CARING FOR YOUR BEARDED DRAGON

Mark Burgess DVM
Katrina Ramsell Ph.D, DVM
Murray Crossing Mall
6139 SW Murray Blvd.
Beaverton, OR 97008
(503) 643-2137

CARING FOR YOUR BEARDED DRAGON

GENERAL

Bearded dragons are spiny lizards native to hot arid regions of Australia. They require high temperatures and artificial sunlight to thrive in Oregon. Their moderate size, attractive appearance and good personalities have made them popular reptile pets.

FOOD

Dragons are omnivorous (eating plants and animals) and eat a wide variety of foods. Baby dragons need more protein and calcium for growth and may show more carnivorous tendencies than adults. Much of the diet is protein based, such as silkworms, earthworms, slugs and crickets (feed the crickets a high calcium “gut loading” cricket diet (T-Rex) for 2 days prior to using crickets as food, or they will be calcium deficient). Mealworms and waxworms are nutritionally poor. Insects can be 40-50% of the diet with adults, or more with juveniles.. Also feed moderate amounts of commercial bearded dragon food (usually pellets) or alternatively a juvenile iguana food. If the pellets are not eaten, they can be softened with water, or ground to a powder and dusted onto the other food (insects and vegies).  5 % to 15% of the diet can be pellets. Commercial diets contain a balanced vitamin-mineral mix and help ensure that no nutritional problems will occur; they are safer than using vitamin concentrates. The remainder of the diet should be vegetables & fruits, especially leafy greens, and may include dandelions, kale, collards, papaya, and other common vegetables. Ideally use a nutritional guide to choose vegies with good calcium/phosphorous content. Healthy dragons should be willing to eat a variety of vegies, and in adult animals 50%+ of the diet may be vegetables.

Vitamin + mineral supplements should only be used if no commercial diet is fed, and then used sparingly.  Achieving a healthy balance with supplements is difficult. Never mix products; use a balanced vitamin-mineral powder with many vitamins + calcium and phosphorous provided, and put a tiny pinch on the food once weekly, no more. Reptocal and Reptivite are 2 brands which offer balanced formulations. Overdosing is a common problem with using supplements; it is safer to rely on a commercial food which has the appropriate vitamins included.

HOUSING

Try to duplicate natural conditions. Large terrariums are best.. The most important factors are heat & light. The ideal daytime air temperature is 85-95⁰F; temperature readings must be taken in the shade away from heat sources to be accurate. Below 80⁰F or above 100⁰F can cause stress and failure to thrive. The cage sides and top should be mostly solid, not screen, in order to trap heat. A reptile heat pad placed under the terrarium is one heating method. Hot rocks provide heat but must be covered to prevent direct contact which may burn the lizard. Heat lamps are useful but must be at a safe distance to prevent burns (at least 18 inches usually). Heat lamps must not be bright if used at night; the best are lightless ceramic-coated lamps such as made by Pearlco or Flukers; dim purple or red coated night bulbs may also be used. Monitor cage temperature at several spots with good mercury or dial type thermometers; avoid color strip thermometers which stick to the cage wall as they are not accurate. The terrarium can have a warmer side approaching 95-100⁰F, and a cooler area around 85⁰F. If the cage temperature is uniform then aim at 90⁰F as an ideal temperature. Do not let the temperature fall below 75-80⁰F at night.

LIGHTING  

Lighting requires special attention. You must provide both visible (white) light and ultraviolet light in the 280-320 nm spectrum (called UV-B).  This mimics outdoor sunlight which dragons require. Our climate provides too little sunlight, and window glass or plexiglass filters out most of the sun’s UV rays. Lack of proper lighting causes poor or picky appetites, poor growth, and bone disease. Provide correct lighting with a fluorescent “full spectrum” light. Reptisun (made by Zoo med) and Reptile D-Light provide strong UV levels; other brands with adequate UV output include Verilux, Reptile Daylight (Energy Savers Unlimited), Reptiglo, Reptasun (by Flukers), and Vita Lite. These are all fluorescent tubes; in general no regular incandescent bulb produces good UV light. These lights have a limited effective lifespan and should be changed every 6-8 months when in use. A good day length is 12-14 hours of light. These lights won’t cause burns, and they need to be close to the pet to be effective, usually closer than the length of the light bulb. (A 24 inch tube should be within 18 inches of the lizard to be effective). Avoid plastic or glass barriers between the light and the pet. Minimize hiding from the light (such as in a dark cave); instead provide hiding shelter behind a plant or rock where the light is still strong, or cover part of the transparent cage wall with paper to allow hiding in that area. Call us for light sources. 

