Bearded dragons ("beardies") are the most common pet lizard, due to their calm temperament, comical behaviour, and their readiness to interact with humans. They originate in the scrub deserts of central Australia, and this is the environment that we try to replicate when keeping them. There are different types of beaded dragon from different parts of Australia, but almost all pets are central/inland bearded dragons. As hatchlings, they are less than 10 cm (4 inches) long. As adults, they normally grow to about 45 cm (1.5 feet) long including the tail, taking as little as 6 months to obtain that size. Eastern x central bearded dragon hybrids, known as German giants, may grow to 60 cm (2 feet) or more. They should normally live for about 8 to 10 years, with males typically living about 2 years less than females, but the record is over 20 years.
Pet bearded dragons rarely bite, even if frightened or hurt. Wild bearded dragons get their name from their formidable defensive displays, and wild ones will readily bite. If they do bite, the bite from a hatchling usually causes no pain at all, and feels only like a gentle pinch. A bite from an adult can be very painful and will normally cause bleeding. It is normal for keepers never to experience a bite from a pet bearded dragon.
Bearded dragons are terrestrial, living on the ground. They can climb rough surfaces like clothing or cork bark. They are diurnal (awake during the day), spending most of their time resting or basking, and occasionally becoming quite excited (especially males). They change the brightness of their colours based on their temperature and mood, but only to get brighter (happy and warm) or darker (cold).
A lizard's enclosure is its home. The place where it is happy to spend its time, and the place it feels safest. Bearded dragons are generally happiest when kept in an appropriately sized enclosure. The same sized enclosure may be used for a hatchling or an adult, as long as the correct initial size is selected. Newly hatched youngsters should be kept in smaller enclosures, but ideally, by the time they are ready to be sold, they should be old enough to cope with the size of an adult enclosure. The enclosure needs to be fairly well ventilated, with several air holes. Bearded dragons do not actively try to escape from their enclosures, but they may try to explore and get lost if their enclosures are not properly closed. Escaped lizards can live for several weeks hiding in a dormant state in a house but normally can be found before they come to harm. If they find their way outdoors, they may never be found, and will die in winter conditions.
An appropriate sized enclosure for a single bearded dragon is 90 cm (3 feet) long - twice as long as an adult lizard - and 38 cm (15 inches) wide. The height is irrelevant as long as it can be heated and lit correctly, but it is normally best to use a terrestrial vivarium that is about 45 cm (18 inches) high. Examples include the Vivexotic Repti-Home vivariums. Longer or wider enclosures may be used, and bearded dragons are happy to live in larger spaces, particularly as adults. Ideally, the enclosure should be made of wood, with glass doors so that the lizard can see out - the glass doors should sit on a raised wooden front up-stand, so that the lizard can see where the window is. All-glass enclosures are often available, but are very difficult to heat and light correctly for a bearded dragon. Bearded dragons have trouble seeing glass, and can be injured by running into the almost invisible walls. Too much glass can make the lizard feel like it is on-show all the time, which can make some very nervous. All-glass enclosures are not recommended, even though they are advertised for this purpose by some suppliers.
The enclosure needs to have an unscented substrate (bedding) on the bottom that is designed for dry conditions, and can offer the lizard something to grip onto. If the lizard lives on a slippery surface, their muscles and joints will not form correctly. Bearded dragons must be kept on what they are used to - they may eat unfamiliar substrates, and can die from internal blockages. Beech chips and corn cob granules (the reptile-specific kind, not the cat litter kind) have several benefits, such as keeping the air dry, and helping to absorb the smell of faeces. This requires the bearded dragon to have grown up living on beech chips or corn cob granules. (Sometimes it is possible to change a bearded dragon from one substrate to another, by slowly introducing it more and more to the new substrate, covering an increasing amount of the floor. However, the lizard must be carefully monitored to ensure it does not eat any. Many owners successfully switch their bearded dragons onto corn cob granules, when they have been raised on either sand or beech chips, and bearded dragons do not usually experience problems if they eat small amounts of corn cob granules.) Reptile carpet can be used for any bearded dragon, no matter what they are used to, but it does not absorb the smell of faeces, and must use a very fine weave to make sure they don't constantly catch their claws and pull off a toe in panic. Sand does not absorb odours (it seems to make them worse instead), and can cause severe internal blockages that may result in death. Note that it is often recommended by suppliers in spite of this risk. Although these lizards come from a desert, they do not naturally live on sand - they live on hard-packed soil instead, and are not adapted to living on sand (soil forms liquid mud when it gets wet, while sand forms solid clumps). Some owners use wall tiles - rough side up - as flooring that is safe for any bearded dragon no matter what it has been raised on, but these also make odours worse. Sawdust, pine and non-reptile pellets must never be used. If the bearded dragon has been raised on a poor substrate, you may have to simply continue with it, or take the risk of switching to another one. Non-carpet beddings should be perhaps 1 or 2 cm (less than 1 inch) deep.
