Pet Care of a Bearded Dragon - Inspire Education Trust
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Pet Care of a Bearded Dragon
Bearded dragons are from the lizard species. They are often
referred to as “beardies” and are one of the most popular lizards
in captivity in the UK. Their name comes from the spikey folds
of skin around their neck, which inflate and turn black when
they are excited or defending themselves.
They originate from the dry scrublands and woodlands of Australia,
therefore in captivity they need their environment to replicate their natural
surroundings in the wild.
Environment
Bearded dragons must be kept in a vivarium. This is a large, secure, glass
enclosure. A recommended size to accommodate one lizard is a vivarium which
room to move around and stretch out.
As bearded dragons are ectothermic and use the environment to regulate their
body temperature, they need a warm end of the
vivarium and a cool end. There must also be a
basking zone, which is the warmest part of the
enclosure. They like to lie, or bask, on a natural
stone near the heat lamp provided. A thermostat
must be installed to ensure the temperature doesn’t
Did You Know?
Bearded dragons are
Substrate diurnal which means
The base of the vivarium needs to be covered they are active during
with a sand and soil mixture, due to the bearded the day.
dragon’s natural instinct to dig. Stone tiles should
have ridges to help the reptile grip.
Pet Care of a Bearded Dragon
Light
Lizards use the ultraviolet light from the
sun to make vitamin D in their skin. This is
essential for the storage and use of calcium
in their bodies. A special UV light must be
installed in their vivarium.
Diet
Bearded dragons are omnivorous;
they eat live invertebrates and plants (greens).
They like live food, which should be kept in a well-ventilated
container and fed the the same ‘greens’ as the dragon so that
the lizard benefits from the nutrition.
Safe Greens Live Food
watercress
rocket
cress crickets
locusts
dandelions calciworms
clover
plantain leaves
These lizards must not have spinach, as it affects the dragon’s ability to absorb
calcium into their bodies.
Feeding Tips
• Remove any uneaten live foods as they can bite the lizard;
•
of the nutrients they need.
Pet Care of a Bearded Dragon
Two’s Company
Bearded dragons are fiercely territorial. Males live a solitary life and in the
wild, chase other males from their space. Females can fight if they are in
groups - they have been known to bite lizards and
sometimes kill!
Signs of a healthy lizard: Signs of calcium deficiency:
• clear, bright eyes; • muscle twitching;
• thick base to their tail; • swollen legs;
• hips will not be sticking out; • fragile bones;
• bright colour after basking. • deformed limbs, spine, jaw.
Sunbathing Lizard
A bearded dragon can be taken outside on sunny, warm days to feel the
benefit of natural UV light. Shade must be available and the reptile must
be constantly supervised.
Pet Care of a Bearded Dragon
Questions
1. Explain how bearded dragons came to be known by this name.
2. Why do you think their captive environment needs to replicate their natural environment?
3. Explain why the vivarium needs to be secure and large.
4.
this mean?
5.
vivarium. Explain what you think of this idea, and what other suggestions would you make?
Pet Care of a Bearded Dragon 6. Why do you think the live food that will be fed to the dragon needs to be fed and looked after? 8. Your friend is going to get a much larger vivarium and put three bearded dragons in there. What would you tell them? 9. A bearded dragon has a swollen leg and one of its muscles is twitching. What could be wrong with it, what could have caused it and what might help, until you can get it to a reptile expert?
Pet Care of a Bearded Dragon
Answers
1. Explain how bearded dragons came to be known by this name.
Bearded dragons came by their name because they have spikey folds of skin around
themselves.
2. Why do you think their captive environment needs to replicate their natural environment?
Answers will vary. Possible points: they need to be healthy/ they are animals and
need to be comfortable where they live/ their bodies are reliant on having particular
conditions (ectothermic).
3. Explain why the vivarium needs to be secure and large.
The vivarium needs to be secure so that the lizard is safe and cannot escape. It needs
to be large because bearded dragons grow to 45cm long and need to move around and
stretch out.
4.
this mean?
that the temperature stays the same and doesn’t go up or down.
5.
vivarium. Explain what you think of this idea, and what other suggestions would you make?
I would tell the new owner that I don’t think this is a good idea because bearded
dragons instinctively like to dig, and they can’t dig in newspaper. I would suggest they
natural environment.
6. Why do you think the live food that will be fed to the dragon needs to be fed and looked after?
I think that the live food needs to be fed and looked after because the dragon eats living
food so it needs to be healthy in order to keep the dragon healthy too.
