Bearded dragons are great pets for reptile enthusiasts. They are easy to take care of and are fun to have as pets. However, there is something that you should know about every pet especially bearded dragons before you take them home; how long do these bearded dragons live? You will be amazed to know that they are long-term commitments and some will live more than 10 years if you take good care of them. So if you love these pets then you can enjoy 10 years of life with these amazing reptiles. Here in this blog, we will discuss factors that affect the life span of bearded dragons and how you can make their life even better.
Bearded Dragon Life Span
Bearded dragons are mainly found in central Australia and back in the day they were exported to all parts of the world but now it's illegal to export wild bearded dragons today. All of the bearded dragons found in the United States are the result of captive breeding. The average life span of a bearded dragon is between 8 to 10 years and there is little difference in the life span of wild and pet bearded dragons. The wild dragon has a shorter life span because of predators, a consistent search for food and water, and no veterinary care. Generally bearded dragons reach their age of maturity between 1 to 2 years of age and start and some can mature even before that.
Life Span Of Bearded Dragons in the Wild
Living in the wild is not easy, especially for small animals like bearded dragons. They have to avoid predators like birds, constant search for food, and harsh dry environment and it will be of no surprise to anyone that the life span of a wild bearded dragon is shorter as compared to the one living in captivity.
In the wild, it is not possible to determine the exact lifespan of the beardies but a simple estimate says that it is way less than the dragons in captivity. Many bearded dragons die at the hands of predators before they even get old. No doubt nature is tough and bearded dragons in the wild face these challenges that prevent them from living long lives. Usually in the wild, the average life span of a bearded dragon is between 3 to 8 years.
Life Span of Bearded Dragons in Captivity
Bearded dragons in captivity live long if you provide good care to them and they have longer life spans as compared to counterparts. The average life span of the Eastern bearded dragon is 9.9 years and that of the central bearded dragon is around 12 years.
The longest-living bearded dragon to date is around 18 years old and his name was Sebastian. Sebastian lived in the UK and was a Guinness Book of Worlds record holder. He lived up to 18 years and passed in 2016. So if you provide good care to your bearded dragon they will live a healthy and happy life.
Factors That Affect Lifespan Of Bearded Dragons
Many factors affect the life span of a bearded dragon you can't do anything about the gender and size of the bearded dragon. But there are other factors that you can control and keep your bearded dragon happy and healthy.
Bearded Dragon Enclosure Size
Every creature wants to live comfortably and if you want your bearded dragon to live a long and healthy life you will need large accommodation. It will help your bearded dragon to achieve a long life span.
The reptile enclosure requirements of bearded dragons change with age, baby dragons can live in a tank of 20-gallon enclosure while adults need a bigger enclosure. You will need a 100 to 125-gallon tank if you have an adult bearded dragon which means it will be more than 20 inches long and acquire some space in your house.
Related article: How To Choose A Bearded Dragon Habitat?
Food
Food plays a major role in keeping any living animal healthy and increases their life span. Your bearded dragon's life span will also increase if they get a steady amount of greens, insects, and veggies and the amount of each thing is different for babies, juveniles, and adults. If you give them a balanced diet with adequate nutrients according to their age it will play a huge role in their overall health.
· You need to choose feeding insects wisely. One of the great options is dubia roaches because it provides so many benefits to your dragon.
· Don’t feed your bearded dragon any poisonous food like mushrooms, avocados, or rhubarb.
· Provide Fresh water so they drink as much as they want.
· Feed a lot of greens to your bearded dragon like mustard green collard green, prickly pear, and turnip green, and add it to their daily food routine.
Keep in mind to dust feed the insects with the calcium powder every time before feeding. Bearded dragons have the requirement of calcium and vitamin D3 for good growth and it also helps in preventing metabolic diseases.
Environment and Conditions
You need proper thinking and planning to increase the life span of the bearded dragons. As the bearded dragons were originally residents of Australia you need an environment that meets the one in the wild. This means that you have to provide them with specific temperature and humidity along with light. If you can meet the requirements like wild you can have a dragon who will stay long and healthy and if you are unable to meet the requirements it will reduce their life span.
When establishing the temperature you will have to maintain two gradients in the tank; one is the basking area and the other is the cooler area. You need to keep the temperature of the basking area between 96 to 110 F. On the cooler side of the tank, the temperature should be kept between 75 to 85 F.
Similarly, keep an eye on the humidity level and they should stay below 40% which means that you have to place the water carefully and the hygrometer should be attached to the wall of the dragon enclosure. You also need to provide UVA and UVB light through the bulbs you use.
