hanzo how does your dad take care of you??
sincerely, a hopeful future bearded dragon parent
hi hi!! great question!!!
my dad takes very good care of me. i’m four years old this year but he got me when i was just a baby, so my care has changed a LOT since i was a little boy!!
when i was little, i lived in a relatively small tank, but now i live in a 4x2x2 tank which is the perfect size for an adult beardie. you should get the BIGGEST tank you can when starting out, but my tank size the end goal!
baby hanzos (hehe) eat a lot of superworms and crickets and not a lot of salad, but as i got older i need less bugs and more veggies. i like kale, bell peppers, mint leaves, rosemary, and thyme. i can have blueberries sometimes too, but only as a treat!
my tank has to be super warm! the warm side has to be 95-105, and the cool side has to be 80-85 degrees fahrenheit to be specific. babies need temperatures on the warmer side than adults do! always have a tube light at the back too, and have a basking spot high up near the lights.
i didn’t want to add this part, but dad made me do it >:( beardies need baths when they get dirty! could be from running in poop or playing with their food, and sometimes we need a gentle helping hand with shedding. never pull, that hurts! but you can gently rub any stuck shed with a toothbrush and warm water to help it along. but don’t bathe us too much! we don’t absorb water like other lizards. make sure there’s a water bowl on the cool side of the tank with fresh, clean water.
i need vet visits once or twice a year, sometimes more if i’m sick. beardies get parasites kind of easily, so it’s good to make sure your baby is nice and healthy. you can tell if they’re jaundiced (yellowing skin, usually on our feets) or if their poop is watery (yuck!).
finally, maybe most important, beardies live alone. always!! boys fight each other, girls fight each other, and if you have one of each, you’ll have WAY more little hanzos running around than you want!!
just make sure you do your research and put time and effort into building the best home and setting up the best life for your new friend. love us and we will love you back!! (or at least tolerate you. hehe)
