Bearded Dragon Care
Lighting:
Bearded dragons require two types of lighting UVB and heat lighting. UVB lighting acts like the sun for bearded dragons which helps them produce vitamin D3 that allows them metabolize calcium. Without UVB they can develop metabolic bone disease and die. UVB bulbs need to be replaced every 6 months because the amount of UVB it produces starts to fade. For heating you can use reptile basking bulbs. The basking spot in the cage should be around 105-110 degrees no higher and 75-80 degrees on the other side of the cage so they can cool of when needed. At night you should'nt need a night basking spot light unless its under 60 degrees. Both lights UVB and heat should be on for 12 hours a day.
Enclosure:
Baby bearded dragons require nothing smaller than a 20 gallon enclosure. When they reach to about 6 months its best to move them into a full size cage they will grow into like a 60 gallon or a 4 foot by 2 foot.
Substrate:
Many things can be used as substrate for bearded dragons. Reptile sand is commonly used as substrate for them but it can cause impaction especially in baby dragons so i would'nt recommend it. Newspaper, paper towels or reptile carpet can be used as substrate for bearded dragon.
Diet:
Bearded dragons eat insects, veggies and fruit. Baby bearded dragons can be fed 2-3 times a day and as they get older they start to eat less about one time a day or every other day as adults. For insects you can feed them a variety of crickets, dubia roaches, super worms and horn worms. I do not recommend feeding them meal worms because baby dragons cant digest them which will cause impaction and death. All food fed to bearded dragons should'nt be bigger than the width of their head because that will also lead to impaction. Insects should also be dusted in calcium and vitamins. Its best to feed them insects dusted in calcium one day and dusted in vitamins the other. For greens you can feed them finely chopped kale, romaine lettuce, collard greens and mustard greens. Fruit should be fed to them when they reach 6 months or older. Some fruits they can eat are cut up apples, grapes, strawberriess, blueberries, bananas, mangos and kiwis.