Setting up your bearded dragon’s tank is one of the most important things you must do before you bring your dragon home. Bearded dragons rely on heat and light from outside, so you must setup everything correctly before your dragon arrives. In this guide, you will find a step by step bearded dragon tank setup checklist and everything that you need to prepare.
Bearded dragon tank setup: list of steps
- Building or buying a tank
- Adding bedding/substrate
- Setting up lights and heat sources – UVB, heat bulb(s)
- Introducing controlling devices – thermometers, thermostats, timers
- Adding important and optional accessories
Step 1: Getting a tank
First of all, you will need to prepare a tank for your bearded dragon. If you are thinking setting up your dragon indoors or outdoors, definitely pick indoors. This is because temperatures are harder to control outside and toxic bugs and other animals might poison your dragon or cause it lots of stress. In summer, you might walk your dragon outside or take it out (even on a leash – read here).
Bearded dragon are desert dwellers, so they need more floor space than climbing space. So, you will need to pick a wide horizontal cage.
If you are getting a young bearded dragon that is under 4 months old, don’t get it a big cage straight away. This can cause stress and make it hard for your bearded dragon to navigate around. But also, don’t get a very small cage because your dragon will need a bigger one very soon.
For baby to juvenile bearded dragons 0-4 months, get a 25-30 gallon tank, such as this medium wide 24x18x18 tank of 25 gallons. But please note, that you will need to upgrade to a bigger tank once your bearded dragon reaches around 4-6 months old.
Once your bearded dragon reaches 4-6 months old, please prepare its permanent tank. Your bearded dragon will reach its maximum size at around 18-24 months. From 6 months onward, you can get a permanent tank and keep it.
The tank can be as big as you wish, and it will depend on your finances and how much space you have. A bare minimum is a 40 gallon breeder tank, which is not recommended at all. Small tank won’t allow to create a proper temperature gradient and can cause stress to your dragon.
Please get a minimum 55-70 gallon tank for an adult dragon. Also, the tank must be at least 36 inches (better 48″) long and 18-24 inches high. One of the great tanks that you can purchase for your bearded dragon is this Carolina Custom Cage that is 48x18x18, 65 gallons and will provide lots of space for roaming and accessories.
With less space, you can also get this large wide terrarium of 36x18x18, which is around 50 gallons. There is also a large tall 38x18x24 tank, that will add more horizontal space. But it’s much better to invest in width than height for a bearded dragon.
Another great cage material for a bearded dragon would be a tank made from PVC. PVC tanks are sturdy, long-lasting and look great. When choosing a PVC cage, choose non-porous, rigid, closed cell PVC. A great example would be this custom made, 3 ft long, 80 gallon PVC tank.
If you wish to read a full guide on choosing a tank for a bearded dragon, see this post (new tab).
Step 2: Adding substrate
After you get a tank, please clean it and prepare for a setup. The next step would be to add substrate. Substrate, or bedding, is what goes on the bottom of the glass to protect it and provide traction for your dragon to walk on.
The best bedding you can use for bearded dragons are:
- Reptile carpet like this – easy to wash and spot clean
- Paper towels
- Tiles – slate, ceramic, porcelain – cut to the right size
Please do not use any SAND, CHIPS, BARK, GRAVEL or any other loose substrate. Never buy sand fortified with calcium or any other sand. Any loose substrate poses a huge risk of impaction.
Impaction can be hard to detect on time, and will lead to death if untreated. Young bearded dragons especially lick and ingest substrate (adults do too!). Also, don’t get any substrate that will hold water and increase humidity, such as moss.
Instead, go for reptile carpet, paper towels or tiles. For tiles, measure the floor space and get cut pieces. You can even ask to cut them into squares at a shop. Don’t glue it to the bottom, you will need to take them out for deep cleaning.
If you would like to learn more about substrate options, read this post. To learn more about cleaning the tank and bedding, please see this post.
Step 3: Setting up lighting and heating
Lighting and heating setup is the next crucial step for a bearded dragon tank setup. Your bearded dragon will need a high temperature basking spot, and a cool spot. For light and heat, you will need a basking bulb, and for UVB – a UVB tube (or bulb in smaller tanks).
#1: Basking bulb
On one side of the tank, please setup a basking light bulb that will generate heat. Under the basking light, you need to place a basking rock or ledge that your dragon will lay on for basking. Temperatures during the day should reach 92-110 degrees Fahrenheit (33-43 Celsius) in a hot spot, and 75-85 F (23.8-29 C) in a cool spot.
For a basking bulb, you can use a halogen flood bulb like this, reptile basking bulbs like this or other bright household bulbs. Choose a bright white light, not ‘soft white’, which will irritate the eyes.
Bright light stimulates bearded dragons to bask and stay active. What is more, you will need to house a basking bulb in a dome fixture like this, to prevent any burns and to direct the light & heat towards your dragon. Lamp clamps or an adjustable stand like this are optional for comfort and installation.
Basking light is crucial for heating (immune system functioning, digesting food, staying warm etc.) and promoting interest in eating and other activities. Wattage of a bulb will depend on a size of your tank and type of a bulb.
Halogen flood lights tend to get hot (if it’s not an energy saving one) – a 50-60watt bulb can be enough to heat a 55 gallon tank. For reptile basking spot lights – you will often need a 100-150watt bulb. Reaching ideal temperatures is a lot of trial and error work.
