🦎Bearded dragon: gear and buying guides

The bearded dragon is a curious, people-friendly diurnal lizard, often described as the ultimate pet reptile. Its easy temperament should not hide demanding equipment: a terrarium of at least 120 cm, powerful UVB replaced yearly and a basking spot around 40 °C.

Profile : 40 to 55 cm as an adult, 8 to 12 years of lifespan, suited to committed beginners.

Bearded dragon gear, family by family

• 🍖 Food

  An omnivore whose diet shifts with age: juveniles eat mostly insects, adults mostly greens (endive, rocket, edible flowers) with insects 2 to 3 times a week. Calcium supplementation is essential.

• 🧴 Care & grooming

  An occasional lukewarm bath helps hydration and shedding. Watch for calcium deficiency signs (tremors, soft jaw), directly linked to UVB quality, and remove droppings daily.

• 🎾 Toys & enrichment

  Bearded dragons enjoy supervised time outside the enclosure, climbing branches and hunting live insects. Occasionally rearranging the decor keeps exploration stimulating.

• 🏠 Bedding & habitat

  A terrarium of at least 120 x 60 x 60 cm for an adult, a high-output T5 UVB tube covering much of the length, a 40-42 °C basking spot and a cool zone around 26 °C. Low humidity, desert-style setup.

• 🧳 Travel & safety

  Transport in a ventilated rigid box with a towel, no loose substrate, keeping the car temperate. For long winter trips, a wrapped lukewarm heat pack keeps the temperature safe.

• 🧰 Accessories

  Equipment budget is significant: basking lamp and T5 UVB (replaced every 12 months, around 30 to 60 € per tube), thermostat, dishes, hammock or basking branch. A full setup often runs 400 to 700 €.

Guides to read

• Complete bearded dragon setup: what starting budget should you plan for?Bedding & habitat

  Terrarium, UVB, heating, decor, food: everything a complete bearded dragon kit includes, with a realistic starting budget of 400 to 700 €.

• Complete leopard gecko setup: what starting budget do you need?Bedding & habitat

  An 80 cm terrarium, heat mat, hides and calcium: what goes into a complete leopard gecko kit, with a starting budget of 250 to 450 €.

• Which terrarium for a corn snake? Size, security and budgetBedding & habitat

  Minimum dimensions, secure locking, thermal gradient: how to choose a terrarium for an adult corn snake, with a detailed budget.

• 3D terrarium backgrounds and decor: polystyrene, cork or resin?Bedding & habitat

  3D background decor for terrariums: cork panels, carved polystyrene or resin, prices, installation and safety for geckos, bearded dragons and snakes.

• Branches, vines and climbing supports for terrariums: choosing wellToys & enrichment

  Natural branches, flexible vines, hammocks: which climbing supports to install in a terrarium, how to disinfect them and at what price.

• Combined LED + UVB lighting: the two-in-one terrarium fixtureAccessories

  Combined LED + UVB fixture for terrariums: benefits, spectrum, prices from 80 to 200 € and the species concerned, from bearded dragons to tortoises.

• Dimming thermostats and timers: regulating your terrarium smoothlyAccessories

  Dimming, on/off or pulse thermostats and day/night timers: how to regulate terrarium heating and lighting, with prices from 25 to 120 €.

• Temperature probes: where should you place them in the terrarium?Accessories

  Where to place temperature probes in a terrarium: height, basking spot, thermostat probe and control thermometer, plus mistakes to avoid.