Pet Care of a Bearded Dragon the dragon? 8. Your friend is going to get a much larger vivarium and put three bearded dragons in there. What would you tell them? I would tell my friend that they should only keep one bearded dragon at a time, because they are territorial. The males chase each other from their space and the females bite 9. A bearded dragon has a swollen leg and one of its muscles is twitching. What could be wrong with it, what could have caused it and what might help, until you can get it to a reptile expert? If the bearded dragon has a swollen leg and one of its muscles is twitching, it could the vivarium in order to make vitamin D in the skin, which helps the storage and use of calcium in the body. Also, it should not be given spinach because this stops calcium being absorbed within the body. Diurnal - an animal which is active during the day.
Pet Care of a Bearded Dragon
Bearded dragons are lizards. They are also known as “beardies”
and are one of the most popular lizards in captivity in the UK.
Their name comes from the spikey folds of skin around their
neck, which inflate and turn black when they are excited or need
to defend themselves.
They originally come from the dry scrublands of Australia. In captivity,
they need their environment to be as similar as possible to their natural
surroundings in the wild.
Environment
Bearded dragons must be kept in a large glass enclosure called a vivarium. It
Bearded dragons are ectothermic, therefore they use the environment to control
their body temperature. They need a warm end of the vivarium and a cool end
so that they can move when they need to change
their temperature. They like to lie, or bask, on
a natural stone near the heat lamp provided. A
thermostat must be installed to make sure the
temperature remains constant.
Substrate
Did You Know?
The base of the vivarium needs to be covered with
Bearded dragons are
a sand and soil mixture, as bearded dragons have
diurnal which means
a natural instinct to dig. Stone tiles should have
they are active during
ridges to help the reptile grip.
the day.
Pet Care of a Bearded Dragon
Light
Lizards use the ultraviolet light from the sun
to make vitamin D in their skin. This is vital
for their skin to make calcium and store it
in their bodies. A special UV light must be
installed in their vivarium.
Diet
Bearded dragons are omnivorous.
This means they eat live invertebrates - called live foods -
and plants, known as greens. Keep live food in a well ventilated
container and feed them the same greens as the dragon so that
the lizard gets the nutrition through eating the invertebrates.
Safe Greens Live Food
watercress
rocket
cress crickets
locusts
dandelions calciworms
clover
plantain leaves
If bearded dragons have spinach, it affects the dragon’s ability to absorb calcium
into their bodies.
Feeding Tips
• Take out any uneaten live foods from the vivarium, as they can bite the
lizard.
•
Pet Care of a Bearded Dragon
Two’s Company
Bearded dragons are very territorial and will chase other males from their space.
Females can fight if they are in groups - they have been known to bite the
toes of other lizards and sometimes kill them!
Signs of a healthy lizard: Signs of calcium deficiency:
• clear, bright eyes; • muscle twitching;
• thick base to their tail; • swollen legs;
• hips will not be sticking out; • fragile bones;
• bright colour after basking. • deformed limbs, spine, jaw.
Sunbathing Lizard
A bearded dragon can be taken outside into the garden on sunny warm
days to get natural UV light from the sun. Shade must be available and
must be constantly watched.Pet Care of a Bearded Dragon
Questions
1. Why are bearded dragons called this?
2. Why do bearded dragons need a large vivarium?
3. How do bearded dragons use the environment to control their temperature?
4. Why do they need a soil and sand substrate?
5.
6. Explain why the live foods are given the same greens the dragon is given.Pet Care of a Bearded Dragon 7. Give three examples of plants which can be fed to a bearded dragon. 8. Why do the uneaten live foods need to be removed from the vivarium? 9. Describe what the outcome might be if more than one female was kept in the vivarium. 10. Would you want to own a bearded dragon? Explain your thoughts.
Pet Care of a Bearded Dragon
Answers
1. Why are bearded dragons called this?
Bearded dragons are called this because they have spikey folds of skin around their
2. Why do bearded dragons need a large vivarium?
Bearded dragons need a large vivarium because they grow to 45cm and like to stretch
out and move around.
3. How do bearded dragons use the environment to control their temperature?
Bearded dragons use the environment to control their temperature by moving from a
cool place to a warmer place.
4. Why do they need a soil and sand substrate?
They need soil and sand substrate because they have an instinct to dig and these
materials are good for them to dig in.
5.
which means it cannot store calcium in its body. It can become very ill without calcium.
6. Explain why the live foods are given the same greens the dragon is given.
Live foods are given the same greens as the dragon because then the dragon will get the
nutrition of the greens as well as the live food, when they eat it.
