Temperature

Temperature

Making Your Dragon's Home Cozy

Bearded dragons are cold-blooded reptiles, meaning they do not regulate their own body temperatures the same way humans do. The environment depicts their body temperature, and their bodies have a broader range of temperatures than warm-blooded creatures. When the environment is hot, cold-blooded creatures have warm bodies, making them more active and have a fast metabolism. A cold-blooded creature is unable to generate their own heat in a cold environment, and their bodies will slow down.  Giving your bearded dragon a gradient of temperatures in their environment allows them to regulate their temperature properly. 

The Hot and the Cold

The hot side of a bearded dragons habitat should be around 100F, with their basking rock being 100-115F. When your bearded dragon gets too hot, they should have a place to cool down. The cool side of their habitat should range from 70-80F, and the temperature at night should sit around 75F when the lights are off. It can be difficult to maintain a proper night time temperature during winter or in colder climates, so it is recommended to include a ceramic heater in your reptile's habitat. Ceramic heaters radiate heat without emitting light, and therefore will not disrupt your dragon's slumber.

Buying Thermometers

Thermometers are not the item you want to save a few dollars on. Since proper temperature is critical for a healthy bearded dragon, you want to make sure the chosen thermometers are as accurate as possible. Cheap, stuck-on thermometers (which usually come with reptile starter kits - unfortunately) can be over 10F off, and are not recommended. Digital thermometers with an attached probe, or infrared thermometers are the best route to go with. Keep in mind you will need to purchase two of these - one for each side of the habitat.

Sources

• Bearded Dragons: How to Prevent Impaction. (n.d.). Bearded Dragons: How to Prevent Impaction. Retrieved April 10, 2014, from http://www.petassure.com/newsletters/061510newsletter/06152010article4.html
• Definition of Cold Blooded - UK Safari. (n.d.). Definition of Cold Blooded - UK Safari. Retrieved April 10, 2014, from http://www.uksafari.com/coldblooded.htm
• Warm and Cold Blooded Animals. (n.d.). Warm and Cold Blooded Animals. Retrieved April 10, 2014, from http://coolcosmos.ipac.caltech.edu/image_galleries/ir_zoo/coldwarm.html

Lighting

Lighting Your Bearded Dragon's Home

UVB

How your bearded dragon's habitat is lit is critical to your dragon's health. According to Drs. Foster and Smith, your bearded dragon "requires a certain spectrum of ultraviolet (UV) light called UVB. UVB is necessary for your Bearded Dragon to make Vitamin D," so you will need to provide a UVB bulb in your habitat. These can be purchased online or at the pet store, and while multiple options are available, the generally recommended UVB bulb is the ReptiSun 10.0 Fluorescent Tube. UVB light cannot penetrate glass, so you will need a screen mesh top for your tank. Although some of these bulbs guarantee a year lifespan, they should be replaced every 6 months, or they will not provide enough UVB rays to promote a healthy bearded dragon.

Basking

On the hot side of your bearded dragon's habitat, you will need a perch for them to bask in an artificial "sun." Basking bulbs can be expensive at pet stores, but a regular house light at around 65-120 watts (depending on the size of your tank) will suffice, and they are far cheaper. You will need to ensure your basking bulb does not generate too much heat for your bearded dragon. Although we will get into the details of temperature later, your basking area should be around 105F.

Mounting Your Lights

You may need to purchase stands for your light sources to perfect the amount of light and heat coming into the habitat. Your UVB bulb should be around 12 inches away from your bearded dragons. You can also use lamp stands to adjust how much heat is reaching your basking spot.

Sources

• Bearded Dragon . org • View topic - What's the best basking bulb besides petstores overpriced bu. (n.d.). Bearded Dragon . org • View topic - What's the best basking bulb besides petstores overpriced bu. Retrieved March 29, 2014, from http://www.beardeddragon.org/bjive/viewtopic.php?p=949280
• Bearded Dragon Habitats, How to Create. (n.d.). How to Create Ideal Bearded Dragon Habitat. Retrieved March 28, 2014, from http://www.drsfostersmith.com/pic/article.cfm?articleid=820
• Lighting Help For Newbies(:. (n.d.). Bearded Dragon.Org. Retrieved March 28, 2014, from https://www.beardeddragon.org/bjive/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=148006

Getting Started

Let's Get Started

Gathering everything your bearded dragon needs to maintain a healthy life is ideal before bringing them home. Not every store pamphlet has a complete list of necessities, however, this information can be found with a little research. Without going into details yet, I have used this research to lay out a general idea of what you will be looking for if you decide the bearded dragon is right for you.

• Terrarium
• Fully grown bearded dragons require at least a 50 gallon tank, but 75 gallons and over is recommended. Babies and smaller bearded dragons can live happily in a 20-40 gallon tank, but buying a larger tank on the front end will save you a lot of money. You will also need a screen lid to keep the humidity low and keep your dragons from escaping.
• Flooring
• Sand may look nice in your tank, but it can be a health hazard if your lizard digests it, especially if they are young. Using paper towels or reptile carpet is easy to clean, and it won't harm your bearded dragon
• Background
• If you are planning on purchasing a glass terrarium, you should also buy a background to cover three side of the tank.
• Habitat Accessories
• Bearded dragons love to climb, some ideas to keep them happy and entertained include- branches, vines, reptile hammocks, tall rocks. Your bearded dragon will also need a place to hide; you can purchase either a log or a rock cave. Rock caves can also be used as a basking spot, which is the next item you will need. Basking spots are near your heating source, allowing your bearded dragon to keep their bodies warm. Lastly, a shallow bowl for water.
• Thermometers
• The temperature of your bearded dragon's habitat is important. You will need two thermometers, one for the cool side, and one for the hot side of your tank. You will also need a humidity gauge to keep track of humidity levels 
• Lighting
• You will need a basking light for heat, as well as a UVB bulb. Proper lighting is critical for your bearded dragon's health, and I will have a post dedicated to explaining it in further detail. Purchase a timer to control the lights as well.

 Sources

• A shopping list for Bearded Dragons. (n.d.). Tosney's Bearded Dragon Shopping List. Retrieved March 28, 2014, from http://www.bio.miami.edu/ktosney/file/BDshop.html
• Bearded Dragon Habitat Checklist. (n.d.). Habitat Checklist: Bearded Dragon Housing. Retrieved March 28, 2014, from http://www.drsfostersmith.com/pic/article.cfm?aid=429
• Bearded Dragon Habitats. (n.d.). Pet Supplies, Pet Accessories and Many Pet Products. Retrieved March 28, 2014, from http://pets.petsmart.com/guides/bearded-dragons/creating-a-desert-habitat.shtml
• Bearded Dragon Habitats, How to Create. (n.d.). How to Create Ideal Bearded Dragon Habitat. Retrieved March 28, 2014, from http://www.drsfostersmith.com/pic/article.cfm?articleid=820
• Bearded Dragon Supplies List. (n.d.). » Complete Shopping List. Retrieved March 28, 2014, from http://www.thebeardeddragon.org/bearded-dragon-supplies-list.php
• Creating A Bearded Dragon Habitat. (n.d.). How to Setup A Bearded Dragon Habitat » Step-by-Step. Retrieved March 28, 2014, from http://www.thebeardeddragon.org/bearded-dragon-setup.php#size
• Housing - Care of Bearded Dragons (Pogona vitticeps). (n.d.). Care of Bearded Dragons (Pogona vitticeps). Retrieved March 28, 2014, from http://beardeddragoncaresheet.weebly.com/housing.html