How to Breed and Raise Bearded Dragons

Provide fresh water and a proper diet for your bearded dragon. Bearded dragons eat meat such as meal worms or crickets. They also eat vegetables such as carrots and kale. Bearded dragons prefer shallow stationary water so you can just keep fresh water in a shallow water dish. Bearded dragons will only breed if they are healthy.

Keep the male and female together in a large enclosure. You should have a mixture of vermilite and soil that is moist for the beardie to lay its eggs when they are ready. In addition to the moist soil, the climate in the enclosure should be warm and humid with regular cycles of light and darkness that mimic day and night in the wild.

Understand that things may get rough when they breed. The male bearded dragon will usually bite the female on the back of neck when they breed. This is normal and they shouldn't be disturbed unless things turn extremely violent.

Watch the female to see when she lays eggs. Bearded dragons will eat their own eggs and their young. You will have to incubate the eggs in an incubator at about 75 degrees until they hatch.

Change out the substrate regularly. Dirty substrate can cause bearded dragons to get sick. Changing the substrate at least once every other week is usually sufficient. You should, however, change it more often if you notice that it is dirty.

Allow your bearded dragons to bask. There should be a raised area of the tank, such as a large rock, under a heat lamp that is on during the day. Bearded dragons come from the hot climate in Australia so they want a spot to relax that has a temperature of about 100 degrees.

Take your bearded dragon to the veterinarian if it gets sick. Bearded dragons can succumb to illness very quickly. You should take it to the veterinarian as soon as you notice any signs of illness such as sunken eyes or lack of appetite.