All good bearded dragon owners like you and I want our pets to be healthy and live as long as possible.
And while bearded dragons are pretty tough with relatively few health issues, one of the biggest things we must do is keep their tanks at the right temperature.
There’s a lot of debate out there on this issue, so let’s settle the score.
Bearded Dragons tank temperature needs to be maintained at a daytime temperature of 75-85° degrees Fahrenheit (24-29° C), the nighttime temperature of 70-75° F (21-24° C), basking temperature of 88-100° F (31-38° C), cool side temperature of 70-80° F (21-27° C), and the overall temperature of 90° F (32° C).
Getting these temps in place is a bit tough for some, but we have some advice and tips in the rest of the article below.
Table of Contents
Why Do Bearded Dragons Need Their Tanks So Warm?
The entire purpose of the tank setup is to get the bearded dragon enclosure as close to the pet’s natural habitat as possible.
Unlike humans, all other animals have adapted to a specific type of environment.
The bearded dragon’s natural environment is in the hot deserts of Australia.
They’re used to high temperatures during the day and cool but warm temperatures at night.
As such, we need to keep their tanks the same way.
Beardies are cold-blooded creatures and can’t produce heat independently; they must absorb it from another source.
Failure to keep the tank warm enough may result in digestive problems, high stress, or even death.
So make sure you know the proper temperature of a bearded dragon tank.
What Temperature Should My Bearded Dragon Tank Be?
As we stated before, a bearded dragon tank needs to vary a little based on the part of the tank and the time of day.
This section will give more details on the temperatures and what each section means.
Basking Spot Temperature
The basking area is meant to be the hottest part of the vivarium.
This is where the bearded dragon will rest (or bask) to absorb heat and UVB light from the UVB bulb if it needs to.
The basking spot is also the only place where the temperature changes depending on age.
An adult bearded dragon’s spot should be between 88-100° degrees Fahrenheit (38° C), but a baby bearded dragon needs it around 105° degrees Fahrenheit (41° C).
Basking spots are heated with a heat lamp and a UV basking bulb.
Use a mercury vapor bulb to get UVA, UVB, and heat from a single source.
These bulbs are left on during the day and turned off at night.
Some people advocate for leaving a different colored light on at night, but it’s best to use no lights.
This helps keep the bearded dragon on a steady day-night cycle.
Further Reading: Red lights and bearded dragons: Is it bad?
You may want to use a timer switch to ensure you don’t forget to turn it on in the morning.
You measure the basking spot with a thermometer mounted nearby or using an infrared one pointed at the basking spot for a few seconds.
Further Reading: Best thermometers to keep your bearded dragons healthy
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Overall Temperature
The overall ambient temperature is where most of the tank rests at.
This temperature range is the same for a juvenile bearded dragon and an adult.
Your goal is to get the overall temperature around 90° degrees Fahrenheit (32 ° C).
This is measured with a mounted thermometer in the middle of the tank.
Proper placement for the thermometer is halfway between the basking spot and the cool spot.
If your tank is around 40 gallons, you may be able to get away with just a basking light and UV light, which can heat the whole tank.
But if you’re using one bigger than this (which we recommend), you may need help.
Use an additional basking lamp at a lower setting, overhead fluorescent heating, or an under-the-tank heat mat.
Warning! Under the tank, heaters can crack glass tanks in some cases.
Also, ensure your pet bearded dragon has a terrarium humidity level of around 20 – 40%.
Further Reading: Bearded dragon humidity guide
This is measured with a hygrometer (humidity gauge).
Further Reading: Best basking light for bearded dragons and save you time and money
Cool Spot Temperature (Hide Spot)
Bearded dragons need to be able to control their temperature with environmental means.
When we get hot, we sweat, and this cools us down.
Bearded dragons don’t have this capacity.
While your reptiles can sit with their mouths open, gaping, this only helps cool them down a little.
In the wild, they dig themselves into mud or go and find cool shelter under a rock or log.
It needs to be the same in your tank.
Keep some furniture (a rock or box) on the opposite side of your tank, away from the basking spot.
This will be where your bearded dragon goes to cool itself down or relax after basking.
The cool/hide spot should stick between 70 ° – 85° degrees Fahrenheit (21 ° – 29 ° C).
Use a thermometer mounted near the cool spot to check on it.
The range is wide because the temperature will depend on the size of your tank and the type of heater used.
But as long as you’re within this range, you should be just fine.
Nighttime Temperature
Even though beardies are from the hot desert, they don’t need extreme heat all of the time.
Deserts get surprisingly cold at night.
Fortunately, our home’s natural temperature will probably work just fine.
You want the night temp to dip a little but go no less than 65 ° – 70° degrees Fahrenheit (18 ° – 21 ° C).
Don’t worry if you’re in a hotter climate and the temperature doesn’t quite get low enough.
You just don’t want it to go below this range.
You don’t need to watch this one too closely unless you keep your house cooler.
Most likely, all you need to do to prevent this temperature in line is just turn off your heater at night.
The heat will go away slowly, and by the time you wake up, it may have just settled in this range.
Check your overall thermometer every morning to ensure the tank isn’t getting too cold.
