What are they funny critters, those bearded dagamen! They also look very tough, with their pretty beards. In English they are called “Bearded Dragons”, isn't that cool? They're lizards, so reptiles with thick skin and paneling and they're cold-blooded. They can adjust their body temperature to the environment.

photo: Robyn Morgan

Originally from Australia, they prefer to live in the desert. So if you want such a pet animal, you'll have to create a little desert for your bearded gaze. You're gonna have to make a terrarium, with heat lamps of about 45 degrees, that's what beard gamers like best. With a large branch and a few large stones for some shade, they soon have fun. It is also important that they can cool down. The cold side of the terrarium should be between 25-30 degrees.

Also make sure they have a tight day and night rhythm, because they are very sensitive to that. A timer on your lamps is not a luxury. Did you know that they have a kind of “solar cells” on top of their heads? The sun (lamp) gives them an extra stimulus, so they become extra active during the day.

photo: Michael Sult

The Bearded Agamen eat insects, but they also love vegetables. Pay attention, no lettuce or spinach, that gives him diarrhea. Live locusts are really a treat for him. Or give me cockroaches or crickets. Mealworms, moths and silkworms are also on the favourite menu of these reptiles. They must have fresh water every day, which is very important.

And funny to know: a pregnant “beard” likes a nice nutritious baby mouse! (.. ah.. that's a bit pathetic, but yes, it's nature) But beware, it can only be given occasionally. Only beards that have laid eggs or become weak. These pinkies (baby mice) can only be given once every 3 weeks due to the amount of fats. Exception to this are one-day spiderkies. Those are actually the pinkies that were killed before they could suckle. In this way they contain much less fats than normal pinkies.

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