Central Bearded Dragon Care Guide

Pogona vitticeps

Bearded dragons are medium-sized lizards from Australia’s arid regions. They are semi-arboreal, often basking on rocks or branches, and are omnivorous, eating insects and plants. There are eight species, but the central bearded dragon (Pogona vitticeps) is the most common pet, known for its hardy nature, friendly temperament, and signature “beard” display.

  • Native range: Eastern and central Australia
  • Conservation status: Near Threatened
  • Captive lifespan: 10-15 years
  • Diet: Omnivores

Photo: Sidney´s Overview of Bearded Dragon Species

Enclosure Setup

Enclosure Size

  • Juveniles – 3’x18”x18”
  • Adults – 4’x2’x2’ or bigger

When using glass enclosures make sure to cover glass from the inside. If they can see their reflection they may glass surf and become irritated.

Heat & Humidity

  • Basking spot: 100-110F
  • Cool side: 70-85F
  • Night temp: 65-75F
  • UVB: 10.0 linear bulbs
  • Humidity: 30-40%

Environment

  • Lifestyle: Semi-arboreal
  • 2 caves or hides
  • Climbing opportunities
  • Water dish (can raise humidity)
  • Food dish (especially when using loose substrate)

Enclosure Setup Example (simplified)

Substrate

When choosing a substrate for your bearded dragon, it’s important to find a safe and cleanly option. Slate tile and paper towels are our favorites for cleanly and easy to maintain options. Loose substrates work as a more naturalistic approach giving them the opportunity to dig, but keep in mind you will have to completely replace all of the substrate every few months. Bioactive is an option as well, but you will need to research arid bioactive tanks specifically.

RECOMMENDED:

  • Slate tile (most cleanly option)
  • Paper towel
  • Super fine quartz sand
  • Super fine play sand
  • Excavator clay
  • 50/50 organic topsoil & sand mix

DO NOT USE:

  • Calcium or vitamin sand
  • Reptile Carpet
  • Ground walnut
  • Wood mulch, shavings, bulk, etc.

TIP: Keep in mind that though they are arid, they don’t come from bare sandy deserts! Try researching their natural habitats.

Diet

As omnivores, bearded dragons’ diets consist of veggies and insects. Adults should be eating roughly 70% plants and 30% insects, babies should be eating more like 20% plants and 80% insects, and juvenile somewhere in between. Generally speaking though bearded dragons gravitate more towards insects so it is your job to provide them with daily salads to get them accustomed to eating more greens.

Insects

Insects are a vital source of protein, calcium, fat, and hydration. We highly recommend offering a variety of insects as it is nutritionally beneficial and keeps them interested, but crickets and/or roaches should always be the majority of their diet because the rest of the options are too high in fat to make up a majority of their diet.

Look into gut loading insects to ensure your beardie is getting the most out of their food!

Feeding Schedule

  • Hatchlings (0-6 months old) – 2-3x/day
  • Juveniles (6-18 months old) – 1x/day
  • Adults (>18 months old) – 2-3x/week

Feeder Insects

Staple Feeders:

  • Dubia roaches
  • Discoid roaches
  • Crickets

Variety Feeders:

  • Superworms
  • Phoenix worms
  • Hornworms

 

  • Waxworms
  • Mealworms
  • Silkworms

Supplementation

Generously dust feeder insects before offering them to your bearded dragon. Dust insects by placing them in a bag or container and shaking until they’re evenly coated.

(It is recommended to not mix multivitamin and calcium, but use them each alone)

  • Calcium without D3 – Dust insects every feeding
  • Multivitamin – 1x per week

Veggies

Salads should be offered daily. They should consist mostly of dark leafy greens, some safe veggies and herbs for variety, and fruit as a treat from time to time OR to coerce young beardies to show interest in their salads. Also, especially for adults, you should sprinkle their calcium powder on their salads as well as their insects.

Feel free to meal prep a weeks worth of salads to make life easier!

Staple Greens:

  • Arugula
  • Bok choy
  • Cactus pads
  • Collard greens
  • Endive
  • Escarole
  • Kale
  • Mustard greens
  • Mustard cress
  • Pea shoots
  • Spring mix
  • Turnip greens
  • Watercress

Safe Veggies:

  • Artichoke heart
  • Asparagus
  • Basil
  • Beet leaves
  • Bell pepper
  • Carnations
  • Cilantro
  • Carrot greens
  • Cucumber, peeled
  • Carrot, grated raw
  • Clover (NOT FROM OUTSIDE)
  • Dandelion greens/flowers
  • Fennel
  • Lemon balm
  • Lemongrass
  • Mint leaves
  • Nasturtium
  • Pansies
  • Parsley
  • Radicchio
  • Rosemary
  • Rose petals
  • Spinach (can not be staple greens)
  • Squash, raw
  • Sugar snap peas
  • Swiss chard
  • Thyme
  • Yam, grated raw
  • Zucchini

Safe Fruits:

  • Apple
  • Banana
  • Cactus fruit
  • Mango
  • Melon
  • Berries
  • Grapes
  • Figs
  • Papaya
  • Peaches

DO NOT FEED:

  • Avocado
  • Onion
  • Mushrooms
  • Citrus

TIP: For picky salad eaters we recommend offering them different kinds of veggies, feeding them their insects on top of their salads so they will get some accidental greens as they go for their insects, and if they are an adult you can scale back on insects for a bit. Bearded dragons also can be lured to their salads with fruit or by sprinkling bee pollen on top (though both only in moderation).

