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Care sheet

Bearded Dragon

Pogona vitticeps

Also known as: Central Bearded Dragon, Inland Bearded Dragon

Agamidae · Squamata

IntermediateIUCN LC
Activity
☀️ Diurnal
Temperament
Docile
Adult length
18–24 in
Adult weight
350–600 g
Lifespan (captivity)
10–15 yrs
Native range
Central and eastern Australia — arid woodland, rocky desert, scrub

Care guide

Overview

Bearded Dragon (Pogona vitticeps) — Popular pet lizard rightly considered intermediate, not beginner, because the husbandry requirements are strict: high basking temperature (100–110°F on the surface), mandatory quality T5 HO UVB with correct distance and annual bulb replacement, a large enclosure (minimum 4'×2'×2' for an adult), and a seasonally-shifting diet. Get these right and you have a personable, long-lived lizard that tolerates handling well. Get them wrong — especially UVB — and metabolic bone disease sets in quickly. Beardies should NEVER be kept on calcium sand.

Environment

Climate

Cool side
75–85 °F
Warm side
85–95 °F
Basking spot
100–110 °F
Nighttime
65–75 °F
Humidity (ambient)
30–40%
Shed-cycle boost
40–50%

Environment

UVB lighting

Required?
Yes — provide UVB
Fixture type
T5 HO
Distance to basking
12–17 in
Replacement interval
Every 12 months

Housing

Enclosure

Orientation
Terrestrial
Bioactive setup
Suitable
Minimum size by life stage
  • Hatchling20 gallon long (temporarily)
  • Juvenile40 gallon breeder / 36"L x 18"W x 18"H
  • Adult4"×2"×2" (120 gallon) minimum; 6"×2"×2" preferred

Housing

Substrate

Depth
2–4 in
Safe options
topsoil/play sand mix (60/40)excavator clayceramic tilenon-adhesive shelf liner (quarantine)
Avoid
calcium sandwalnut shellcrushed walnutcedarpine

Nutrition

Diet & feeding

Dietary type
Omnivore
Prey size by life stage
  • HatchlingPinhead to 1/4" crickets, small dubia; 80% insect / 20% greens
  • Juvenile1/2" crickets, medium dubia, hornworms; 60% insect / 40% greens
  • AdultAdult dubia, hornworms, occasional pinky; 20% insect / 80% greens
Feeding frequency by life stage
  • Hatchling2–3× daily; as many insects as they'll eat in 10–15 min, plus greens
  • JuvenileDaily; insects in measured amount, greens always available
  • AdultGreens daily; insects 2–3× per week
Prey ratio by body weight
Stage
Body weight
Prey (% BW)
Interval
  • Hatchling
    up to 50 g
    5–10%
    1 day
  • Juvenile
    51–150 g
    3–6%
    1 day
  • Subadult
    151–350 g
    2–4%
    2–3 days
  • Adult
    351 g+
    1–3%
    2–4 days

Feed prey roughly the listed percentage of the snake's current weight, at the listed interval. Use it as a starting point — adjust based on body condition, not the calendar.

Feeding thresholds
Typical hatchling weight
2–5 g
Power-feeding line
> 8% body weight
30-day weight-loss concern
> 10% in 30 days
Supplementation

**Diet composition shifts with age:** hatchlings are 70–80% insect / 20–30% plant, shifting to 20–30% insect / 70–80% plant as adults. Daily salad of collard/turnip/mustard greens, dandelion, squash; avoid spinach and kale as staples (oxalate/goitrogen concerns). Dust insects with calcium (no D3 if UVB is correct) at most feedings; reptile multivitamin 1× per week. **UVB is non-negotiable** — MBD is the single most common welfare failure in this species. Obesity in adults is almost as common; cap the insect portion.

Care

Water & behavior

Water

Shallow bowl. Many individuals rarely drink from a bowl and get hydration from greens and the occasional bath/mist.

Brumation (optional)

Brumation is common and natural in captive adults during autumn/winter (~6–12 weeks). Healthy brumating animals eat little to nothing and are lethargic. Monitor weight — drop of >10% warrants a vet check. Not required for pet animals; some never brumate.

Defensive displays
beard-flaring and darkeninggaping (open mouth)head-bobbing (usually male dominance)arm-waving (submission signal)

Legal & ecology

Conservation

IUCN Red List
LC · Least Concern
Wild populations

Australia prohibits export of native wildlife; all bearded dragons in the international pet trade are descended from pre-ban animals and are captive-bred.

Genetics

Morphs

Morph market
Active
Complexity
Moderate

Citations

Sources

Every husbandry parameter on this page is backed by the references below. Click through to read the originals.

  1. Bearded Dragon Care Sheet

    ReptiFiles

    breeder community

    Comprehensive keeper reference for Pogona vitticeps with extensive veterinary and peer-reviewed sources.

    Published: 2023-01-01

  2. Bearded Dragon Care

    Tree of Life Exotic Pet Medical Center

    veterinary

    Veterinary husbandry reference for Pogona vitticeps.

    Published: 2023-01-01

  3. Bearded Dragon Care Sheet

    RSPCA

    veterinary

    Animal-welfare-charity care sheet with husbandry minimums for Pogona vitticeps.

    Published: 2020-01-01