8 Tips to feeding & caring for your baby Bearded Dragons

Baby Bearded Dragons are a fantastic way for those who are first-time reptile keepers to own an animal friend.

Don’t let the word “dragon” intimidate you!

They are tame and docile, and are easy to handle.

The baby is born just 3 inches in length and get 16-24 inches long.

The Baby Bearded Dragon can be bought for only $100. Before bringing a new baby Beardie to your home, you’ll have to learn how to take care of him.

Here are eight things that you must know prior to purchasing an Baby Bearded Dragon…

1. What to know before buying The Baby Bearded Dragon

It’s both bad and good the fact that Bearded Dragons are a beloved pet Lizard.

Finding the Baby Bearded Dragon for sale is a breeze. It is also simple to locate the species that is not legal or unhealthful.

The importation of wild Baby Beardies from their native range is illegal. Don’t buy bearded dragons that are labeled wild-caught.

Purchase a captive-bred , lizard from a reliable private breeder.

You’ll want to buy an animal that appears healthy and happy.

The Signs That They Are Healthy

  • The eyes of their children and the skin are glowing.
  • Standing up using each of your four feet.
  • Active and well-balanced within their environment.
  • Reactive to touch.

Sickness symptoms

  • Hind legs that are swollen or a jaws that feel rubbery.
  • They must be active and not sluggish.
  • Stool that is watery or runny.

Be sure to do your study to locate a reliable breeder.

Prices for Baby Bearded Dragons

Baby Bearded dragons are purchased for $45 -$ $100.

The species that aren’t brown in color (e.g. colors changes) are more costly and range from $100 to $750.

The initial cost for setting up the enclosure is 200 to $1100. It includes the purchase of a 20 gallon juvenile terrarium, lights substrate, hides , and food.

There are kits for starters available that cater to Bearded Dragons that cost around $200. However, they don’t always come with the right equipment.

2. Most Beautiful Baby Bearded Dragon Environment

A bearded dragon’s baby requires an 20-gallon tank. As they grow in size, their tank size will also increase.

Adults of full-grown require a tank of 120-gallon capacity.

Since they grow so fast, the owners may decide to purchase an enclosure for adults to begin with. This way, they don’t have to purchase additional enclosures.

AgeMinimum Tank Size
1 month20-gallon
2 Month30-gallon
3 to 6 months50-gallon
Between 7 and 9 months75-gallon
12+ months120-gallon

Baby Bearded Dragon Light

Bearded dragons must get 12 hours of sunlight every day and babies too.

To accomplish this, Beardies require the help of both UVA and UVB light sources in their environment:

  • The UVB bulb ( not coil) should be turned on for all day long from 7 am to 7 pm. The most efficient way to do this is to purchase an automatic light timer.
  • A 50-75 Watt UVA bulb is recommended within a dome lighting fixture. The light could be placed on the top over the top of the cover, or could also be placed in the Terrarium.

It is essential to choose an UVB light which is tube-shaped and not wrapped. The UVA bulbs must be dome-shaped to ensure that your dragon has the ability to relax.

Baby Bearded Dragon’s Temperature and Basking Temperature

Their cages require an thermostat that is a temperature variation. This allows your dragon be able to move into and out of the spot where it is basking.

The bearded dragon’s basking zone is supposed to be between 95 and temperatures of 105 degrees. The basking area that is designated will be the hotspot within the tank. It should be located on the right or left sides of the tank.

When the UVA bulb is properly set up, your cage’s cold temperature should reach around 75 degrees.

It is crucial to purchase two thermometers that are of good quality on either part of your tank. You must ensure your baby lizard is in proper temperature levels.

If the temperatures are too low in the evening ( below 65) you could add the use of a ceramic heat emitter.

Little Bearded Dragon’s Humidity

The dragon’s enclosure should have between 30 and 40 percent humidity. If your enclosure is too humid, your dragon could become sick. If the enclosure is too dry they’ll begin to lose water.

Be sure to purchase an excellent hygrometer that can test the level of water vapor.

The best method to get an appropriate humidity is to place the water dish into their tank , and then allow for the water to evaporate.

A water dish needs to be large enough for the dragons that are just beginning to bear their teeth to get in and out on their own. The water must not be filled beyond their the level of their chins. For children, this may be just one centimeter.

