Obsessed with your lovely beardie? Now tell us who isn’t.
To be honest, beardies are the most underrated pets who give us so much love. Correct us if we are wrong!
And as the best beardie parent, you would want to collect the best-bearded dragon supplies and toys to make your munchkin happy.
If you are planning to create a terrarium, you will have to get all the accessories to make your pet’s life easier. Some of you might have never created a bearded dragon habitat before, and it can look like a daunting task.
Don’t panic and take a deep breath!
Let us help you out with the list of accessories that you need!
In this read, we will talk about the best-bearded dragon supplies, from rocks to substrate and cute toys for your adorable pet!
So, instead of hunting on the internet for the supplies for your beardie, don’t hurry; just sit back, pull your feet up, and read on our curated list below.
Things You Need While Creating A Bearded Dragon Habitat!
When building a bearded dragon habitat, you will have to make sure that your pet’s new home has everything they need. After all, it is going to be their home for the next few years.
Are you planning to get a new beardie pet? Or perhaps you have already got one and need some guidance to build a new dream home for your lovely beardie?
Regardless, you have stumbled upon the right website, my pal. Here you will find everything and know the importance of each supply to create the best habitat for your cutie pet.
This article has got everything you need, you know, the one dream home where his or her lizard friends want to hang out.
But in all seriousness, our article will help you to build the best terrarium, which will not only keep your baby pet happy but also safe, active, and healthy!
Keep reading to unravel what your little guy or girl needs in their crib!
Bearded Dragon Habitat
1. Choose The Right Tank / Enclosure:
Firstly, you need an enclosure, and by enclosure, we mean glass cages or tanks that can be secured with lids.
Make sure the cage is large, and the sides are smooth to avoid any possible injury. Get a cage that is simple in design because it will make the cleaning process more bearable.
Many professionals will suggest you avoid purchasing wire cages or wood cages at any cost.
If you have an old big fish tank, then it will work too.
- Important Note:
Many new beardie owners ask “My bearded dragon scratching glass all of a sudden, what is wrong with him?”
Well, nothing is wrong with them! They are just stressed, bored, hungry, or threatened. If they are kept in a small tank, then we suggest you transfer them to a new one immediately.
Now, let’s move to the other essential accessory to build a suitable bearded dragon habitat for your little beardie.
2. Pick A Good Flooring / Substrate:
You might be asking yourself, “What is the substrate, and why is it important in a reptile terrarium?”
The substrate plays a very vital role in building a habitat for your beardie. It is something that lines the bottom of your glass cage.
Checkmarks the points when buying:
- absorbent ones,
- easily cleaned,
- aesthetically pleasing,
- inexpensive, and digestible if swallowed.
You can also use reptile carpeting, brown wrapping sheets, or flat newspapers.
If you are a new beardie owner, avoid using potting soil with wetting agents, fertilizers, pesticides, or vermiculite. Also, don’t use wood shavings, kitty litter, crushed corn cob, gravel, or cedar shavings.
3. Landscaping and Furniture:
Now comes the turn to find appropriate furniture and plants for your beardie.
If you plan to place an artificial tree, make sure its branches are secure for climbing. If you plan to buy real branches, make sure it does not have a sticky sap or ooze out the liquid.
We recommend you to get oak, which will work well.
Tips to consider!
- Make sure the size of the branches is bigger than the width of your little pet. You can also get boards covered with indoor/outdoor carpets and use them as climbing posts for your beardie.
- Smooth, flat-bottomed rocks also make a fabulous terrarium for your pet. Plus, it will also help wear down their toenails.
- A flowerpot, cardboard tube, or cardboard box also make a great addition to the habitat. They will use it as their hiding spot so, make sure it is a perfect place for your pet.
- Add some greenery!
Plants can provide a sense of security to your beardie. Moreover, it can also provide shade, and humidity and increase the beauty of the enclosure.