Also, you have to select the substrate carefully there are many options available like sand, newspaper, bark, coconut husk, etc. However, do not select a substrate that has small dust and particles because they can cause infection, impaction, and other health problems. Any dragon that ill on repeat bases will have a shorter lifespan.
Health
You need to do some basic things to do a health check for your dragon; you need to take your bearded dragon to the vet regularly and let them recognize the signs of their health. Furthermore, you should be aware of the common signs that cause illness and problems that bearded dragons usually suffer from. Some of these problems are easily manageable and preventable. Some common problems include:
· Metabolic bone disease
· Gut impaction
· Mouth rot
· Parasites
· Body temperature issues
· Respiratory illness
· Eye infection
· Dehydration
· Stress
· Shedding
Genes
Genes play a major role in the good health of any individual. If you want a good basketball player you need genes that help you grow over 6ft. If you are shorter in height the chances of playing basketball are not great. Similarly, genetics play an important role in the life of your dragon as well. If your bearded dragons have healthy and hardy genes they will live longer.
There is only one way you can make sure that your bearded dragon has healthy genes and that is to get it from a reputable breeder. Many big stores sell these bearded dragons but there is no history behind them and you don’t know about the origin. Usually, bearded dragons are bred and raised in farm farm-like environment they prefer profit over health.
If you get the bearded dragon from a reputable breeder his reputation is at stake. Usually, the breeder works on small scales and puts a lot of effort into selecting healthy genes through selective breeding. Breeders only want to produce healthy, robust, and top-quality bearded dragons that have a healthy gene pool. If you purchase a bearded dragon from a reputable breeder you will enjoy these qualities in your beardy.
Stress
We all suffer from stress in some parts of our lives but this stress becomes very complex for bearded dragons. Stress is defined as an adverse response to any unfavorable situation and it can be acute or chronic. The acute case of stress occurs when the bearded dragon sees any predator animal and immediately suffers from stress because of it.
A chronic case of stress occurs over a long period and it is because of repeated stress like unfavorable environment or disease. Chronic stress is more harmful to the health of animals as it affects their immune system, behavior, and appetite. Other main causes of stress are;
· Lack of shelter
· Poor diet
· Excessive handling
· Poor environment
· Loud noises
Sex
There is one thing that you have heard and that is female bearded dragons have shorter life spans than male. This is because of the difference in size. Males have larger bodies as compared to females and larger dragons tend to live longer. However, there is another reason why females, have shorter life spans and that is breeding. Females breed a lot in their life span and produce a lot of offspring and it takes a lot of body energy to do this. That’s, the reason the average life span of the female bearded dragon is shorter than males.
Veterinary Care
Like all pet animals, bearded dragons have regular veterinary checkups every year. Make sure there is an experienced reptile veterinarian living in your area. Your vet will check the body condition of your liard to check for any signs of chronic disease and problems. He will also take a stool sample to check for parasites and take a blood test to check the overall health of your bearded dragon. Don’t worry your bearded dragon may suffer from short-term stress in this process but he will enjoy a great and healthy experience that will be better for his health.
How Much Does A Bearded Dragon Cost?
The cost of a bearded dragon ranges from $40 to $70, however, many factors affect the price of beardies like age, breed, color, and the breeder. If you want a cheaper beard the younger ones are cheaper and they will cost you around $20. Similarly, if breeders have an unusual color they will charge you more than the regular amount.
FAQS
Why do bearded dragons head bob?
There are different reasons why a bearded dragon bobs their head like:
Showing dominance: Male bearded dragons nod their head to show dominance over other males when they reach sexual maturity.
Sowing Submission: If there is another animal in the room the bearded dragon nods their head to acknowledge their presence.
Why does my bearded dragon curl into a ball?
The bearded dragons are seen curled into a ball when they are sleeping. If they are healthy eating all right and the temperature and humidity are fine then it’s just normal behavior of curling or your bearded dragon is just lazy and wants to take a rest.
Do bearded dragon loves being rubbed?
Yes, bearded dragons like being rubbed to show the sign of affection but they only do this if they are used to human touch from a young age. Bearded dragons have a friendly nature and that is what makes them good pets.
Do bearded dragons have teeth?
Yes, bearded dragons have two types of teeth. They have acrodont and pleurodont teeth and they suffer from dental issues if they don’t get the natural environment that is close to their wild nature.
Conclusion
If you are thinking of getting a bearded dragon to your home you need to know that they are fascinating reptiles and need care and attention. They are also a long-term commitment as they will live up to a decade long. You can make their life happy and healthy any taking good care of them and by feeding proper diet.