Bearded Dragon FAQs

• How long do bearded dragons live?

Bearded dragons live to be 8-10 years old in captivity with correct husbandry (the care and breeding of the animals).

• Can two bearded dragons be kept together?

Bearded dragons are solitary animals, and they thrive better alone! Males can NEVER live together, and a male with a female will just continually want to breed causing great stress to the female. Females can live together, but it depends on each of their temperaments. Typically, alone is always the best and safest way to go. 

• Does my bearded dragon need a heat rock?

Heat rocks are NOT for bearded dragons. They cannot regulate their temperature from underneath themselves; therefore, if you use a heat rock, they will get burned and not even realize it.

• Does my bearded dragon need a light at night?

Unless your house gets below 60 degrees at night, then no it doesn’t. In fact, beardies need that drop in temperature at night.

However, IF your house gets below 60 degrees, then your dragon WILL need a CHE (ceramic heat emitter) light. This type of light puts off heat but NO light. Bearded dragons need to sleep in darkness.

• Can I use a red light?

No. Using a red light is harmful to your dragon and can cause loss of eyesight.

• What is brumation?

Brumation is similar to hibernation, but for reptiles! Some dragons go into brumation every year, some never at all. During brumation, your dragon will stop eating, slow down all activity, may go into hiding and sleep for long periods of time, and its growth will be paused.

Your dragon should not be losing much weight during brumation, and you should still offer water once a week. Additionally, you should keep the lights on in case they want to warm up, but you can have a shorter light cycle during brumation, such as 4-6 hours on. And you should ALWAYS have a fecal done if you suspect brumation. This will rule out any possibility of parasites. Sometimes, they can display the same symptoms for both.

• Can my bearded dragon lay eggs without ever being with a male?

Yes! Females can become gravid and lay eggs without ever being with a male, but the eggs will be infertile. If you suspect your female is gravid (pregnant) provide her with a lay box. A lay box is a large container with a bag of play sand in it! She will need to lay her eggs in there, then afterwards you can dispose of them.

It is crucial for your beardie to have extra calcium during this time as well as lots of hydration! It takes a toll on her body whether the eggs are fertile or not. Some females will lay eggs every year, others never at all.

• How can I tell if my bearded dragon is a male or female?

The flashlight test is a great trick for finding out whether your bearded dragon is a male or female. You will want to lay your dragon flat and gently lift the tail up towards its head. Males have two hemipenes, which look like two lines going up from the vent. Females have one large bulge at the base of the vent. Holding a flashlight behind the base of the tail helps you see what’s in there more clearly.

• How often does my bearded dragon need water?

We soak our beardies once a week and offer water with a syringe throughout the week as well. You do not need to keep water in the tank as it can raise humidity and dragons have a hard seeing standing water anyway.

• Can I take my bearded dragon outside?

Yes! Natural sunlight is so good for them. They tend to get darker in color as they are absorbing the rays.

• My bearded dragon is shedding, what do I do?

Lots of soaks are good for your beardie while it is going through shed! Never ever pick at it or try to peel it off, they will bust shed when it’s ready.

• Do bearded dragons bite?

Anything with teeth CAN bit! Will they? Not likely. Bearded dragons are known for their calm disposition and sweet temperament. They are more likely to show you they are irritated with body language long before they would bite you. With that being said, they do have teeth, and if provoked enough are capable of biting. 

If your bearded dragon is upset and does not like what you are doing, they will usually move away, they may open their mouth towards you, they might also “puff up,” or get a black-colored beard. 

• Will my bearded dragon run away outside?

Bearded dragons do sometimes get spooked when outside. This could be caused by anything from shadows to birds or any number of noises. 

If you take your bearded dragon outside, make sure you keep a good hold on them. Alternatively, you can get a dragon harness/leash! That’s right, they make leashes for dragons. How cool is that!

If you have a question you don’t see answered here, please don’t hesitate to Contact Us and we would be happy to help you!