Ensure that they are nontoxic for reptiles. Also, be sure that the plants have not been treated with pesticides, and the soil should not contain wetting agents, fertilizer, or vermiculite.
Plants like Hibiscus, Ficus Benjamina, and Dracaena are good choices for an enclosure.
4. Terrarium
Beardies live in a terrarium, so you will have to build one for your bearded dragon.
A terrarium can be built from different materials. Some people make it in different materials like PVC plastic or pure glass terrarium.
So as per your budget, you can make a conducive terrarium for your lovely beardie.
If you ask us, we would recommend you get an ABS plastic terrarium, which is lightweight. And the most important part is that it will hold the heat properly.
Moreover, Melamine terrariums are also a great choice, and they work as the best insulator to keep your baby pet warm.
- Size Matters!
It is essential to purchase a terrarium for your pet, depending on their age and size.
If your beardie is an adult now, you will need to get a 75 to 125-gallon tank, while baby reptiles will need about a 20 to 40-gallon tank depending on their size.
- Maintaining Humidity Is Important!
Always check the humidity levels in the terrarium. New beardie owners should try to resemble the humidity level of the natural environments in the deserts.
Ensure that the levels are between 35-40%. Also, do not use glass or plastic full covers because it will stagnate the air, trap humidity, and increase humidity levels.
5. Set Up The Habitat Lighting
Now, let’s talk about the most interesting part of the bearded dragon habitat: habitat lighting.
If your beardie is an infant, you must know that babies need more heat to grow compared to adult beardies.
You will have to add plenty of light to mimic your baby’s natural habitat.
Be sure that the enclosure has both sources of UVB and UVA rays of light.
Mostly, pet owners use mercury vapor bulbs and fluorescent bulbs as sources of heating and light.
- Important note:
- Ensure that your pet is getting 8 to 10% UVB rays of light daily.
- Replace the bulbs timely, even if they are not burnt out.
- The distance between your beardie and fluorescent bulbs should be 8 inches, and mercury vapor bulbs should be 24 inches.
- Fluorescents with reflection built will help more rays to your pet.
- We recommend you keep two thermometers to monitor your beardie’s enclosure closely.
6. Add Habitat decor
Everybody wants their pet’s home to look beautiful!
So while building a habitat for your small buddy, you can use a lot of beautiful things to make their home more appealing.
To spice it up, you can add wood branches for basking and climbing. You could also put artificial plants that could make it attractive to the eye.
You can get many other home decor items that are low maintenance and clean.
7. Cover The Land With Some Sand
Many people love to use sand to create a perfect terrarium for their reptile babies.
While getting the sand, make sure to build a desert-like environment that looks natural.
Also, make sure that the sand has no chemicals, artificial dyes, or colors that could harm your pet.
Ensure the sand does not have large coarse particles.
- Some points to be noted:
Always sift the sand as it often contains food particles, shredded skin, or feces of your pet.
If you leave it there for a while, then it will decompose and create a bad odor in the terrarium.
Also, change the sand in a few weeks to give comfort to your little beardie.
8. Water dispenser / Water Dish
Storing water in bowls is a very boring idea.
Why follow the old-school rule when you can give water to your pet in various ways? Beardies are naturally wired to drink water from lakes, posts, and other water bodies.
- You can create a small pond-like structure and present water to your beardie.
- You can make the water sweeter by adding papaya or strawberry juice., or,
- you can install a water dripper above the pond.
9. Set Up A Playpen
You may or may not get specific playpens for your bearded dragons. But if you wish to have one for your cutie, then you can create one yourself.
If your bearded dragon loves to play in the water, then you can put a small swimming pool in the playpen. You can put a lightweight ball, add caves where your beardie can hide, or even put a mirror so that they can see their reflection.
If you run out of ideas on what to add to the playpen, then you can go for a quick visit to the nearby pet store and get a variety of toys to add to your beardie’s playpen.
10. Bearded Dragon Couch
Do you want to treat your beardie like a king or a queen that he or she is?