Further Reading: Why is a cold bearded dragon in danger?
If it seems to be getting a little close to the 65° degrees Fahrenheit (18 ° C) mark, alter the timing of your heaters, so there is less time it’s off.
Another option to maintain night temperatures is a ceramic heat emitter.
These do not have light and only produce heat.
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What Is The Lowest Temperature A Bearded Dragon Can Survive?
If you follow the rules outlined above, you’ll be fine with temperatures.
A bearded dragon’s lowest temperature can survive safely is 65° degrees Fahrenheit (18 ° C).
While it may be able to recover from temps lower than 60° degrees Fahrenheit (16 ° C), there’s no reason ever to do it.
If, for some reason, your power is out, use hand warmers and portable heaters, or at least cuddle the pet.
Conclusion
Now you know what temperature a bearded dragon tank should be at.
Keep these ranges and recommendations in mind; your pet will be fine!
A basking area, which should be kept at 90-115 degrees Fahrenheit (32- 46 degrees Celsius), is also required for bearded dragons. If the temperature is too hot and the beardie is forced to move to a cooler location, there will be no harm done if the temperature is 105*F to 115*F.
The temperature for the basking area should be between 90 to 93 degrees for an adult bearded dragon. Keep the cooler region of the enclosure at 80 to 90 degrees F, just as with babies and juveniles.
The basking spot should be maintained at between 95 to 105 degrees Fahrenheit. The ideal basking zone temperature for baby bearded dragons is between 95 and 110 degrees Fahrenheit and the cooler zone should be between 80 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
Your vivarium should mimic the natural heat and light pattern of your bearded dragon's natural environment, and since the temperature in the outback drops after dark, your bearded dragon needs a cooler temperature at night. This means you can turn off your heat lamp at night.
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.
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.
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.
However feeding whole pinky mice and not ones that have been cut into pieces can also be a very healthy addition to a bearded dragons diet as they do naturally eat whole prey in the wild.
Your bearded dragon should sleep at night, and there shouldn't be any source of light left on for them. As long as the enclosure is warm enough, the basking light should be turned off at night as well.
While you will be providing UVB light 12 hours a day for your dragon, they have trouble sleeping if lights are left on at night, so it's best to place them in an area that is quiet and dark at night. This is especially important during brumation if your bearded dragon ends up going through that process.
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.
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.
Bathing your bearded dragon is important for several reasons. Hydration is one of the biggest ones. Many beardies don't like drinking from bowls, but will happily slurp up their bathwater. Baths are of course also important for hygiene.
(Outdoors, make sure it's designed to be used outside, and that it's safe from wind and weather.) Out of sight: Try to avoid using the lamp overnight or when you can't monitor it, and make sure there is a working smoke detector nearby.
Heat pads and panels provide a warm area in the terrarium where reptiles can remain if they need to increase their body temperature. They should be placed on one end of the terrarium, which will allow the far opposite side of the terrarium to remain cooler.
Bearded dragons are cold-blooded, so it's important to use lukewarm or warm water (between 90 and 100 degrees Fahrenheit is a good rule of thumb). Cold water will make your dragon sick. If you let your dragon swim outside in a lake, pond, or a kiddie pool, it's still important to monitor the temperature.
What's the real truth? A: While beardies can withstand a wide variety of temperatures, here is what I always tell owners. The focal basking hot spot should be between 100 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit. If your beardie is not sitting in the hot spot, gaping with its mouth open, then it probably isn't hot enough.
Yes, you can cover your bearded dragon tank with a blanket. Bearded dragons are ectothermic, meaning they rely on the sun to heat up their body. So, a blanket can help the bearded dragon stay warm.
Meanwhile, our cold blooded friends don't generate any heat from within. Wrapping them up in a blanket is not going to help them – if anything it will insulate them from outside heat, like a cold drink in a thermos flask – and prevent them from warming up. And that's why you don't put a blanket on a sleeping lizard.
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.
Place hand warmers or heat packs in a sock and place the sock near your dragon (make sure they don't touch your dragon though, or they could burn her). Keep your dragon wrapped in blankets and use your body heat to keep him warm. If you are able, take your dragon into your car with the heat on high until she warms up.
They're Gathering Information About Their Environment
A bearded dragon in a home environment, especially a new beardie, will lick you for much the same reason. Your pet wants to know if you are a friend or a threat, but as it gets used to you and its environment, they won't need to do this as much.
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.
Their lifespan is usually 10 to 15 years or more, so they're quite a commitment. It's important to replicate their natural habitat as best you can. Learn more about how to care for your bearded dragon and how to keep them healthy and happy.
Although bearded dragons can eat grapes whole, many owners prefer to cut them up into smaller pieces to make it easier for their dragons to eat and to eliminate any possibility of choking. Cutting up the grapes also ensures that there are no seeds, since even the occasional seedless grape actually does have a seed.
Lighting is pretty simple; the main two lights you need are the heat lamp and the UVB fluorescent tube fixture. The heat lamp is the easier one to set up; you can buy the reptile heat lamp fixtures at pretty much any pet store. You need a fixture with decent coverage for your tank, a "sun dome" type fixture works well.
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.
