🏠Housing a Bearded dragon: 120 × 60 × 60 cm, 40-42°C basking

Bearded dragon : 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.

In short: 40 to 55 cm as an adult, 8 to 12 years of lifespan, suited to committed beginners. Diurnal, curious and people-friendly, it is often called the ideal pet reptile. A desert sun-basker, it needs powerful UVB replaced yearly and a genuine 40 °C basking spot: without them, calcium deficiency and bone disease set in fast.

120 × 60 × 60 cm and a strict thermal gradient

For an adult Bearded dragon: 120 × 60 × 60 cm minimum, with a basking spot at 40-42°C and a cool zone at 24-28°C. That gradient is not comfort: it is how a reptile regulates temperature, by moving. No cool zone means overheating; no hot spot means no digestion.

Heating, UVB, humidity: the technical trio

Heating ALWAYS runs through a thermostat — the least negotiable equipment in herpetoculture — with thermometers at both ends. On light: a UVB tube (10-12 rating for desert setups, 5-7 for tropical) spanning a third of the enclosure, replaced every 6 to 12 months even if it still lights up. Humidity held at 30 to 40% — excess humidity harms as much as a deficit in a dry biotope, checked with a hygrometer, not by feel.

Substrate and layout

A dry, diggable substrate (packed soil mix, never calcium sand), two hides minimum — one warm, one cool — and a structured background for security. Place the enclosure out of direct sun, which would turn the volume into an oven despite the thermostat.

Frequently asked questions

What enclosure size for a Bearded dragon?

120 × 60 × 60 cm minimum for an adult — sized for the adult from day one; a juvenile does fine in it with extra hides.

What temperatures for a Bearded dragon?

Basking spot at 40-42°C, cool zone at 24-28°C, all on a thermostat with a natural night-time drop. Humidity sits at 30 to 40%.

The guides that apply to you

The rest of the Bearded dragon’s gear

Bedding & habitat for related breeds and species