‘Beared Dragon’ Category

What Do Bearded Dragons Eat

Bearded dragons are omnivores and therefore they are quite easy to feed. Bearded dragons eat both vegetable matters and some insects for food. This ar...

 

Bearded dragons are omnivores and therefore they are quite easy to feed. Bearded dragons eat both vegetable matters and some insects for food. This article will discuss the basic guidelines on what do bearded dragons eat.

The most important consideration in thinking about what do bearded dragons eat is the age of the lizard. A newly-hatched bearded dragon will mostly eat small insects as they need proteins for their growing bones and tissues. Once they are already 2-4 months of age, their diet should consist of 20% vegetables and 80% insects already, even if they do not eat the greens at first. This is to ensure that they will become familiarized with it as they grow up as when they become adults, the majority of their diet should consist of fruits and vegetables. Also, make sure that you feed young bearded dragons 2-3 times everyday, as they will nip the toes and tails of their fellow young dragons if they are not fed well. Once they are adult, they should be given feeder insects for once or twice a week only.

Feeder insects is included in what do bearded dragons eat. These insects include crickets, mealworms, roaches, superworms, and silkworms. When feeding them to bearded dragons, leave them in the tank for 15 minutes only and make sure to remove the uneaten ones after. Also, never feed insects that are too big and have hard exoskeleton as they can cause impaction.

On the other hand, the greens, fruits, and vegetables that are included in what do bearded dragons eat are mainly those that most humans eat, except for a few exceptions. These include iceberg lettuce, tomato, citrus fruits such as orange and lemon, avocado, and rhubarb. Some vegetables like spinach, kale, cabbage, and banana are also not recommended to be fed regularly as they can interfere with the calcium absorption. When feeding vegetables to your bearded dragon, make sure that you shred and tear them into pieces and mix them together. This will train your dragon to eat all the food that is being offered and not just pick out on their favorites.

Sick Bearded Dragon

 

When taking care of a bearded dragon, sometimes it is inevitable that your pet will contract an illness. When this happens, you should take care of your sick bearded dragon in order to ensure that its condition will not deteriorate, or in a worst case scenario, it will not die. Here are some tips on how you can provide supportive care for your sick bearded dragon.

The first and foremost step is identifying if your bearded dragon is sick. It is kind of tricky as these reptiles tend to hide their symptoms from their owners when they are sick. Therefore you need to be alert for sudden behavioral changes that your pet goes through. Bearded dragon owners should watch out for signs like lethargy, sudden loss of appetite, or drastic weight loss.

The next thing that you need to do is to go to a reptile veterinarian in order to have the condition of your pet inspected. You may bring a stool sample along the way to easily help the veterinarian diagnose your pet’s condition. You should always pay attention to the condition of your pet so that if the veterinarian asks about the occurrence of symptoms, you can answer accurately. Then if your pet was prescribed medications, make sure that you give it to your pet as directed and follow the exact schedule, to make the treatment more potent.

There are also several ways that you can do on your own for a sick bearded dragon. One of them is placing the lizard in a warm water that is deep enough to immerse its body but not enough to submerge its head. This treatment can help a constipated bearded dragon, as well as when it is dehydrated.

Finally, if your sick bearded dragon is rapidly losing weight because of an illness, you can add more mealworms and superworms in its diet. These worms are rich in calories and they should help your pet gain more weight. However, you need to revert to the normal diet once your bearded dragon is already healthy, as these worms also contain a lot of fats. When your pet has no appetite and does not eat anything, feed it using a syringe. Blend its food until it has a liquid consistency and feed a tablespoon of the mixture. Continue doing this until the sick bearded dragon can already eat on its own.

Selling Bearded Dragons

 

Bearded dragons are great as pets because they have a docile nature, very friendly towards people, active during the day, and does not bite so it’s safe even around kids. They are also very easy to take care of as you can feed them common foods. If you want to buy a bearded dragon, you have to keep some things in mind to make sure that you get the most out of your money. Here are some tips on how to buy a bearded dragon.

However, before heading out in a pet store or going online to purchase a bearded dragon, keep in mind that this lizard has a lifespan of up to 20 years so think of it as a long-term investment that you should take responsibility of. Also you must already have a vivarium ready for the bearded dragon before purchasing one so that it already have a place to stay once you take it home.

