Bearded Dragon

Bearded Dragon care at a glance

Adult length

40–60 cm (16–24 in)

Adult weight

350–600 g (12.3–21.2 oz)

Lifespan

10–15 years

Basking / warm side

40–43 °C (104–109 °F)

Cool side

24–29 °C (75–84 °F)

Night minimum

18 °C (64 °F)

Humidity

30–40%

UVB

Essential

Diet

Insects and leafy greens; adults eat mostly plants

Activity

Diurnal

Lifestyle

Terrestrial

Needs strong UVB (e.g. T5 HO) across much of the enclosure.

Typical values from common keeping practice. Individual animals and setups vary. See the enclosure size guide.

Bearded Dragon morphs and genes

6 genes in our list. Log your animal's genetics and Reptilytics builds its morph name for you, or try the bearded dragon genetics calculator.

Bearded Dragon research

429 published papers in the HerpAtlas library. Most cited below, or see the latest research →

• Detection and analysis of six lizard adenoviruses by consensus primer PCR provides further evidence of a reptilian origin for the atadenoviruses.

  Journal of virology · 2004 · cited 254 times

• Sex reversal triggers the rapid transition from genetic to temperature-dependent sex.

  Nature · 2015 · cited 240 times

• Slow waves, sharp waves, ripples, and REM in sleeping dragons.

  Science (New York, N.Y.) · 2016 · cited 181 times

• Colour change on different body regions provides thermal and signalling advantages in bearded dragon lizards

  Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences · 2016 · cited 94 times

• Differential intron retention in Jumonji chromatin modifier genes is implicated in reptile temperature-dependent sex determination.

  Science advances · 2017 · cited 93 times

• An Overview of Reptile Fungal Pathogens in the Genera Nannizziopsis, Paranannizziopsis, and Ophidiomyces

  Journal of Herpetological Medicine and Surgery · 2016 · cited 77 times

• The evolution of epigenetic regulators CTCF and BORIS/CTCFL in amniotes.

  PLoS genetics · 2008 · cited 67 times

• Color Change for Thermoregulation versus Camouflage in Free-Ranging Lizards.

  The American naturalist · 2016 · cited 61 times