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Dragon Cage Setup Guide
This simple guide was created inform you about the cages, accessories and supplies we use and recommend for a proper Bearded Dragon set-up. Your cage size will vary depending on the size and number of dragons you have. There are also a wide range of styles, methods and supplies that can be used for creating a proper Bearded Dragon habitat.
Cages
We use custom built cages for our bearded dragons. They have front sliding glass doors, which makes them very easy to access for cleaning and aids in maintaining the optimal interior environment for Bearded Dragons. This type of enclosure holds heat very well, allowing a lower wattage basking bulb than a standard glass tank with a screen lid. Using a solid non-reflective surface such as a laminate covered cage also makes it so that the dragons are not irritated by reflections that occur with an all glass enclosure.
You can purchases cages similar to ours at www.customcages.com . The size we recommend is noted next to the cage as being "Recommended by Bearded Dragon breeder Georgia Bearded Dragons".
Another good cage supplier is www.glasscages.com . They have a cage design that is non-reflective with a granite appearance on 3 sides, sliding glass front doors and a screen top. This style cage is available in several different sizes. The recommend cages have stated in their descriptions, "Recommended by Bearded Dragon breeders Georgia Bearded Dragons".
There are also Vision cages you can purchase. These have been used by reptile enthusiasts for many years. They are light weight, easy to clean and stackable.
If you buy a glass tank (we do not recommended these) for your dragon, you will need a 20-gallon long tank w/ lid (for dragons 2 to 4 months old) or a 40-gallon breeder tank w/ lid (for dragons 4 months to adult). The back and sides of the tank should have a tank background covering the outside of the glass. This will make your dragon feel more secure. Tank backgrounds are available at most pet stores. We suggest the "desert scene" background for a bearded dragon tank.For anyone that may want to build there own enclosure out of wood, be advised that the flooring and walls of your cage can NOT be just bare wood. This will absorb the fecal material and harbor bacteria and parasites. Do NOT use wood sealers to seal these. The sealants can put off very harmful vapors with prolonged exposure to UVB / UVA rays. Instead, put a solid non-porous surface on the floor and walls of your enclosure.
Lighting
For the fluorescent UVB bulb, use a "Desert" UVB bulb, as these have the higher amount of UVB that is best for "desert dwelling" reptiles such as Bearded Dragons. Many of these "Desert" florescent bulbs will have a UVB rating of 7.0, 8.0 or 10.0. We personally use the ExoTerra Repti Glo 10.0 fluorescent bulb. Fluorescent bulbs need to be replaced every 6 months, as the UVB output of the bulb will decrease over time rendering the bulb ineffective. To prevent eye problems make sure your dragon can't get to high and to close to the UVB bulb. A standard acceptable distance is about 10-16 inches. However, the recommended distance provided by the manufacture could differ between brands.
If you are using a glass tank with a screen top, and are wanting to use an "all in one bulb" (Mercury Vapor Bulb) that provides UVA, UVB and Heat, we have been told by other breeders that the TRex Active UV Heat Mercury Vapor Bulb in the "Flood" style is the best way to go. Depending on the size of your cage, these bulbs come in a 100-watt and 150-watt flood. When using a Mercury Vapor Bulbs you will need to use a 10" Deep Well dome suitable for housing a MVB bulb. These bulbs are much like a large household floodlight. Be careful that your dragon is an appropriate distance away from the bulb, so he/she doesn't end up with eye problems. A safe distance is generally 10 - 16 inches. Do not use "Spot" type MVB bulbs, as it could be too intense of a heat directed at one spot.
For glass cages w/screen tops, there are several "Hood" type lighting/heating setups that can be used. Most use the fluorescent tube style bulbs and also have sockets for basking / heat bulbs.
Due to some serious recent concerns regarding the compact coil UVB bulbs we DO NOT recommend using them until further research is done on the use of these bulbs on bearded dragons. There have been reports that the intensity of these bulbs is causing eye irritation or damage to the dragons and that when they are basking they are doing so with their eyes closed which may be an indicator that their eyes are receiving too much concentrated UVB at their basking site.
Substrates
Once our dragons reach 12 inches (nose tip to tail tip), we use a natural sand substrate. We recommend the finer grain sands made by the reptile manufacturers. These are less likely to cause an impaction if accidentally ingested. You will want make sure you buy sand that does NOT contain; calcium carbonate, vitamin fortifications, silica or "glow-in-the-dark" additives! We use red and white sand to make a terra cotta color. This mix makes it easy for the dragons to see their
calcium-dusted crickets. That way the dragons are not trying to find white crickets on white sand.Basking Site
The basking site location should allow your dragon the ability to get elevated off the floor of the cage and closer to the basking bulb and UVB source. We use a rock-and-cave combo placed directly under the basking light. This also helps to act as a "heat sink" for the night time hours. You also can use flat river rock which can be purchased at landscaping stores.
Basking temperatures should be established based on your home's temperature and possibly the time of year. Cage temperatures need to be between 105 -110 degrees on the basking end of the tank and between 80-85 degrees at the opposite end of the tank. A digital thermometer that reads indoor/outdoor temperatures with an external probe or a Temp gun are the best ways to maintain proper temperatures.
For a basking bulb we use the ExoTerra Sun Glo Neodymium Daylight Basking Bulb. This bulb also gives you the best lighting to view your bearded dragon in. It produce a "white" light instead of the "gold tone" lighting that other basking bulbs can produce. This difference can greatly affect the appearance of your dragon's coloration and patterning. The bulbs will not actually change the color of your dragon, however it could look that way if the bulbs being used have a "tone" or coloration to them.
As mentioned under Lighting, there are several "Hood" type lighting/heating setups that can be used for glass cages w/screen tops. Just make sure that the basking light sockets points DOWNWARD, not SIDEWAYS. If the basking bulb is mounted sideways it will not do its job properly.Food Dishes & Decor
Make sure to provide a food dish that will allow your dragon to easily see and have access to their food. However, the sides of the dish should be high enough so that the substrate can not be easily "kicked" into the food when your dragon is digging or chasing insects.
Provide a large half round log hide or cave so that your dragon has a place to hide. They should also have a basking rock placed under the basking light (see Basking Site).For examples of our cage setups see our "Photo Album" below. These photos will show examples of our cages with a sand substrate and cage “décor”. These are our own custom cages. At present we do not offer our cages for sale, however we are looking into the possibility of selling them at the reptile shows that we will be attending starting in 2011.