The next thing that you need to think about is where to buy a bearded dragon. The best option would be in the pet store as you can actually choose the bearded dragon that you will take care of. But if you don’t have the time to do that, you can always go online and browse through the websites that sell bearded dragon, and look for the best deal out there.

Whether you buy a bearded dragon on a pet store or online, it is best that you purchase one that is captive bred rather than wild caught ones. It is because captive bred bearded dragons tend to be healthier and cleaner than their wild caught counterpart. Also wild caught bearded dragons have more chance of having parasites and they may not be in good condition due to the risks in living outdoors.

Finally, when buying a bearded dragon from a pet store, always choose the ones that look healthy. Choose the ones that look alert and energetic, and they shouldn’t have any deformities such as wounds, pus, sores, burns, missing toes or tails. The size of the bearded dragon should also be considered as it is not recommended to raise very small ones especially if it is your first time to own one. It is because baby bearded dragons are fragile and become sick or overstressed easily.

Buy A Bearded Dragon

 

A vivarium is an indoor enclosure that is used for raising pet animals or plants and they are usually observable as they are made from glass. If you intend to keep a bearded dragon as a pet, you will need to make a vivarium that is suitable for the needs of that particular lizard. Here are the steps on how you can make a bearded dragon vivarium.

The initial step in makinga bearded dragon vivarium is getting the enclosure with the right amount of size. For bearded dragons, it is recommended that you obtain a Breeder tank which is very large and has a dimension of 36”x18”x16”. While you may be wondering why would you need such a large vivarium for a bearded dragon, especially if it is just a baby, it’s because these are terrestrial lizards that need room to run around and therefore the large amount of floor space is recommended.

After setting up your enclosure, the next component that you will need for your bearded dragon enclosure is the substrate that will serve as the flooring. You can use newspapers, paper towels or carpets as they cannot be ingested by the bearded dragons. If you want a more natural feel to the vivarium, you can put play sand or calcium sand, although it is not recommended to put too much as it can cause impacting when the bearded dragons ingest it. Woodchips and walnut shells should never be used as they have sharp edges that may be swallowed by your pet.

You will also need to put heating devices in your bearded dragon vivarium. It is because the natural habitat of bearded dragons in Australia are hot, arid places and they do not hibernate at all as they are in places that are warm all year long. To do this, you will need a heating pad that must be placed under the vivarium. Another heating device that you will need is a heating lamp as bearded dragons like to bask in sunlight during the day. You can use a UV lamp, a fluorescent lamp, or a incandescent lamp as they all give off heat.

Finally, you can furnish the vivarium with logs or rocks, a trough for feeding, and a separate trough for water that must be large enough so that the lizard can actually immerse their body in them. It is also more advisable that you put logs than rocks as they retain heat better. Do not forget to add a covering where the bearded dragon can hide and sleep.

Bearded Dragon Vivarium

 

When planning to get a bearded dragon as your pet, make sure that you are prepared to take care of it for a long amount of time. It is because a bearded dragon life expectancy can reach for up to 10-20 years when taken care of properly. This article will discuss some tips on how to take care of your pet lizard so that it will reach the maximum bearded dragon life expectancy.

The first thing that you can do so that your pet can attain the life expectancy of a bearded dragon is by feeding it the appropriately. The right balance between insects and vegetables are dependent on the age of the bearded dragon. As a general rule, a young bearded dragon eats more insects while an adult eats more vegetables. In addition, you should not feed your bearded dragon fireflies, citrus fruits, tomato, avocado and rhubarb as they can be very dangerous for your pet.

The next thing that you can do to ensure that your pet reaches the bearded dragon life expectancy is by protecting your pet from impaction. Impaction can lead to the death of your pet bearded dragon so it’s best if you can protect it from the risks that can cause the condition. To do this, you need to use the appropriate substrate for the enclosure, not feeding the bearded dragon foods that are too big or chitinous insects, and always maintaining appropriate temperature of the cage. This way they can digest their food more properly and prevent digestive blockages from happening.

Another way of making sure that your pet attains the bearded dragon life expectancy is by taking care of your dragon when it is sick. Whenever you notice certain behavioral and physiological changes in your pet like lethargy, rapid weight loss, and lack of appetite, you need to consult an animal health expert immediately so that you’ll know the necessary actions to take. You may also need to find a reptile veterinarian as those that usually looks after traditional pets like cats and dogs have a different specialization.

