Bearded dragons also burrow themselves under the sand when they sleep. They may do this to escape bright light or avoid a more dominant bearded dragon in their surroundings or enclosure. Some bearded dragons enter a period called brumation.
Most bearded dragons, however, need more sleep than you're probably used to. Typically bearded dragons sleep around 8-12 hours. Since bearded dragons are used to sleeping when it is dark, it's important to make sure their room or cage is as dark as possible during the hours when they are supposed to be sleeping.
The best nighttime heat source for a Bearded dragon is a ceramic heat emitter, as this emits no light and can be thermostatically controlled to maintain a set temperature that should still be lower than during the day.
Turtles, tortoises, bearded dragons, iguanas, and chameleons are some common examples of reptiles that need UVB light. This helps prevent animals from developing hypocalcemia (or lack of calcium). UVB lights should be kept on during the day and turned off at night and should be used along with calcium supplements.
In the wild, a bearded dragon would spend the day basking in the sun's heat. Then, when the temperature drops at night, he will naturally become cooler.
If the power goes out you must insulate your terrarium. Good insulating materials that you may have around your home, include: styrofoam, cork panels, polyethylene and bubble wrap. If you don't have a access to any of these items, wrapping your terrarium in blankets and towels will work in a pinch.
Place hand warmers or heat packs in a sock and place the sock near your dragon (make sure they don't touch your dragon though, or they could burn her). Keep your dragon wrapped in blankets and use your body heat to keep him warm. If you are able, take your dragon into your car with the heat on high until she warms up.
Bearded Dragon Light Schedule:
Being a diurnal species, bearded dragons need a day and night cycle. According to data on sunrise and sunset times in bearded dragons' natural habitat in Australia, a cycle of 14 hours/day during summer and 10 hours/day during winter (with gradual adjustments in-between) is appropriate.
Your vivarium should mimic the natural heat and light pattern of your bearded dragon's natural environment, and since the temperature in the outback drops after dark, your bearded dragon needs a cooler temperature at night. This means you can turn off your heat lamp at night.
As soon as you get your bearded dragon, no matter their age, their first feeding of the day must always be 2 hours after their lights first are turned on. Similarly, their last feeding needs to come at least two hours before the lights are turned off for the day.
To warm up, reptiles need to bask under a heat source, whether that is the sun or a heat bulb. Further, heat is more easily absorbed by objects that are colored black. By turning black, your lizard can absorb heat more effectively.
If your bearded dragon stops eating, don't despair as this doesn't mean they will die. While it mostly depends on the age, health, and weight of your pet, the fully-grown dragon can usually live for three weeks and sometimes up to two months without eating.
Let your beardie soak for about 15 – 20 minutes. Once bath time is over, gently pat your pet dry with a soft sowel. This is very important! If he's still damp when you put him back in his tank, the substrate may stick to him.
It's A Sign Of Affection Or Comfort
It does seem to be true that a bearded dragon is more likely to lick you if it trusts you and feels comfortable with you. However, this licking is not necessarily a sign of affection. It could be that it likes the way you smell or feels a sense of safety to have you around.
Most young bearded dragons should eat once or twice daily, while older lizards may only eat every 24-72 hours, depending upon each pet's individual appetite.
In short: The UVB lamp should be replaced after a total exposure time of approx. 3500 hours. This does not mean immediate disposal - you can still use a used lamp with a lower UV intensity for young animals or a less sun-loving reptile species. High-quality UVB lamps are available in this web shop.
If you left your bearded dragon's lights on all night, they're going to be just fine! The worst that can happen overnight is that they lost a little sleep and might be cranky the next day. You can help your bearded dragon out by adjusting the lighting for the next day to get them back on a normal sleep schedule.
Bearded dragon owners should offer full-grown adult bearded dragons roughly 10 crickets per day, or 20 crickets every other day. The crickets should be offered in one feeding session per day that lasts between 10 and 15 minutes.
Their lifespan is usually 10 to 15 years or more, so they're quite a commitment. It's important to replicate their natural habitat as best you can. Learn more about how to care for your bearded dragon and how to keep them healthy and happy.
Bearded dragons usually tolerate handling better than other lizards. Regular handling helps bearded dragons get used to people, so you should handle your beardie daily. Doing so also minimizes stress during regular care, such as bathing or tank cleaning.
Bearded dragons are diurnal and sleep up to 12 hours daily. People often ask if bearded dragons are nocturnal or diurnal. These reptiles are diurnal, so they are active during the day and sleep at night, similar to humans. If you have a bearded pet dragon, it will be awake during the day and rest when you do.
Bearded Dragons are especially well suited for outdoor housing in the summer as they love to soak up the rays in what we would consider unusually hot weather.