Bearded Dragons – Cleaning and Hygiene (2024)

FAQs

How often do bearded dragons need cleaning out? ›

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.

Drying. Let your beardie soak for about 15 – 20 minutes. Once bath time is over, gently pat your pet dry with a soft sowel. This is very important!

Juvenile and adult Bearded Dragon diets

You only need to give your dragon insects two or three times a week, with vegetation everyday. Remember, adult Beardies don't need too many insects and animal matter otherwise they'll become obese.

Baby bearded dragons that are 3 months old or younger usually poop one to three times a day because their diet is rich in proteins. A young bearded dragon (4 to 18 months old) will have a bowel movement every day or so, while you can expect those older than 18 months to poop 1-7 times a week.

One of the most fun and exciting activities you can do with your bearded dragon is giving it a bath. Most bearded dragons love a nice, warm bath every so often. Giving your bearded dragon consistent baths is also very important for proper hygiene.

It's best practice to spot clean your beardie's enclosure daily and to do a full substrate change and disinfect every three months. Any old food left in your dragon's tank should be removed on a daily basis and the same goes for any bowel movements your dragon has had.

You can get sick from touching your bearded dragon or anything in its environment, and then touching your mouth or food and swallowing Salmonella germs. Always wash hands thoroughly with soap and water right after touching or feeding your bearded dragon and after touching or cleaning the area where it lives and roams.

Bearded dragons can drink tap water; however, it is a good idea to use one of the commercially available dechlorinating products to treat the water. There are chloramines and chlorine in the water that you want to remove as well as unwanted minerals present in the water.

Warm water (at a temperature of 90 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit)

What is the most common death for bearded dragons? ›

Metabolic bone disease (MBD), or nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism, is a complex disease and is probably the most common health problem of pet bearded dragons. It is most often seen in juvenile bearded dragons (less than 2 years old).

Depending on your dragon, stress marks may look like dark lines, ovals, or spots, or your dragon's entire beard may be black even while it is not expanded. Sometimes, the stress marks will be found on your dragon's limbs in addition to her belly. If you notice stress marks on your bearded dragon, don't panic.

Alert And Energetic

Unless your dragon is asleep or resting, it should always look alert. Here are some of the signs that it's alert: being bright-eyed — you don't want its eyes to look dull, unfocused, or sunken in; having plenty of energy —it shouldn't be lazy, lethargic or want to sleep more than usual.

75-80% of an adult dragon's diet should be vegetables. If you're feeding a juvenile, a daily salad will suffice. Since bearded dragons are omnivores like humans, they need a variety.

How Often Should They Eat? Young bearded dragons will eat more often than adults. They need all of that extra energy while they grow. A bearded dragon that's less than 18 months old might eat 2-5 times a day, whereas an adult bearded dragon only eats 1 time a day.

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.

Like humans, bearded dragons are diurnal: they are awake during the day and they sleep at night. In their natural habitat, they are used to being awake when the sun is up and falling asleep when it is dark outside. For most people, this means that your bearded dragon should be sleeping when you are.

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.

Bearded Dragons have a "third eye" known as the parietal eye, which they use to sense shadows and light changes above them. How is this helpful?

It's a smart idea to provide your beardie not only with a shallow and sturdy dish of water, but also with regular mistings. If you mist your lizard's enclosure and vegetables, you might be able to promote increased hydration. Never allow your bearded dragon's living environment to get overly wet, however.

Is bearded dragon poop toxic? ›

Bearded dragons can carry Salmonella germs in their droppings even if they look healthy and clean. These germs can easily spread to their bodies, habitats, and anything in the area where they live.

Dental hygiene in the form of a makeshift toothbrush should also be part of a regular husbandry routine. A cotton bud can be used to remove plaque from the teeth every second day to prevent it from hardening into tartar.

To remove it you can use your hands or a Zilla Corner Litter Scoop, but make sure to remove all of the waste and the bedding around and under it. This should be done daily and make sure to immediately wash your hands and not touch anything after removing the waste.

Due to the above, loose, sand substrate still provides a more natural environment for a Bearded dragon, and for this reason, we recommend it for your Bearded dragon's substrate over other substrate types.

Personal Space: Don't - Keep your bearded dragon out of their habitat for too long. They don't necessarily enjoy being handled, even if they like you. You have to remember; people aren't just picking them up in the wild.

Even the calmest bearded dragon will eventually become stressed out if you handle him for too long. In fact, it is important to understand that bearded dragons probably do not “like” being handled – they simply “tolerate” it. So, it is wise to avoid pushing their limits by keeping handling sessions relatively brief.

Long story short: reptiles are lactose intolerant! Unlike mammals, reptiles are not born with the enzymes necessary to digest dairy products. Bearded dragons do not lactate and their young do not drink milk. Because they simply cannot digest dairy, it can only result in harm, ranging from mild to severe.

The most common bowel movement type in bearded dragons will be brown and white. the brown part will be log-shaped with the white part on the end. The white color is the urate or their pee – waste product from your beardie's kidneys. Bearded dragons don't pee, so urates come out with their BM.

