Bearded dragon
Pogona vitticeps · Central bearded dragon
The central bearded dragon lives in the semi-deserts and dry woodlands of central Australia and is the most commonly kept lizard in Germany. It needs plenty of light with UVB, a very hot basking spot, a mostly plant-based diet as an adult and a brumation period every year.
Contents 11 sections
Quick tips
- UVB is vital: Without UVB and calcium, bearded dragons develop soft bones. Lamps lose UV output over time, so replace them as the manufacturer recommends.
- Greens first: From about one year on, bearded dragons eat almost only plants. Insects are then offered once or twice a week.
- Never keep males together. One male with only one female is not recommended either. Keeping a single dragon works fine.
- Weigh weekly and keep new animals separate for a few weeks, with a fecal test at the vet.
- Wash your hands: Bearded dragons often carry salmonella. Take care around small children, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems.
Profile
- Length
- up to 60 cm including the tail, snout-vent length 20–25 cm
- Weight
- adults about 250–510 g
- Life span
- over 9 years, some over 15 years
- Activity
- active by day, climbs and digs
Climate and light
- Day
- 25–28 °C (77–82 °F)
- Night
- 20–23 °C (68–73 °F)
- Basking spot
- 45–50 °C (113–122 °F)
- Humidity
- 30–40%
- Light
- 10–14 hours of light with a high UVB share, ideally from a metal halide lamp behind a guard as the source of light and heat. There must be no glass between lamp and animal, because glass filters out UVB. In Austria, 12–14 hours of light and daily UV exposure are required.
At night, humidity may rise to 60%, and a small part of the floor stays damp at all times. Austria requires 25–33 °C (77–91 °F) during the day, up to 45 °C (113 °F) in one spot, 18–22 °C (64–72 °F) at night and 45–65% humidity. The TVT gives 22–25 °C (72–77 °F) at floor level and 40–60% humidity.
Enclosure
For one adult, at least 150 × 80 × 80 cm (L × W × H). For two animals, Swiss Animal Protection (STS) recommends 180 × 100 × 100 cm. Bearded dragons move a lot, so bigger is better. In Switzerland the proportions also count: with a snout-vent length of 22 cm, you need 110 × 88 cm of floor area and 88 cm of height.
- Substrate
- Clay-rich sand or a dust-free sand-clay mix, about 20 cm deep in one spot so the animals can dig. A small area stays slightly damp.
- Setup
- Several hides, rough climbing branches about as thick as the animal, rock structures and raised basking platforms, a shallow water bowl, a UV lamp behind a guard, a thermometer and a hygrometer. Secure everything so nothing can fall over or be dug under.
Minimum sizes
GermanyGuideline
Length 5 × snout-vent length, width 4 ×, height 3 × for a pair. About 15% more floor area for each additional animal.
Source [7]
AustriaLaw
1–2 animals up to 12 cm: 0.4 m² floor area, 0.4 m high · 12–20 cm: 0.6 m², 0.5 m · 20–40 cm: 0.8 m², 0.6 m · adults: 1.0 m², 0.8 m. Add 0.1 / 0.2 / 0.3 / 0.4 m² for each additional animal. No more than one adult male per enclosure.
Source [6]
SwitzerlandLaw
For up to two animals: floor area 5 × 4 snout-vent lengths, height 4 snout-vent lengths (largest animal). Add 2 × 2 snout-vent lengths for each additional animal. Places to climb, hides and a bright lamp for the basking spot are required.
Feeding
Hatchlingup to 4 monthsdaily
House crickets, Field crickets, Roaches, Wild greens · mostly insects, no wider than the head
Juvenile4–12 monthsevery 1–2 days
House crickets, Field crickets, Roaches, Wild greens · insects no wider than the head, the share of plants grows
Adultfrom about 1 yearevery 1–2 days
Wild greens, Field crickets, Roaches, Locusts · almost only plants, insects no wider than the head
- Prey size
- no bigger than the width of the head
Live food is no wider than the bearded dragon's head.
Source [2]
Young dragons eat mostly insects. The TVT gives 90% animal food, RSPCA Australia around 70% up to the fourth month. From about one year on, you feed your bearded dragon almost only plants: wild greens such as dandelion, chickweed, clover and plantain, unsprayed fruit tree leaves, plus romaine lettuce. Insects then once or twice a week, always dusted with a mineral and vitamin supplement. Mealworms and superworms only rarely, fruit only in small amounts at most. Plan weekly fasting days, because too much protein damages the kidneys over time.
