Zoo med’s Guide to
bearded Dragons
by Josh Klavir
Zoo Med's Guide to Bearded Dragons by Josh Klavir
Table of Contents Introduction .........................................................................1 Is a Bearded Dragon the Right Lizard for You? ..................1 Types of Bearded Dragons .................................................2 Selecting a Healthy Animal .................................................2 A Closer Look & Housing/Enclosures ................................3 Substrate & Heating ............................................................4 Heat Rocks & Monitoring the Temperature ........................5 Lighting ...............................................................................6 Photoperiod & Basking Spots .............................................7 Water & Food Bowls & Hiding Spots .................................8 Plants & Cactus ...................................................................8 Other Habitat Decorations ...................................................9 Food & Live Food & Commercial Diets .............................9 Vegetable Matter................................................................10 Treats & Vitamin/Calcium Supplementation & Feeding ..11 Health ...............................................................................12 Stool Samples & Respiratory Infections ...........................13 Metabolic Bone Disease & Prevention .............................13 Time to Choose a Vet ........................................................14 Keep it Clean & Conclusion..............................................14 Recommended Reading.....................................................15 Daily Maintenance Check List ..........................................15 Shopping List ....................................................................15 ISBN 978-0-9652471-9-1 Copyright Š2013 Zoo Med Laboratories, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without the permission of Zoo Med Laboratories, Inc.
Introduction: Bearded Dragons are Australian lizards that have taken the U.S. pet market by storm since coming into the pet trade from Europe in the early 1990’s. There’s good reason for their popularity too, since Bearded Dragons are one of the most docile yet inquisitive pet lizards available in the pet trade. With proper care and regular handling, Bearded Dragons grow up to be strong lizards that are often active and entertaining, but are very calm when handled. This book is intended to be the first step in educating you on the basics of selecting, setting up and maintaining your pet Bearded Dragon.
Is A Bearded Dragon The Right Lizard For You? It’s difficult to come up with reasons why a Bearded Dragon isn’t a great pet for any reptile fan from beginner to expert, although there are a few things to consider before it comes down to nothing more than personal choice. A Bearded Dragon is a fairly strong lizard and may not be appropriate for children under twelve. Remember to never let a young child handle a lizard unsupervised. Nostril Eye
Ear
Tail Gular Fringe (Beard) Gular Pouch
Vent
Lateral Fringe
Space is another consideration, since a normal size adult Bearded Dragon requires a minimum space of 36" x 18" x 17" (92 x 46 x 43 cm), roughly the size of a 40 gallon “breeder” or 55 gallon tank. Since Bearded Dragons also have special heating and lighting requirements, and need a moderate amount of space, getting them set-up is frequently more expensive than the cost of the animal. All that said, if you’re looking for a medium sized lizard that’s hardy, handleable, attractive, and fun to watch, a Bearded Dragon simply can’t be beat! 40 gallon long tank setup
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Types of Bearded Dragons: There are many different species of Bearded Dragon found throughout Australia, yet only one is commonly found in the pet trade: the Inland Bearded Dragon (Pogona vitticeps). The Rankins dragon (Pogona henrylawsoni), a smaller species of Bearded Dragon, can sometimes be found with a little effort.
Cirtrus/Tiger Stripe Bearded Dragon
There are several different morphs of the Bearded Dragon, some of which are becoming increasingly popular and readily available. The most commonly available and least expensive Bearded Dragon is the normal brown phase. These are usually a pale yellow with brown markings, sometimes accompanied by a subtle blue/gray hue or orange speckles around the beard and crest area. There are more exotic color phases such as Yellow, Orange, Red, Citrus and Tiger Stripe to name a few. Other varieties such as Leatherbacks, Silkbacks, and “Dunners” have skin of different textures. Bearded Dragons have proven to produce some very interesting morphs, so many breeders are working with these and developing new varieties. The more exotic types are now readily available from private breeders, reptile specialty stores and reptile shows.
Selecting A Healthy Animal: Now that you have decided to get a Bearded Dragon, it’s time to choose the right one. Make sure not to buy an animal that’s too young. A 2-3 month old lizard is the youngest Bearded Dragon you should take home with you. Some pet stores will reserve an animal for you to pick up once the animal is old enough to leave the Leatherback Bearded Dragon
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store. Always look for an animal that’s wide eyed, alert and active. Unless sleeping or sometimes while basking, a Bearded Dragon shouldn’t appear lazy or tired. Don’t choose an animal that appears lethargic, has poor muscle tone, is resting its head on the floor of the cage, or whose eyes are only half open.