When a bearded dragon reaches its thermal maximum, it will often sit with its mouth open. This behavior, called gaping, shows that the lizard is at its optimal temperature for basking. This gaping will allow a bearded dragon to dissipate extra body heat.
Never feed your bearded dragon any insect that glows. 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.
During the summer months you should provide your bearded dragon with a minimum of 14 – 16 hours of daytime light and UV exposure and 8 – 10 hours of nighttime exposure. During the winter months the light cycle should be decreased to 10 – 12 hours of daytime light and UV exposure and 12 – 14 hours of nighttime exposure.
Bearded dragons are diurnal and sleep up to 12 hours daily. People often ask if bearded dragons are nocturnal or diurnal. These reptiles are diurnal, so they are active during the day and sleep at night, similar to humans. If you have a bearded pet dragon, it will be awake during the day and rest when you do.
Large rocks, easy enough to climb on or around, in the cage also allow for basking and provide a more interesting, natural environment. Bearded dragons may enjoy low, horizontal, natural branches to climb on as well. Make sure all branches are secure and won't fall onto the lizard and injure it.
Unlike lizards who are active at night, bearded dragons are awake during the day. They often like to climb branches and sit on logs to bask in the sun. As a result, they make great pets for people who want to interact with their pets during waking hours.
Adult. Two or three superworms once or twice a week should be sufficient for your adult bearded dragon. Juvenile. A juvenile dragon who can handle the aggressiveness of the worms might be able to eat more superworms in one feeding than an adult.
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.
Insects - Feed gut-loaded insects (crickets or dubia roaches) 1x daily. Mealworms, superworms and waxworms should be offered in only small amounts. Young bearded dragons need a diet that's more insects than vegetables because they need the added protein to grow and develop.
Bearded dragons are quite docile reptiles and make great pets, you can reinforce this behaviour early on with a baby Bearded dragon by having regular handling sessions 2-4 times a day for 5-15 minutes at a time until they become comfortable.
They can also eat hard boiled eggs. Just remember these pointers: Adult bearded dragons should eat no more than half an egg at a time, max. If you're scrambling the egg, don't mix any additional ingredients with it.
Keeping your beardie's nails trimmed neatly or clipped is very important for comfortable and safe handling. Their nails grow fast, so regular clipping (once a month) is necessary to prevent scratching or them getting their nails caught on something and damaged.
The best nighttime heat source for a Bearded dragon is a ceramic heat emitter, as this emits no light and can be thermostatically controlled to maintain a set temperature that should still be lower than during the day.
Your vivarium should mimic the natural heat and light pattern of your bearded dragon's natural environment, and since the temperature in the outback drops after dark, your bearded dragon needs a cooler temperature at night. This means you can turn off your heat lamp at night.
Every two or three weeks, it's wise to ventilate a closed terrarium for a few hours. After you've aired it out, close the lid again and wait to see if condensation builds up on the glass. If so, then it's good to go for a while. If not, then open it and give it a small drink of water.
Do terrariums need to be airtight? Terrariums are fine if they are airtight, but we suggest removing the lid periodically (about once a week or even daily) to allow fresh air into your garden.
At 100 watts each, one light bulb should be sufficient for heating any bearded dragon tank, unless extremely large in which case you would need 2 bulbs.
Try water misting – Cool down your dragon's home in the morning, afternoon, and evening with a quick misting. 6. Water 'bath' bowls – Give your bearded dragon a large, shallow water bowl they can easily climb in and out of. This will make an excellent summer soaking tub to cool down in if they so desire.
Lizards are being wiped out as rising temperatures force them to spend more time staying cool in the shade and less time tending to basic needs like eating and mating, a study finds. Sometimes it can be too darn hot even for a lizard.
The wattage of the bulb should be determined by the size of the dragon's enclosure. If a bearded dragon is to be heated with a 150 watt bulb, its enclosure should be no larger than 18x24x12. If they are exposed to too much light, the beard of a bearded dragon can develop sunburns.
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.
Many dragons absolutely love bath time. It's a great way for them to unleash their wild side and have some fun. It can also be a wonderful opportunity for you to strengthen your relationship with your pet.
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.
So, turn on that AC or bring down your house's temperature to 22o C or below. Doing this can drive them away as they are incapable of regulating their body temperature according to the environment.
During the day, the optimum basking area temperature for a Bearded dragon is 40-42°C (104-107°F) with the cool end sitting at around 22-25°C (71-77°F). A heat source placed in one end of the enclosure is usually enough to keep the temperatures within the required range across the entire thermogradient.
Since bearded dragons can grow to 24″ long, you'll want a larger tank for an adult bearded dragon, at least 48”L x 24”W x 24”H, or roughly 120 gallons.
Beardies in the wild receive ultraviolet light and heat from the sun on a daily basis. In order to best mimic the ultraviolet light in an indoor enclosure, high ultraviolet (UVA and UVB) output light bulbs must be used. 1 Fluorescent bulbs and mercury vapor bulbs are the two sources most commonly used in the pet world.
Introduction: My name is Mr. See Jast, I am a open, jolly, gorgeous, courageous, inexpensive, friendly, homely person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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