Leatherback Bearded Dragon

The main identifying trait of a leatherback bearded dragon morph is its smooth back. Leatherback morphs do not have spikes on their backs but do have them on their heads and sides. The lack of spikes on their backs also makes their colors appear more vivid and therefore make them a popular bearded dragon morph.

Colour might vary slightly from image shown.

Lifespan is 10 to 15 years or longer and they can reach 45 cm in length (including tail).

Vivarium Conditions

You will need a 120cm long x 60cm high x 60 cm wide vivarium as the minimum size required for one adult dragon.  Make sure it’s secure (to prevent escape), well-ventilated and made from solid material that’s easy to clean.

There are a wide variety of furnishings for bearded dragons. If using sand, use reptile-safe sand and avoid ‘calci-sand’ as it’s dangerous for reptiles if accidentally eaten.

Bearded dragons need a vivarium that ranges from a hotter (38 to 42°C) bright end, to a cooler (22 to 26°C) shaded end.

You’ll also need to provide a 10 percent output of UVB rays (UVB 10.0 bulb) at the hot end otherwise your beardy can get metabolic bone disease. It’s also essential that humidity is kept low – use a hygrometer to measure this at the cool end.  The bulb  output is usually marked on the bulb packaging. These bulbs are to be placed overhead and no more than 25 cm from where your beardie can sit or climb in order to soak in the rays.

For more information on UV see What is UVA and UVB and does my pet need that? in the Rebel Pets Reptile Forum.

It’s important to add vivarium accessories, such as rocks and branches to climb on. Help your reptile feel secure with hiding areas too.

Feeding

They eat a diet of live invertebrates (insects) and vegetables. They need a wide variety of safe plants and vegetables, as well as the correct supplements.  Click for all  Bearded Dragon Foods and Reptile Supplements at Rebel Pets.

Care

Beardies shed their skin in large pieces. There’s no rule as to how often it happens, but younger dragons do shed more than older dragons.  Shedding problems can usually be corrected by improvements to their environment. Seek advice from a reptile specialist vet if problems occur.

During cooler seasons, it’s normal for bearded dragons to slow down, sleep more and eat less, like hibernation, but in lizards it’s called brumation. They shouldn’t lose weight or stop eating entirely, so keep a close eye on them and get in touch with your vet if they’re losing weight.