Taking care of a bearded dragon is easy and you only need to keep in mind these simple reminders to ensure that your pet attains the bearded dragon life expectancy.

Bearded Dragon Life Expectancy

 

When planning to get a bearded dragon as your pet, make sure that you are prepared to take care of it for a long amount of time. It is because a bearded dragon life expectancy can reach for up to 10-20 years when taken care of properly. This article will discuss some tips on how to take care of your pet lizard so that it will reach the maximum bearded dragon life expectancy.

The first thing that you can do so that your pet can attain the life expectancy of a bearded dragon is by feeding it the appropriately. The right balance between insects and vegetables are dependent on the age of the bearded dragon. As a general rule, a young bearded dragon eats more insects while an adult eats more vegetables. In addition, you should not feed your bearded dragon fireflies, citrus fruits, tomato, avocado and rhubarb as they can be very dangerous for your pet.

The next thing that you can do to ensure that your pet reaches the bearded dragon life expectancy is by protecting your pet from impaction. Impaction can lead to the death of your pet bearded dragon so it’s best if you can protect it from the risks that can cause the condition. To do this, you need to use the appropriate substrate for the enclosure, not feeding the bearded dragon foods that are too big or chitinous insects, and always maintaining appropriate temperature of the cage. This way they can digest their food more properly and prevent digestive blockages from happening.

Another way of making sure that your pet attains the bearded dragon life expectancy is by taking care of your dragon when it is sick. Whenever you notice certain behavioral and physiological changes in your pet like lethargy, rapid weight loss, and lack of appetite, you need to consult an animal health expert immediately so that you’ll know the necessary actions to take. You may also need to find a reptile veterinarian as those that usually looks after traditional pets like cats and dogs have a different specialization.

Taking care of a bearded dragon is easy and you only need to keep in mind these simple reminders to ensure that your pet attains the bearded dragon life expectancy.

Bearded Dragon Impaction

 

Bearded dragon impaction is one of the health risks that pet owners should be aware of as this seemingly simple matter can cause the death of your beloved pet dragon. Impaction happens when a bearded dragon’s digestive tract is blocked by a mass causing a visible bump on its spine. Other symptoms of impaction include trembling limbs, having a hard time walking, and paralysis in the limbs. This article will discuss the causes of bearded dragon impaction and what to do to prevent it.

There are three major causes of bearded dragon impaction . First and foremost is the kind of food that your bearded dragon eats. Foods that are too large can cause impaction because they cannot move well in the digestive tract. As a general rule to ensure that what you feed to your pet is small enough and will not cause blockage, the food should fit between space between the bearded dragon’s eyes. In addition, feeding your bearded dragon too much insect with hard chitin shells like mealworms, large crickets, and superworms can also increase the risk of bearded dragon impaction, especially when the dragon is not yet fully developed.

Another cause of bearded dragon compaction is the substrate that is used in the enclosure of the dragon. It has been reported that play sand, calcium sand, pellets, pebble-like substrates and other plant-based substrates can cause impaction. Therefore some people opt to use risk-free substrates like newspapers, paper towels or carpets for their pet’s vivarium. However if you do not want to substitute the aforementioned substrates with the safer alternatives, then you should feed your pet on a plate and not on the enclosure floor, so it will avoid ingesting these potentially harmful substrates.

Last but not the least, inadequate temperatures can also cause bearded dragon impaction. If the enclosure of the bearded dragon is not heated enough after a meal, then the dragon is at risk of not digesting the food properly. To avoid this from happening, you can put a thermometer under the heating light in order to ensure that the temperature is always at 100 to 155 degrees. Also, monitor the temperature occasionally so that you can make the necessary adjustments if the enclosure becomes colder.

Bearded Dragon Cages

 

Bearded dragons are commonly kept as pets and therefore they need a shelter where you can leave them be. It is ideal that you prepare bearded dragon cages before you buy the actual lizard itself so that the animal already has a proper place to rest by the time you buy it and take it home. Here are some advice on how to setup bearded dragon cages.

The first thing that you need to consider In preparing bearded dragon cages is the size of the enclosure that you will need. If you intend to buy a baby bearded dragon, then you can get a 20-US-gallon enclosure but it will be outgrown by the lizard in just 3-4 months. You can opt to buy a 40 gallon “Breeder” if you intend to buy an adult bearded dragon, or if you want to spare yourself the trouble of changing bearded dragon cages in the future.

