The bearded dragon, from the arid woodlands of central Australia, is a diurnal lizard that often recognises its keeper and basks openly.
Its boldness and expressive behaviour make it a popular pet, but its high heat and UVB demands mean it is neither cheap nor low-effort to keep well.
A full-grown beardie is a substantial animal needing a large, powerful setup.
Many are sold to unprepared owners in enclosures that are too small with inadequate lighting, which leads to chronic illness.
With correct husbandry they are interactive and relatively forgiving.
Housing
An adult needs a vivarium of at least 120x60x60cm, larger if possible, offering a strong thermal gradient.
Provide a basking surface of 38-42C under a halogen heat lamp at one end and a cool end around 24-26C, all on thermostats and timers.
Temperatures can fall to room temperature at night.
A high-output UVB source (such as a T5 12% tube) covering roughly two-thirds of the enclosure is essential for vitamin D3 synthesis and preventing metabolic bone disease; replace tubes on schedule as output fades.
Use a firm naturalistic substrate or tile, provide hides and basking branches, and spot-clean daily.
Diet
Bearded dragons are omnivores whose dietary balance shifts with age.
Juveniles eat mostly gut-loaded, calcium-dusted live insects such as locusts, dubia roaches and crickets, fed daily, plus finely chopped greens.
Adults eat predominantly leafy greens and vegetables, with insects a few times a week.
Offer a wide variety of dark leafy greens and avoid relying on lettuce, spinach or fruit.
Dust insects with calcium and a multivitamin appropriately.
Provide fresh water.
Obesity from over-feeding fatty insects and impaction are common, as is metabolic bone disease when UVB or calcium is neglected.
Health
Signs of health include bright eyes, an upright stance, strong grip and a good appetite.
Metabolic bone disease, caused by inadequate UVB or calcium, is common and shows as tremors, soft jaw, swollen limbs or a rubbery posture.
Impaction, parasites (notably coccidia) and respiratory infections also occur.
Brumation, a winter slow-down, is natural in adults but should be distinguished from illness, ideally with veterinary input.
Any lethargy, weight loss or unusual lumps warrants an exotics vet.
Regular faecal checks and correct lighting prevent most serious problems.
Temperament
Bearded dragons are typically calm, confident and among the more handleable reptiles, often tolerating regular interaction.
They communicate with arm-waving and head-bobbing and adapt well to routine, which makes them engaging pets.
They must be housed alone.
They are territorial and not social; cohabiting causes stress, dominance behaviour, food competition, injury and even cannibalism among juveniles.
Do not keep two together regardless of sex or size, even if they appear to tolerate each other at first.
Most bearded dragon illness is a lighting or temperature problem wearing a symptom.
Go now
Tremors, twitching, a rubbery jaw, or difficulty lifting the body off the floorGo now. Note your UVB bulb type and its install date. Metabolic bone disease. A bulb still emitting visible light may have stopped emitting useful UVB months earlier.
Now
Today
Straining, or no droppings for over a week in a regularly-fed adultCall today. Check the warm-end surface temperature. Impaction, often from loose substrate plus a basking area too cool to digest properly.
Today
Black beard held for days alongside hiding and refusing foodCheck temperatures and review the enclosure, then call. A brief black beard is normal communication. A persistent one with other signs is not.
Today
Sunken eyes, skin that stays tented when gently pinchedCall today. Dehydration in an animal that mostly drinks from its food.
Today
Replace UVB on a calendar, not on appearance: a T8 or compact tube roughly every 6 months, a T5 HO roughly every 12. Visible brightness tells you nothing about UVB output.
This is general guidance for a healthy adult, not a diagnosis. An exotics vet who knows your animal always overrides it — and the time to find one is before you need one.
Can a bearded dragon eat that?
An adult bearded dragon is mostly a herbivore. Getting the greens right matters more than the insects, and the calcium-to-phosphorus ratio is the thing to keep in your head.
