The Bearded Dragon Manual. Philippe De Vosjoil
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bearded dragon do not become fully expressed if temperatures are not optimal for that dragon. One or more factors related to light (and possibly heat) appear necessary to trigger the hyperxanthic response, which is an increase in yellow and orange skin pigments. This is comparable to the hypermelanistic response in humans, which is the increase of the dark pigment melanin when human skin is exposed to UV radiation from the sun. Bearded dragons raised outdoors under greenhouse plastic that filters out most of the UV radiation become just as bright as individuals kept in the open, so UV radiation may not necessarily be the triggering factor.
At Fire and Ice Dragons, we found that in indoor conditions, our bearded dragons are brightest under correct basking temperatures, very bright visual light, and Repti-Sun 10.0 fluorescent UVB tubes or Arcadia T-8s.
We also tested various types of tanks: glass tanks, top cages in various colors, wooden enclosures in various stains, all-screen cages, and enclosures with solid sides, tops, and backs. We observed how these situations affected the dragons’ coloration. Bright Super Citrus dragons that were placed in dark-stained or granite-colored enclosures darkened immediately, even with optimal basking temperature and UVB output. In screen cages, brilliant yellow Super Citrus bearded dragons dulled to gray. They were cold, and the screen blocked the visual light from the room.
Conversely, the dragons placed in all-white melamine enclosures with solid tops, sides, and backs with sliding glass doors in front were brightest in color when compared to all of the other caging systems we tested. We can only assume that the highly reflective quality of the white melamine raised the visual light within the entire enclosure. This makes sense, as Australia is a very bright continent!
Lighting helps keep a dragon’s colors rich and vivid.
Brumation (Winter Shutdown)
Once mature (after one year of age), bearded dragons usually enter a state of shutdown, commonly termed “brumation,” in which they remain relatively inactive, hidden in shelters or lying on the ground and eating little, if at all. If raised under indoor conditions, babies hatched out in the summer won’t undergo winter shutdown until the following year (at about eighteen months of age). During brumation, dragons must be maintained at cooler temperatures (60–70 degrees F), something easily achieved in most homes by placing the enclosure on the floor of a room during the winter months. Owners should decrease the wattage of basking lights to reduce the basking site’s temperature to 75–80 degrees F and leave the basking lights on for only eight to ten hours daily. Many owners are alarmed by their dragons’ drastic change in behavior during brumation and worry that their dragons may be sick. A period of brumation, however, is normal for this species. Brumation can last from a few weeks to five months. If bearded dragons are healthy, they will lose little or no weight during this period and will remain in good condition, showing no signs of disease (e.g., sunken eyes, gaping, twitching, wheezing).
There are two approaches that beardie owners can take during brumation. In the first approach, the owner can create a shutdown cycle of cooler temperatures and shorter day length, similar to what happens in the wild. The owner needs to reduce, and then eliminate, the dragon’s food about one week before the onset of cooler temperatures, allowing the dragon to empty any remaining fecal matter in its intestines. Alternatively, in the second approach, an owner can wait, observe the dragon closely, and then create brumation conditions as soon as the dragon shows signs of reduced activity and food intake.
The end of brumation is marked by a shift in behavior following the increase in heat and light that accompanies spring. At this point, the owner should return the dragon to normal conditions as soon as it starts basking and feeding again. Start with easily digestible foods, such as greens, until the dragon’s normal bodily functions return. Soaking daily will help the dragon wake up.
Bright light and heat during the day is balanced by “lights out” overnight.
5: DIET AND FEEDING MANAGEMENT
Bearded dragons consume a wide variety of animal and plant foods throughout their lives. Studies of the stomach contents of wild bearded dragons in Australia showed that, when young, these lizards eat about 50 percent live food and 50 percent plants; when mature, they eat mostly (65–90 percent) plant matter. Observations of thousands of dragons in breeding facilities suggest that they have similar food preferences when living in certain conditions in captivity. However, under indoor conditions, we find that juveniles will consume more live, moving prey when they are young (approximately 90 percent live prey and 10 percent plant matter). We offer relatively more vegetarian fare when the dragons reach subadulthood to adulthood. The wild diet of bearded dragon juveniles differs perhaps due to the abundant variety of wild prey. Indoors, the commercially available prey items may not be as nutritionally dense, which could be why we find that babies will consume so much more live prey indoors than in the wild. Young bearded dragons need a variety of prey, so we recommend providing two or three different types, such as crickets, Dubia roaches, and black soldier fly larvae to provide nutritional variety.
It is our experience that very young bearded dragons really do need live prey. Without live food, there is a high risk of stunted growth, malnutrition, and even death from starvation. Moreover, baby dragons housed together will cannibalize each other, nipping off toes and tail tips if hungry and deprived of adequate amounts of live prey. If you want a bearded dragon as a pet but won’t accept crickets in the house, we suggest that you feed black soldier fly larvae (Phoenix Worms). These high-calcium, extremely nutritious worms make no noise, require no feeding, and need only be kept in a cup at room temperature. You can also feed silkworms and/or green hornworms, which need to be fed but not refrigerated. Mature dragons can stay alive for some time without live prey, but they will be unhappy and will not thrive.
The enthusiastic and eclectic appetites of bearded dragons give owners an opportunity to interact with their pets and bring much enjoyment to both species. Food treats can be used as rewards and to attract the attention of a pet dragon. Many a dragon happily bounds up to an owner when snacks are in hand, and food often serves as the strongest bond between dragon and owner. Dragons are nutritionally robust, handling many food treats and careful diet changes with minimal or easily resolved perturbation of their digestive tracts. Sound diets for bearded dragons have built-in nutritional flexibility that allows for treats and snacks without risking imbalances. In other words, bearded dragons can consume a wide variety of foods as long as those foods are appropriate. We provide guidelines for sound diets and appropriate snacks later in this chapter.
Insects make up a large part of a pet bearded dragon’s daily diet.
Food and Supplement Sources
Insects
Bearded dragons are usually fed commercially bred invertebrates, such as crickets (Acheta domestica), Dubia roaches (Blaptica dubia), superworms (Zophobus morio), waxworms (Galleria mellonella), black soldier fly larvae (Hermetia illucens), and others, which are available for sale online and in many pet-supply shops. We recommend avoiding mealworms because they can cause intestinal impaction and metabolic bone disease due to their high phosphorous content. Bearded dragons cannot be maintained well on flying insects, such as houseflies, which easily evade the dragons. Although some dragons may eat earthworms and other garden worms, these are not typical prey for the species, thus most will not eat them.