A Closer Look: Ask to handle the animal. It should be alert but calm in your hand. Look at the head and check to see if its eyes are free of a layer of film or debris, and its mouth looks clean, intact, and healthy. Check the body and tail. The animal should appear and feel solid, with few skin folds. Make sure the base of the tail is solid and that the hipbones are not visible. Turn the animal over and inspect the vent, which Juvenile Beared Dragon should be free of swelling and have no sign of dark stains around it. Finally inspect the limbs and tail of the animal. Is the tail complete? Does the animal have all its toes? Is there any swelling in the animal’s arms or legs? If so, don’t buy that animal, also make sure the store will let you return the animal if it’s not eating within 72 hours after being taken home. Picking the right animal is of great importance to ensuring a good pet lizard experience. Resist the urge to impulse buy. Take your time and select an animal you know you’ll be happy with in the years to come.
Housing/Enclosures: The author’s philosophy of keeping Bearded Dragons is “More is better,” and all measurements given in this book are the minimum requirements. A Bearded Dragon with room to exercise will be a healthier, less stressed pet, which will help provide a better owner/pet experience. Most Bearded Dragons sold in pet stores are juveniles, and will require less space. A 20 gallon long tank is suitable for housing a Bearded Dragon for its first year of life, and can be used afterwards as a separate feeding tank. Having a separate feeding tank is a convenient way of ensuring that no excess crickets are in the enclosure with your Bearded Dragon after feeding time. As discussed earlier, a pair of normal sized adult Bearded Dragons require a minimum space of 36" x 18" x 17" (92 20 gallon long tank setup
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x 46 x 43 cm), about the size of a 40 gallon breeder tank. Each additional animal should have about 2+ square feet of added floor space. Height is also an important consideration as Bearded Dragons enjoy basking on a high perch. Multiple lizards will also require multiple basking spots. In the wild it is not unusual to find Bearded Dragons basking on a branch well over 3 feet above the ground.
Substrate: Providing the right substrate is important to both the health of your pet and the beauty of your enclosure. Bearded Dragons are a desert dwelling animal and may be kept on sand as they would live on in the wild. Small rocks or wood chips may be added for a more naturalistic effect, but will make cleaning the enclosure more difficult. The author prefers to use Zoo Med’s Reptisand® or Vita-Sand® for creating that Australian red desert look. As an alternative to particulate substrate, Repti Cage Carpet™ or Eco Carpet™ may be used and are commonly recommended for very young Bearded Dragons. These carpet substrates can be washed and reused and cannot be accidentally ingested. Zoo Med’s Excavator® clay burrowing substrate can be used to build terrain and create a natural looking habitat. Use this product to make tunnels and burrows, to hold terrarium pieces in place, and to make use of vertical space in a taller enclosure. Zoo Med’s Reptifresh® is an odor eliminating substrate that can be used on its own or mixed in with other substrates such as sand. This product can be easily sifted and absorbs odors caused by waste, feeder insects, and excess food.
SR-10 Reptisand® All Natural Substrate
XR-10 Excavator® Clay Burrowing Substrate
Heating: Proper heating is a key part of keeping your Bearded Dragon healthy. During summer days in the wild, Bearded Dragons may spend part of their day basking RO-8 Reptifresh® Odor Eliminating Substrate in heat above 100˚ F (38˚ C), then retreat into shade to temps in the low 80s (about 28˚ C). This allows the animal to thermo-regulate, and choose what temperature it’s most comfortable in. This type of heat gradient should be replicated in your enclosure so that your pet may go to either the cool or warm side. Zoo Med’s Guide to Bearded Dragons
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The cool side should have an ambient air temperature (as opposed to surface temperature) in the low 80s (around 28˚ C) and the warm side an ambient air temperature in the low to mid 90s (around 34˚ C). A basking area should be provided that reaches temperatures of between cool side warm side 95-100˚ F (35-38˚ C). Using a basking heat bulb, such as Zoo Med’s Basking Spot Lamp™ or Repti Halogen™, in conjunction with an under tank heater, should provide the proper temperature gradient in most enclosures. Additional heat bulbs or a Ceramic Heat Emitter should be placed on the same side of the enclosure as the primary heat bulb if more heat is needed. A nighttime drop of about 10˚ F (6˚ C) can usually be accomplished by shutting off all over-head heating devices and leaving the under tank heater on 24 hours. Remember a 10˚ F (6˚ C) nighttime drop should leave the warm side of the cage no cooler than 80˚ F (28˚ C) at night. A Ceramic Heat Emitter or night time heat lamp such as a Nocturnal Infrared Heat Lamp is recommended if additional night heating is required.
