To ensure proper bearded dragon care, it’s important to make sure you clean their habitats. It is vital that you clean the habitat every day. Bearded dragons typically produce waste once a day and that includes urine. Urine instantly soaks to the bottom of the cage in the substrate. One thing that helps with fecal odor is choosing a good growing medium, something like ground walnut shell growing medium is excellent and fairly inexpensive. Regardless of what you are feeding your dragon, insects, especially crickets, will carry the droppings and eat them. It’s just big. The easiest way to clean the substrate on a daily basis is to get a wired shovel or aquarium fish net.
The water of the dragons must be changed every day, you may have to change it a couple of times a day. It is recommended to get a stone type water dish for them. With this type of water dish, they won’t be able to tip it over and cause a big spill in their cage. If they spill and water collects under the water or food dish, it can become moldy from the warm temperatures of the habitat. If the water sits too long, it starts to create an unpleasant film on the sides and bottom of the dish that can start to grow bacteria and make your dragon sick. Soak the water dish once a week in a mixture of water and a very small amount of bleach. You want to let it soak in for at least 30 minutes and rinse well. If you have other reptiles, do not allow any of the dishes to come into contact with each other. This is called cross contamination and could compromise the health of your dragons and other reptiles.
Equally important is the daily cleaning of the food bowl. If your dragon is eating vegetables, or bearded dragon diet, or putting worms in the dish, bacteria can grow just as easily as in water. Another reason this is important is because habitat temperatures remain warm during the day and cause the lettuce to wilt and if left too long it will spoil and may grow moldy. Like the water dish, you need to soak it in water and bleach (very small amount) for at least 30 minutes and rinse well.
Once a month, you should clean the entire habitat, including the furniture. Cleaning the furniture can be done by taking it out and immersing it in the water/bleach solution as mentioned above. Soak for at least 30 minutes and rinse well. Make sure it is completely dry before you put it back in the habitat. The substrate should be changed once a month, as long as you clean it daily. The easiest way to remove the substrate is with a shop vac. You can also take it out, but it takes a while. After removing the substrate, use a mixture of warm soapy water (not too much or it’s hard to get all the soap out). Using a clean cloth, sponge, etc., thoroughly clean the bottom and all sides of the habitat. You can use the same sponge or cloth to rinse. Make sure all the soap is out and start cleaning the soap out of the habitat. Use a paper towel, clean towel, etc. to completely dry out the habitat. You are now ready to lay down the new substrate. Be sure to note the date you cleaned the habitat on a calendar.
Once you start doing the cleanings etc, it really becomes second nature to provide excellent bearded dragon care.