More recently some full spectrum incandescent (screw type) round bulbs have appeared which do produce strong UV levels. These resemble regular light bulbs but are actually mercury vapor lamps; they produce high UV output and heat, so must be kept at a safe distance (at least 18-24 inches away). Their effective life span is uncertain; replace them yearly to be safe. These devices typically cost $45-$100, and when shut off must have a “cool down” period before they can be turned back on. Other “full spectrum” round bulbs which cost less and require no “cool down” cycle are simple filament- type bulbs and do not produce good UV output.

A small water bowl provides drinking water although dragons may drink sparingly.  Some will take dewdrops if the cage is sprayed with water.  Do not allow prolonged soaking and defecating in the water, as this contaminates the water source and may also cause skin infections. Artificial turf is a good cage bedding which can be cleaned and reused. Sand, gravel, corn cob, walnut shells, etc. are harder to keep clean and may cause intestinal blockages if eaten. Bearded dragons usually do OK on sand as they aren’t prone to eating it, but if sand is used be sure that moist food (such as vegies) is fed on a plate so that sand doesn’t stick to it. Calcisand (a calcium based sand) is digestible if eaten and is safer to use. Pelleted rabbit food can be used as bedding but must be cleaned often if soiled; moist rabbit food spoils quickly.

COMMON DISEASES

Osteodystrophy (Rickets): A calcium deficiency usually due to poor diet and/or too little UV light. Symptoms include weakness, tremors, soft jaw, swollen or crooked legs. Treatment is via injectable or oral calcium, and correction of diet and lighting.

Limb fractures: Due to trauma, or secondary to soft bones (rickets).  The limb is usually splinted. Correcting diet and lighting is critical.

Stomach or bowel blockage: Dragons may develop blockages from swallowing bedding such as bark chips or gravel. Small amounts may be passed with the aid of oral mineral oil. Severe cases may need surgery to remove the obstruction. Cool temperatures slow the bowel and increase risk of blockage or constipation.

Heat burns/skin infections: Unprotected hot rocks, heat pads or heat lights can cause burns. Burned skin often becomes infected. Bacterial or fungal infection can also result from lying in contaminated water or on soiled flooring. Treatment: for mild infections, chlorhexidene or Betadine solution applied 2-3 times daily for 5-10 days may be adequate. For severe lesions, dead tissue may need surgical removal followed by injectable antibiotics. Correct the habitat also.

Mouthrot and respiratory infections: These are usually caused by normal bacteria which take advantage of a stressed or weakened dragon; underlying factors such as cool temperatures or imbalanced diets often play an important role in causing these illnesses. Mouthrot causes red swollen gums and sometimes odor or drooling. Respiratory infections can cause mucus discharge in the mouth or nose which may resemble mouthrot, but the gums are usually normal. Both diseases are treated with antibiotics and correction of diet and environment.

Kidney disease: An occasional cause of death in older dragons. The causes are poorly understood, but damage to the kidneys may be caused by aging, low temperatures, overdosing of calcium or vitamins, infection, dehydration, or other illness. Signs are variable and may include lethargy, tremors, weight loss, appetite loss, and color changes. This may resemble calcium deficiency (rickets), but rickets is more common in baby dragons, whereas kidney failure is more common in older pets. Treatment includes a low mineral, low protein diet and fluid therapy; most severe cases do not survive.

Intestinal parasites: Two different parasites are common in dragons: coccidia and pinworms. Coccidia are microscopic protozoa that live in the bowel; when severe they can cause diarrhea, weight loss, straining to defecate and even colon prolapse (bowel protruding from the anus).  Pinworms are a small white worm; severe infestations can cause signs similar to coccidia. Diagnosis of parasites is done via examination of a fresh (within 24 hours) fecal sample. Treatment with appropriate medication, along with thorough cage cleaning, eliminates the parasites. Pinworm eggs live for long periods in the environment and may reinfect a treated lizard. Coccidia are slow to clear from the gut and may require 3 weeks of medication to eliminate.

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