Heat Rocks: While a Rock Heater should never be used as a sole heat source, they are very useful in providing supplemental heat to your Bearded RH-1 Repticare® Rock Heater Dragons gut to aid in digestion, and to provide a nighttime hot spot. Keep a rock heater on the warm side of the enclosure (but not directly under another heating element) on a timer so that it turns on when the daytime heating is turned off. This will help ensure that your animal can digest any food it has consumed late in the day.
Monitoring The Temperature: Keeping one temperature gauge at the cool end of the enclosure, and one near the basking spot will help you make sure the conditions are optimal for your pet. The author uses and recommends analog gauges, such as Zoo TH-24 Digital Terrarium Med’s Precision Analog Thermometer™, Thermometer™ for their enhanced accuracy. A Digital Terrarium Thermometer has a probe that may be placed in the terrarium to give a very accurate reading of the ambient temperature in a specific area of the enclosure. Zoo Med’s HT-500R ReptiTemp® ReptiTemp®* is a handheld infrared thermometer that can Thermostat
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be used to quickly get surface temperatures in different areas throughout the enclosure. *The ReptiTemp infrared thermometer is used by many professional Bearded Dragon breeders. LF-71 Reptisun® T5 HO Terrarium Hood
Lighting:
Providing adequate lighting for your Bearded Dragon is of paramount importance to ensuring a happy and healthy pet. Bearded Dragons use UVB radiation from the sun to help them assimilate calcium and grow strong bones. When UVB radiation is absorbed through the skin it begins a molecular transformation that leads to the formation of vitamin D3. Vitamin D3 is a necessary component in the delivery of calcium from the gut to the bones, so much so that without it most dietary calcium will simply pass through the system unused. The result of insufficient calcium absorption is Metabolic Bone Disease, which is commonly referred to as Osteoporosis in humans. Natural UVB radiation from the sun is blocked by the window panes in most homes, and keeping a Bearded Dragon outside would be inappropriate in many cooler or very hot climates. A UVB lamp must be provided when Bearded Dragons are to be kept indoors. It is important to note that UVB rays cannot be produced by a tungsten filament incandescent bulb (common house lamp type bulb) and a UVB specific bulb should be used. Zoo Med’s Reptisun® and Powersun® UV lamps are excellent choices for providing UVB to Bearded Dragons. Reptisun® 5.0 and Reptisun® 10.0 lamps area available in Compact Fluorescent, Mini Compact Fluorescent, Linear T8 and High Output T5 varieties. The type of bulb you choose will depend on many different variables. A terrarium hood, such as Zoo Med’s Slider Hood or Reptisun® Terrarium Hood should rest on top of the enclosure, PUV-10 Powersun® UV preferably on a screen top since glass or plastic will block the UVB rays. The UVB produced by any UVB lamp will slowly dissipate over time so the bulb should be replaced at least once every year. Mark the date on the bulb with a permanent marker and sign up for the UVB reminder at www. zoomed.com to receive an e-mail reminder when it is time to replace the bulb. Zoo Med’s ReptiSun® 5.0 linear fluoresecent
Reptisun® 10.0 UVB T5 HO (High Output)
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has consistently received the highest testing results in UVB emissions and longevity. A ReptiSun®, replaced annually, is highly recommended.
Photoperiod: Your animal will need a naturalistic photoperiod in order to thrive in captivity. This can be easily accomplished by plugging all of your day time devices into a timer. Bearded Dragons should usually have a 12-14 hour daytime photoperiod, followed by a 10 degree nighttime temperature drop. If desired, seasons can be replicated by shortening the photoperiod in the winter and then lengthening it again in the summer. Providing seasonal photoperiod changes is an important element to consider when breeding Bearded Dragons.
