BEARDED DRAGON AND BALL PYTHON BREEDER
POGONA VITTICEPS
Research
INDEPENDENT RESEARCH
The information we give to you is not to be used like it is the only option or way. These are just our preference based on our own personal experiences and knowledge gained from our history caring for our bearded dragons, our way isn't for everyone so do what works out best for you as long as your pet is healthy and thriving and respectfully cared for and haves everything it needs. Please do a lot of independent research, consult with veterinarians that are specialized in reptiles before following any advice by other article's or information on the internet. It doesn't matter how much experience any "herpetoculturist" or breeder think they might have, there is still always a lot more to be learned and the complete understanding and care for these animals. Information and data on these animals changes from periods of time, so be mindful and keep up to date on caring for your bearded dragon.
QUARANTINE
When you bring a new reptile into your home/collection, it is very important to give it one week or two to settle in depending your reptiles behavior/actions how they feel towards you. Some will quickly adjust to there new environment and some can take a bit longer to adjust. As difficult as it may or can be, try not to handle or disturb your new reptile during these couple of weeks to keep stress levels down unless you need to clean feces or give food and provide water. If you have other reptiles, it's important to keep your new reptile addition in a separate room if possible to quarantine them from your other reptiles. The quarantine period should be a two to three months, and this will give you the opportunity to make sure that the reptile is healthy as well as keeping your other reptiles safe. Regardless of where you get your reptile from, it's always better to be safe than sorry, you can risk your other reptiles well being/health and loose everything you work so hard for, on top of the grief for your animals.
LIFESPAN
10 to 15 Years - is generally the max lifespan of bearded dragons kept in captivity that are being well taken care of.
when considering whether a bearded dragon is the right pet for you. Owning a bearded dragon is a long term commitment.
GENERAL FEEDING CARE
Baby bearded dragons require a lot of protein in order to grow strong and healthy, to grow properly. We feed frequently meals to our hatchlings and juvenile bearded dragons. Hatchlings/babies should be fed three to four times a day, about twenty to thirty appropriate size insects per feeding sessions. Put about five insects in at a time, and remove any extra insects after feeding your dragon when there completely done eating, loose insect feeders in there enclosure can really stress your bearded dragon out causing them to glass surf and running stressfully all around there enclosure because of the insects running on them and potentially biting on them while there trying to relax or rest, crickets can also spread pathogens by there feces and elevate your bearded dragon stress level, so do your dragon a big favor take out any extra insects out so he or she can relax in a stress free environment.
We like to give to our dragons collard greens and among other good staple greens mixed with a little of endive dusted with calcium without D3 three times a week once a day, only apply dusted calcium one time out of the day. Bearded dragons can create natural D3 on their own with the correct proper high output ultraviolet florescent lighting that we provide for them, and we use calcium with D3 about 2 times a week to give them a little extra push if they aren't creating enough D3 for themselves. We use multivitamins also into the mixed to our feeding schedule to change things up. Your baby bearded dragon may not eat a lot of the greens in the beginning so they will nibble on them out of curiosity but this is perfectly normal so don't stress out over it. Just continue to offer greens daily, they will grow accustomed to greens eventually, it’s really important for hydration and for the natural vitamins the greens may carry that you are providing for your baby bearded dragon, also make sure to change your greens daily and always provide new fresh greens everyday.
Always provide your bearded dragon with a variety of live insects dusted with calcium, such as dubias, grasshoppers/locust, crickets, black soldier larvae and silk worms all are really good feeders. Good insect treats you can offer one to two times a week for your juvenile's, super worms/morio worms, mealworms, wax worms, butter worms and horn worms. We don't feed our baby bearded dragons meal worms or super worms/morio worms until the ages of five months and older that is just our preference. When feeding mealworms and super worms, only offer very little at a time like two or three per time because to much at one time your dragon will eat it so fast and eventually throw it all up, to avoid this problem offer less quantities to prevent regurgitation. The size appropriate insects for 6 to 8 weeks old dragons are small dubias, small/medium soldier fly larvae, small crickets, small grasshoppers and etc. please avoid only feeding one kind of insect feeders. Each insect feeders has its benefits and value. Your beaded dragon will be a lot stronger with different variety to choose from.
Insects to Avoid
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Fireflies
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Elder bugs
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Venomous insects, scorpions, wasps, and bees.
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Glowing insects
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Insects vended in a bait shop for fishing
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wild flies or wild spiders
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Butterflies
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Caterpillars
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Ladybugs
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Moths
Tip: You should not feed insects you find outside in your yard or garden for your bearded dragon. These insects can contain pesticides, insecticides, or fertilizers that are toxic to bearded dragons and to other reptiles in that matter, it can be very fatal to your pet animal causing them to die.
