The red bearded dragon is a visually striking morph of the popular bearded dragon. As the name implies, it has a bright red color, although different variants do have different shades of red. As with all bearded dragons, it is considered a rewarding animal to own.
While the bearded dragon is widely considered a good pet, even for beginners, it does have some complex requirements. For example, feeder insects need to be gut loaded or dusted before being fed.
But they usually accept being handled, and are fascinating reptiles to watch. Read on to see what you need if you are considering taking on this species of lizard.
Do Red Bearded Dragons Make Good Pets?
Bearded dragons are often described as being the best lizard or reptile pet for beginners. This is because they tolerate and even enjoy being handled by their owners. However, despite this, the bearded dragon may be considered to have a moderate to high care requirement because of some demanding habitat and special dietary needs. As long as you have the space for a large tank, the time to deal with proper feeding, and the concentration to reach and maintain humidity and temperature levels, the red bearded dragon can be considered a good pet.
Appearance
The bearded dragon, as a species, is quite prehistoric in appearance. They have scales, spines, and a spiky collar that they can inflate when stressed or when they are trying to attract a mate.
Beardies can grow to 24 inches, in length, and weigh approximately 1 pound. Their tail accounts for approximately half of their body length, and their exact coloring can vary according to the morph.
The red bearded dragon is one morph that is easy to spot. These do not occur in the wild and have been bred in captivity. The exact shade of red depends on the precise morph, but fully red and ruby red morphs attract high price tags.
How to Take Care of Red Bearded Dragons
Below are guidelines on the minimum tank and setup requirements to ensure your red bearded dragon is healthy.
Habitat, Tank Conditions & Setup
Tank
An adult bearded dragon requires a tank with at least a 55-gallon capacity and will benefit from having a larger tank with more space. Beardies do spend some time in trees when in the wild, so replicating this will give them a more fulfilling and enjoyable habitat. Logs, branches, and rocks provide some elevation. A half-log can also double up as a hide, which is an important part of a beardie’s tank décor.
Spot clean the tank every day to remove dead insects and to get rid of waste. If you do a good job of spot cleaning, you should only need to give the tank a full clean every month. A full clean means removing everything, disinfecting, and replacing the substrate with fresh.
Lighting
Beardies need regular exposure to UVB light. Provide special fluorescent lighting that offers the right UV spectrum, and ensure that your beardie can get within 12 inches of the bulb. A 12-hour day/night cycle replicates your beardie’s natural habitat.
Heating (Temperature & Humidity)
Provide a temperature gradient across the tank, from 80º F at the cool end to a basking temperature as high as 105º F at the other end. The temperature can drop to 70º F at nighttime. Heat can be provided using ceramic heaters, mercury bulbs, and incandescent lights, and you should use thermometers to ensure that the temperature is always at an optimal level.
A humidity level between 30% and 40% should be maintained. Raising humidity is quite easy, but if you live in a humid area and need to drop the level, this can prove challenging. A hydrometer enables you to accurately monitor the humidity.
If you’re looking for some of the nicest captive-bred red bearded dragon for sale, we’ve got em!
Popular as pets, bearded dragons or “beardies” are moderately sized lizards native to Australia. Our captive bred baby bearded dragon for sale are some of the nicest bearded dragons for sale in the country. Working with top bearded dragon morphs, we are proud to offer a wide variety of bearded dragon color morphs for sale at the best prices anywhere in the USA.
Names: Bearded dragon, Pogona vitticeps, Central bearded dragon, Inland bearded dragon
Size: 16 to 24 inches long
Lifespan: 6-10 years is common but up to 20 years is documented
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