For night time heat, please don’t use under tank heaters. Bearded dragons don’t feel heat with their belly properly, and can easily burn themselves. If temperatures fall lower than 65F (18.3 Celsius), get a low wattage ceramic heat emitter instead. It won’t produce any color and won’t disturb your dragon (don’t choose colored bulbs).
Please read this post on lighting and heating to get a full detailed guide on setting up lights (new tab). You will also find how to position, required distances from lights and more info in that post.
#2: UVB light
UVB light is a MUST for your bearded dragon’s tank. It will help produce and utilize vitamin D3 and calcium in the body. Without it, your bearded dragon won’t eat or do other activities, and will develop serious health issues such as MBD (Metabolic Bone Disease).
For UVB light, choose a tube UVB that runs 50-70% of the tank. Long UVB tube will give out light evenly throughout the tank. Your bearded dragon needs a high output 10.0-12.0 UVB tube, such as this T5 high output UVB tube.
T8 tubes are not as strong for bearded dragons, but if you have a smaller tank, you can choose it for the time being and place it in a hood with a reflector.
You will need to house the UVB tube in a hood, preferably with a reflector like this. T5 will benefit from a reflector, but T8 requires a hood with a reflector. Once you move to a bigger tank, only choose T5 or other 10.0-12.0 reptile UVB tube light.
Please note the length of the tube and choose hood for it. A 36 inch hood will fit a 34 inch T5 tube. Reflector will allow light to be dispersed more efficiently.
You will need to install the UVB tube near the basking bulb, so that your dragon can absorb UVB while basking. If your bearded dragon’s tank is still small or less than 40 gallons, use a UVB bulb instead, as a tube will be too bright for your dragon’s eyes. Don’t choose any coiled bulbs, though.
Step 4: Introducing controlling devices – thermometers, thermostats, timers
Once you set basking bulbs and other electrical devices, you will need to control and automate the system.
First of all, you will need a thermostat like this, that will control temperatures and turn off any devices if they reach maximum temperatures. This is important to ensure that your dragon doesn’t overheat.
Secondly, you will need to automate the daylight cycle (photoperiod), which are hours of daylight and darkness. In general, during warmer months, you will need to have 12-13 hours of daylight vs. 11-12 hrs of night.
While you can turn the lights on and off manually, it’s better to automate it. For this, you will need a timer or a power center like this. With a power center, you can have 4 devices that are constantly turned on, and 4 that will turn on/off at specific times. This will help create a schedule, too.
Thirdly, you will need to control and check temperatures and humidity in the tank. To check temperatures, you will need to get digital thermometers with a probe like this. Just stick on thermometers tend to be very inaccurate, especially analog ones, so choose digital ones with probes.
Please install 1 thermometer in a basking spot, and one in a cool spot. You must create a temperature gradient so that your dragon can move there in case it gets too hot.
On top of that, please invest in a handheld infrared thermometer like this, that will allow to check temperatures in any spot by standing 1.5-2 inches (around 4-5 cm) away from it (not further or closer).
Hygrometer (device to check humidity) usually comes with a thermometer, but if not, please get it separately. Bearded dragons require 20-40% humidity and not higher.
Step 5: Adding accessories
There are important accessories that you need to add, and some are optional.
First of all, you will need to get a rock ledge or a platform such as this ledge, that your dragon will lay on to bask and rest.
Food and water bowls will be needed too. You can skip having water in a water dish all the time, because dragons don’t tend to drink standing water. However, you can have a small water bowl and your dragon might soak in it. Make sure it’s not too deep for your dragon.
To climb and rest, please add branches such as this Mopani wood or others. Bearded dragons also tend to enjoy laying on hammocks like this.
Another optional decoration is a terrarium background, that can eliminate reflections on the front glass (some dragons don’t like reflections). It will also add a unique look to the tank. There are many designs, such as this desert landscape. Please note the size when buying.
Next, you need to add some real/fake plants or flowers in a tank. This is especially important to let your dragon hide behind some structures when it feels the needs to do so.
As bearded dragons tend to chew and eat plants, be very careful when choosing plants. It’s the best idea to either pick a safe to eat greens/flowers. Or, to use very simple plastic ones with no small objects that could come off. You can read a post on best safe plants to use in a bearded dragon’s tank here (new tab).
Other important accessories are hides. Your bearded dragon will need at least 1 hide to hide in when it feels the need to. These can be wooden logs, caves and others. Apart from an actual hide, you will also need to create hiding spots between accessories, under plants etc.
If your bearded dragon starts hiding all the time, you will need to make a hide with an open top, so that your dragon can get enough UVB.
Another optional addition is a terrarium cabinet/stand, to put the tank on. If you don’t have anything to put the tank on, you might invest in a stand that also features a cabinet like this.
Checklist of items you need to get for a bearded dragon tank setup
- A tank – an adult will need a 50-70 gallon tank or larger
- Substrate
- Basking bulb(s) for heat
- For night time heat, a low wattage ceramic heat emitter
- Lamp clamp or a stand (optional)
- 10.0-12.0 UVB tube light (preferably T5 HO ReptiSun)
- Velcro tape to mount UVB tube inside a tank (optional)
- Dome fixture to house a basking bulb
- A hood to house a UVB tube light (preferably with a reflector)
- Thermostat
- Timer or power center for automation
- Thermometers and humidity gauges (x2 each)
- A handheld infrared thermometer
- Basking platform/rock/ledge
- Branches
- Hammock (optional)
- Hides
- Food and water bowls
- For cleaning – sprays, steam cleaner, bucket, sprayer etc.