How Much Does it Cost to Own a Bearded Dragon?
It’s daunting getting a new pet. You want to make sure you do enough research, and also that you make sure your pet stays healthy and happy. There’s a lot of stress that comes with all that research, and the more you learn, the more you will realize it’s going to cost.
Bearded dragons aren’t the most expensive pet out there. But the cost estimates you might read or hear from other pet owners vary wildly. You don’t want to cheap out and potentially risk your beardy’s health, but you don’t want to break the bank for no reason either.
So realistically, what does it cost to own a bearded dragon? Not just to buy your pet, but to build its habitat and maintain it? In this article, we’ll go over a rough budget for everything you will need to successfully keep a bearded dragon.
Finding a Bearded Dragon
Naturally, the first thing you need to get is your bearded dragon itself. You can get bearded dragons at pet shops, but we generally recommend going to a reptile show to find one. Pet shops usually get bearded dragons from places similar to puppy mills, where the general health and wellbeing of the animals isn’t considered.
Prices vary a lot for bearded dragons. This will probably be the most unpredictable part of your budget. You can find a perfectly healthy beardy at a reptile show for as little as $80 or $100. But different morphs may cost upwards of $1,000.
Building a Habitat
Next, you need to think about your beardy’s habitat. The habitat needs a vivarium (glass container), some substrate, rocks and hides, a bowl for feeding, sources of heat and light, and a thermometer/hygrometer to measure the climate in the habitat.
Enclosure
Vivariums can also vary cost-wise. Bearded dragons will need more space as they get older. Juveniles only need 40 gallons, whereas adults need about three times that much (120 gallons). This usually equates to an aquarium that is four feet long, two feet wide, and two feet high. The ceiling should be made of heat-resistant mesh that won’t melt with your heat lamp resting on it.
This kind of vivarium will run you $150-300. You can find all kinds of DIY projects to build one yourself, but if you’re just starting out, it is probably wiser to buy one.
Substrate
The kind of substrate you use will also change as your bearded dragon ages. For a juvenile, you can just lay down some paper towels. This will help you keep things clean, because baby beardies poop a lot.
As your beardy ages, you will want to change the substrate out for something like sand or a reptile carpet. Substrate will run you $15 to $20.
Heat and Light Sources
Picking a heat source is a tricky issue for some people. When heating your beardy’s enclosure, you want there to be a hot side and a cool side. The heat will usually be focused on a basking rock, where your beardy can hang out and warm up. Bearded dragons are, of course, reptiles, so they need heat to regulate their body temperature and keep their immune systems up.
Beardies need both heat and full spectrum lighting. The simplest option to provide both is a mercury vapor light bulb (about $70). This will provide both light and heat. Or, you can use a combination of a fluorescent bulb ($30) and a heat lamp ($20). If the ambient temperature in the room drops below 65°, you will also need a ceramic heater for nighttime ($30).
Your heat and light sources need to be on a timer, so that your bearded dragon gets a natural day/night cycle to regulate its sleep and bodily functions. This simulates sunrise and sunset, and controls the day heat source and night heat source. You can find a timer for $15-20. You can also find a temperature gun and hygrometer for $10-20.
Other Habitat Features
Your beardy’s habitat will also need dishes for food and water, a hide/basking rock, and any other decorations you want to add. Decorations are mostly for you, not your beardy. Once your pet’s needs are met, they’ll be as happy as a clam. You can find dishes and hides for about $10 each.
Care and Feeding
Now that we’ve covered the basic habitat setup, let’s get into maintenance, care, and feeding. One of the most important running costs you will incur with your bearded dragon is food. Beardies are omnivorous, so this means both insects and vegetables.
You will need to dust your beardy’s feeder insects with calcium supplement ($15) and you may want to add a vitamin D3 supplement ($5). You may also want to gut load your feeder insects. You can, of course, get all kinds of feeders directly from us, as well as insect chow to gut load them with.
If you buy all of your feeders, you can expect to pay $20 a month or so just on insects. Alternatively, you can start your own colony and produce feeder insects at home for next to nothing. This is a process of its own, and has its own startup costs, but if you choose a simple feeder like dubia roaches (one of our favorites), you can easily get a colony going for less than $100.
You will also need to make sure your beardy gets plenty of veggies and the occasional sweet fruity treat. Bearded dragons like collard greens, kale, mustard greens, and other hearty green stuff. The occasional treat of mango, banana, apple, or papaya will help them get their vitamins. Expect another $20-30 a month on vegetables.
Totaling it All Up
So, how does it all stack up? Assuming you buy a healthy, modestly-priced beardy from a reputable breeder at a reptile show, build a spacious (enough) enclosure with everything your beardy needs, and give them a steady, healthy diet of insects, veggies, and fruits, you can expect to spend $500-600 on the initial setup.
Maintenance costs depend a lot on how you get your feeder insects. If you buy everything your beardy eats, you might spend $50 a month on food. If you start your own colony of feeders, you might get away with just $20 or 30 in veggies.
That’s how it all stacks up! You should be prepared for at least $500 to get a bearded dragon, and another $50+ per month to keep it healthy and well-fed.