LT-12 Repticare® Terrarium Controller
Basking Spots: Once you have your heating and lighting setup, and a layer of substrate down, it’s time to decorate your pet’s new home. The first thing to do is provide a basking area for your animal. Rocks or wood should be placed in the cage, and arranged so that your Bearded SL-100 Repti Dragon can bask directly in the beam HB-100 Repti Halogen™ Basking Spot Lamp™ of the spot bulb. Bearded Dragons may spend more than half their day on the basking spot, which is important for both their health and social behavior. The basking spot is also an important part of food digestion. Many lizards, including Bearded Dragons, cannot digest their food properly without a gut temperature of around 100 degrees. Always make sure your cage furniture is secured to the floor of the enclosure and cannot fall onto your pet. It’s better to purchase cage furniture for your pet, but rocks and wood may be gathered as long as they are soaked in a 10% bleach solution, thoroughly rinsed, and dried out in the sun prior to being put in the enclosure. If multiple lizards are being kept together, multiple basking sites at different heights must be provided. The more dominant animals will take the taller basking spots. Basking Spot setup
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Remember when housing multiple animals together to never have more than one male per enclosure.
Water & Food Bowls: A full water bowl should be provided for your Bearded Dragon at all times. It should be large enough for the animal to soak its entire body in, but not so deep as your animal could drown in it. Using a water conditioner, such WC-8 Reptisafe® as Zoo Med’s ReptiSafe®, should Water Conditioner be done at every water change. A food bowl should also be provided for feeding vegetable matter and commercial diets. The food dish is recommended to ensure your animal’s food is free of any substrate, as it’s never a good WD-30 Repti Rock™ idea to let your Food & Water Dish animal consume its substrate. Both the food and water dishes should be kept on the cool side of the enclosure and be cleaned regularly.
Hiding Spots: It’s important to provide a hide spot, such as Zoo Med’s Habba Hut™, for your pet to retreat to. There should be a hide spot at both the cool and warm side of the enclosure, so your animal can select the temperature they are most comfortable in. Bearded Dragons prefer a cramped hiding area as it makes them feel less susceptible to being preyed upon while they sleep. There should also be enough hide spots to accommodate all lizards being kept in the enclosure.
HH-L Habba Hut™ Cage Furniture
CF-9X Cork Rounds Cage Furniture
Plants: Adding plants to your enclosure is a nice way to transform it into a living room showpiece. Synthetic plants are not recommended since Bearded Dragons are omnivorous and may attempt to eat them. The same is true for all but a few live plants. A couple exceptions to this rule are Aloe, and Sansevarias or Snake plants. Sansevaria is a good choice because it can be easily cut down to fit in most enclosures, and is available at most nurseries. Always clean your plants thoroughly and use only organic soil with no perlite before placing them in the enclosure. Try to buy plants from an organic nursery or rinse them until you are positive no pesticide residue remains. Zoo Med’s Guide to Bearded Dragons
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Cactus: Cactus should never be used in a Bearded Dragon enclosure, as the cactus may be toxic and your pet may injure itself in an attempt to consume the plant.
Other Habitat Decorations:
MA-M Mopani Wood Cage Furniture
Decorating a Bearded Dragon enclosure can provide enrichment for the dragon as well as the keeper. Bearded Dragons love to climb, so sturdy climbing structures should be provided and can be made using Mopani Wood™ and Sand Blasted Grapevine™. Less substantial decorative items are poor choices as they will be frequently knocked over. Always make sure everything in your pet’s home is nontoxic and thoroughly cleaned before being placed into the enclosure. A great way to decorate a Bearded Dragon enclosure is to use Excavator® Burrowing Clay Substrate. PSG-S Grapevine Cage Furniture This substrate can be used to form natural looking burrows and secure decorations in the enclosure.
Food: Bearded Dragons can be voracious eaters and will accept a fair assortment of foods. Most will also easily adapt to eating commercial diets.
Live Food: Live food such as crickets and mealworms make an excellent food source. They are readily available at most pet stores and will be eagerly eaten by most Bearded Dragons. Gathering insects from your yard can also be done to vary your pet’s diet, but you need to be certain that the insects you gather haven’t been feeding on plants containing pesticides or fertilizers, either in your own or your neighbor’s yard. Never feed fireflies or stinging insects to a Bearded Dragon.
Commercial Diets: There are many commercial diets on the market to choose from, such as Zoo Med’s Bearded Dragon Food™ and Zoo Med’s ZM-42 Can O' Worms
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Can O’ Crickets™. Most commercial foods come in both juvenile and adult formulas. Commercial foods should always be served in a clean food bowl free of substrate. A commercial diet may be used as the staple of a varied diet, but training your pet to eat non-live food should be started early in its life. The best thing about commercial diets is that they don’t get loose in your house and chirp late at night.
