15 ‘Must Have’ Bearded Dragon Accessories
You’ve probably fallen in love with your new bearded dragon pretty quickly and want to treat them; so, what are the top bearded dragon accessories that you can buy to make their life perfect?
Bearded dragons are truly unique pets, this means that you can buy some amazing accessories for them. Accessories are key for enrichment; making your dragon feel like they’re in their natural environment.
This helps them to feel happier and less stressed and will help you develop a stronger bond with them.
1. Bearded Dragon Basking Accessories
So, let’s start with the basics. We all know that the majority of a bearded dragon’s day is spent basking in the UV light that you’ve provided. So why not go for something really stylish to help them pimp up their pad.
There are some great basking rock platforms that you can get your bearded dragon.
Make sure whatever you purchase is big enough to comfortably hold your dragon, even if he’s in a starfish position.
You want it to look exotic and chic, but don’t go for style over substance.
2. Fake Plants that Provide Shelter
Fake plants are great accessories for imitating the natural environment of a bearded dragon. Bear in mind that they usually live in a desert, so don’t overdo it and make it a jungle.
A couple of select grasses and dangling leaves here and there will do. It’s also a great idea to have some spares too and change these every couple of weeks.
You know what it’s like to stare at the same color walls for a long time. You have the urge to decorate and change things up.
Your bearded dragon will probably think the same. So, make sure you keep it interesting.
3. Rocks that Aid Shedding
Even if you’ve purchased a big basking rock for your bearded dragon, it may still be helpful to purchase some smaller ones. If you scatter a few about, it will mimic the bearded dragon’s natural, Australian desert environment.
These rocks will also help your bearded dragon to keep themselves looking slick. They can rub off any persistent shed and keep their claws nice and short.
4. A Comfy Couch
Although your bearded dragon already has a place to bask, there’s no harm in setting up another comfy area. You can now even buy a comfy chaise lounge, specifically for a bearded dragon.
These are fabric accessories, which look like small beds and your bearded dragon is going to love it!
Do you know that beardies love to watch tv?
What better place to chill out and watch Netflix than this comfy little couch!
5. A Leash and Harness
Bearded dragons are one of the only species of reptile that you can easily take for a walk. Because of their speed and curiosity, they enjoy walking along next to you.
Although they can’t go for long walks, getting a small leash and harness is a great idea for enrichment purposes. They also look really cute and it’s a great photo opportunity.
6. Build Your Own Burrows
In the wild, bearded dragons dig burrows to keep them safe from predators. Natural-looking sand burrows can be purchased from any pet store. They’re often called ‘cavern kits’.
They look really good against your desert themed vivarium and will make your dragon feel at home. Filling the inside with reptile sand is also a good idea to let them dig and use their natural behaviors.
7. Tubes and Tunnels for Playing In
Studies have shown that reptiles in zoos tend to get a bit bored if they’re housed in the standard, box-like enclosure. These are likely to be similar to what you have at home.
A good way to combat this is to purchase some tubes and tunnels. You could place these within the vivarium that you have, or you could create something bespoke for them outside of their tank.
Either way, these tunnels make great accessories to keep your bearded dragon entertained!
8. Water Dishes
Water dishes don’t need to be fancy or expensive. You can purchase a water dish that blends into a sandy floor to make it look more natural. However, there are all kinds of fancy ones if you look a little harder.
Ideally, you’d want a water dish that’s as flat to the floor as possible.
This is so that your bearded dragon can get in and out, they will probably want to splash about a bit and make a bit of a mess. But this is an important part of your beardie’s life.
Playtime is essential and a water dish can be a great accessory used to provide that little bit of entertainment.
9. Branches to Climb
If you’ve chosen to decorate your bearded dragon’s home with a basking rock, it doesn’t hurt to include a large branch too. They like to climb and it’s part of their natural behavior.
Having branches to climb also adds a new dimension to their habitat to give them more space and prevent boredom.
10. Light Timer
A bearded dragon needs to have a very set lighting setup and part of this includes the amount of light that they are exposed to. In their natural habitat a beardie will be exposed to about 10-12 hours of light a day.
In the winter months, this can be reduced to 8 hours.
The thing is though, it can be quite hard to control this manually, so what most owners are now doing is switching out to an automatic digital timer which you can program.
This is a fantastic accessory and is well worth investing in for your bearded dragon.
11. Infra-Red Thermometer
Maintaining the optimum temperature within your bearded dragon’s tank is possibly one of the most important things that you need to manage for your beardie.
You will need to establish a couple of zones to allow your beardie to regulate their body temperature effectively.
Where an infra-red thermometer beats a standard thermometer is that it can accurately and precisely measure the temperature at any given point within the tank.
This means that you are able to ensure you are getting things just right for your beardie. This is simply a ‘must-have’ accessory for all bearded dragon owners.
12. Toys
You might be thinking that lizards don’t like to play, but you’d be wrong. Many beardies, much like dogs, will enjoy kicking a toy around or throwing it about.
It gives them something to do and helps with boredom.
Plus, it’s really amusing for you to watch. Don’t get anything too small that they could swallow though. Try a brightly colored bouncy ball.
Note: For more exciting toy ideas, check out this list of the Top 11 Toys for a Bearded Dragon.
13. A Reptile Carpet
You wouldn’t want to walk around on bare floorboards all the time. Well, neither does your dragon. Reptile carpet, purchased from the pet store, can give your dragon a nice cushiony surface to wander about on.
They also help to rub off dead skin and can come with a moisturizing coating to help your dragon’s skin feel nice and soft.
Carpets like these are really easy to clean too which is really important to ensure your beardie remains in good health.
14. Hammocks
Bearded dragons like to climb and sit up in the trees when they can. It keeps them away from predators in the wild and means they can still catch some rays.
A hammock is a great idea to imitate this.
They come with ties or suckers and can be attached to the habitat walls securely. Your dragon will love to lounge around in there.
15. A Poop Scoop
Now we come to the least fun of all the bearded dragon accessories. But unfortunately, it’s a necessity. Although bearded dragons don’t make too much of a mess, a poop scoop is still required.
Scooping out any unwanted mess each day will mean that you can delay a deep clean. The cleaner you keep your dragon’s home, the less work it’ll be for you in the long run and they’ll definitely thank you for it.
Summary
Hopefully, you will have found some useful or fun accessories for your bearded dragon in amongst all of these items.
Some of these play a role in keeping your bearded dragon amused whilst others will ensure that they remain in good health.
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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!