The Baby Bearded Dragon Substrate

Substrate can be a thorny subject for novice owners.

A mistake the majority of bearded dragon owners commit is to put reptile sand into their enclosure. In spite of Bearded Dragons living in sand in the wild, your dragon shouldn’t be kept in the sand.

Commercial reptile sand differs from sand found in the natural environment.

If your lizard’s habitat is in sand, it will be able to get into their eyes, as well as their food and water. If a child eats too much sand , their digestive tract is blocked and causes impaction.

Top best substrates for a bearded dragon is a reptile carpet.

If you are unable to locate reptile carpet, there are some choices that you could consider:

  • Newspaper.
  • Paper towels.
  • Liner for shelves that’s non-adhesive.

3. Little Bearded Dragon Setup Tips Bearded Dragon Setting Tips

  • Secure the 20-gallon terrarium by using a screen lid.
  • UVB lamp tube ( not coil) switched up for 12 hours per day.
  • 50-75 Watt UVA bulb that is inside an elongated light fixture.
  • The basking zone should be between 95 and 105 degrees
  • 30-40 percent humidity.
  • Reptile carpets – not wood shavings or sand.

4. Bearded Dragon Baby Bearded Dragon Diet

The baby and the juvenile Bearded Dragons consume a lot of bugs when they are in wild.

As people age, their diets change to mainly vegetarian.

The baby bearded dragon will be eating an entirely different diet than an adult

  • Babies need to be fed a proportion of greens to protein of 75/25.
  • Adults need to be fed a proportion of greens to protein of 25/75.

What Do Baby Bearded Dragon Consume?

They should consume smaller Dubia roaches, or 3 times per day. They are better than mealworms as it’s difficult for babies to digest mealsworms.

Babies must be fed a mix of plants and crickets to ensure their health. A proportion of 75 percent protein to 25 greens per cent is the best nutritional ratio.

A few of the vegetables you can feed your family include:

  • Collard Greens
  • Dandelions
  • Mustard GreensBeet Tops
  • Other Leafy Greens
  • Beet Tops
  • Leafy Greens
  • Carrots
  • Squash
  • Peas
  • Zucchini

Diets with low nutrients, such as celery, spinach, or lettuce should be not eaten.

If you’d like to offer them a treat , you can give them small fruit like blueberries or slices of peach.

How Many Crickets Should You Feed a Little Bearded Dragon?

Babies must eat 20-40 tiny crickets every day.

It is important to take special care to ensure that hatchlings are fed the correct food according to their size. Your crickets that you provide must not exceed the distance between the eyes of your dragon.

It is recommended to let your lizard consume as many crickets as it can within a 10-minute time frame. In general, they’ll consume a cricket every minute or more.

After 10 minutes, take any leftover food items out of the cage after 10 minutes. Don’t leave any bugs within the enclosure of your dragon as they can harm your pet.

Here is an example of a feeding plan for a young child or a young child:

TimeInsectsGreens* (all chopped**)
9 AM10-plus small crickets2x collared greens. 1 bell pepper slice, and 1x strawberry
12 PM10 + dubia roaches2x kale, 1 piece of squash, 1 blueberry and 2x kale
3 PM10+ small crickets2x dandelion leaves 1 piece of pumpkin, and 1 banana slice
6 PM10+ dubia roaches2x collared greens, 1 slice of bell pepper, and 1 grape

* To encourage healthy growth it is recommended to dust your food items with calcium at least once a week.

** Ensure that food items are cut into smaller pieces to avoid choking and digestion.

5. Monitor Their Growth Rate

Little Bearded Dragons are born three to four inches long.

Healthy hatchlings will grow between 1 and 3 inches per month during their first two months.

It can take between 18 and 24 months to grow your dragon to its full-grown size.

Females are shorter than males, and can are 12 – 20 inches long. Males range from between 16 and 24 inches.

Beards can grow rapidly if they are taken care of properly.