Vegetable Matter: As adults, Bearded Dragons can live on an almost exclusively vegetarian diet. Some of their favorite vegetables are Dandelion greens, Collard greens, Mustard greens, and Romaine lettuce. Try to give your pet a selection of vegetables, with Dandelion or Collard greens as the main staple. Always buy organic greens, and/or thoroughly wash all vegetable matter to ensure it is free of dirt, fertilizer, and pesticide residue! Fruit should never be fed as more than 10% of your Bearded Dragon’s total diet.
ZM-43 Can O' Mini Crickets
ZM-47 Can O' Mini Mealies
JUVENILE BEARDED FOOD PYRAMID
5%
fruits veggies
15%
ZM-146 Can O' Super Worms
10%
prepared diet
dark leafy greens
Natural Juvenile Bearded Dragon Food™ with added vitamins and minerals.
kale collard greens mustard greens escarole dandelion greens romain lettuce
animal protein
20%
50%
crickets mealworms Can O’ Mini Crickets™ Can O‘ Worms™ Can O’ Mini Mealies™
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ADULT BEARDED FOOD PYRAMID
fruits
5%
mango papaya melon berries peachs plums Tropical Fruit Mix-ins™
20%
25%
animal protein
veggies
green beans squash carrots snap peas zucchini
prepared diet Natural Adult Bearded Dragon Food™ with added vitamins and minerals.
crickets mealworms roaches Can O’ Pillars™ Can O’ Crickets™ Can O’ Worms™ Can O’ Superworms™
25%
dark leafy greens
25%
kale collard greens mustard greens escarole dandelion greens romain lettuce
Treats: As a treat a Bearded Dragon may be fed super-meal worms or pinky mice. It’s important to not feed super-meal worms too frequently because they are high in phosphorus which can rob your Bearded Dragon of calcium. Don’t feed pinky mice too frequently because of the high protein content. No more than once per week is recommended for feeding treats.
Vitamin/Calcium Supplementation: It’s very important to supplement your animal’s diet with added vitamins, minerals, and calcium. This is easily done by sprinkling Reptivite™ Zoo Med’s Guide to Bearded Dragons
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and ReptiCalcium® powder onto commercial diets or greens. Some of the vitamin powder can also be placed in a bag along with crickets and shaken so the powder coats the crickets prior to feeding.
Feeding: Feeding your Bearded Dragon should be done daily when they are juveniles. Offer your pet lizard as many crickets as it’s willing to eat at a time, and be sure its food bowl is filled daily with fresh veggies and/or commercial diet food. Crickets being fed should always be smaller than the width of your Dragon’s head, to ensure they will fit in its mouth. NEVER feed a Bearded Dragon food items that are too large as it may lead to health problems. Don’t let excess crickets stay loose in the enclosure as they may cause unnecessary stress to your pet. Worms, such as Wax worms or Mealworms, and other insects may also be substituted for crickets, but remember to never feed insects you’ve gathered in the yard unless you know they have been feeding on plants that ZB-74 Juvenile are pesticide and fertilizer free. Bearded Dragon Food
Bugnapper®
ZB-77 Adult Bearded Dragon Food
Feeding your pet a commercial diet is convenient and easy, but may take some training time. If you want to make a commercial diet, such as Zoo Med’s Bearded Dragon food, the main staple of your animal’s diet, it helps to start them eating it at a young age. Rather than offering your pet as many crickets as it can eat, put about half as many in and try to dump them into the food bowl. Continue to lessen the amount of crickets your animal eats until they are fed purely as a treat. Your pet may not partake of the non-live food initially, but don’t give up. Entice them to the food bowl with some fresh greens, or try feeding them some commercial diet from your hand or using feeding tongs. It shouldn’t be more than a few weeks to have your pet steadily eating a commercial diet, but some animals simply may not take to it. The feeding of crickets may be done away with entirely with animals that are regularly feeding on commercial diets. As adults the feeding regimen is about the same, except they will want to consume more greens and less insects. Make sure their food bowl is filled daily, and offer crickets, or commercial food every other day. Always remember to add vitamin/mineral powder to your Dragon’s food about once per week as adults, and two to three times weekly for juveniles.
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Health: Bearded Dragons are rather hardy animals that fare very well in captivity, but like all living things, they too can get sick. The best preventative medicine is making sure their enclosure is set up properly so they can get all the heat and light they need, and stay healthy for their entire 5-10 year life span.