Never (13)
AlcoholNo safe amount at any body weight on this site.
never
AvocadoPersin.
never
CaffeineCoffee, tea and energy drinks. Cardiac and neurological toxicity at tiny doses for an animal this size.
never
ChocolateTheobromine and caffeine. Small mammals and reptiles cannot clear either.
never
CitrusAcidic, and it interferes with calcium absorption.
never
FirefliesLucibufagins. A single firefly can kill an adult bearded dragon. This is the most dangerous item on this page.
never
GarlicSame allium toxicity as onion, and more concentrated by weight.
never
Iceberg lettuceNo nutritional value, and it causes loose stools. It displaces food that would have been useful.
never
LeekAllium family. Same mechanism as onion and garlic.
never
OnionOrganosulphur compounds damage red blood cells. The whole allium family is out.
never
RhubarbOxalate load high enough to cause acute kidney injury.
never
Salty or seasoned human foodSalt, oil and seasoning. Crisps, chips, seasoned leftovers and processed meat are all out.
never
Wild-caught insectsPesticides and parasites.
never
Rare treats (9)
BananaPoor calcium-to-phosphorus ratio, roughly the inverse of what a dragon needs, plus a lot of sugar. A thin slice, rarely.
rare treat
BlueberrySugar, but easy to portion. One or two, once a week.
rare treat
CucumberWater with very little in it. A slice for hydration.
rare treat
GrapesSugar. One, halved, rarely.
rare treat
SpinachOxalates bind the dietary calcium a dragon needs to avoid metabolic bone disease. This is the classic well-meaning mistake. A single small leaf, rarely if at all.
rare treat
StrawberrySugar. Half a berry, once a week.
rare treat
TomatoAcidic and poorly balanced. Never the leaves or stems. A small piece of ripe flesh, rarely.
rare treat
WatermelonSugar and water with almost nothing else in it. A small cube, rarely.
rare treat
WaxwormsVery fatty and habit-forming. One or two, rarely.
rare treat
Occasional (7)
Bell pepperSafe and low oxalate. A few pieces a few times a week.
occasional
Bok choyGood in rotation. Twice a week.
occasional
BroccoliGoitrogenic in quantity. A small floret, once a week.
occasional
CarrotUseful for vitamin A but high in sugar, and the ratio is poor. Grate it. A little grated, twice a week.
occasional
KaleGood calcium, mildly goitrogenic. Rotate rather than relying on it. Twice a week.
occasional
MealwormsHard shell, poor ratio, and dragons will hold out for them over better food. A few, alongside other feeders.
occasional
SuperwormsFatty. Fine as part of a varied feed. One or two.
occasional
Everyday foods (8)
Black soldier fly larvaeHigh calcium; the one feeder that does not strictly need dusting. Several per feed.
everyday food
Butternut squashWell tolerated and useful for vitamin A. Several times a week.
everyday food
Collard greensExcellent calcium-to-phosphorus ratio. One of the few greens that can be fed daily without a caveat. Daily, as the base of the salad.
everyday food
CricketsStandard feeder. Gut-load for 24 hours first. Sized to the eye gap.
everyday food
Dandelion greensFree, excellent ratio, and dragons eat them enthusiastically. Pick well away from sprayed ground. Daily.
everyday food
Dubia roachesThe best routine feeder: good ratio, plenty of meat, cannot climb glass. Sized no wider than the gap between the eyes.
everyday food
Mustard greensGood ratio, well taken. Daily in rotation.
everyday food
Turnip greensGood ratio. Daily in rotation.
everyday food
That food is not on our list. Bearded dragon diets get ruined by well-meaning additions — check the species guide or ask an exotics vet before offering it.
Dust insects with calcium to the schedule in the species guide, and remember that a dragon can eat well and still develop metabolic bone disease if the UVB has expired.
Setup, monthly, first year and across a whole life, itemised and with the electricity worked out from the actual wattage. Published figures for the same animal disagree by a factor of four, so the calculator shows ranges rather than picking one.
Intermediate
Intermediate
Intermediate
Intermediate
Intermediate
Intermediate