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Bearded Dragon Facts & Worksheets

Bearded Dragons are commonly found in Australia and are considered to be one of the best pet lizards.

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Bearded Dragons are commonly found in Australia and are considered to be one of the best pet lizards. These lizards belong to the genus Pogona which contains eight lizard species. Their name refers to the “beard” of the dragon, the underside of the throat turns black if it sees any danger.

See the fact file below for more information on the Bearded Dragon or alternatively, you can download our 23-page Bearded Dragon worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

Natural Habitat of Bearded Dragons

  • Bearded Dragons can be found in the arid woodlands and deserts of the central Australia. They can be found throughout the interior of the eastern states to the eastern half of South Australia and southeastern Northern Territory.
  • Although a huge number of bearded dragons were removed from their natural habitat, their number in the wild is still stable. They are not enlisted as an endangered species.
  • They spend most of their time in bushes and on rocks. But when it’s extremely hot, they hibernate and go underground.
  • For one adult bearded dragon, a 75-gallon tank is required. It should be covered with a protected cover from the top.
  • For young ones, you can use a smaller tank. Don’t use sand or any such substance for the young ones as it is dangerous for them and it can cause intestinal infection.
  • Instead of sand, paper or towel can be used for flooring the tank.
  • Bearded Dragons like digging burrows in sand, therefore it is recommended to use sand in tanks of adult bearded dragons. It can also be beneficial in scooping out feces and the tank can be cleaned a few times in a year.
  • Rocks and logs can also be used in the tanks, as the bearded dragons like to climb rocks.

Physical Characteristics

  • Newborn bearded dragons are about 4 inches long whereas the adults’ grow up to 2 feet. They can be a tan or yellow color.
  • Their name, “bearded dragons” refers to their ability to flare out and change the color of the skin on their throat when they sense any danger.
  • They have spiny scales on their body which are arranged in the form of rows and clusters.
  • Its head is in a triangular shape and it has a muscular body.
  • Male bearded dragons have a wider head and darker beard than that of the female. Females have a thinner and longer tail in contrast to males.
  • The femoral pores of males are also helpful in distinguishing between the males and females.
  • Bearded Dragons have the ability to change their colors during challenges between the males according to the temperature, for instance, they can change their color to black to assimilate warm.
  • Additionally, they can also produce venom through their venom organs. This venom is generally harmless to humans, but it can be deadly to small animals.

Diet

  • Bearded Dragons are omnivores, which means they eat both plants and meat. Their diet consists of small insects, lizards, crickets, and vegetables.
  • Young Bearded Dragons eat small insects and as they grow they start eating vegetables. A juvenile bearded dragon eats three times a day.
  • How you should feed your pet bearded dragon?
    • Feed insects to your pet bearded dragons with a coating of vitamin supplement. You can put the insects in a plastic bag containing vitamin powder and then shake it. Afterwards, feed the insects to the Bearded Dragon.
    • Perfectly chopped vegetables should be provided to these lizards. Healthy and vitamin-rich food should be given to your Bearded Dragon to maintain its health.
    • Iceberg lettuce is not recommended at all because it lacks nutrition.

Species

  • There are eight species of bearded dragons:
    • Pogona barbata (Cuvier, 1829) – Eastern bearded dragon
    • Pogona henrylawsoni Wells & Wellington, 1985 – Rankin’s dragon, Black-soil bearded dragon, Dumpy dragon, Dwarf bearded dragon
    • Pogona microlepidota (Glauert, 1952) – Kimberley bearded dragon
    • Pogona minima (Loveridge, 1933) – Western bearded dragon
    • Pogona minor (Sternfeld, 1919) – Western bearded dragon, Dwarf bearded dragon
    • Pogona mitchelli (Badham, 1976) – North-west bearded dragon
    • Pogona nullarbor (Badham, 1976) – Nullarbor bearded dragon
    • Pogona vitticeps (Ahl, 1926) – Central bearded dragon or inland bearded dragon

Heat and Lighting

  • UVA and UVB are essential for Bearded Dragons.
  • UVA helps in feeding, breeding, basking, and overall health.
  • UVB is essential for producing Vitamin D3 and it helps in preventing metabolic bone diseases. Vitamin D3 plays a vital role in calcium absorption and calcium is important for biological functions in the body.
  • Bearded Dragons keep their body temperature normal by changing their body color from light to dark and vice versa according to the requirements

Heat and Lighting for pet Bearded Dragons

  • If you’re planning to have a pet bearded dragon in your home then you should not avoid this very important part of their tank.
  • They should be provided with a proper supply of UVA and UVB rays for their nutrition. You can get special light bulbs from a pet store which emit such rays.
  • These bulbs should be placed at least 12 inches away from the dragon. The rays should reach the lizards after passing through a screen top and not glass.
  • Keep a check on and balance the changing temperature inside the tank or cage of the bearded dragons.
  • You can also take it outside to get exposure to sunlight, as it allows the dragons to thermoregulate. But it’s not recommended to take the glass cages outdoor because it gets heated up really quickly.

Behavior and Temperament

  • Bearded Dragons have the ability to gain a frightening appearance when they feel danger or they want to show aggression. They can enlarge their throat and flatten their body.
  • Showing aggression and appeasement is a normal part of their social interactions.
  • A dominant male shows its aggression against any rival male who tries to attack its territory, take his food sources, or competing for females.
  • Their beards turns dark black and enlarges during the display of aggression.
  • Both males and females have the ability to show this gesture. Males mostly do this for showing aggression or competing for females.
  • Female bearded dragons show this gesture for indicating their aggression. Bearded dragons also open their mouth so that they can look more frightening and dominant.
  • They have strong jaws but they will attack their predators only in case of extreme danger.

Reproduction and Mating

  • There is no specific mating season for Bearded Dragons – they can breed throughout the year.
  • Bearded Dragons take 8 – 12 months after birth to reach puberty.
  • Males perform different gestures as courtship rituals before mating. They do head-bobbing, hand-waving, and stand on three legs while rotating the other leg in air.
  • Female lizards can lay a cluster of 11 – 13 eggs twice by one mating.
  • Sex of the baby can be changed through temperature. If the temperature is high, around 34°C, the newborn will be a female and if the temperature is low, around 30 °C, the newborn will be a male.

Health Issues

  • The most common disease is metabolic bone disease. This is the consequence of an out-of-balance calcium to phosphorus proportion. It can result in the weakening of bones, leading to fractures.

Bearded Dragon Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about Bearded Dragon across 23 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Bearded Dragon worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Bearded Dragons which are commonly found in Australia and are considered to be one of the best pet lizards. These lizards belong to the genus Pogona which contains eight lizard species. Their name refers to the “beard” of the dragon, the underside of the throat turns black if it sees any danger.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Bearded Dragon Facts
  • Species of bearded dragons
  • Setting up tank for pet bearded dragon
  • Scientific classification
  • Completing the facts
  • Identifying true or false statements
  • Answer the questions
  • My pet bearded dragon
  • Health issues of bearded dragons
  • Behaviors of bearded dragons
  • Congenital defects

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Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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