Stool Samples: Your pet’s stool is one of the best indicators of its health. If your animal’s stool is runny, discolored, particularly pungent, or contains string like particles (possibly worms), a sample should be taken to a reptile specialty vet for analysis, especially if your animal has been acting sluggish or losing weight. Stool analysis can determine if your pet has parasites or an infection. Having a stool sample analyzed is inexpensive, and most common infections are easily treatable.
Bearded Dragons in Excavator® habitat
Respiratory Infections: Keeping your Bearded Dragon at too low a temperature for an extended period of time may result in your animal coming down with a respiratory infection. If your animal is gaping, has forced breathing, or seems to be swelling in the body and face, the animal may have a respiratory infection. In extreme cases the above symptoms may be accompanied by mucus forming in the mouth and nose area. Keeping your enclosure at proper temperatures should allow your pet to fight off the infection on its own, but should symptoms persist, take your animal to a vet as soon as possible.
Metabolic Bone Disease: Metabolic Bone Disease, or MBD, is unfortunately somewhat common among captive kept lizards. If your pet seems to have the “shakes,” or has bones that feel flexible and soft, especially in the jaw area, it may have MBD. Animals with MBD can easily break bones with falls or leaps that would have no effect on a healthy animal, and can die as a result of these injuries. An animal with MBD will often have swollen limbs, and drag their back feet while walking, as if the back feet are inoperable. An animal with MBD needs to be taken to a vet immediately! The most common treatment is Calcium/Vitamin D3 supplementation (not a store bought supplement), and a daily regimen of natural sunlight. Zoo Med’s Guide to Bearded Dragons
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Prevention: Preventing MBD is part of giving your animal the correct environment and dietary supplementation. As discussed in the “Lighting” section of this booklet, a UVB source is required to let your animal synthesize vitamin D3, which is the catalyst the body uses to deliver calcium to the bones. A combination of vitamin/mineral powder sprinkled onto food, and a UVB bulb such as the ReptiSun® or Powersun® UV, replaced annually, should eliminate any worry of your animal developing MBD. Always remember to follow manufacturer’s guidelines regarding recommended distance for optimum UVB exposure. Do not rest the UVB bulb on glass or plastic as it will block the UV rays. Taking your animal outside from time to time is also very helpful, but make sure your lizard can retreat to a shaded area outside if it becomes too hot and never leave an animal in a glass Wipe Out 1™ tank outdoors. Bearded Dragons will often gape to cool off while basking. Do not mistake this normal behavior for a symptom of illness.
Time to Choose a Vet: When considering a vet for your Bearded Dragon, do some research. Many vets do not have experience working with reptiles and can make costly mistakes or misdiagnose the problem completely. Call a potential vet and ask if they have experience with reptiles and if so how long have they been working with them. Perhaps there is a vet in your area that specializes in exotics. If the closest is in a neighboring town, it will be worth the drive!
Keep it Clean: To avoid the transfer of germs, and possibility of contracting Salmonella, make sure your pet’s cage is kept clean. Use Wipe Out 1™ to clean and disinfect cage and cage furniture. It is important to wash your hands before and after handling pet reptiles.
Conclusion: By reading this book you should have a better idea of what is involved when having a Bearded Dragon as a pet, and can make a Zoo Med’s Guide to Bearded Dragons
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more informed decision as to whether or not a Bearded Dragon is the right pet for you. If you are interested in learning more about this fascinating species, breeding your pet, or how to create a living naturalistic environment for them, please refer to the following books.
Recommended Reading: General Care and Maintenance of Bearded Dragons: Written by Philippe de Vosjoli and Robert Mailloux Design and Maintenance of Desert Vivaria: Written by Philippe de Vosjoli
Daily Maintenance Check List: 1. Make sure the water bowl is clean and filled with fresh water. 2. Make sure the food bowl is clean and filled with greens and/or a commercial diet. 3. Spot clean the substrate of any waste products and/or dead food items. 4. Make sure the temperature gradient is set-up correctly. As the seasons change and your house temperature changes, your enclosures heating set-up may require some additional fine tuning.
Shopping List: Enclosure:
• 20 gallon Long aquarium for one or two juveniles. • 40 gallon or 36" x 18" x 17" (92 x 46 x 43 cm) enclosure for one or two adults.