Continuing Care

Monitoring Heat & Humidity

It’s important to continue to monitor heat and humidity after you bring your bearded dragon home. Monitor temperatures throughout the day and monitor how close your bearded dragon gets to their basking lamp, ensuring they don’t get so close that they could get burned.

Additionally it is very important to monitor temperatures and humidity in the enclosure as seasons change outside and as your heat or air conditioning go on inside of your home. If you find dry seasons bringing your humidity too low, we recommend moving their water bowl closer to the heat until it appropriately raises the humidity.

Baths & Humid Saunas

Typically a bearded dragon should not need additional moisture or humidity as they get their moisture from their diet and correct humidity in their enclosure should allow them to shed properly. However, a bath can provide a dehydrated dragon the chance to drink, help relieve constipation, or be used for cleaning if they get dirty. A humid sauna, created by placing them in a warm, damp towel inside a container, can help loosen stuck shed if shedding issues arise. While not routine care, these can be useful in certain situations to support your dragon’s health.

UVB

UVB bulbs should be replaced every six months, even if they still emit light, because their UV output fades over time. Bearded dragons rely on UVB to synthesize vitamin D3, which is essential for calcium absorption and preventing metabolic bone disease. Regularly changing the bulb ensures they get the proper UV exposure to stay healthy.

Trimming Nails

Regular nail trims prevent your bearded dragon’s nails from snagging on surfaces and clothing. Use a reliable pair of nail clippers and trim just below the quick to avoid pain or bleeding.

Photo: PangoVet – How to Trim a Bearded Dragon’s Nails: Vet-Reviewed Video Guide & Tips

Monitoring Health & Behavior

Monitoring your bearded dragon’s health starts with observing their daily behavior, activity levels, and eating habits. A healthy dragon should be alert, active, and have a strong appetite. Sudden changes, like lethargy, lack of interest in food, irregular bowel movements, or unusual aggression, can be early signs of illness or stress. Regularly checking their weight, skin condition, and overall demeanor helps catch potential issues before they become serious. You want to be aware of any issues so that you can make the appropriate husbandry changes or dietary changes that may be necesarry, though it is important to acknowledge when vet visits are needed. We strongly recommend taking your bearded dragon to a trusted veterinary clinic soon after you get them, and to keep up with annual checkups after that. Often times reptiles are slow to show signs of illness or they hide them altogether. That being said, that being said, recognizing and addressing husbandry issues early is key to preventing illness and keeping your bearded dragon healthy.

Potential issues or reasons for a bearded dragons sudden change in behavior include but are not limited to:

Common Health & Husbandry Issues:
  • Dehydration – Lethargy, wrinkled skin, or sunken eyes
  • Impaction – Lack of bowel movements, bloating, or difficulty moving hind legs
  • Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD) – Weakness, twitching, or deformities in limbs/jaw due to calcium or UVB deficiency
  • Respiratory Infection – Wheezing, open-mouth breathing, or excessive mucus
  • Parasites – Weight loss, runny stool, or lack of appetite
Environmental Stressors:
  • Incorrect Temperatures – Too cold = sluggishness; too hot = excessive basking or hiding
  • Low UVB Exposure – Weakness, poor appetite, or development of MBD over time
  • Humidity Issues – Too low = retained shed; too high = respiratory issues
  • Dirty Enclosure – Can cause stress or increase risk of infection
Dietary Factors:
  • Overfeeding Fatty Insects – Lethargy or obesity
  • Lack of Variety – Nutritional deficiencies or disinterest in food
  • Eating Unsafe Substrates – Risk of impaction from loose bedding like sand or walnut shells
Behavioral Changes & Causes:
  • Brumation – Sleeping more, eating less, and staying hidden during colder months
  • Shedding Discomfort – Restlessness or reduced appetite
  • Aggression or Glass Surfing – Stress from seeing reflections, another pet, or a new environment
  • Sudden Fearfulness – Could be due to a loud environment or new objects in their enclosure

Additional Products

So… You have the tank, the substrate, the lights, the UVB, the food, and now you even have your new scaly family member home with you! You are doing great, but we have a few more products to recommend if you don’t have them already:

  • Infrared thermometer gun – We strongly recommend the far more versatile and accurate temp gun over in-tank stick on thermometers
  • Hygrometer – A humidity gauge is essential to monitoring moisture in the air (keep an eye on it as seasons change)
  • Timer for lights – Something like an outlet timer so you don’t have to be manually turning light on and off
  • Feeding tongs – Helpful for feeding, though we do recommend letting beardies hunt their food rather than direct tong feeding
  • Animal safe disinfectant – F10 Veterinary Disinfectant, Chlorhexidine Solution, water + white vinegar (research for more options)
  • Tub for baths or saunas – Ideally it should be not too big and not too small, easy to clean, have a lid, and it should be opaque
  • Insect care – Different feeder insects need different care, i.e., food, a breathable container, a cricket keeper (research by specific insect)

Many parts of this guide have information sourced from reptifiles.com, dubia.com, and various other websites. However, all information was evaluated by Herp Habitat and presented in a way that is true to our experience keeping bearded dragons, and in a way that we hope both new and seasoned reptile keepers can understand and take something away from. See issues with our care guide? Reach out! We are always learning and open to new information.