How often should I feed my bearded dragon? Most young bearded dragons eat once or twice daily, while older lizards can be fed once daily, depending upon each pet's individual appetite.

Fill your bathtub or basin with lukewarm water up to the level of your bearded dragon's hind knees or armpits which is about 0.5 – 1 inch for small dragons and babies and 2-3 inches for larger ones. Your bearded dragon should be able to keep its head above the water level to keep water away from its lungs.

Why does my bearded dragon poop in the bath? ›

Bearded dragon bath behaviour

Warm water is a muscle relaxant, and this can and does often produce a poop in the bath with a bearded dragon.

In the wild they mainly derive water from the insects and plant materials they eat. When kept in captivity, bearded dragons need a clean, fresh water source. It is necessary to provide them fresh, clean water every day so they remain hydrated.

This includes fireflies, lightning bugs or any worms that can glow in the dark. The chemical responsible for these insects' glow is highly toxic to bearded dragons. Avocados should also be avoided because they're also poisonous to beardies.

Venomous insects

Insects such as wasps, scorpions, hornets, bees, centipedes and certain spiders are a no-go because they are venomous. Putting these live insects in your bearded dragon's tank could cause them injury through biting or stinging.

A bearded dragon may turn black to let you know he is upset. Many factors can contribute to a bearded dragon's stress—shedding; a new terrarium; frightening decor; or noise such as loud traffic, music, or a blaring TV.

Glass surfing is thought to be a result of stress and a bearded dragon may be stressed for several reasons: An enclosure or tank that's too small for it can stress a bearded dragon out. Another bearded dragon, even if they're not housed together, may be interpreted as competition for a bearded dragon and cause stress.

Drop in temperature.

If their terrarium is too cold, bearded dragons may attempt to regulate their body temperature by flattening out in order to absorb as much heat as possible. If you notice your dragon pancaking a lot in his tank, this is likely the cause.

You may even find your bearded dragon scratching at the glass from time to time. This behavior is generally associated with restlessness and boredom. As a bearded dragon owner you want to keep your reptile friend entertained and have fun with him as well.

Bearded Dragons are the only known reptile to show affection for their human companions, which is why they make great exotic pets if a reptile is the kind of animal you are looking for.

When your beardie closes her eyes in response to touch, it's actually a defense mechanism. It's a sign that they can't get away, and they are closing their eyes to show they are not a threat in hopes that the big, frightening threat leaves her alone.

How active should a bearded dragon be? ›

Bearded dragons are active during the day, so this is when food, handling, and enrichment should be provided. All bulbs that emit UVB/UVA must be replaced every 6 months—even if they still appear to work. Even though the bulb may emit visible light, the UVB fades in time.

#7 Repeat At Least Once Per Week

Leaving a dirty carpet for too long in a tank can allow germs and parasites to infect your bearded dragon and make it sick. We recommend cleaning the carpet at least once per week.

To keep waste from building up, it's important to break down and sanitize the enclosure every two to three months. The best way to clean the enclosure is with clean hot water, and if you want to use a cleaning product stick to dish soap and elbow grease.

Similar to above, remove the poop as soon as you spot it on the reptile carpet. Then, spot treat the area with F10SC. Ideally, you'll want to have a couple of carpets on hand so you can switch them out every week while you deep clean one in the washer with hot water and mild, fragrance-free detergent.

Due to the above, loose, sand substrate still provides a more natural environment for a Bearded dragon, and for this reason, we recommend it for your Bearded dragon's substrate over other substrate types.

How much calcium a bearded dragon needs, largely depends on the age of the dragon. Babies, for instance, will benefit from having their food dusted with calcium powder about 4-5 times a week, while adults should have their food dusted around 3 times a week or essentially every other day.

You'll need to clean or replace your reptile's substrate anytime it becomes soiled, but the frequency of this will vary depending on the species you keep. Snakes for example, may only go to the bathroom once every week or two, while most lizards and turtles will go on a daily basis.

Lizards Need Soaking bowls

If lizards do not soak on their own, and they are shedding skin, owners should place them in a shallow water bowl to soak, or they can mist their lizard gently with a plant mister 2-3 times per week to encourage shedding.

Every reptile or amphibian species has different heating requirements and always need a warm-side and a cool-side during the day and at night. This helps them regulate their temperatures appropriately so they can be happy, healthy, and active!

The most common bowel movement type in bearded dragons will be brown and white. the brown part will be log-shaped with the white part on the end. The white color is the urate or their pee – waste product from your beardie's kidneys. Bearded dragons don't pee, so urates come out with their BM.

How do bearded dragons pee? ›

Desert Adaptations

A bearded dragon does not urinate in the same way as humans or most other animals. Instead of releasing toxins and waste in a liquid form, he produces a dry, white powdery substance. This substance is uric acid, and is essentially a concentrated form of urine without the liquid portion.

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.

You can get sick from touching your bearded dragon or anything in its environment and then touching your mouth or face and swallowing Salmonella germs. Always wash hands thoroughly with soap and water right after touching or feeding your bearded dragon and after touching or cleaning the area where it lives and roams.