Bearded dragons are very easy to care for and have minimal needs. Like chinchillas, they do have a couple of special requirements, but once you know what they are, it’s easy to keep them as pets. Beardies are also very docile and can be easily handled. They often love nothing more than sitting on your shoulder. Bearded dragons are desert lizards that do well in relatively small tanks and spend much of their time basking under warming lights. Hearty animals, they live up to ten years and can grow up to 24 inches. Here are our picks for the best bearded dragon accessories to give your beardie a good life.
Bearded dragons and other desert lizards need to have an area of their habitat warmed to around 95 degrees during the day. This is achieved with a heat bulb, usually 100 watts or higher, inside of one of these dome lights. The size of the can and the strength of the bulb offer enough heat to raise the ambient temperature of their tank while also providing a concentrated basking area. Having a basking side and a cooler side allows your bearded dragon to regulate their temperature by moving to the most comfortable spot at different times. Remember to turn the lights off at night and leave them off for 12 hours. It’s okay for the tank to get cool at night, down to no lower than 65 degrees F, since they’re sleeping. The desert gets pretty cold at night, too.
In addition to the standard dome light we’ve also included on this list, some bearded dragon owners like to use a dual dome light like this one. On one side, you can put a basking spot bulb at a lower wattage than the main heat lamp to create both a concentrated spot to bask and a temperature gradient across the tank. On the other, put the necessary UVB bulb for the cooler side of the tank.
Your bearded dragon requires 12 hours of UVB light because it makes calcium metabolism possible. Some bulbs have this combined with the heat lamp, but it’s a good idea to provide a separate UVB bulb because they tend to burn out at different rates.
As funny as it might sound, terrarium backgrounds are important for happy reptiles. Since they can see a broad spectrum of colors, having a front and a back to their tank, as delineated by the background, actually calms them. They’re able to discern where the action in the room is happening and how the other decorations in their space mix with the figures in the picture.
This desert scene certainly conjures up the right feel for a desert lizard. If this doesn’t quite do it for you, we’ve selected a few others for this list or you can browse more terrarium backgrounds here.
Bearded dragons and other desert lizards need to bask in the heat of their lamp. You should provide them with at least one rock-like platform that is large enough for them to comfortably spread out. In the case of bearded dragons, they squish out like scaly pancakes over whatever surface you give them.
This rock formation should also provide a tunnel or other dark hiding place so your reptile has a place to hide and cool down. They tend to be wary of anything happening above them, so giving them a dark, safe space will enhance their sense of confidence in their home.
In addition to a large water bowl, lizards need a small feeding dish. You may even want two; one for salads, one for worms and insects, including hornworms, crickets, dubia roaches and superworms. Even though beardies are pretty quick hunters and will soon track down and gobble up even a bouncy cricket, it’s a good idea to contain their food so you can keep an eye on how much they eat. If a live cricket or worm should get away, it might get stuck somewhere and die. Additionally, crickets have been known to harm sleeping lizards, so be sure that your beardie has actually eaten any live creature you feed them. This neat little rock one is designed to fit with any desert motif, and is made of nonporous, food-grade resin.
Dry climate lizards aren’t much for drinking still water. They get most of the water they need from the food they eat. The rest comes from soaking in shallow water baths, where they absorb water and store it just under their skin. It’s an unusual way of drinking, but it works for them.
Provide your bearded dragon with a rock-like pool filled halfway with water. This will keep them hydrated, but also give them a place to do their business. Be sure to replace with fresh water everyday. You can get one designed to fit in a corner, too.
Compared to a lot of animals that live in cages or terrariums, one of the easiest parts of bearded dragon and desert lizard ownership is the bedding that goes on the bottom of the tank. There are a number of roll-out liners out there that will suit your reptile pal perfectly. The Zilla one pictured above features a biodegradable enzyme that reduces odors and can be hand washed in the sink. Beardies are relatively clean, so a simple mat will do the job with no issue. This is available in brown or green in different sizes to match your tank size.
With any animal that requires a slightly different climate than your house, you need to keep a close eye on the conditions inside their enclosure. Bearded dragons like it above 95 degrees, up to about 110. For them, unlike tropical lizards or amphibians, humidity should be on the low side, but doesn’t need to be tightly regulated. If that area of your house is particularly wet for some reason, you might have to move them somewhere else.