Then you can gift a soft fabric couch to lounge around at their home.
Small pet couches are available in various fabrics in pet stores, so make sure to get one as per your beardie and tank’s size. Or else you can place it outside their tank and let your pet chill on for a while.
11. Bearded Dragon Rocks
Who would ever want to live in their home without any furniture? Just like us, beardies hate to live in a boring home too.
Make sure your beardie is having a good time in their new home.
Large rocks could also be a good decor. You could get beautiful ones from pet stores.
You might be thinking, why would your pet need a rock in their habit?
Well, there are many reasons!
If you are confused about what kind of rock to purchase, then relax.
To make your beardie occupied in their home, you might need a rock that can be used for various purposes.
Beardies love to soak up the sun, so a basking rock will encourage them to stay a bit longer and reap benefits from the light. Here, any rock won’t do the work. You will have to get the best rock as per their size, where they can change positions and sit for a very long time.
So get a rock that will increase the beauty of the habitat and be good for basking.
12. Bearded Dragon Basking Platform
You will find bearded dragons basking on logs, branches, broken trees, posts, and much more in the wild.
They will grab any opportunity to get the benefits from the warm sun.
Do you wish to create a basking platform for your beardie?
Then we are here to assist you in creating your basking platform.
- A small DIY!
There is no harm in creating more than one basking platform for your pet.
- Step 1: You can take a wooden board with a slope, making it easier for your beardie to climb.
- Step 2: You can add artificial turf to it to make it more appealing.
Voila! Your DIY basking platform is ready!
Now let’s move forward to the most interesting part of this article!
Bearded Dragon Toys
Have you wondered about your childhood without toys? Our life would be so boring and less entertaining without it, right? The same goes for our beardies too!
Most of you will always forget to buy bearded dragon toys after getting a new pet. Besides, some people don’t even think about the importance of playing and exercising their beardies.
They do everything for their beards, except buy toys! But let us tell you one thing! Toys are a must-have for your pet! Just like dogs, cats, and other pets, beardies need enrichment as well.
Getting them toys will make them more active and build a stronger bond between you and your pet. But one toy won’t be enough to get them running around the house!
They might get bored with one toy, so you will have to get a different one for each activity. Are you questioning yourself, “Which toy is the best for a bearded dragon to stay busy all day?”
Well, we have brought a lot of options for you to select! Getting them toys won’t cost a fortune. Neither the toys are super fancy or hazardous.
The toys we have mentioned are pretty affordable and will keep your beardie entertained all day long and provide some enrichment. If you are hunting for the best toys for your bearded dragon, then continue scrolling.
In this piece, we have shared some of the most loved and simple toys of bearded dragons.
1. A Nice Safe Hide / Caves
You might think that the hides do not even fall into the toys category, so why should you get them?
Well, it might not look like a toy in a traditional way, but if you look through your beardie’s perspective, then it is a wonderful space to explore.
Bearded dragons are shy little cuties, and they love to burrow into small confined places. That is the way they live in the wild.
Besides, there aren’t many spots for them to utilize in enclosures, so hides or caves might address that.
Think of hides as miniature shelters or as a home within a home. Using hides will give them a place to relax and feel safe and give them additional privacy.
And yes, hides come in various sizes, structures, and shapes.
If you want to give a desert kind of vibe then, you can get small caves with some steps to climb.
If you are low on your budget, don’t worry; we have a solution. Overturned containers will work just fine, or you can create a DIY wooden shelter.
Whatever you use to make hides, make sure your beardie can get inside without any hassle.
2. Buy Cat Toys
Next, come the cat teasers and cat wands. These are excellent toys for your munchkin. If you want to see your beardie in action, then use the cat wand with a dangling toy on the end and just wave it in front of your pet.
The sight of them chasing the toy will look super adorable.