During the daytime, a basking lamp heats one end of the enclosure to over 30 to 35°C (86 to 95°F), leaving the other end at about room temperature. This creates a heat gradient with lots of choices of temperature, allowing the lizard to warm up when it needs to, and cool down when it needs to. The lizard chooses the temperature it wants. The bulb should be mounted on the ceiling of the enclosure, about half way between the front and back of the enclosure, and a similar distance from the end wall. At night time, the temperature is allowed to drop as low as 15°C (59°F); a typical house should be warm enough. If the house gets colder than this at night, a thermostatically controlled heat mat may be attached to the wall (not the floor) of the vivarium for use at night, positioned at the same end as the basking lamp, using brown packaging tape stuck over the edges to hold it in place if it is not a self-adhesive type, set so that it heats that end of the vivarium to 15°C (59°F). Heat in nature comes from the sun, and these lizards are not adapted to using heat sources below them - they may burn on a heat mat if it is placed below them. There are other ways to heat the vivarium, such as ceramic heaters, but the basking lamp is the best approach, as the lizards are attracted to the light when they want to warm up, and the UVA (not UVB) that it gives off may improve their overall happiness. It is best not to use a heater guard over the basking lamp as that will encourage the lizard to jump up onto the guard - they do not normally try to jump up onto a bright light (they don't try to jump onto the sun in nature). Ceramic heaters must have guards, because the lizard will not realise it is the source of the heat and could easily be burned by it.
Note that basking lamps, like most heaters, work by radiated heat, not by heating the air. Thermometers usually measure the air temperature, so will give a false reading. The important temperature is the one that will be reached by an object - the animal or something representing it - when it is placed near the heater for long enough to absorb the radiated heat (a number of hours). Infrared thermometers allow you to measure the temperature of the substrate, ornaments, and animal, rather than the temperature of the air. Wet substrates will appear to be colder than dry ones. Test dry surfaces when measuring temperatures.
The enclosure should contain a basking platform ornament for the lizard to climb on and hide under. It must be made of something that the lizard can grip onto. The simplest approach is an arched piece of cork bark, big enough for the lizard to crawl underneath. The basking platform must be placed beneath the basking lamp, and ideally should be the highest point in the enclosure that the lizard can reach. It should be about 20 to 30 cm (8 to 12 inches) below the basking lamp. Naturally, bearded dragons like to find rocks or tree stumps to sit on so they can watch over their territory (everything they see) and enjoy the sun, and the basking platform replicates that.
A food bowl and water bowl should be placed on the floor at the cold end of the enclosure. The water bowl should be quite small, about the size of the palm of your hand, so that it does not increase the humidity in the vivarium (bigger vivariums can have slightly bigger bowls). The food bowl can be the same size or a little bigger. Ideally the food bowl should be slightly smaller than the amount of food it will contain, so that the food piles above it.
Additional hides and ornaments may also be included, allowing the lizard to explore and exercise on them, ideally all made of something the lizard can climb on (natural products include cork bark, bamboo root and large grape vine). Ornaments must be safe for reptiles, and must not be made of pine. Live plants are not recommended, but if used, they must be safe for the lizard to eat, and they must not increase the humidity (since plants need water, this is almost impossible to achieve). Plastic plants must never be used, as the lizard will frequently try to eat them, and they can either be harmful if swallowed, or will tease the lizard with fake food. For hatchlings, a simple layout is best, with only a single ornament, so that they can quickly learn their way around, and know that it is all theirs, and that it is safe. After the initial move into your first enclosure, avoid making too many changes all at once, as this can make the lizard feel insecure. Add decorations slowly, one at a time, with a few days or weeks in between for the lizard to get used to the new content.
