Bearded dragonPogona vitticeps

Enclosure

Adults need at least 180 × 60 × 60 cm (6 × 2 × 2 ft). Smaller adults under about 45 cm long can manage in 120 × 60 × 60 cm.

Keep one dragon per enclosure. Males fight, males and females will breed, and adults can injure juveniles.

Heating

Bearded dragons need a hot basking surface of 42–45°C, falling to 25–29°C at the cool end, so they can thermoregulate.

Use halogen flood bulbs on a dimming thermostat. Turn heat off at night: drops to 12–24°C are normal.

Lighting & UVB

Strong UVB is essential: a T5 HO 12% or 14% tube giving a UVI of 4.0–4.5 at the basking spot, falling towards 0 at the far end. No glass or plastic between bulb and dragon.

Replace T5 tubes every 12 months. Follow a daylight cycle of roughly 14 hours in summer and 10 in winter.

Humidity & water

Keep average humidity at 30–60%, measured at the cool end.

Offer a shallow water dish. Misting greens is a good way to add moisture.

Substrate & decor

A deep, dig-friendly substrate (such as a soil and sand mix) works well; plain sand is fine if it's deep and dampened to form a crust.

Include a large basking platform, rocks, branches to climb and somewhere to hide.

Diet & feeding

Hatchlings: insects and greens daily. Juveniles: 5–6 head-sized insects daily plus greens. Adults: 3–4 insects twice a week, with salad about three times a week.

Good greens: spring greens, collard, turnip and mustard greens, rocket, watercress, kale, cactus pad. Fruit is a rare treat.

Never feed avocado, onion or mushrooms, or wild-caught insects.

Supplements

Lightly dust insects and salads with calcium. Add a multivitamin once a week for adults and twice a week for juveniles.

Handling

Usually calm and tolerant. Support the whole body and limbs, and let them settle before handling after a meal.

Health watch

Metabolic bone disease (from poor UVB or calcium), impaction, parasites, mouth rot and yellow fungus are the big ones. Beardies also brumate in winter, so get a vet check if appetite drops.