Baby Bearded Dragon Care Guide

Bringing home a baby bearded dragon is exciting — but babies need slightly different care than juveniles or adults. They are fast growers, high-energy, and more fragile. This guide will walk you through exactly what your baby needs to thrive in its first months.

✅ Enclosure Setup (For Babies Only)

• Size: 90 cm x 45 cm x 45 cm (3 ft x 18 in x 18 in) — safe and easy for them to find food.
• Avoid oversized enclosures at this stage — too much space can overwhelm them.
• Use tiles, paper towel, or reptile carpet as substrate. Never use sand or loose substrate.

☀️ Heating & Lighting

• Basking spot: 40–42°C (104–108°F).
• Cool side: 26–29°C (78–85°F).
• Nighttime: never let it drop below 18°C (64°F).
• Provide a T5 UVB tube, 10–12%, covering 70% of the enclosure.
• Replace UVB yearly, even if it’s still glowing.

🥗 Feeding Schedule (0–6 Months)

• Babies are insect-hungry and should eat 70% insects, 30% greens.
• Feed 3–5 times per day, offering as many small live insects as they’ll eat in 10–15 minutes.
• Best feeder insects: crickets, woodies, silkworms, black soldier fly larvae.
• Dust with calcium + D3 5x per week and multivitamin 2x per week.
• Fresh finely-chopped greens (collard, rocket, dandelion, squash) should always be available.

💧 Hydration

• Babies rarely drink from bowls. Instead:
• Lightly mist them every few days (they’ll lick droplets).
• Offer water drops on their snout with a syringe if needed.
• Gut-load insects with fresh veg to boost hydration.

🦎 Handling & Temperament

• Start slow — babies can be skittish.
• Gently handle them for short sessions daily.
• Support the whole body — never grab the tail.
• With patience, babies tame quickly and become confident pets.

⚠️ Common Baby Issues

• Stress marks: dark lines on the belly or beard — normal in new setups, reduce stress by keeping husbandry consistent.
• Impaction: avoid loose substrates and insects bigger than the space between their eyes.
• Failure to thrive: ensure correct basking temps, UVB, and feeding frequency.

Final Word
Babies grow fast — with the right care, they’ll double in size in just a few months. Get the basics right now, and you’ll raise a strong, healthy dragon that thrives for years to come.