It can help to have a flat piece of rough sandstone in the middle of the vivarium, positioned in front of the glass doors - 20 cm by 20 cm (8 inches by 8 inches) is a good size. When the lizard runs around between their basking platform and food bowl, the sandstone files down their claws to prevent them from overgrowing. Sandstone is not normally available in pet shops, and must be sourced from a buiders' merchant or a natural source (make sure it is completely clean and disinfected with a reptile safe disinfectant).
The enclosure should ideally be placed in the living room, not in front of a radiator, and not in direct view of sunshine. The lizard should see people frequently, so that it is not afraid of them. At all times, the animal and enclosure must be kept away from smoke, fireplace and cooking fumes, aerosols, chemical/alcohol sprays, air fresheners, and any scented or fragranced products that are not safe for use with reptiles.
The basking lamp is a special spot lamp, designed to project its heat downwards and spread it the right amount for the lizard. It is best to buy a dedicated bulb. It hangs downwards so that it points towards the basking platform. For a 90 cm (3 feet) long enclosure, a 60 Watt basking lamp is normally sufficient, but a 40 Watt bulb may be used on very hot days. For a 120 cm (4 feet) long enclosure, a 100 Watt basking lamp is normally sufficient, but a 60 Watt bulb may be used on very hot days. Alternatively, a more powerful bulb may be used, with a dimming thermostat reducing its power output so that the temperature in the centre of the vivarium is about 30°C (86°F).
Like many lizards, bearded dragons need vitamin D3, which they naturally obtain from UVB light. They require it in high levels, and they require a UVB bulb. It is essential equipment, and bone problems or death manifest very quickly with bearded dragons that are kept without adequate UVB lighting.
The UVB lamp must be replaced every 6, 9 or 12 months depending on the brand, even if it still appears to be functioning (human eyes cannot see when the UV output drops too far). Write the date on the bulb with a permanent marker to avoid forgetting. The UVB strength must be the correct strength for desert-dwelling reptiles. High strength UVB bulbs are usually best, sometimes labelled as "10%" or "12%". Reptile Systems and Zoo Med lights are recommended. Strip lights are far better than compact fluorescents - compacts only project a useful amount of UVB for a distance of about 20 cm (8 inches) from the bulb, and it can be difficult to encourage the lizard to spend enough time at this distance (if used, they must be placed right next to the basking lamp). The strip light can project a useful amount of UVB much further, over a larger area of the enclosure. A T8 bulb is usually sufficient (with an optional reflector), mounted about 30 to 38 cm (12 to 15 inches) from the floor, normally attached to the back wall or ceiling. The bulb can either be about as long as the whole vivarium, or about half of it, mounted at the hot end so that the bearded dragon can collect their heat and UV at the same time (just like in nature, where both come from the sun). Either way, the bearded dragon must still be able to shelter from it if needed, such as under their basking platform. The bearded dragon must not be able to climb high enough to look horizontally into the light, as it can cause eye damage. (Cheap fakes - household bulbs with their labels removed - have been found. Make sure you are buying a legitimate, branded bulb from a reputable retailer.)
Lighting patterns should match the sun, switching on in the morning and off in the evening, eg. 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM, with no difference between summer and winter day lengths. Both lights must switch off at night so that the lizard can experience a natural sunlight cycle. The lizard must spend several hours per day in the enclosure to ensure that it has gathered enough UVB (though it can cope for a few days if it is being transported, or if the lamp has failed).
The water should be replaced every day. Weekly, or immediately if the lizard has left faeces in it, the water bowl should be cleaned with a reptile-safe disinfectant, and the water replaced. Normal disinfectants can contain dangerous toxins. Bearded dragons do not see water very well, and may not drink unless they accidentally stand in it.
