Inland Bearded Dragon - Pogona vitticeps
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Inland Bearded Dragon - Pogona vitticeps
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Lizard Care Sheets]
General Information
Distribution —Australia from the eastern continental states to the eastern half of South Australia and the Northern Territory.
Habitat — Bearded Dragons inhabit dry environments including rocky terrain and even dry forests.
Size — An average adult Bearded Dragon is usually between 38 and 51 cm (15-20 inches) in total length. Hatchlings have a total length of 11 cm (4.4 inches) and grow to adult size in approximately one and a half years.
Temperament —Young Bearded Dragons are not as skittish as many other young lizards but should still be watched closely when out of the enclosure. As long as they feel well supported, they will generally sit fairly still as long as no sudden movements are made. Some young dragons may be a little more skittish than others, but most, if not all Bearded Dragons calm down as they reach maturity.
Longevity — Bearded Dragons typically live for 8 to 10 years if all their captive requirements are met.
Captive Care
Rating: 1; Due to this animal’s good nature, feeding habits, and adult size it receives an excellent rating; A Bearded Dragon makes a wonderful and enjoyable pet for people of all ages.
Diet: Hatchlings and Juveniles - Crickets should be fed once a day to youngsters with a vitamin/mineral supplement put on the crickets every other feeding. Regular sized mealworms and/or waxworms can be offered as well every other feeding. Dark leafy greens such as endive, escarol, dandelion greens, collared greens, and Swiss chard should be offered about three times a week. An adult dragon’s diet consists of the same things, but the feeding of crickets should be moved to every other day. Large Bearded Dragons can also eat the occasional pinky mouse every month or so to provide a bit of variety and substance in the diet.
Temperature: 28o to 38oC (86o-110oF)during the day and 20o to 22oC (69o-74oF)at night.
Required Space: Young Bearded Dragons can be housed in a 10-20 gallon terrarium. Adult Bearded Dragons can be housed in a minimum terrarium size of 50 gallons. Bearded Dragons also make great animals to display in a well made all wood terrarium with sliding glass front.
Breeding: Bearded Dragons are relatively easy to breed in captivity. These animals seem to require a cooling period and a reduction in the day length but this is not necessary to induce breeding. Bearded Dragons can be considered sexually mature at as early as 16 months of age and some (generally males) may breed at younger ages; however, it is recommended that females be at least 18 months before breeding occurs to allow for proper growth. Breeding occurs from January through to March and clutches of fifteen to thirty are produced. It is essential to have a moist area for the female to deposit the eggs to ensure their survival. Eggs should be removed and placed in an incubator. With an incubation temperature of about 28.9 degrees Celsius, Bearded Dragons should be easily hatched in 55-75 days.
Special Requirements: Bearded Dragons like all sun loving diurnal lizards (active during the day) need full spectrum UV lighting, proper heating, and calcium/vitamin supplementation to prevent metabolic bone disease. This species is docile, eats readily, and is a hardy animal that makes a great beginner lizard; however, hatchlings should be left for about a month without any handling to make sure they get on a good feeding schedule. Most people make the mistake of handling their animal too soon and they end up with a very stressed lizard that refuses to eat. For the first month, the contact you should have with your lizard should be for feeding, cleaning, and changing water only.
Sources (Suggested Reading):
Bartlett, R.D. and P. Bartlett. 1997. Lizard Care from A to Z. Barron’s Educational Series Inc., New York. Pp. 178.
de Vosjoli, Philip and Robert Mailloux, . 1993. The General Care and Maintenance of Bearded Dragons. Advanced Vivarium Systems, Lakeside, California. Pp. 63.
Manthey, Ulrich and Norbert Schuster. 1996. Agamid Lizards. TFH Publications, Inc., Neptune City, NJ. Pp. 189.
Rogner, Manfred. 1997. Lizards, Volume 1. Krieger Publishing Company, Malabar, Florida. Pp. 317.