Basic Guide to Bearded Dragon Care
If you’re looking for a mesmerizingly beautiful unique pet, why not consider a bearded dragon? They are wonderful pets for certain types of people. These pets are relatively inexpensive and do not require intensive care, plus they are fun to interact with. If you are thinking of purchasing a bearded dragon, it would be wise to familiarize yourself with the necessary requirements for bearded dragon care and provide a habitat so your bearded one can live a healthy and happy life. You should find out if you can meet these requirements before you buy your dragon.
This article will focus on some of the essential things a new bearded dragon owner should know. This isn’t a lot of material, but you need to get it right, so read it carefully.
Vital space
To me, juvenile barbets are among the most adorable creatures on the planet. A ten gallon aquarium or terrarium can comfortably hold up to two or three juveniles. You will need to provide them with a food bowl (you can find bearded dragon food at your local pet store or online) and some branches as well as rocks for them to nibble on. Like all other creatures, they will grow and need much more space than juveniles. The adult dragon will require no less than 40 gallons of space and even this size of terrarium is considered cramped. If you have more than one adult dragon, the required size of the terrarium will increase significantly.
The fact is that your barbet will need enough space to live and roam. You will first need to know if you have enough space in your home to house a large aquarium, and if so, you can start shopping online for used aquariums. New aquariums can be quite expensive.
Feeding your bearded dragon
What you feed your dragon will play a big role in its overall health. These creatures are omnivores; however, they should be given a diet consisting primarily of herbs. When I first bought my bearded dragon, the person who sold it to me told me to feed it only crickets, so this is exactly what I did. My beard was sluggish and unhealthy for a long time until I did some research and found that these lizards need more nutrients than crickets can provide. That’s when I changed her diet to include lots of green leafy vegetables, squash, and carrots in her diet. It was still filled with insects like crickets too, but only for treats and to supplement calcium. She began to be much healthier and more vibrant. I was much more careful with my beard after that.
When approaching bearded dragon care, it is extremely important that you take the time to work with your dragon individually to get him used to a diet that consists almost exclusively of vegetables. The time required and the difficulty of this process varies from individual to individual, but can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks. If you don’t have time to spend on this process, it’s best to consider choosing another pet.
If you buy a pet you have committed to taking care of it and its life depends on you. Bearded dragon care is no different. Make sure you are ready for the commitment.