Twice per week, dribble water on the lizard's nose with a finger or dropper, being careful not to wet the vivarium too much. Continue until they stop drinking. Do this even if they choose not to drink, so that they learn that this is where their water will come from. At least once a week, give the lizard a bath in lukewarm water as deep as their armpits, for 15 minutes. The simplest approach is to use an old washing up bowl. Replace water if the lizard soils it. It can help to splash or dribble the water so that they see it. Younger lizards may be nervous of their first few baths; a hand or flannel placed in the water can give them something to hold onto for reassurance. Older lizards may sometimes fall asleep while drinking. Carefully rub dirt off the skin with fingers or a gentle toothbrush. Do not use chemicals.
Bearded dragon faeces usually appear as black or white clumps. Youngsters produce tiny amounts daily, while older lizards often produce much larger amounts less frequently, such as once every 2 to 6 weeks. Check for them every day, and remove these with a tissue.
Once every 6 to 8 weeks, or whenever the substrate becomes too dirty or begins to smell, clean the enclosure and ornaments with a reptile-safe disinfectant, and replace the substrate. Sand may be changed less often - mainly due to its high cost - and can end up smelling much worse as a result. Reptile carpet may need to be washed more frequently, so it can help to have a spare to use while one is being washed.
Bearded dragons are naturally solitary and territorial, and usually prefer to live alone as adults - their dominance and submissive gestures have developed to allow commucation over relatively large distances without them needing to actually meet each other, except perhaps during their natural breeding season. Youngsters may congregate together wherever there is food in nature, so they can be kept together for their first few months provided the vivarium is large enough. Youngsters may sometimes mistake the foot or tail of another lizard for food, and can bite them off or damage them - the injured lizard usually adapts and continues to live a complete life, minus the missing limb. If a lizard is small enough to fit into the mouth of another lizard, it will usually be considered food, and be eaten, so lizards that live together must be similar sizes, and need to be separated if one grows faster than the other.
Once their adult hormones begin, they would prefer not to live together. Sometimes, if they grow up together, they can continue to live together as adults, but this truce can end at any time, particularly if something changes inside or outside the vivarium. Adult females are most likely to tolerate each other, but sometimes a female can suddenly snap and become dominant. Males (and some females) often become dominant, taking most of the food, and pushing the other lizard off the basking platform, or simply stepping on them - lizards do not "cuddle" each other, they sit on each other to get the better amount of heat. The losing lizard may suffer heath problems as a result. Males may kill each other if forced to live together.
Males and females should not be kept together, as they are likely to breed while the female is too young, causing medical problems and stunted growth (though sometimes, they do not see each other as breeding partners if they grow up together, until something causes a change in behaviour). Mating is naturally quite rough, and although the female is adapted to enduring it, she naturally would be able to run away or chase the male away afterwards so she could have a rest. If they live together, daily attempts by the male can be stressful and potentially result in injuries to either lizard. Repeated breeding from living together permanently can also cause a large amount of stress to the female, and will shorten her life. Bearded dragon sexing is possible by looking for larger pre-anal pores, hemipenal bulges and larger heads on adult males, as well as their adult behavioural traits. Sexing young bearded dragons can be inaccurate, and the sex should be re-checked by a specialist as the lizards mature.
For lizards that are co-habiting, a 120 cm (4 feet) long enclosure is a minimum, but bigger is better. If possible, the enclosure should be large enough to have multiple hot and cold areas so that each lizard can have their own territory, as well as multiple feeding bowls, and plenty of visual barriers so that the lizards can get out of each other's sight. At this point, they may as well have separate enclosures. They should not be able to see into each other's enclosures, as seeing each other constantly can be stressful. They may be allowed to see each other if one is taken out for exercise, which is when you get to see their quirky dominance head bobs and submissive waving. They should not be exercised together.
Bearded dragons exercise in bursts of activity, resting in between. Ideally, they should be exercised daily, perhaps several times, but may be left in their enclosure/territory all day if there is no time to exercise. They like to be held, especially on shoulders. Older lizards may be allowed to explore the room - males often love to run around and make dominance gestures at random pieces of furniture.
It is best not to handle newly aquired bearded dragons for the first few days, so that they can get settled in to their new home. They may be afraid when first held, and may hiss. Scoop up the lizard confidently using both hands, without grabbing them from above, and without nervously jerking your hand backwards and forwards towards them - this can frighten them. Once your lizard becomes more confident, you may be able to pick them up more easily by gently lifting their chest, but still need to support their feet as quickly as possible. If they leap out of your hands and fall to the floor, they are not usually injured, but they should not be intentionally dropped.
