What Makes A Good Bearded Dragon Cage
To ensure the health and well-being of your Bearded Dragon, it is important to provide a suitable habitat. A cage or vivarium made with glass sides or at least a front panel made of glass and the rest of wood is recommended so that you can see your pet, and they can see you.
For baby Bearded Dragons, a smaller enclosure up to 30 inches or 76 cm long is best, as they may have trouble finding their water, food, shelters or basking spots in a larger space. As they grow, their cage will need to be bigger too. For one or two adult Beardies, a 6-foot by 2-foot (1800 x 600) enclosure is the smallest recommended size.
It is crucial to ensure that the enclosure is large enough for your Bearded Dragon to move around and climb. Adequate ventilation is also important, either by air vents or a mesh top.
In warm climates, an outdoor enclosure can be used, but it must have a screen or be covered to protect your pet from predators such as foxes and cats. The enclosure should ideally have a covered area for shade and a sunny area for basking. Outdoor enclosures should not be placed on concrete surfaces as they absorb heat and may become too hot. Placing them on grass or sandy soil is recommended.
For indoor cages, three things are important: the right substrate or flooring material, the right lights, and the right heating. Sand is the best substrate, but it must be kept clean by removing faeces with a scoop. UVB lights are crucial for Bearded Dragons' health, as they need to absorb Calcium for their development. Heat is provided by an incandescent bulb placed 100-150 mm above a basking rock and preferably at one end of the enclosure, allowing your pet to retreat to a cooler area when they have had enough heat.
If possible, it is best to have both an indoor and outdoor cage. This way, your Bearded Dragon can receive natural sunlight during the day. If you have both cages, UVB lights are not needed in the indoor enclosure, only the heat light.
It is recommended to allow your Bearded Dragon to hibernate during the winter by digging in the sand under a large piece of driftwood. However, some people choose to keep the lights and heat on during the winter to prevent hibernation.
Our personal set up includes a long glass tank for indoors that we have transformed into a vivarium with branches, plants, and basking rocks. In the morning, we take our Dragon out to a large bird cage in the yard, which also has rocks and branches, allowing her to absorb natural sunlight and get fresh air. This set-up gives our pet the best of both worlds.
For baby Bearded Dragons, a smaller enclosure up to 30 inches or 76 cm long is best, as they may have trouble finding their water, food, shelters or basking spots in a larger space. As they grow, their cage will need to be bigger too. For one or two adult Beardies, a 6-foot by 2-foot (1800 x 600) enclosure is the smallest recommended size.
It is crucial to ensure that the enclosure is large enough for your Bearded Dragon to move around and climb. Adequate ventilation is also important, either by air vents or a mesh top.
In warm climates, an outdoor enclosure can be used, but it must have a screen or be covered to protect your pet from predators such as foxes and cats. The enclosure should ideally have a covered area for shade and a sunny area for basking. Outdoor enclosures should not be placed on concrete surfaces as they absorb heat and may become too hot. Placing them on grass or sandy soil is recommended.
For indoor cages, three things are important: the right substrate or flooring material, the right lights, and the right heating. Sand is the best substrate, but it must be kept clean by removing faeces with a scoop. UVB lights are crucial for Bearded Dragons' health, as they need to absorb Calcium for their development. Heat is provided by an incandescent bulb placed 100-150 mm above a basking rock and preferably at one end of the enclosure, allowing your pet to retreat to a cooler area when they have had enough heat.
If possible, it is best to have both an indoor and outdoor cage. This way, your Bearded Dragon can receive natural sunlight during the day. If you have both cages, UVB lights are not needed in the indoor enclosure, only the heat light.
It is recommended to allow your Bearded Dragon to hibernate during the winter by digging in the sand under a large piece of driftwood. However, some people choose to keep the lights and heat on during the winter to prevent hibernation.
Our personal set up includes a long glass tank for indoors that we have transformed into a vivarium with branches, plants, and basking rocks. In the morning, we take our Dragon out to a large bird cage in the yard, which also has rocks and branches, allowing her to absorb natural sunlight and get fresh air. This set-up gives our pet the best of both worlds.