Just like cats, your beardie will get obsessed with the teaser and wand. All they will try to do is grab it. You can get cat teasers and wands and turn your space into a play area and get them to exercise a bit.
These toys are pretty affordable. Is your beardie damaged cat wand and teaser? Then replace it!
Easy, no?
3. A Simple Play Ball
Want to make your beardie active?
Then getting a simple play ball is the best solution.
Not all reptiles will engage with the ball the same way. Some might look at the ball, give a “meh” expression, and get back to their daily chore, or some might ignore it.
However, a vast majority will try to interact with the ball differently.
Generally, bearded dragons will try to push it with their snouts. If your beardie falls into a very active category, then they may even think the ball is their enemy and hit the ball around.
Either way, it will be an entertaining view for beardie parents.
Make sure to get lightweight and small balls for your beardies. You can also stick to balls for cats, light rubber balls, or ping-pong balls.
And one more thing!
While playing with your pet, make sure the enclosure is large so that they can have plenty of space to play.
4. Get A Swimming Float / Floaties
Believe it or not, floaties are the best toys to make your pet’s bath time more enjoyable.
Some beardies hate baths and will go to any extent to get away from them. If you get floating toys, it will give them a bit of solace and make your bathing chore more manageable.
They will cling onto the floaty while you clean their body.
If your beardie loves swimming, then you are one lucky human! Floaties will still be a great addition to their toy collection.
It will be a cute accessory for them! They can swim! Climb on! Leap off! Repeat!
You can get an inflatable raft or a ring. If you want to take things to another level, use floating foam noodles, create inflatable slides, and turn the bathing area into a swimming pool.
5. Give A Crinkle Ball
Crinkle balls are nothing but a sphere made from crumpled paper or plastic sheets. Many crinkle balls are made up of mylar, which creates some noise when your pet interacts with it.
Wondering where to find them?
Well, you get them from your local toy stores.
Crinkle ball is the best-bearded dragon enrichment, and it will surely tickle your baby lizard’s auditory senses.
Whenever your pet hears its sound, it will tempt them to keep playing.
They are pocket-friendly, but that doesn’t mean you should purchase them in bulk. Any plastic crinkly will work too!
- Our small tip:
- To catch your beardie’s attention, rough up the crinkle ball in your hand. Then, put it down to see how they react.
- If the idea doesn’t work, then set your baby pet on top of the crinkle ball and let them understand what it is.
6. Add A Hammock
When one thinks about beardie toys, a hammock is one of the first toys suggested by most reptile owners. These staple toys are a must-have in your bearded dragon habitat setup.
A hammock is created from mesh or simple pieces of fabric. These accessories are used to cling to the glass of the enclosure.
Your baby pet can climb on it and can just relax and have a sunbath.
Yes, it can be used as another bearded dragon basking platform for your beardie too.
Want to know one cool thing about hammocks?
You don’t have to keep an eye on your beardie to enjoy them. A hammock is a toy that they can play with whenever they want!
These accessories are wonderful additions to the bearded dragon habitat, which has zero work on your part.
While purchasing them, make sure to find one as per your beardie’s size. Hammocks are available in various sizes, shapes, and materials.
Besides, getting a hammock a little bit bigger than your beardie won’t do any harm.
7. A Tunnel For Fun
As we said earlier, reptiles love to hide in confined places. So a tunnel is the best option to keep your beardie feeling safe.
Tunnels come in various designs and options as well.
You can either find small tunnels that look like overturned logs or rocks.
Another option is to get large tunnels that are made for large rodents or cats.
Tunnels are mostly used in the habitat, so make sure to find an open space so your cutie patootie can have a good time.
- Let’s Get Creative!
You can make multi-tunnel toys that have distinct paths for your pets.
You can use a cat wand to make your beardie explore the tunnels.
Or else, you can put a few food items in the tunnels and play a food hunt with your beardie.
8. Place A Mirror
If you are a new pet owner, you must know that beardies react uniquely when seeing other bearded dragons.