They need 1 hour to warm up after lights-on, giving energy to move. They should be in their enclosure for 1 hour before lights-off, deciding where to sleep. In between (eg. 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM) they may come out to exercise in the room. Once the lizard becomes tired or has cooled down - maybe 15 minutes as a baby, 30 minutes as an adult - they should be returned to their enclosure to warm up for an hour. A carpet or towel is better for exercise than a smooth floor. They should not be exercised outdoors. All other pets should be kept away from the lizard, especially cats, dogs and birds.
Bearded dragons are particularly afraid of birds, one of their biggest natural threats. Try not to suddenly appear above a bearded dragon and grab them without warning, as they may think you are a bird and attempt to threaten or bite. They may puff out their beard and turn it black, flatten their body to stiffen their spikes, open their mouth and hiss. This is usually a bluff, and they can usually be safely picked up anyway, which will calm them down. However, it is sometimes not a bluff if the lizard continues to think that you are trying to hurt them.
Bearded dragons are adapted to their natural diet of various leafy weeds and flowers, and insects. As adults they need to eat more leaves and less insects.
Every morning, offer more fresh salad than they will eat in a day, piled so it "grows" out of the food bowl. Use a good mix of fancy Mediterranean lettuces. Avoid iceberg/gem/round lettuce (which does not contain sufficient nutrition, and can cause diarrhoea) and spinach/cabbage/broccoli (which can cause bone and developmental problems, and kidney stones). Many owners rely on Florette Classic Crispy, available all year in most supermarkets, or lamb's lettuce, which is very healthy. Give a variety of different leaves. Once per month or fortnight, offer adults curly kale or spring green cabbage (the only cabbages that may be used in this way). Bearded dragons should not be fed fruit, vegetables, or some herbs - they may like the taste, but these can cause serious health problems. If you would like to learn to use weeds or other plants from a garden, The Tortoise Table website may be used to discover which weeds and garden flowers are safe, and which are dangerous. Weed killers, pesticides, and slug pellets must never be used. Some suppliers offer seed packs that can be used to grow appropriate food. Owners typically rely on simple bags of salad, since bearded dragons get variety from the insect side of their diet instead.
Bearded dragons must be given calcium and vitamin supplements several days per week, and it is best if that includes supplemental levels of vitamin D3. The calcium/vitamin dust is sprinkled lightly onto the salad (like salt on chips). In theory, adults (but not egg-laying females) can have it a little less often, but still should have some a couple of times a week at least.
In the afternoon, for 6 days a week, release approximately half a box of bugs into the enclosure (so a whole box is used every 2 days), for the lizard to hunt. Keep bug boxes on a shelf (not on the hot enclosure) in the meantime, out of sight of the lizard. As the lizard grows, it should be given larger sizes of insect. Once the lizard is adult, about 18 months old, use a whole box at a time, but only twice per week. Old lizards may be fed bugs a little less frequently. This approach of feeding salad in the morning and bugs in the afternoon encourages lizards to snack on their salad, training them for their adult diet.
Most suppliers provide live locusts in standard sized bug boxes, containing around 6 to 8 grams (0.2 to 0.3 oz) of insects. The smaller the insects, the more will be in a box, but for "extra large" locusts, this will be about 8 to 10 locusts. The specific number is not really important unless you are purchasing your feeder insects in some other format, or from a poor supplier. Locusts are the best initial option (crickets hide during the day and may bite the lizard if left in the enclosure overnight). The hard part of the locust - from the head to just behind the back legs - must be shorter than the distance between the lizard's eyes ("medium" or "3rd" for hatchlings, and "extra large" or "5th" for adults, winged adult locusts do not contain as much nutrition). Once it is able to eat the extra large locusts, the lizard may occasionally be offered a similar number of morio worms in a bowl instead of locusts, but this must not be done too often as morio worms are fattening and the lizard may like them too much and start refusing to eat locusts. The insects can usually be bought from pet shops and online suppliers. Consult your local pet shops. Wild insects must never be used, as they can contain harmful parasites.