7. Give three examples of plants which can be fed to a bearded dragon.
dandelion, clover and plantain leaves. (Accept any three).
8. Why do the uneaten live foods need to be removed from the vivarium?
The uneaten live foods need to be removed from the vivarium because they might bite
the bearded dragon.
9. Describe what the outcome might be if more than one female was kept in the vivarium.
10. Would you want to own a bearded dragon? Explain your thoughts.
Answers will vary.Pet Care of a Bearded Dragon
Bearded dragons are reptiles. Their name comes from the
spikey folds of skin around their neck, which inflate and turn
black when they are excited or afraid.
They originally come from the dry scrublands of Australia. Their
captive environment needs to be similar to their natural environment.
Did You Know?
• Bearded dragons are diurnal which means
they are active during the day.
• They are known as ‘beardies’.
• They originally came from the dry scrublands
of Australia.
Environment
Bearded dragons must be kept in a large glass tank called a vivarium. It needs
long and need room to move around and stretch out.
Bearded dragons need the vivarium to have a warm end and a cool end, so that
they can control their body temperature. Putting a thermostat in the vivarium
will make sure the temperature does not change.
These lizards like to dig, so put a mixture of soil and sand, bought from the
reptile shop, on the bottom of the vivarium.
Two’s Company
Bearded dragons should not live together as they fight for living space. The
males chase each other and the females bite off a rival’s toes!
Light
A special light which gives of ultraviolet
(UV) rays must be in the vivarium. Bearded
dragons use UV light to make calcium in
their skin. They would normally get this
from the sun in the wild.Pet Care of a Bearded Dragon
Diet
Bearded dragons eat live insects and some plants. They must
be fed in the morning so that they can digest their food all day.
Safe Greens Live Food
watercress
rocket
cress crickets
locusts
dandelions calciworms
clover
plantain leaves
Signs of a healthy lizard: Signs of calcium deficiency:
• clear, bright eyes; • muscle twitching;
• thick base to their tail; • swollen legs;
• hips will not be sticking out. • fragile bones;
• deformed limbs, spine, jaw.
Sunbathing Lizard
Take your bearded dragon
out into the garden on sunny,
warm days. This helps them to
get natural UV light from the
sun. Make sure there is some
shade and remember to watch
them all the time.Pet Care of a Bearded Dragon
Questions
1. What sort of animal are bearded dragons?
2. What other name do bearded dragons have?
3. What do captive bearded dragons need to be kept in?
4. Why should there be a thermostat in the vivarium?
5. What does UV stand for?
6. Should bearded dragons live together? Explain your answer.
7. When should a bearded dragon be fed?
8. Give three signs of a healthy bearded dragon.
9. Why should you take a bearded dragon out into the garden on sunny days?Maths / PSHE / Citizenship
CANINE
CASHFLOW
FOR 7-11 YEAR OLDS
www.learnwithdogtrust.org.uk
© Dogs Trust 2019. Registered Charity Numbers: 227523 & SC037843Teacher’s Notes
ABOUT THIS ACTIVITY
In these activities, pupils will practice their adding, subtraction and
multiplication of numbers, and analyse data to find the answers while
exploring the costs involved in owning a dog.
This is a maths-based activity, but can also be used as part of a PSHE or
Citizenship topic about rights and responsibilities and as a follow-up activity
after a visit from one of our Education Officers.
Age range: 7-11 years
Subjects: Maths / PSHE / Citizenship
You will need:
Copies of the Vet’s Price List, Doggy Items Price List and answer sheets
for each activity.
www.learnwithdogtrust.org.uk CANINE CASHFLOW 2*
Teacher’s Notes HOW TO USE THIS ACTIVITY Activities 2 and 3 are for use with older and/or more able pupils, or could be used as a paired, group or whole class activity. Activity 1 – A visit to the vet Pupils use the Vet’s Price List to answer a series of questions about the cost of caring for a dog. Answers: 1) £255, 2) £375, 3) £120, 4) £344 Activity 2 – Doggy shopping Pupils use the Doggy Items Price List to locate answers and calculate the cost of things that dogs need. Answers: 1) £21.00, 2)£0.53 3) Large dog: £37 + £11.20 + £5.99 + £6.49 + £12.99 + £3 = £76.67 Small dog: £18 + £6.50 + £3.49 + £6.49 + £12.99 + £3 = £50.47 3a) Large, 3b) £26.20 Activity 3 – How much does Lulu cost? The Jones family have adopted Lulu. Pupils answer five questions about how much it has cost the family, and how much they saved on vet bills and basic items by adopting Lulu from Dogs Trust. Answers: 1) £375, 2) £12, 3) £25, 4) £15.48, 5) £277.48 www.learnwithdogtrust.org.uk CANINE CASHFLOW 3
A Visit to the Vet
TASK:
Use the Vet’s Price List to answer
the following questions.