Well, you can use their behavior to your advantage and get a small mirror.
You can place it on the enclosure to keep your beardie on its toes. When they see their reflection, they will most probably mistake it for some other reptile.
What happens next?
Your pet will get defensive and angry or just get intrigued by their reflection.
They might try to come closer to have a good look and think, “Who is this little chap?” or “Can I be friends with him?”
- A small tip:
Put the mirror in short intervals for like 15 minutes once or twice a week so that they don’t get stressed or think of their reflection as a threat.
If the reflection is upsetting your poor beardie, then remove it from their toy collection.
9. Get A Feeder Ball
Want to infuse some fun in your bearded dragon’s mealtime?
Then get a feeder ball!
Lightweight feeder balls for your beardies are just like the ones the dog owners get for their pets.
In short, they are balls with holes that contain food.
Upon looking at the feeder ball, your pet will move towards it to eat their delicious treat.
It gives fun and mental stimulation in one go.
If you don’t find a small feeder ball at the pet store, you can create one yourself.
All you have to do is create a ball with multiple big holes. But cover them and keep only one hole open. Then, fill it with live insects or other food items and put it near your pet.
Once they see their food, they will do their best to get it out of the feeder ball.
You beardie might find it tough to remove their food, but that is okay!
They will gain victory by using their wits and access their tasty snacks.
10. Add a Bridge
Who doesn’t want to make the best and unique Bearded dragon habitat for their pet?
We all do, right?
So get bridges from the pet store and let your creativity take over.
They are more like decoration items to get in the decoration section of the toy store.
When you set a tank for your beardie, first stick the bridge to be safe and stable.
You can create small hills and use bridges to connect them too.
Your cute pet will love to climb on it and relax while soaking in the sun or lounge underneath to take short naps.
Check whether the bridges have soft edges and don’t have any sharp points that could hurt your baby pet.
11. Laser Pointer / Laser Pen
A laser is not only one tricky toy for your dogs and cats but also your beardie. They might think that it is a bug or an insect.
Shine the laser pointer on the floor and let your bearded dragon chase it. It will make your lizard run like the Flash!
Don’t use the laser pen too often. Twice or thrice a week for a few minutes is great. In the end, your smartypant pet will realize that it is not a bug or get bored, so avoid overdoing it.
- A small tip:
Be extra careful with lasers, and always point them a few inches away from your beardies. Shining laser pointers directly on their eyes might damage their eyesight, so avoid it at any cost.
12. Rubber duck
A cute little yellow rubber duck can become your reptile’s favorite play toy.
It is an excellent choice for those who are looking for rubbery toys.
Your pet may nudge or push the rubber duck with its snout.
It will be a great sight for you!
13. Long feeding tong
If you did not find a cat wand, then don’t worry. We have another alternative option for you!
You can get a feeding tong instead and hold live bugs such as silkworms, hornworms, mealworms, grasshoppers, crickets, dubia roach, and so on.
If you have a lazy beardie, then tease them with live food and see their reaction.
You can even put the bug onto a basking rock, climbing branches, or other furniture or decor in your terrarium.
Your lizard will have to chase, climb, and jump to catch their tasty food.
Our Closing Thoughts!
So here you have it, fellas! We hope you found this article helpful. These are the toys and accessories you need to consider when creating a habitat for your pet. A bearded dragon’s habitat is unlike other pets, so even a small mistake can put your beardie’s life in danger. Our supplies and toys mentioned above will surely help you take proper care of your lovely beardie.
If you plan to get a bearded dragon, you should know all the important accessories needed for a reptile pet. It will not only give them comfort but also make them feel more secure and safe. So now, create the best home for your beardie with the right light, the right temperature, and much more.
You can bookmark this page and visit again when you arrange all the accessories for your pet. And do not forget to share this read with your close ones who are planning to build a new home for their baby pet.
Read More: Can Bearded Dragons Eat Eggs?
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