For the proper care of your reptiles you can follow a daily, weekly, monthly, semi-annual and annual routine schedule. The following is a bearded dragon care sheet, listing the essential features to keep your dragons happy and healthy.
Daily:
• Feed your lizard and replace the water bowl with fresh water.
• Remove feeding pans and clean after feeding.
• Clear the feeding area of any uneaten food.
• Clean the substrate of any toilet bowls or fecal matter.
• Check your dragon for visual signs of disease or problems with shedding.
• Spend time with your pet outside the enclosure
Weekly:
• Bathe your bearded dragon
• Trim the reptile’s toenails.
• Clean the enclosure thoroughly, clear all items such as branches and rocks.
• Clean the area around your cage, including the bottom and back of the tank.
• Check that all heating and lighting equipment is in good working order
• Take your dragon outside to bask in the sun.
Monthly:
• Remove all cage components and wash the tank with a bleaching agent. Let it dry completely in the sun.
Semesterly:
• Remove and replace one inch of the top layer of substrate for all cages you have outdoors.
Annually:
• Visit your vet. Take your pet in with stool samples to check for parasites or disease.
Also, you should be aware of the nutritional needs of your juvenile and adult dragons. Below is a list of the basic food ratios and variety needed to make a healthy diet for your bearded dragon, thus ensuring a long and healthy life for your reptile.
For Youth and Adults:
• 50 percent: – Gut-laden, pre-fed insects consisting of crickets, mealworms, wax worms, and once or twice give mice a pinkie.
• 30 percent: – Calcium-rich green vegetables, eg alfalfa, kale, mustard greens, dandelions, green spinach, cabbage, broccoli and green beans.
• 10 percent: – other vegetables, eg courgettes, peppers, grated carrots, tomatoes and sprouts.
• 10 percent: – other foods, eg bread, cereals, and commercial bearded dragon food.
Adults may be fed once a day and juveniles twice a day. Young dragon vegetables should be cut into smaller pieces and given smaller insects so they can be easily eaten. For hatchlings, since they are growing rapidly, they should be given more protein and fed twice a day. Your food ratio should include 60 percent protein, 25 percent calcium-rich vegetables, and 15 percent other foods.
By making a list of care for your dragon you reduce the risk of forgetting to do some of the chores and neglecting your pet.
Your dragons need to be taken out of their cage from time to time, so in order to properly handle your pet, there are a few things you should and shouldn’t do:
1. Do not grab by the tail or limbs.
2. Don’t grab it suddenly without warning.
3. Zoom in slowly and smoothly.
4. Place one finger under your chin and reach under your body.
5. Move the hatchlings with the perch they are lying on.
6. Hold the dragon in the palm of your hand, with its head facing away from you.
7. Do not press or squeeze any part of your body.
8. Don’t grab him with your fist if he suddenly runs away. Rather block his way with one hand and, sinking your fingers, gently lift him up.