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Vivarium Accessories
There are various things that need to be taken into consideration before you start to keep a bearded dragon as your pet, such as where to keep your pet, what to feed it and what vivarium accessories you may require.
Remember, that if you take care of these bearded dragons in the right way they can be a part of your family for 10 to 20 years.
Bearded dragons are wonderful pets and they are not aggressive at all. It is always a good idea to plan for your bearded dragon vivarium before you take your pet home.
The vivarium you create must be similar to the natural habitat of the lizard, so I would recommend getting a large tank which can hold an adult lizard. A fully grown lizard measures up to 22 inches in length, so ensure that your tank is large enough so that it can move freely without any difficulty.
Normally the dimensions of the tank must be 4 x 2 x 2 so that the large lizard can move in any direction without difficulty.
It must also have all the vivarium accessories necessary so that it can mimic the natural home of the lizard.
Your Vivarium must contain a meal worm feeder dish, a water dish, a shelter for it to sleep in and some foliage. You can use steel feeding tongs when you feed your pet and there are various other vivarium accessories available which can be used to create a natural living place for the bearded dragon. Just go to your local pet store to find out what can be got.
Next important thing which has to be taken into consideration is lighting.
If there is no proper lightening then your bearded dragon may find it difficult to survive. Lizards usually dwell in an atmosphere with natural sunlight and this helps them to absorb the vitamins needed for their body. If you are planning to keep the vivarium inside your home then it is essential to use UVB lighting which needs to be used for 10 to 12 hours every day. It helps to maintain the right body temperature of the reptile and provides warmth even in cold temperatures. You can maintain the temperature of the tank to a minimum of 20 degrees so that your reptile can stay comfortable in any climatic condition.
It is best to cover the floor of the vivarium with a special reptile carpet which should be available at your local pet store that sells other vivarium accessories. Never use wood chips or something similar in your vivarium, as if your lizard happens to eat it accidentally, it can cause life threatening conditions. If your reptile is old then use fine sand otherwise just use reptile carpet in your vivarium.
Landscaping is the next important part of your vivarium accessories. Ensure you use only the things available in its natural habitat. Decorate the tank using branches in a natural way so the reptile can climb and have all types of fun. Also use rocks and sand to mimic the look and feel of the Australian desert, where these creatures originate.