7 Best Hide Setups for a Bearded Dragon
A bearded dragon hide is an important part of any tank setup and every beardie should have a hide within their tank.
Firstly, a hide can look great and offers a great decorative feature but more importantly it also provides a place for your beardie to shelter.
Want to know why this is important? Keep reading on!
A Hide Satisfies Natural Instincts
Bearded dragons love to hide by nature. Out in the wild, if beardies are left exposed then they could quite easily be killed by predators, particularly birds.
This natural instinct has not been lost and so beardies still feel the need to shelter themselves even in a tank. A hide is a perfect way of achieving that feeling of security.
Hides are Essential During Brumation
Once a year a bearded dragon will go through a process called brumation, this typically takes place around October and November time.
It is where they slow their internal processes right down and go to sleep. This is a very similar process to hibernation.
When preparing to brumate, a beardie will seek out a place to relax in safety.
Often they will either burrow or find a hide as their chosen place. So providing a beardie with a hide gives them a safe place to fall asleep.
A Hide Provides a Cool Shady Area
Being a cold-blooded creature, bearded dragons have to regulate their body temperature through their environment.
When kept as a pet, a beardie will get its heat from heat lamps within the tank.
If they want to cool down though, they will take themselves away from the heat lamps and into a cool shady zone.
A hide can provide the place to chill out and relax away from the heat.
A Place for Females to Lay Her Eggs
When a female beardie is looking for a place to lay her eggs she has one main thing on her mind.
She wants her eggs to be safe! She will seek out a place where she feels her eggs have the best chance of survival.
Often, within a tank setup, this place will be within a hide because it offers the most protection and shelter.
7 of the Best Hide Setups
Now that we have identified why a hide is so important and that every bearded dragon should have one in their tank, let’s take a look at some of the best ones available.
1. Petforu Cave Hideout
It’s simple. It’s elegant. It’s beardie-friendly. Need more reasons? Sure.
The Petforu cave hideout is made using high-grade, easy-to-clean resin and takes the shape of a curved dome with ample basking space on top and a spacious interior to comfortably house an adult beardie.
It looks stunning, regardless of the terrarium decor style, and provides excellent value for your money.
This is one of the more popular hides amongst owners.
2. Exo Terra Buffalo Skull Hide
This hide has amazing aesthetic appeal with stunning attention to detail. It is a good size with an excellent design and is easily accessible for your beardie.
This secure hideout within the skull is ideally suited for a desert-themed terrarium and will ensure your bearded dragon can hide to its heart’s content.
As far as hides go, this skull is a proven favorite amongst beardie owners, with feedback showing nothing but praise and optimum satisfaction.
3. Zilla Shale Rock Den
This Zilla rock hide features realistic shale formations that provide a natural look.
Being made with a non-porous synthetic material means that this hide is water-resistant, minimizing the risk of bacterial growth.
Your bearded dragon’s terrarium will, therefore, remain healthier and smell fresher for longer.
4. Exo Terra Reptile Cave
The all-natural look of this hide makes this hide easy to integrate into any terrarium setting.
It is large enough to please even the largest of beardies yet, despite its grand size, this reptile cave is stable enough not to be easily tipped over.
5. Exo Terra Crocodile Skull Hide
It’s easy to guess from its name that this hide takes the shape of a crocodile skull – and it is a very real-looking one at that!
With several entrances, your beardie can scurry in and out of the hide with ease. The comfy interior is not too big or too small and will make for a good spot for your bearded dragon to rest.
6. Zilla Herp Hotel
Zilla Herp hotel is a sleekly designed hide with a prehistoric look that compliments any setting.
Boasting ample basking space on top and a roomy interior down below, this hide is perfect for any bearded dragon.
The hide is accessible through easily climbed, winding steps that span three of its four sides.
Its non-porous surface prevents bacterial growth and makes it incredibly easy to wash.
7. Exo Terra Primate Skull Hide
Last on the list, the Exo Terra primate skull is an entirely secure hide that is more than ideal for your pet bearded dragon.
Its shape and texture is incredibly realistic, and with its golden-brown shade, this primate skull hide will add undeniable flair to your beardie’s habitat.
The skull also offers multiple easily accessible entrances and exits, so your beardie will have no problem hiding away for some personal beardie-time.
Note: Keeping your beardie’s hide clean is important to stop the risk of infection or illness.
All of the hides in this list are fairly easy to keep clean.
All you need is a scrubbing wipe to wipe them down and your beardie will definitely thank you for it!
Summary
All the products listed above are splendid and will ultimately serve their primary function of making an excellent hide for your bearded dragon. With a little skimming, you’re sure to find the one that’s best suits your taste.
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I was just 15 years of age when I first met a bearded dragon. It was at my friend's house and I instantly grew an immediate attraction to, what has now become, my favourite animal on the planet! Making fantastic pets for both children and adults alike, they each have their own personality and are certainly full of character. There are, though, some important things that we should all know when it comes to caring for these amazing animals!