You can use fish tanks as a bearded dragon cage, although it is more recommended if you use an enclosure with only one glass side. The purpose of this is to lower the visibility of the outside world and to prevent a curious bearded from trying to escape.

Also, take note that the “Breeder” bearded dragon cage takes a large amount of space since bearded dragons are terrestrial lizards and need room to run around on. Make sure that your house can accommodate such enclosures that take up a lot of space.

Once you already have decided on an enclosure for the bearded dragon, there are certain things that you need to secure in order to make bearded dragon cages habitable by these lizards. And since bearded dragons live in hot and dry areas, you need to keep the enclosure heated at all times. You can do this by putting heated pad underneath the bearded dragon cage and a heating lamp above it. For the heating lamp, you can use fluorescent lamp, incandescent lamp, and UV lamp as they all give off heat. You can also put a thermometer inside the bearded dragon cage in order to keep track of the temperature in it at all times, so that you can make the necessary adjustments if you notice that the cage is starting to get colder.

Bearded Dragon Brumation

 

Bearded dragon brumation is a state of dormancy among reptiles that is somehow similar to hibernation. During this period, the bearded dragon sleeps majority of the time and eats very little. Bearded dragon brumation can be quite tricky especially for new owners because they are unsure of what is happening to their pet during this state. Also, the process occurs differently for each bearded dragon so there is no clear-cut formula on how to deal with it when it happens. Some bearded dragons do not even brumate at all.

Some of the symptoms of bearded dragon brumation that you need to be aware of include spending less time basking in the heated lamp while spending more in cooler areas, decreased or no appetite at all, spending a lot of time sleeping, appearing disturbed by light, and creating a nesting spot by digging. These symptoms can easily be confused for an illness so the best way to confirm that your dragon is just brumating is by having a stool exam in order to rule out any other conditions. Also, keep in mind that bearded dragons only start brumating until they are at least 1 year old.

Once you have confirmed that your bearded dragon is undergoing brumation ,there are a few things that you can do to assist you pet. One of them is by regularly giving your bearded dragon warm baths. The bath serves 2 purposes: it helps induce a bowel movement and it also hydrates them as well. A bowel movement is recommended for brumating bearded dragons as the food inside their belly can rot and produce a lot of bacteria, or even cause a blockage. Another thing that you can do is by reducing the light and heat cycle on the enclosure by turning off your heating devices 2 hours earlier than the regular time.

A bearded dragon brumation cycle can vary in duration and may last for a day, a week, or even months. Since this is a very idiosyncratic process, you have to adjust to the needs of your pet dragon accordingly. The best thing that you can do when this happens is to be informed and prepared so you’ll know what to do.

All About Bearded Dragons

 

Bearded dragon is the common name of a genus of lizard that has seven species. These lizards are characterized by spiny that are located in the throat, thus the name bearded dragon. Bearded dragons have a very friendly attitude towards person and therefore they are kept as pets. This article will discuss all about bearded dragons and the basic essential information that you need to know about them.

On thing that you need to know all about bearded dragon is that its natural habitat is in rocky deserts and semi-arid woodlands of Australia. The most common specie that is kept as pet is the Pogona vitticeps or the central/inland bearded dragon. They have a life span of about 10 to 20 years and they can adults can grow into a length of 16-22 inches and a weight of 350-600 grams.

The scales which in their throat which is the distinguishing characteristic of bearded dragons can expand when threatened. They also can change their colors like a chameleon when competing with other males, or as a response to stimuli like a temperature change. Moreover, you can tell a male bearded dragon from a female one by looking at the pre-anal between the back legs. Males have more pronounced pores while females tend to have less noticeable ones.

Bearded dragons are omnivores so they eat pretty much anything from leafy greens, vegetables, crickets, worms, berries, fruits, and some can even eat small mice. However, there are some foods that are not recommended for bearded dragons when they are kept as pets. These include insects captured in the wild as they may be exposed to insecticides or viruses, avocado and rhubarb, foods that contain high amounts of oxalates like spinach, kale and cabbage as they can disrupt calcium absorption, citrus fruits, and bananas as well.

Finally, for those who are planning on getting a bearded dragon as a pet, they should prepare an enclosure that should serve as a habitat for the lizard. The enclosure should mimic the natural habitat of the bearded dragon and therefore it should be heated with a heating pad and a heating lamp. These are the basic stuff that you need to know all about bearded dragons.