1. Millie takes her small, male dog to the vet to be
microchipped, neutered and vaccinated.
Calculate the cost of Millie’s visit.
£
2. Tariq takes his large, female dog to the vet to be microchipped, neutered
and vaccinated. Calculate the cost of Tariq’s visit.
£
3. How much more did Tariq pay for his dog’s treatment than Millie?
£
4. A dog needs to be given flea and worming treatment every month.
How much does it cost to treat a large and a small dog for one year?
£
www.learnwithdogtrust.org.uk CANINE CASHFLOW 4Vet’s Price List
Small dog Large dog
£35.00 £35.00
Microchip
£40.00 £40.00
Vaccination
Flea and worming
£144.00 £200.00
treatment
(per year)
Insurance £300 £600
(per year)
Female: £300.00 Female: £300.00
Neutering Male: £180.00 Male: £180.00
www.learnwithdogtrust.org.uk CANINE CASHFLOW 5Doggy shopping
TASK:
Look at the Doggy Items Price List and answer the following questions.
1. Harry’s large dog eats two tins of dog food per day. How much
does it cost Harry to feed his dog each week?
£
2. Sally’s dog has a long coat, which needs grooming every day.
She bought a new brush, a dog toy and some dog chocolate.
How much change did she get from £10.00?
£
3. Find the prices, and calculate the totals for this shopping list.
First for a large dog and then for a small dog.
Item Large dog Small dog
Bed
2 x bowls
Collar
Engraved tag
Long lead
3 x treats
TOTAL COST
3a. Which dog costs the most?
3b. How much more does their shopping list add up to?
£
www.learnwithdogtrust.org.uk CANINE CASHFLOW 6£8
ba .99
g
Dry dog food
Doggy Items Price List po 79p
uc
h
Dog food
Dog bowls la £1.
rg 50
e
tin
£3. ll
£5. e
sm
larg
25
60
a
Dog chocolate
Dog bed
£18
.0
sma 0 £2.99
ll
£37.
00
larg
e
Dog treats
Dog brush
.00
£1
Dog collar
49
99 9
£3.9
£2.
£5. e
larg
Engraved tag £3
.
sm 49
all
£1
2
lo .99 Dog toy
ng
Dog leads
00
£3. t
r
sho
£6
.4
9
www.learnwithdogtrust.org.uk CANINE CASHFLOW 7How much does Lulu cost?
TASK:
Use both price lists to answer the following questions.
1. The Jones family adopt a small, adult, female dog called Lulu from Dogs Trust.
Dogs Trust neuter, microchip and vaccinate all dogs in their care.
How much would this usually cost for Lulu?
£
2. Lulu will be given one month’s flea treatment and wormer before she leaves.
How much would this usually cost for Lulu?
£
3. Lulu will have one month’s pet insurance free.
How much would this usually cost for Lulu?
£
4. When Lulu leaves Dogs Trust, the Jones family are given a brand new collar
and short lead and a bag of dry food for her. How much would these items
cost for Lulu if the Jones family had to buy them?
£
5. The adoption fee at Dogs Trust is £150. How much did the Jones family
save on vet bills and basic items by adopting?
(Hint: add the previous four prices you worked
out together, then subtract the adoption fee.) £
www.learnwithdogtrust.org.uk CANINE CASHFLOW 8Pet Care of a Bearded Dragon
Answers
1. What sort of animal are bearded dragons?
Bearded dragons are reptiles.
2. What other name do bearded dragons have?
Another name that bearded dragons have is ‘beardies’.
3. What do captive bearded dragons need to be kept in?
Captive dragons need to be kept in a large, glass tank called a vivarium.
4. Why should there be a thermostat in the vivarium?
There should be a thermostat in the vivarium because bearded dragons need to be in a
place where the temperature does not change.
5. What does UV stand for?
6. Should bearded dragons live together? Explain your answer.
males chase each other/the females bite each other’s toes!
7. When should a bearded dragon be fed?
A bearded dragon should be fed in the morning.
8. Give three signs of a healthy bearded dragon.
Three signs of a healthy bearded dragon: (accept any three): clear, bright eyes, thick
base to their tail; hips will not be sticking out.
9. Why should you take a bearded dragon out into the garden on sunny days?You can also read
