If you have a bearded pet dragon, it will be awake during the day and rest when you do. In the wild, bearded dragons are active when the sun is out and go to sleep when it sets. Bearded dragons sleep for eight to 12 hours each day. During the winter, bearded dragons can sleep up to 14 hours daily.
As soon as you get your bearded dragon, no matter their age, their first feeding of the day must always be 2 hours after their lights first are turned on. Similarly, their last feeding needs to come at least two hours before the lights are turned off for the day.
This way, your beardie can choose if he is warm or cold and if he wants direct light or not. Bearded dragons are most active during the day and are adept climbers. In addition to providing the basking site and shelter/hiding area, the housing environment should include thick branches or rocks for climbing.
Many do make the association of a bearded dragon and basking all day, and seem to think this is right. When in fact, a healthy dragon should only really bask in bursts. With a longer stint happening in the morning. This would be to aid the energising process, alongside the UVB exposure for the same reason.
Overnight, Bearded dragons can quite comfortably drop down to around 15°C (59°F) overnight, as the temperature drops naturally overnight, you have a little more leeway with your nighttime temperatures than during the day.
For young bearded dragons from age 4 to 18 months, expect them to poop at least every other day. As they age towards 18 months, they often decrease their poop schedules to just 2 to 3 times a week. What is this? Adult bearded dragons will poop anywhere from 1 to 7 times each week.
You can hold a bearded dragon for as long as it will tolerate being held. Start with 15 minutes once a day and as it gets used to being handled, you can hold it longer. Some dragons enjoy being held several times a day for several hours. When the beardie becomes restless, it is time to put him back.
There is no good reason to wake up a Bearded Dragon brumating. You should always allow your dragon to wake up naturally. Never try and wake them up by increasing the tank temperature.
Bearded Dragon Light Schedule:
Being a diurnal species, bearded dragons need a day and night cycle. According to data on sunrise and sunset times in bearded dragons' natural habitat in Australia, a cycle of 14 hours/day during summer and 10 hours/day during winter (with gradual adjustments in-between) is appropriate.
Overuse – UV lights are routinely left on overnight or longer in an effort to decontaminate workspaces, but this practice can result in the germicidal wavelength no longer being produced by the bulb.
Turtles, tortoises, bearded dragons, iguanas, and chameleons are some common examples of reptiles that need UVB light. This helps prevent animals from developing hypocalcemia (or lack of calcium). UVB lights should be kept on during the day and turned off at night and should be used along with calcium supplements.
Ideal Night Temperature At Night
At night, you don't have to worry about a temperature gradient. However, ambient temperatures within your bearded dragon's enclosure should be between 70 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. That's about 21 to 24 degrees Celsius.
Bearded dragons can stop eating or lose their appetite for a variety of reasons. We as first-time owners of these lizards may experience worry when they go off feed. Reptiles don't need to eat everyday, and sometimes a few days off is a normal occurrence.
Handle Your Bearded Dragon Immediately After He Eats
But it is actually a bad idea to handle any reptile immediately following a meal – including bearded dragons. Bearded dragons who are handled immediately after a big meal are unlikely to be terribly comfortable during the process.
As a general rule, bath time three times a week should be sufficient to keep your dragon clean and hydrated. If your dragon absolutely hates baths, then once a week may be a reasonable goal. If your dragon can't get enough bath time, you may want to do it more frequently, maybe even once a day.
Many bearded dragons recognize their owner's voice and scent, and display various signs of comfort and familiarity around them. This can foster a really special bond even though it isn't technically love.
The basic routine for cleaning out a bearded dragon is daily, with a little care which will remove the need to completely clean the vivarium out regularly. With this daily care, your bearded dragon's vivarium will need a full clean once every month or so.
Poop is usually passed four or five days after a feed. This can vary based on the age and species of bearded dragon. An improper diet can affect their digestive systems and cause them to become constipated.
Since bearded dragons don't need light at night, enclosures should be dark for around 12 hours at night. Furthermore, these reptiles should receive no UVB light during those 12 hours.
What vegetables do bearded dragons eat? There are a handful of vegetables that are considered safe for your bearded dragon to eat including, bell peppers, cabbage, carrots, celery, kale, and asparagus.