One of the most exciting things you can do before your bearded dragon arrives is put together his new home. But it can also be a really overwhelming task because there is no shortage of opinions on how to design creative bearded dragon tank ideas.
A good way to determine what sort of bearded dragon tank you want to design is to answer these questions, and go from there:
What sort of material do you prefer to use for this project? What temperature should the tank be? Is sand really as horrible as it seems? What type of lighting do you require?
Don’t be intimidated! Some new bearded dragon owners may not know how critical it is to plan ahead of time. Clearing a space and getting everything set up before bringing your new reptile companion home will save you a lot of hassle.
Decor
Choosing the decor for your dragon’s new home is perhaps the most enjoyable part of the process. The sky is the limit when it comes to inventiveness. Some Dragon Keepers choose a basic, laid-back setting, while others opt for a more detailed theme like an exotic desert or tropical jungle.
If you’re a new Dragon Keeper, you might want to keep things simple at first but that is totally up to you. Another thing to consider if you want to use real plants is that you’ll have to water and care for them in addition to your dragon. If you’ve never taken care of a plant before, start with one outside the terrarium and work your way up.
Using plastic plants is usually the safest option. To reduce the possibility of your dragon chewing off a piece and choking or being impacted, make sure they’re of good quality. Impaction has the potential to kill your dragon, therefore it’s critical to take the required precautions.
Flooring
There are a lot of innovative bearded dragon tank designs to choose from. Begin with the flooring. When deciding what type of flooring to choose, the most crucial consideration is what is best for your dragon. What can you do to make your dragon feel at ease in its new home?
What will they use to keep themselves clean and safe? What kind of flooring is safe for them and easy to maintain? Let’s go to the “heart” of the matter. Some of the most popular choices are harmful to your bearded dragon while others are beneficial.
Before making a decision, be sure you’ve done your homework and are well-informed. You can also contact your local veterinarian or reptile sanctuary. If you decide to utilize substrate, you must conduct an extensive study to ensure that you are selecting the safest choice for your dragon.
One of the most prevalent substrates used by folks for their dragons is sand. However, it is extremely hazardous to your dragon. While sand is an important aspect of a dragon’s natural environment in the desert, the sand sold in pet stores and on the internet is not Australian desert sand.
It can cause stomach upset and can readily be ingested causing respiratory problems also, it can become trapped in your beardie’s eyes, creating discomfort. Pebbles and rocks are also a no-no. These can clog your dragon’s intestines and damage its teeth. Walnut shells, for the same reason, are dangerous to your dragon’s health.
Expert Tip: Bearded dragons may also be kept on other types of substrate. These are usually formed of wood chips, calcium powder, coconut fiber, or some other edible ingredient. If you’re considering utilizing this type of substrate, we strongly advise talking with your veterinarian.
While the ones made of edible or calcium-infused materials are risky, depending on your condition, some of the wood choices may work well for you. Make sure you’re not using vinyl or linoleum since these materials are too slippery for your bearded dragon’s claws to grip.
Another problem with those materials is that they hold a lot of heat, and there’s nowhere for it to escape in your dragon’s tank, causing your dragon to get burned.
When placing the tile in your bearded dragon’s tank, use extreme caution. It has the potential to scratch or shatter the terrarium floor, especially if it is made of glass.
The tank’s floor can be protected by placing a thin towel or newspaper between the floor and the tile. If you have the time and are ready to put in a little more work to set it up. clay is a great alternative for your bearded dragon. You may use it to create an intriguing desert-like environment complete with burrows, hills, and hideaways.
Mix the reptile excavator clay with water and let it dry in the tank after purchasing it at your local pet store or online. Your dragon will not break if it burrows into the clay. The main drawback of clay is that you have to remove and change it every few months, which might be a headache if you don’t have a lot of spare time.
The cheapest choice for your bearded dragon is a newspaper. It’s an excellent option for newborns since they need to go to the toilet frequently, and the newspaper is very easy to change.
Bearded Dragon Cage Set Up Designs A Little Cove
The tiny cove is a popular bearded dragon terrarium because of its warmth and coziness, which is ideal for your dragon’s comfort. Despite its small size, the arrangement allows enough room for the bearded dragon to wander about and explore.
It features a light source on one end and a shaded region on the other, giving the dragon a variety of alternatives. There’s even a wooden hammock for your dragon to relax on. If the dragon is young, reptile carpet, paper towel, or even newspaper should be used instead of sand.
