Beareded Dragon Setup and Supplies

 Please keep in mind that these prices may vary so please do comparison shopping and research. Use this as a tool for what you need for a thriving beardie.

Basic Dragon Supplies

This is a compiled list of standard supplies that are recommended to people pretty often. These are some of the best and easiest and most affordable links to use. Keep in mind that these are NOT optional they are a requirement for the thriving.

Lights: Reptisun T8 10.0 24":  $18 - https://www.chewy.com/zoo-med-reptisun-100-uvb-fluorescent/dp/126592

However, T8’s need to be put on the inside of the tank and changed every 6 months.

Reptisun T5 10.0 can be put on top of the screen lid.

Fixtures: Amazon: $19 - https://www.amazon.com/Lights-America-7020BL-24-Inch-Undercabinet/dp/B000QSMZFY/ref=sr_1_6?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1514690033&sr=1-6&keywords=lights%20of%20america%2024%20inch%20under%20cabinet%20light#productDetailsWalmart: $17 - https://www.walmart.com/ip/Eliminator-R-Lighting-E123-24-E-123-Black-24-Light/46946221

*(You can also find a fixture by the brand Heavy Tough for $10 in select stores)

Reptisun T5HO 10.0 22" (safe at an 18"-36" distance"): $21 - http://www.reptilesupplyco.com/t5-uvb-bulbs/1878-reptisun-100-uvb-t5-ho-fluorescent-bulb-22-zoo-med.html

Fixture can be used inside or on top: $29: http://www.reptilebasics.com/t5-light-fixtures/t5-ho-single-bulb-light-strip-24/

CHE: Single $18 - https://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-Labs-Ceramic-Emitter/dp/B01KVL2Z6E/ref=sr_1_4?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1510507221&sr=1-4&keywords=ceramic+heat+emitter+40+watt2 pack $16 - https://www.amazon.com/Wuhostam-Ceramic-Infrared-Emitter-Reptile/dp/B071GKDXBL/ref=sr_1_18?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1514062935&sr=1-18&keywords=ceramic%20heat%20emitter

Basking lights: Your best bet is generally going to be your local dollar store, 90-100w halogen flood light. I actually pick mine up at the dollar store for just a few dollars. For PVC, wood, melamine, etc. vivs you can usually just use a 60-75w house bulb.  

Basking Dome (comes with a dimmer attached): Amazon: $9 - https://www.amazon.com/Flukers-Repta-Clamp-8-5-Inch-Ceramic-Dimmable/dp/B003H200QC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1542573623&sr=8-1&keywords=flukers+dimmer+lamp

Temp gun: Amazon: $16-https://www.amazon.com/Etekcity-Lasergrip-774-Non-contact-Thermometer/dp/B00837ZGRY/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=temp+gun&qid=1550003853&s=hi&sr=1-4Walmart - *must be purchased online*: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Albott-Non-contact-Professional-Digital-Laser-IR-Infrared-Thermometer-Temperature-Gun-58-788-50-420/163644365

*(You can find temp guns by the brand Heavy Tough available in some select Walmart)Dimmer switch:Amazon: $13 - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000BYEF6/ref=asc_df_B0000BYEF65137298/?tag=hyprod-20&creative=394997&creativeASIN=B0000BYEF6&linkCode=df0&hvadid=167140365824&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=6466636718936431069&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9001947&hvtargid=pla-274342005344

*(Available for the same price, same brand, in some select Walmart stores)

Steamer for sanitation: Walmart: $30 - https://www.walmart.com/ip/Conair-ExtremeSteam-Hand-Held-Fabric-Steamer-with-Dual-Heat-White-Model-GS237/588827857?athcpid=588827857&athpgid=athenaItemPage&athcgid=null&athznid=tic&athieid=v0&athstid=CS020&athguid=466001f5-46cfa622-476d2da59a18a716&athena=true

Amazon: $35 - https://www.amazon.com/Conair-ExtremeSteam-Fabric-Steamer-Purple/dp/B01JJJ1TKM/ref=sr_1_20?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1538842098&sr=1-20&keywords=steamer

Calcium: $12 shipped - Sticky Tongue Farms Miner-All. This brand is low enough in D-3 that it can just be used daily. You can purchase from other places, do research for the best price.

Amazon: $7 - Repti Calcium with D3 by Zoo Med - https://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-Calcium-Vitamin-Reptile/dp/B005FTMHFC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1533260686&sr=8-2&keywords=repti+calcium+with+d3&dpID=51IehZj4PFL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

Multivitamin: Rep-Cal Herptivite $17 - https://www.amazon.com/HERPTIVITE-Multivitamin-reptiles-amphibians-Bottle/dp/B00076HT3S/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1510509076&sr=8-1&keywords=herptiviteProbiotic:Bene-Bac $16 - https://www.amazon.com/Bene-Bac-Bird-Reptile-Powder-10oz/dp/B0002ASS3E?th=1

Bee Pollen: $16 - https://www.amazon.com/Stakich-BEE-POLLEN-POWDER-16/dp/B001LQZOJO/ref=sr_1_9_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1530815214&sr=8-9&keywords=bee+pollen&dpID=51ZHf4ixqGL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

Vegetable Glycerine: (silkies only): $6 - https://www.amazon.com/NOW-Solutions-Vegetable-Glycerine-16-Ounce/dp/B0019LWU2K/ref=sr_1_cc_1_a_it?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1535240630&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=vegetable%2Bglycerin&th=1

Shelving: Walmart Muscle Rack. Can be picked up at the store or shipped to your house. $60 - https://www.walmart.com/ip/Muscle-Rack-48-W-x-24-D-x-72-H-5-Shelf-Steel-Shelving-Black/21685762

Bearded Dragon Setup

So you want a bearded dragon? Take a look at this guide, it'll show you the absolute minimum of what you're going to need, just to bring a dragon home. These requirements are not optional. 