Bearded dragons shed their skin many times per year as hatchlings and a few times a year as adults. The skin over an area fades in colour then peels off in sections at a time: the head, arms, legs, tail and body, with the whole process taking a number of weeks. They should be left to complete this on their own - owners can rip the new skin if they attempt to assist the lizard (soaking the lizard does not normally help).
Bearded dragons are generally healthy animals when cared for correctly, and rarely require veterinary care. Some of the more obvious signs of problems include:
On a monthly basis, or whenever you suspect they are ill, you may wish to weigh your lizards, after they have finished digesting any food that they recently ate (eg. after they produce faeces). This is known as their empty weight. This record of their weight can be very useful for a vet, if your lizard appears to be ill at any point. Dramatic weight loss (eg. 10% in 2 weeks) suggests that worming or other veterinary treatments are needed.
Bearded dragons may sit with their mouths open, usually under their basking lamps. This is a natural response to being at a comfortable temperature, but being too lazy to move. They sometimes do this at other times when they are relaxed and happy. They may also randomly flex and stretch out their beard after eating or when preparing to shed the skin on their head - this should not be mistaken for coughing or gasping.
Bearded dragons do not need their claws clipped unless they overgrow to the extent that they curl around like a corkscrew. However, some owners like to clip them to prevent scratches when handling. Only the hard tip may be clipped, using dedicated claw clippers (human nail clippers may be used horizontally but not vertically, and can crack the claws if used improperly), and only up to the point where the hard tip extends beyond the soft underside of the claw (not all the way up to the toe). For curled claws, this must be done in tiny steps, waiting several days in between for the soft underside to retract further. The soft part contains blood vessels. This is best done by a specialist.
Lizards may avoid food for significant periods, especially during winter. Seek advice as needed.
Reptiles can be quite sensitive to non-reptile medications. Only use medications which can be safely used with reptiles, or which are prescribed by a vet. They are particularly sensitive to alcohol and solvents. Any use of treatments where alcohol is used as a solvent must be done in a well ventillated environment, not in the confined space of the animal's enclosure.
Reptile enclosures often have harmless winged and wingless small flies that are attracted to reptile faeces, and harmless tiny speck-like springtails which can float on water and clean up waste. Small black bugs that crawl on the animal, particularly if they are rounded in shape, are snake mites. Tiny red bugs that remain on the animal are lizard mites. These two types of mites are the reptile equivalent of cat fleas, which bite the animal and cause significant discomfort, but which cannot affect humans or other animals. If squeezed between hard surfaces, snake mites normally burst, leaving a small smear of red or brown blood (their last meal).
They are normally spread between animals via direct contact, human clothing (which also allows them to spread between animals in different locations), migrating short distances between enclosures, or they can pass to an animal when it is placed into an enclose which was recently used by another animal. They cannot live for more than about 2 weeks without a host animal, and despite the popular claim, they cannot be caught from bags of unused substrate unless they fall into the bag shortly before using it. Most often, infestations start when a new pet reptile brings them into the house, or from your clothing after you held a reptile at a shop or a friend's house, or brushed against someone else whose pet had them. Many owners will encounter mites at some point, but they are easily dealt with.
Effective treatments for snake mites are available without a prescription from pet shops. Many are based on ivermectin (such as Beaphar Insect Spray) which is applied to the animal, pyrethrins (such as White Python No More Mites) which are applied to the enclosure without the animal in it, and synthetic equivalents like d-Phenothrin (such as Callington Mite Spray) which are applied to the enclosure while the animal is inside. With a prescription, there are other effective treatments based on fipronil (preferably alcohol-based such as Effipro, rather than sticky like Frontline Spray for Dogs, since sticky types need to be rinsed off afterwards) which are applied to the animal (usually sprayed onto a cloth then wiped onto the animal) and provide longer-term protection. These are far more effective than traditional cooking-oil-and-water baths, which do not normally stop an infestation. The old trick of smearing vaseline around the air vents and gaps can help stop migration between enclosures, but surface treatments have the same effect with less mess. Treatments that are applied to the enclosure will normally cause the lizard's uneaten food insects to die for over a week after treatment, so during this time it may help to feed the lizard directly from feeding tongs.
