Hello, I was wondering what kind of needs does your pet have. I disagree with exotic pets because they deserve their natural habitat but as I can see you love your pet so much I think you have all the natural conditions that your friend needs. I don't want to sound impolite, it's just that I can tell how much I love animals and people selling exotic pets it's really bad and hurting a lot of animals as they will never be pets, they need to be free, also birds!
You don’t sound impolite at all, in fact it I spent several weeks debating if I should adopt my current Bearded Dragon “Kelso.” Kelso is a Pogona vitticeps, commonly known as the Central Bearded Dragon, Central Bearded Dragons are the most common dragons breed in captivity, and the most popular beardie to care for as a pet. Since they are desert animals, they require a variety of needs to keep them healthy, but are easy to care for once you establish basic requirements and a daily routine.
Some things every bearded dragon needs are:
A proper sized Terrarium/Vivarium 20 gallons for baby dragons, 40+ gallons as they grow and at least 45-55 gallons for adults.
Equip your terrarium with proper lighting. They need a basking bulb, and a UVB light to keep things warm, comfortable, and provide rays of light that are essential to growth and digestion.
Bearded Dragons must have a warm spot to bask, and a cooler spot to regulate their body temperature. I have a log that doubles as a hide in Kelso’s basking spot. His water is on the other side along with some other things to cool down.
Proper substrate. I am against buying sand as man-made sand and other products are harmful to bearded dragons. When baby dragons play around or eat, they can accidentally ingest sand. This can be extremely difficult or impossible to digest which can lead to death if not caught quickly enough. Instead go for Tile or Carpet produced specifically for terrariums.
A bearded dragon must have a proper diet, and it’s very important to give bearded dragons calcium and vitamin D supplements at least 5 times a week. I have a powder I use to dust Kelso’s insects before he eats them. There are commercial foods you can buy, but fresh is always better and usually less expensive. Live insects such as Crickets or Roaches are an important part of a daily diet. Worms are ok also, but must be fed as treats only. as they are basically just fat. I tend to give Kelso all his staple crickets and veggies, while letting him enjoy a few small worms 2-3 times in a week. Considering he is younger, he can enjoy more frequent fatty treats, as his only job as a baby is to grow.
Veggies Veggies Veggies, bearded dragons love fresh veggies, and they are a great source of nutrients. They eat mostly greens, and have several staples. I started Kelso out on Mustard Greens, Turnip Greens, and Squash. Some are everyday staples, and others are occasional.
Give your Beardie a bath at least once a week to help them stay hydrated. They will soak up the water through their skin or drink a little in the bath. Bath temps must be 85-92 degrees Fahrenheit. Kelso enjoys licking little water droplets off of my fingertips.
DO NOT ever mess with a bearded dragon’s shedding. You must allow your beardie to shed naturally. Make sure they have objects in their terrarium to scratch on. Never pull, tug, or peel off shedding skin. Even if you are trying to help, you could accidentally injure your beardie or damage the new scales underneath. If you want to help your beardie, handle them gently and run them a bath. With Kelso it seems to relax him, and sometimes some shed just falls off during his soak. Baby-Juvenile Dragons can shed every 3-6 weeks, where as adult sheds are annually once or twice a year.
Make sure your beardie gets exercise. Hunting for food, time running around outside their terrarium etc.
I have some good news and bad news. The good news is Australia has laws protecting it’s wild animals and it is illegal to take wild bearded dragons from their natural habitat. Bearded Dragons that are currently sold in the United States have been breed for captivity since the late ‘80s early ‘90s.(if my sources dates are correct) Captive beardies are more docile and dependent then they would be in the wild.
The bad news is now that owning exotic pets as become desired and trendy: Some suppliers treat these animals like product, overbreeding the animals, and disregarding their needs for a profit. The suppliers send these animals in bulk to pet stores and any “unusable” creatures are discarded to put it nicely. I was shocked to discover that some exotic animals and lizards come from conditions similar to puppy mills. The over-breeding can cause health issues and amputation. I got my beardie from someone who went through a breeder, I adopted him because he required better living conditions. Also he trusted me quickly, and is a sweet and innocent creature.
So overall owning a Bearded Dragon is about providing an animal in need with a good home and proper care. Here are some sources where you can check me and acquire more information: ( The Bearded Dragon ) ( Wikipedia page ) (Bearded Dragon Care 101 ) ( Bearded Dragon Forum ) ( Peta Reptile Supply Footage -very disturbing do not click if you cannot handle animal cruelty please-)
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