Be very aware of the growth of your baby lizard throughout the first 12 months:

Age (months)Dimension (inches)The weight (grams)
1 monthThree to four inchesFrom 4 to 6 grams
2 months5 – 9 in8-40 grams
3 monthsBetween 8 and 11 inches22-110 grams
4 months9-12 inches41-115 grams
5 months11-16 inchesFrom 102 to 115 grams
6 months11-18 inchesBetween 183 and 188 grams
7 months13-18 inchesBetween 230 and 280 grams
8 monthsBetween 14 and 20 inches252-327 grams
Nine to 10 MonthsFrom 16 to 22 inchesBetween 280 and 360 grams
Between 11 and 12 months16-24 inches350-465 grams

If your lizard’s body isn’t growing or eating, it might be a health issue.

Metabolic Bone Disorder is a frequent issue for pet lizards. The disease can cause problems with the growth and health of bones and can even cause the death of. It is a bone disorder resulted from poor diet ( often a calcium deficiency) or inefficient UVB lighting.

6. Caring Sheet for Baby Bearded Dragon

The average lifespan of a bearded Dragon is between 7 and 12 years.

Metabolic bone disease, respiratory infections , and abnormal shed (i.e. dysecdysis) are all typical but could be fatal health problems for bears at any age.

A proper maintenance routine is crucial for ensuring that your lizard enjoys an enjoyable and long life.

Take the sheet of care below as a quick reference to ensure their cage is properly set up and that their diet is appropriate:

Caring Sheet for Baby Bearded Dragon
House inside a safe 20-gallon container with screen lid.
⇀Daily spot-cleaning of the cage Then, you should clean the substrate each week.
⇀You can also clean the whole cage once every two weeks.
⇀Include a water dish that is small enough to allow them to get in and out independently.
⇀Include both UVA (50-75 Watt UVA bulb) and UVB (light tube, not the coil) during 12 hours throughout the day.
⇀Set up a hot area for basking (95 to temperatures of 105°) and one side that is cold (around 75-75 degrees) in order for the dragon regulate its temperature.
⇀Check that the cage has between 30 and 40 percent humidity.
⇀Feed between 20 and 40 crickets daily. Sprinkle food items with calcium (3 times per every week) before cutting into smaller pieces.
⇀Vegetables are best misted with water to avoid dehydration.
⇀At minimum a week before trying to deal with the situation.
⇀Keep him under his belly and hold his weight in place.
⇀Be sure to supervise him regularly, but don’t leave your child bear in the wild in their enclosure.

7. How to Retain The Baby Bearded Dragon

Before handling your new dragon, you must be patient for at least a week.

Babies are more cautious than adults.

Baby Bearded Dragons are also tiny and should be handled with great care.

When your lizard has been eating regularly , you can begin to control the lizard:

  1. Start by offering him your hand and encourage him to cooperate.
  2. Without making sudden movements keep him under his stomach and help support his weight.
  3. Do not hold him either from the above or with the tail.

If you take care of your lizard and treat them with care, you can anticipate to find them very comfortable and content when held. Their gentle nature is a significant reason why they are an extremely popular pet lizard. However, they require proper and gentle handling to get comfortable with your touch.

8. Know What to Expect

There are a few things to be aware of when you decide to adopt this species.

In the beginning, you must be prepared for him to be for between 7-12 years old.

Conducting some research prior to purchasing a bearded dragon’s baby is vital. It is also important to purchase through a private breeder.

It is best to buy an enclosure and install it before you purchase it. It will make the process of transferring your Beardie much simpler. Additionally, you’ll keep humidity and temperature in check.

If you don’t have your lights connected to an alarm clock ( which is highly advised) you’ll need to turn off the lights in the morning and then off at night every day.

It is necessary you to feed him 3 or 4 times per day between 9 AM 12, 12 pm, 3 pm, and 6 pm.

Don’t expect your baby to be completely at ease with you initially. They’ll need time to adapt to their new environment.

They might not even be hungry immediately upon returning home. If their behavior is right, they’ll be ready to eat at the end of the day.

Summary

Care for the needs of a Baby Bearded Dragon is easy for those who are new to the hobby.

At first, they’ll require a terrarium that is secure to the 20-gallon size with a lid for a screen.

The two most crucial points to keep in mind are their habitat and their diet:

  1. Feed 20-40 crickets per day spread for three to four 10-minute periods.
  2. Make sure that their basking zone is maintained at between 95-105 degrees. ensure humidity is at 30-to-40%.

If you’ve done your homework and care for your pet, you can anticipate them to be well-behaved and last for 7-12 years.

Tell us what you did to care for your baby bearded dragon here.

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