Always consult an expert and read the documentation before using these treatments, as each has its own usage restrictions and re-treatment schedule. Most require the water bowl to be removed for 24 hours, to prevent the animal washing off the treatment, and potentially drinking it. Some, such as ivermectin, cannot be used with certain types of reptile. Most cannot be used near tarantulas and scorpions. All are used only after an animal is affected, they are not used as a regular preventative. Lizard mites may respond to the same treatments used for snake mites, but often require injected treatments from a vet. (Note that other surface treatments such as Provent-a-mite and Ardap Universal Pest Control - based on pyrethrin and synthetic equivalents like permethrin - may be recommended by some reptile keepers, but they are not certified for use with reptiles in the UK, at the time of writing.) Some owners prefer to use predatory "defender" (Hypoaspis miles) or "Taurrus" (Cheyletus eruditus) mites, which eat snake mites then die once there are no more snake mites to eat; these are not as effective as dedicated treatments, but may be preferred if the treatments cannot be used for a specific animal.
When an animal is being treated for mites, avoid handling them, and avoid touching their enclosure or ornaments as much as possible, until the treatment schedule is complete. This limits the transfer of adult mites, invisible young mites, or invisible eggs to you and your clothing. If you do need to touch them, do not let them touch your clothing, and immediately wash hands with plenty of soap and hot water, to try to remove or suffocate any mites that have climbed onto you, before they have a chance to migrate. Avoid touching other reptiles afterwards, as you can spread any mites that you failed to detect. Mites breed in the bedding, but the bedding should not normally be removed from the enclosure when using dedicated treatments; removing it makes it much more likely that you will drop mites and their eggs everywhere. It is normally better to let the treatments kill any mites that are in the bedding, either directly, or when they come into contact with a treated animal.
Quarantine is not needed with your first reptile. However, as you gain more reptiles, it becomes more important. The general idea is to keep newly acquired animals away from your existing animals for long enough that you can be sure they are not bringing in any illnesses which could harm the existing animals. This quarantine period could last around 2 to 4 weeks for a basic quarantine, or as much as 6 months for an ideal quarantine. If any existing animals become ill with a potentially communicable disease, they can also be immediately moved into quarantine to protect the other animals.
A basic quarantine would simply be to keep the animal in a separate enclosure from existing animals, even if they will end up sharing an enclosure later. A more advanced quarantine would be to keep the quarantine enclosure in a separate room, using bowls and feeding tongs that will never be used for the others. Disposable rubber gloves can be worn when touching the animal or any part of its enclosure, and thrown away after each use. Changing clothes after handling can also help prevent any mites from spreading. Although animals in quarantine need to be monitored, all work with quarantined animals should take place after any other work has been done with non-quarantined animals, to avoid carrying illnesses back to the non-quarantined animals. If food is refused by a quarantined animal, the leftover food should not be offered to a non-quarantined animal.
A quarantine enclosure would ideally be made of something that can be easily and completely disinfected, perhaps even steam cleaned, leaving nowhere for any diseases or parasites to hide in it. All ornaments should be similarly easy to clean and disinfect, and considered disposable, so that they can be thrown away if an occupant turns out to be carrying a communicable illness.
If an animal (whether in quarantine or not) is to be put into an enclosure that was previously used by another animal, the enclosure and ornaments should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected with a reptile-safe disinfectant first, and any substrate replaced. If the previous occupant died from a communicable disease, it is perhaps better to dispose of the old enclosure and ornaments, and purchase a new one. Although rare, some of the most serious parasites (such as cryptosporidium) can survive for 2 years in an empty enclosure, and cannot be killed by simple disinfectants.
Bearded dragons can travel for many hours in a small, ventilated box, with tissue for bedding. The box should be placed on your lap in a car with the heating on if needed. They should not be heated from below with anything hot. Hot water bottles and electric heaters should be avoided. If they soil the box, replace the tissue.
This is just a quick guide to get you started. It is not intended to be a complete book, and cannot replace a well written book, or the advice of an expert. It is based on our own best knowledge at the time of writing, and advice may change over time as new techniques, technology, or medical advice becomes available. Owners are responsible for ensuring that their knowledge is kept up to date. This guide is based on the British Isles, but the basic principles may be applied to other areas too.