Bearded Dragon is the common name for any agamid lizard in the genus Pogona. Bearded Dragons are popular exotic pets in many places, notably the species Pogona vitticeps, the Inland or Central Bearded Dragon.
Due largely to their animated, highly social behavior, mild temperament, ready willingness to breed in captivity, flexible diet and robust nature, Bearded Dragons are popular among reptile enthusiasts as pets.
Feeding
Bearded Dragons are omnivorous, requiring both insects and vegetable food. A typical diet for captive Bearded Dragons includes ample quantities of leafy greens and vegetables, and regular meals of feeder insects, such as crickets, roaches, silkworms, hornworms, butterworms and phoenix worms. The mealworm has a fairly hard chitin (exoskeleton) and is generally low in the "chitin to meat" ratio. The chitin is hard enough to compact Bearded Dragons' digestion system, and can lead to death. Superworms are a better choice for older lizards, especially after the insect molts. This is a general rule and does not need to inhibit ever feeding mealworms as a treat. A significant portion of the Bearded Dragon's diet must consist of leafy greens. Dragons enjoy many types of readily available greens, including: collard greens, escarole, turnip greens, mustard greens, romaine lettuce, dandelion greens, beans, parsley, kale and carrot tops. It is also recommended that this portion of the Dragon's diet be supplemented with a variety of finely diced fruits, vegetables and legumes. Feeding a mixture of these plants ensures a wider variety of nutrients, and variations in texture to aid digestion.
The staple insects in the pet Bearded Dragon's diet are crickets, which are readily available at pet stores in a wide range of sizes for various ages of Dragons. Other insects that may be offered include: silkworms, hornworms, butterworms, phoenix worms and roaches. Waxworms can be given as a treat, but no more than 3-4 a week in most cases as they are extremely fatty, and in some cases very addictive. The insects being offered should not be any larger than the space between the lizard's eyes to ensure safe digestion. Soft bodied worms are an exception to this rule but do not feed anything that seems too big to get down. Before being offered to the Dragon, it is recommended that insects be fed for at least 24 hours in advance, or "gut-loaded" to increase their nutritional value. Commercial cricket foods for gut-loading are available, but many household food items may be used instead. Insects caught in the wild are not recommended, due to the increased risk of pesticide exposure and parasites, and fireflies are fatal to Bearded Dragons, and most other animals due to their Bioluminescencechemicals, what makes them light up. It is also highly recommended that any insects being fed to the lizard first be dusted with a phosphorus-free commercial calcium supplement, as Bearded Dragons are susceptible to metabolic bone disease if their calcium and vitamin D3 requirements are not met.
It should be noted that in captivity hatchlings are commonly fed pinhead crickets dusted with calcium and or multivitamin supplements. As they age the diet of a Bearded Dragon shifts gradually to leafy green veggies, fruit and other plant matter, but be warned things like Avocado and Rhubarb are highly TOXIC to Bearded Dragons. A great list to base a diet for pet Bearded Dragons can be found at the BeautifulDragons.com website.
Breeding
Due to domestication, "beardies" have exhibited rather distinctive colorations. These "designer" Dragons display brilliant hues of pastel oranges, violets, and reds. The most popular morphs thus far has been the "Sand Fire" and "Tiger" Dragons. Much like designer dogs, the price tags of these customized pets are many times the price of "generic" ones. Currently, breeders are working towards and showing some progress of developing a green morph. Since breeding beardies is a relatively new area, it may take some time before that dream of a Green Dragon is fully realized.
They can have up to 50 eggs a month. Females have been known to eat the eggs that were not fertilized/stillborn
Diseases
When provided with the proper habitat, temperatures, and UVB lighting, Bearded Dragons are hardy lizards. They are also pets who do their best to hide health problems when becoming ill (as do most reptiles). This is probably an instinctual behavior, since a sick Dragon in the wild would probably not live long. The most common diseases they get are: mites, terminal ingestion, thermal burns, calcium deficiency, impaction, hypovitaminosis A, respiratory infections, dehydration, stomatitis, internal parasites, coccidia and other parasites, dystocia (egg binding), and MBD (Metabolic Bone Disease).