Rocky Terrain
This bearded dragon vivarium’s background may seem scary, but it’s worth a try. It has a substrate to dig in, greenery, and most importantly, a degree of resemblance to a dry terrain due to the presence of stones and that dried-out wood piece, which provides the pet with an ideal living and growing habitat.
One minor flaw may be the lack of a light gradient however, this may be addressed when creating one for your pet.
The bearded dragon terrarium decor in the Adventure Box provides adventure for the dragon. It features cacti that resemble the desert climate and a wallpaper backdrop to make it look as natural as possible. There’s also a substrate to dig, explore space, and hiding spots.
It also has wooden panels all around it to help regulate the temperature. Furthermore, it has a continual supply of light It is practically complete in terms of dragon requirements and appears to be rather simple to create.
The Little Desert
This rocky tall vivarium may appear difficult to construct, but it is easy. This gives enough area for the dragon to ascend, making it an appropriate choice. There’s wildlife, rocky terrain, and basking light, so your Beardie gets enough of UV. It might be somewhat enhanced by providing small hiding or resting areas.
Furthermore, adding some greenery to the tank might assist by boosting the humidity to appropriate levels, which it looks to be lacking. One disadvantage is that this form of enclosure takes quite a lot of room, making it unsuitable for tiny parent residences.
Tall vivariums, on the other hand, have a problem with too many dark places that UVB can’t reach. This may be the case.
Designing with Logs, Branches, And Rocks
Because bearded dragons enjoy climbing, branches, logs, and pebbles make excellent bearded dragon habitat decorations. They like basking in the sun in the wild as well, so a carefully positioned log, rock, or branch under your basking light will give the ideal area for lounging in the sun.
A vivarium background is a great method to make your bearded dragon tank look more realistic. Even while it won’t make a difference to your bearded dragon’s home, it will make the tank appear nice in your house.
Expert Tip: Plants aren’t necessary decorations for a bearded dragon tank because bearded dragons are native to arid settings with limited plant life. If you want to make your vivarium appear more interesting, you may add a few plants.
You have two options when it comes to picking plants for your vivarium: genuine or fake. Artificial plants are preferable to actual plants since they require less upkeep and thrive in the hot dry environment inside your bearded dragon tank. Here’s a link to a nice assortment of fake plants we discovered on Amazon.
Most people include a water bowl in their bearded dragon vivarium, although water features (such as waterfalls) are not suggested since a bearded dragon’s lungs are unable to handle the pressure.
Some Additional Options In Decor
Hammock
Like most reptiles, bearded dragons shed their skin from time to time. When they do. they love to rub their bodies against surfaces so as to relieve their itching. An easy fix for that is a hammock. They can sit in them, scratch against them, and generally move over and on them like a swing.
They’re equipped with suction cups, for easy installation inside your bearded dragons’ tank.
Rope Ladder
If you’re a veteran owner of a bearded dragon, you’re probably aware of their love to climb. These creatures like to ascend and bask in elevated places. Rope Ladders make a great tool for doing just that.
Lounger
A lounger is another item you can use to decorate your bearded dragons’ tank. Much like the hammock, they can sit on it or scratch against it. The lounger simply sits on the tank floor instead of hanging from the sides and swinging.
Reptile Vines
Reptile vines are also a great way to dress up your bearded dragon’s tank. The vines are around 8 feet long, so they will take up a lot of room. On the plus side, they give your pet’s environment a jungle feel. They appear to be genuine, despite the fact that they aren’t. The vines are also flexible, giving you a little more freedom in terms of placing.
Bridges
A bridge is another fantastic choice for any bearded dragon tank. Bridges come in a variety of forms and sizes, and they’re a fun method for your bearded dragon to move from point A to point B in their tank.
Backyard Rocks
Any old giant rock you could find in your backyard is one of my favorite economical bearded dragon tank decor materials. Rocks are fantastic because they provide a secure haven for bearded dragons to bask and climb and they can even assist with the filing of their claws.
Naturally, you’ll want to pick a rock, that isn’t crumbly or pointy, since the last thing you want to do is put your bearded dragon in danger.
Expert Tip: Also, we’ll never know exactly what pesticides, chemicals, or microorganisms the rock has been exposed to. You should sterilize it before putting it in the tank.