If you opt for the two-lamp system, you might want two separate thermostats so you can monitor the basking side and the cool side. The cool side should still remain around 80 or higher during the day.
While some dishes aimed at bearded dragons specify water or food, the truth is that any of them can be used for any purpose. With my beardie, we like to have the water dish in the middle of the tank because that’s where she tends to use it. You might want this one, which is meant to tuck into the corner and out of the way. You could also use this one for the daily salads your bearded dragon requires. Either way, the corner option is nice to have on hand to save space.
Here’s another desert-themed background for your bearded dragon tank. This one is a bit less stylized than the others on our list, offering a traditional desert vista. It’s a good idea to have a few of these on hand and switch them out regularly to make life more interesting for your beardie.
Lounging and basking are what bearded dragons do best, so it’s important to provide them with a variety of methods by which to achieve them. A hammock provides a chance for your beardie to get up off the floor of their tank, potentially closer to the heat lamp, if they so desire. This is the 17.5 inch version for larger lizards, but they make a 14.5 inch version, as well.
Bearded dragons aren’t aboreal lizards and don’t spend most of their time climbing, but that doesn’t mean they can’t make use of this lizard ladder. It’s meant to stick to the back of the tank and give any lizard a leg up on reaching hammocks and other high points in the cage.
Again, bearded dragons really aren’t a tree-going species, but they do enjoy an occasional challenge and varied places to bask. My beardie loves her tree formation and these driftwood-style pieces from Fluker’s make a good hangout spot or a ladder of sorts. They also add a decorative element to the tank.
For the later-stage juvenile or adult bearded dragons, you can offer a deluxe lounging and basking experience with this piece. Measuring 7-7/8 inches wide by 13-1/4 inches long, these loungers are covered in batik fabric for excellent durability. The pillows are machine washable, even. These work well inside the tank as normal, but also as a good place for your beardie to chill when outside of the tank.
While the stick-on type of thermometer provides a good sense of ambient tank temperature, you might want to calibrate smaller spots in the tank more specifically. These infrared thermometers are useful in a variety of applications, but for your beardie, will help you judge the exact temperature of a basking spot or hiding area so you can make adjustments accordingly. If you prefer, Zoo Med also makes a version.
It might surprise you to learn this, but bearded dragons actually like walks. Preferably in the comfort and safety of your own yard, but a leash can be a good idea if you have a very large house and want to keep tabs on your beardie while they’re out. The chest piece makes it comfortable for your bearded dragon and easy to put on for you.
If this plain option is too boring for you, it’s very popular to opt for a leash and harness combination with decorative bat wings. (Note: Please do not attempt to teach your beardie to fly. Thank you.)
Much like the food dish, it can be useful to have a basking area that fits neatly into a corner. My beardie has one just like this and it’s her favorite place to be. The angle of the steps means she can see from a high point in her tank without sacrificing exposure to her bulbs. She also likes to spend evenings curled inside her rock for maximum protection.
Here’s a third option for a desert-themed backdrop for your bearded dragon habitat. The stylized orange glow will look good with a wide variety of tank accessories and could be swapped out seasonally with the other options on our list.
For a different take on lounging, you could give your bearded dragon a bridge across their whole tank with this seagrass hammock. Measuring 30 inches long by seven inches wide, it’s plenty long enough for the vast majority of beardies. Hanging out under it will give them some shade with which to regulate their temperature, while basking can be achieved on top. It can be setup in a variety of ways with the four included suction cups.
While it’s true that your beardie in no way needs salad dressing, they do sometimes require a vitamin of some sort, usually in the form of something like Rep-Cal Herptivite. This bearded dragon salad dressing combines some of those vitamins, especially D3 and calcium, while also adding an enticing flavor profile to their daily salads. If your bearded dragon has been reluctant to eat their greens, give this a try.
One way to make sure your beardie gets enough both UVA and UVB exposure to metabolize nutrients properly is to give them some outdoor time. When it’s warm enough, you can use one of these outdoor cat tunnels as a safe basking space for a beardie to let them soak up the sun’s rays. My bearded dragon loves her outdoor time and the break it provides from her tank. These are large enough to provide some much-needed exercise, too.
