- Bearded dragons are very territorial creatures and can be quite aggressive to other bearded dragons who come onto their territory. If there are two males together, one will dominate the other. If they are of equal size, they will fight, if there is a smaller one, it will submit by taking its arm and moving it in a counter clockwise direction and the larger dragon will understand that this is a sign of submission. They will alternate between both arms. They also do this when they are mating. (Have you seen the fun videos of beardies "waving" at their owners? www.youtube.com/watch?v=-C7PoU7C5SE)
- They are diurnal creatures which means that they are awake during the day and will sleep during the night
- Supplying adequate ultraviolet (UV) light during the day will help ensure that beardies can make vitamin D in their skin, which allows them to absorb both calcium and phosphorus from their food. This is essential for proper bone formation, muscle contraction and many of the body’s normal metabolic processes.
- Without adequate UV light, dragons will draw calcium out of their bones, which then become soft and fracture easily. They can also have muscle tremors from poor muscle contraction, their organs will fail and, ultimately, they will die. The temperature in their tanks needs to range from 90°on one end, where they can bask in the UV light, to 70°on the other end, where they can cool off if they choose. Having the appropriate temperature gradient in the tank is essential to their health. Reptiles’ body temperatures adjust to that of their environments, and the function of their immune systems, digestion and metabolism all are temperature dependent.
- Beardies also need adequate humidity to stay hydrated and shed skin properly. Misting or soaking them daily, as well as providing an open water bowl for them to climb into, will generally suffice. Without enough humidity, they often retain shed skin, especially over their toes and around their eyes. Retained skin can interfere with their ability to see and can constrict the ends of their digits. The best way to ensure that a tank set up for a bearded dragon is ideal is to have the pet and its environment checked out by a reptile-savvy veterinarian.