this to regulate their body temperature) and to climb onto logs or low branches.
• Also ensure your bearded dragon has somewhere to hide. This can be a reptile cave which can be found in pet stores, a hollow log or upside down container. Just make sure it is dark and allows your beardie to completely hide itself from its surroundings.
• Finally, provide a water and food dish. These are essential times for feeding as it helps to keep the tank clean and tide. However if your beardie doesn't like or use the water container you might opt to just spray him once a day with water instead. This is a good alternative that many keepers choose to use.
This is a general outline on the steps to take when setting up your bearded dragon's new home. Remember to do further research and inform yourself on the specific requirements to keeping a bearded dragon. There is plenty of information available on the net, in books or from other reptile keepers, you just need to go looking!
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