To sterilize, soak your rock in a 5-10 percent bleach solution for 10 minutes. Soak your rock for at least 4 hours, but ideally 8 hours, in a solution of 5-10 percent bleach. Then, because bleach fumes are hazardous to bearded dragons, carefully rinse it.
Wood from outside
If you can find the correct sort of wood, you can make a fantastic piece of decor for your bearded dragon’s tank to climb or hide beneath. Simply bake it at 350 degrees for at least 30 minutes to eliminate any mites or insects. Here’s a quick reminder of the types of wood that ARE safe for your bearded dragon:
- Dogwood
- Oak
- Tulip Tree
- Maple
- Crepe Myrtle
Incorporating Plants
To create a naturalistic environment for your bearded dragon, it is highly recommended that you introduce some plants. And whether you incorporate plants that are real or fake is totally up to you.
Safe Plants to Incorporate Leatherleaf Sedge:
Place your bearded dragon’s cage in the middle or on the cool side. Although leatherleaf sedge isn’t particularly tasty, your bearded dragon is unlikely to consume it.
Lithops
Lithops, often known as living stones, are lovely stone-like plants. Living stones/rocks are little plants that are resilient and look great in your dragon’s tank. You may purchase such plants or seedlings and cultivate them yourself. They don’t require much watering and may be placed anywhere in the tank.
Living stones bloom once a year after they have been there for around 2-3 years. Please take the time to read more about their treatment options.
Nasturtium
Nasturtium is a gorgeous plant genus that is completely safe for your bearded dragon. Furthermore, they are delectable. Every other day. your bearded dragon can eat Nasturtium plants or eat them in a salad. Nasturtiums can be grown in a pot. but your dragon is likely to eat them.
Nasturtiums, on the other hand, make excellent ornamental and tasty plants for your bearded dragon’s tank.
Hibiscus
Hibiscus flowers are a healthy, non-toxic, and common eating plant for bearded dragons. They’re also rather lovely. Make careful to plant your hibiscus in a large, sturdy planter. Otherwise, it will be easily broken or knocked down by your dragon.
Hibiscus is a tough plant that can withstand heat. It requires wet. well-drained soil and a few hours of direct sunshine every day.
Potted Herbs
In your bearded dragon’s tank, you may cultivate little pots of tasty plants. Basil, mint (peppermint and spearmint), dill, oregano, cilantro, rosemary, and thyme are just a few of the herbs you may plant. Avoid parsley and chives, which are high in oxalates (potentially toxic).
Expert Tip: These herbs make a tasty snack and will help keep your dragon’s tank smelling fresh and clean! If you don’t want to cultivate any of them, little pots with growing herbs may be purchased for a reasonable price in stores.
Wheatgrass
Wheatgrass is the fresh wheat plant leaves that your bearded dragon can consume. Wheatgrass may be grown in a pot You can even grow using a sprouter like this.
Lemon Balm
Despite the fact that lemon balm is a mint family herb, it is listed separately since your dragon is less likely to consume it. This is because lemon balm has a strong odor that your dragon will not find appealing. It has a similar appearance to mint but is more aromatic.
Despite the fact that lemon balm is edible, you do not need to give it to your dragon. Instead, keep it in the tank for a lovely scent and a green appearance.
Lettuce
Lettuces are not the greatest greens to feed to your bearded dragon on a regular basis. However, you may grow lettuce in the tank and feed it to your dragon while it’s there. You can cultivate a wide variety of lettuces.
Synthetic Plants
While synthetic plants may not smell or have the same appearance as genuine plants, they are still a viable alternative for bearded dragons. Fake plastic plants are low-maintenance, realistic-looking, and long-lasting. Please be aware that your bearded dragon may gnaw on the fake plant and consume small portions, so be cautious.
This, in turn, can result in significant impaction. If you want to adorn your bearded dragon’s tank with plastic plants, avoid ones with distinct little elements that your dragon may bite off. Plants will provide your bearded dragon with different textures and hiding spots, as well as fresh aromas and ultimately, a happy habitat.
It is easy to follow a planned layout for your bearded dragon if something catches your eye in a pet shop, or browsing the internet. However, with a little bit of creativity, you can create your own layout and design that will look just as nice, and keep your bearded dragon happy.
A few pieces of furniture and foliage, and some flooring, and there you have it.