Enclosure: You'll need a 40 gallon breeder enclosure at minimum. This can be a tank or a front open enclosure. The measurements are 36L x 18W x 18H (or 36L x 18W x 16H depending on brand). There are many brands and prices range. Petco and PetSmart both alternate on their $1/gal sale, but you can also find great deals on Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, local facebook sales pages, Kijiji (CAN), and Gumtree (AUS).

Lighting: You need a basking bulb and dome for heat, and a linear tube UVB and fixture. For UVB the recommended lights are a Zoo Med ReptiSun 10.0 T8 (if you're mounting it inside) or a T5 if you want a hood to sit on the top of the enclosure. The other recommended brand is Arcadia, and the equivalent is the 12% T8 or T5 bulb. *Note:For a T5 bulb, the bulb is 2” shorter than the fixture. So a 24” fixture will use a 22” bulb and a 36” fixture will use a 34” bulb.  

Temperatures: You need a temp gun. You can't use a thermometer/hygrometer to check your basking temp or a probe. Neither of those are accurate for surface temperatures. The stick on gauges on the back of the tank are known to be off by as much as 20 degrees sometimes. Temp guns are only $10-$15 on amazon or at places like Lowes or Home Depot and are really simple to grab. They are going up in price so you may find them at higher prices pending where you live or where you search.

Supplements: Calcium with vitamin D3 is an absolute must. It's highly recommended that you use something that has under20,000 IU/lb (If the jar shows the D3 in kg, just divide the number by 2.2). The best recommended calcium brands that are safe for every day use are Sticky Tongue Farms Miner All and Repti Calcium. You're also going to need a multivitamin. The best recommended one is Herptivite, and dragons love it!  

Basking: Something to bask on. This might be a hammock, a really awesome log, or a platform that you purchased. Whatever it is, make sure that it's able to be properly sanitized weekly. 

*Note:If you bring in a log from outside, make sure that you clean it thoroughly! It needs to be baked/boiled to kill any mites and/or insects living on/in it. The last thing you want is for something to crawl out that's been burrowed in it and have your dragon eat a potentially toxic insect, or catch mites.  

Food: You're going to need a variety of both live insects and vegetables. You can find a list of nutritional values under Bearded Dragon pull down menu, then, food chart. Don't feed pellets or moist cubes. They're useless and don't have the correct nutrition in them to sustain your dragon or help them grow. You need live, gut fed insects daily. For veggies, you want to offer a fresh salad in the morning and leave it there for the day. If your dragon isn't eating their veggies, try mixing it up and offering other greens, they may just like something else. Always offer your bugs greens daily to ensure they're loaded up and gut fed well, so your dragon gets the most nutrition they possibly can out of them. *Note: In FL and CAN, dubia roaches are illegal. For FL members you can use this link for 7 additional species of roach that are awesome https://capecodroaches.com/t/florida-legal-roaches and for CAN you can add woodlice (isopods) into your variety as another source of nutrition.  

Substrate: For new owners, paper towels and newspaper (or unprinted newspaper) are awesome. It makes it easy to spot clean daily and just toss it all out weekly when you do your deep clean. You can also do contact paper which is easy to spot clean with a baby wipe and spray out weekly for your deep clean. Then you have the option of tile if you want to get more into  flooring. Ceramic and slate will help with filing nails down a little bit, but aren't required to have the whole floor done. One piece of slate placed somewhere that's frequently walked will do the trick. When doing tile, remember that the more tiles, the more work. These all have to be removed and scrubbed off, both sides, every week. There's also ceramic tile strips made to look like wood flooring that's very attractive and easy to keep clean.

Veterinarian: Always secure a vet (not all exotics vets list themselves as exotics, so call and check vets in the area) and take your dragon in for a check and get a fecal done for parasites when you get it.  

Cleaning: Ammonia – This gets diluted 1oz to 10oz of water and is completely safe. You can also use a steamer if you prefer to not use ammonia. Heat over 165 degrees and ammonia are the only two things that will kill both coccidia eggs and bacteria like Yellow Fungus, which is fatal and has no cure. Bleach will not kill the bacteria that is harmful to your dragon, and vinegar will just make it smell like a salad.

Also recommended:  

1. Harness for going outdoors, or anywhere really  
2. Scale for tracking weights
3. Contact paper or shelf liner for covering the inside back and sides to block reflections
4. Timer for your lights so they go on and off on their own
5. Dimmer switch for your basking bulb to help control your temperature

You can always add decor, but you don't want the enclosure cluttered. You want your dragon to be able to run around freely without bumping into things. You also want everything in the enclosure to be able to be completely sanitized, whether it be in ammonia: water mix, steaming, baking, or boiling water.