GROWTH STAGES
Evolution Steps
Age (Months) Length (cm)
0-1 Months 7cm-10cm
2 Months 12cm-22cm
3 Months 20cm-27cm
4 Months 25cm-30cm
5 Months 33cm-40cm
6 Months 30cm-43cm
7-9 Months 33cm-45cm
10-12 Months 45cm-55cm
Each size for each month are range sizes for Male and female bearded dragon. The maximum size a male can get is 60cm and for females 50-55 cm.
CALCIUM SCHEDULE
Zoo-Med users schedule
NOTE: Only put calcium one time each day, other additional feeding times through the day put no calcium after the first time giving calcium for that day. This is a schedule for Zoo-Med ultraviolet 10.0 t5 high output florescent tubes.
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Monday: Calcium without D3
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Tuesday: Calcium with D3
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Wednesday: Calcium without D3
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Thursday: Zoo-Med Reptivite Multivitamins
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Friday: Calcium with D3
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Saturday: Calcium without D3
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Sunday: No supplements
Zoo-Med users schedule
NOTE: Only put calcium one time each day, other additional feeding times through the day put no calcium after the first time giving calcium for that day. This is a schedule for UVA/UVB mercury vapor bulbs.
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Monday: Calcium with D3
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Tuesday: Calcium with D3
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Wednesday: Calcium without D3
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Thursday: Zoo-Med Reptivite Multivitamins without D3
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Friday: Calcium with D3
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Saturday: Calcium without D3
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Sunday: No supplements
GOOD GREENS AND BAD GREENS
Good for your bearded dragon
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Endive
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Squash Acorn (shredded)
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Turnip Greens
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Mustard Greens
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Escarole
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Cactus Pear (Prickly Pear)
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Alfalfa (plant, not sprouts)
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Cactus Pad/Leaf (raw)
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Collard Greens
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Dandelion Greens (without stems)
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Turnip Greens
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Mustard Greens
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Artichoke Heart (uncooked)
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Arugula
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Asparagus
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Basil
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Bok Choy
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Peeled Cucumber
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Squash
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Uncooked Kale, Radish, Pumpkin, Zucchini, & Leeks
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Okra
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Parsnip
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Carrots: but not as a staple, cause they are rich in vitamin A to much of Vitamin A can be toxic. Its best serve sprinkled over on dark leafy greens one time a month is our personal preference, your choice of course how you want to feed your dragons carrots.
Bad veggies/plants & fruits
Some are toxic for your bearded dragons
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Iceberg Lettuce
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Avocado
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Rhubarb
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Beets
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Spinach
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Onion
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Eggplant
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Garlic
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Celery
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All acidic Fruits
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Mushrooms
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Leeks
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Chives
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Tomatoes
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Any citrus fruit
RATIO AMOUNT FREQUENCY
Age Diet Percentage
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0 – 3 Months 90% Insect, 10% Veggies
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3 – 8 Months 80% Insect 20% Veggies
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8 – 12 Months 70% Insect 30% Veggies
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1 Year + 20% Insect 80% Veggies
HOUSING GUIDE
Requirements are in the image above
House your bearded dragon separately. Bearded dragons are not social animals, they don’t need companions. They compete for there food and will fight, this can lead to a very serious injury and it also can cause them to be highly stressed out. Bearded dragons will stop eating and potentially get sick from high stress. Bigger bearded dragons are known to eat smaller dragons, Bearded dragons are extremely prey driven animals and anything smaller than them is a potential prey. Please make sure your bearded dragon are getting everything they need to grow and live a happy long life, one bearded dragon per enclosure is recommended, but of course to your own account it's your own decision to make.
D.I.Y WOOD ENCLOSURES
Requirement Size
80x60x60 cm reptile enclosure
good for ages between 8 weeks old and 43 weeks old bearded dragon.
110x60x60 cm reptile enclosure
Good for ages between 47 weeks old and 52 weeks old bearded dragon.
120x60x60 cm reptile enclosure
This is our personal preference size that we use for our adult bearded dragons, the more BIGGER the more BETTER! your bearded dragon will be much happier to have more space to roam in he or she's enclosure to stay strong and fit.
BONDING
Establishing a Relationship❤️
A good way to start a bond with your young beardie is to start with a ten to fifteen minute session once or twice a day daily depending on the bearded dragons behavior and body language. once a baby bearded dragon gets use to being handled, after that some bearded dragons takes the pleasure being held by you many times a day. Just pay a close attention to their body language/actions. When a bearded dragon licks you, they are getting your scent. They may be acquiring your scent because they feel comfortable with you. They also use their tongues to get a feel for their environment.
BATHING
Get a large plastic bin that is at least twice as long as your bearded dragon, soak your bearded dragon one to two times a week in lukewarm temperature water up to there lower chest or elbows to provide opportunities for them to drink water and stay hydrated. To help clean your bearded dragon you can do scrub massages on there whole body with a tooth bush to help take off dirt, feces, and stuck shed that doesn't want to get off easily.
Tip: Do not use soap to clean any reptiles, this is very dangerous to them or any wash fragrance that is for humans and fury animals.