Shedding
Bearded dragons shed in several pieces. Remnants stuck on the toes or tail tip can constrict them. A corner that is always damp, for example with moistened moss, helps, as does misting with lukewarm water two to three times a week.
Brumation
Every year, one to two months at 12–18 °C (54–64 °F). Lower light and heat over several weeks and later raise them again, always with drinking water available. Have a fecal sample tested before and after. Only healthy animals go into brumation, and at least ten days must pass between deworming and brumation. Austria requires about two months with 6–8 hours of light and 15–20 °C (59–68 °F). Many dragons find their own rhythm and withdraw as early as August.
Breeding
- Sexual maturity
- at 14–18 months
- Clutch
- usually 16–30 eggs, up to 40 according to the TVT; up to 3–4 clutches per season
- Incubation
- 50–80 days at 26–32 °C (79–90 °F)
Above 32 °C (90 °F), more females hatch, even from genetically male eggs. By the third clutch in a row at the latest, the calcium reserves often run out, and egg binding becomes a risk. Mixed groups put females under pressure. It is better to keep the animals singly and put them together for mating. The TVT considers the Silkback morph, which lacks dorsal scales, a case of torture breeding.
Protection status and registration
As of October 21, 2026
EU
Not protected under wildlife trade law (neither CITES nor the EU Wildlife Trade Regulation).
Source [11]
Germany
No duty to register and no proof of origin required under species protection law.
Source [12]
Austria
Report to the authorities within two weeks that you keep reptiles. Since July 1, 2026, you need to take a training course (at least 4 × 60 minutes) before your first reptile. A UV lamp, a thermometer and a hygrometer are required.
Switzerland
No permit needed. The minimum sizes in the Animal Protection Ordinance are binding.
Source [9]
This is not legal advice. Rules change, so check with the responsible authority if in doubt.
Health
No substitute for a vet. If your animal seems sick, refuses food for an unusually long time or loses weight, see a vet with experience in reptiles.
Calcium deficiency (metabolic bone disease)
Signs soft or crooked jaw, bent legs, tremors, poor growth
What to do Dust the insects, check and replace the UVB lamp, and see a vet.
Gout and kidney damage
Signs the dragon eats less and seems lethargic, often only after years on a diet with many insects
What to do See a vet (blood work) and switch to a mostly plant-based diet.
Constipation
Signs no poop for days, swollen belly, not eating; often after swallowing sand because of a mineral deficiency
What to do Check the temperature and the mineral supply and see a vet.
Egg binding
Signs the female digs for a long time and doesn't lay, seems restless or lethargic
What to do Offer a laying site with diggable, slightly damp sand. If she still doesn't lay, see a vet soon.
Mites
Signs tiny dots at the corners of the mouth, ear openings, armpits or tail base, common in newly bought animals
What to do See a vet. Don't use over-the-counter products from the pet store.
Intestinal parasites
Signs diarrhea, weight loss, poor appetite
What to do Have a fecal sample tested, at the latest before and after brumation.
Sources
- Merkblatt Nr. 176: Heimtiere – Bartagamen
- How should I care for my bearded dragon?
- Machbarkeitsstudie zum EXOPET-Projekt exemplarisch für die Spezies Pogona vitticeps
- Die Bartagame – Vorschlag für eine tiergerechte Haltung
- Bartagamen in der Praxis – eine Einführung
- 2. Tierhaltungsverordnung, § 5, § 8 und Anlage 3 (Mindestanforderungen an die Haltung von Reptilien)official
- Gutachten über Mindestanforderungen an die Haltung von Reptilienofficial
- Reptilien – passende Gehege und die richtige Einrichtung
- Tierschutzverordnung (TSchV, SR 455.1), Art. 89 und Anhang 2 (Vorbemerkungen, Tabelle 5 Reptilien)official
- Bearded Dragon Care Guide (Pogona vitticeps)
- Verordnung (EU) 2026/1383 zur Änderung der Anhänge der Verordnung (EG) Nr. 338/97 (CITES-Vertragsstaatenkonferenz 2025)official
- Bundesartenschutzverordnung (BArtSchV), § 7, §§ 12–13 und Anlagen 5 und 6official
- Tierschutzgesetz (TSchG), § 13 und § 25official
Values without a source are common experience from keeping and breeding. Every animal is different, so watch yours and adjust its care. As of October 21, 2026.
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