Substrate:
• Zoo Med’s Reptisand®, Zoo Med’s Vita-Sand®, Excavator® Clay Burrowing substrate, Reptifresh, or Cage Carpet
Heating 24 hours:
• Zoo Med’s Reptitherm® Under Tank Heater.
Daytime:
• Zoo Med’s Basking Spot Lamp or Repti Halogen with Deep Dome, Mini Deep Dome, or Combo Deep Dome fixture (1 for each adult animal).
Additional or nighttime:
• Zoo Med’s Ceramic Heat Emitter , Nocturnal Infrared Heat Lamp, Zoo Med’s Repticare® Rock Heater.
Temperature Monitoring:
• Zoo Med’s Precision Analog Thermometer or Zoo Med’s Digital Terrarium Thermometer, or Digital Terrarium Thermometer (one thermometer on each side). • Zoo Med’s ReptiTemp. Zoo Med’s Guide to Bearded Dragons
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ligHting:
• Zoo Med’s ReptiSun® 5.0 or 10.0 (T8 or T5 HO) UVB linear bulb with Reptisun® Terrarium Hood, OR. • Zoo Med’s Reptisun® 5.0 or 10.0 Compact fluorescent UVB bulb with Deep Dome, Combo Deep Dome or Naturalistic Terrarium Hood, OR. • Powersun® UV bulb with Deep Dome or Combo Deep Dome hood.
cagE FurniturE:
• Zoo Med’s Premium Sandblasted Grapevine. • Mopani Wood. • Zoo Med’s Habba Huts.
FooD anD WatEr boWls:
• Zoo Med’s Repti-Rock Bowls or Corner Bowls. • Zoo Med’s Repti-Rock Food Dish.
WatEr conDitionEr: • Zoo Med’s Reptisafe.
clEanErs:
• Zoo Med’s Wipe Out 1™ Terrarium Cleaner.
FooD:
• Zoo Med’s Bearded Dragon Food - Dry formula. • Zoo Med’s Bearded Dragon Food - Canned Forumla. • Both are available in Juvenile and Adult formulas. • Zoo Med’s Can O’ Products. • Zoo Med’s Fruit Mix In’s. • Various grocery store greens, vegetables, and fruits. -Mustard Greens, Collard Greens, Kale, Green Leaf Lettuce. -Carrots, Zucchini, Spaghetti Squash, Butternut Squash, sweet potatoes. -Mango, Papaya, Strawberries, Blueberries, pear, plum, banana, peach. • Live insects -Crickets, Mealworms, feeder roaches.
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Zoo Med Bearded Dragon Products
NT-B40 Bearded Dragon Kit (40 gal)
NT-21B Bearded Dragon Kit (20 gal)
LF-71 Reptisun® T5 HO Terrarium Hood
Reptisun® 10.0 UVB T5 HO (High Output)
LF-63 Reptisun® T8 Terrarium Hood
FS-36 Reptisun® T8 5.0 UVB
LF-25 Combo Deep Dome Dual Lamp Fixture
LT-12 Repticare® Terrarium Controller
WO-18 Wipe Out 1™ Cage Cleaner
HB-100 Repti Halogen™
HT-500R ReptiTemp® Thermostat
TH-24 Digital Terrarium Thermometer™
A35-8 Reptivite™
WC-8 Reptisafe® Water Conditioner
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SL-100 Repti Basking Spot Lamp™
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PUV-10 Powersun® UV
RH-1 Repticare® Rock Heater
A34-8 Repti Calcium™
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More Zoo Med Bearded Dragon Products
ZM-41 Can O' Crickets
ZB-74 Juvenile Bearded Dragon Food
ZB-77 Adult Bearded Dragon Food
HH-L Habba Hut™ Cage Furniture
WD-30 Repti Rock™ Food & Water Dish
XR-10 Excavator® Clay Burrowing Substrate
ZM-42 Can O' Worms
RO-8 Reptifresh® Odor Eliminating Substrate
$1.00 ISBN 978-0-9652471-9-1
ZM-43 Can O' Mini Crickets
CF-9X Cork Rounds Cage Furniture
ET-40 Eco Carpet
SR-10 Reptisand® All Natural Substrate
ITEM# ZB-30
50100>
9 780965 247191 Zoo Med Laboratories, Inc. | 3650 Sacramento Dr. | San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 Phone: (805) 542-9988 | Email: zoomed@zoomed.com
www.zoomed.com