The bearded dragon is one of the easiest pets to bond with. Once you get used to the pet, the bond between you is hard to break and often ends only after the pet’s death. Thus, bearded dragon lovers often wonder how long these lizard pets can live.
So, how long do dwarf bearded dragons live? The dwarf bearded dragon, one of the smallest pet lizards, has an average life expectancy of 8 to 15 years. However, male dwarf bearded dragons usually live longer than females as they are bigger and more resilient. More enormous lizards can withstand harsher environmental conditions.
On the other hand, female dwarf beardies generally live shorter than their male counterparts. The females are smaller and softer, and laying eggs takes a toll on their bodies and reduces their life expectancy. Keep reading to learn more about what determines how long a dwarf beardie can live.
What Factors Determine the Life Expectancy of a Dwarf Bearded?
The dwarf bearded dragon has many characteristics which make it live for long in captivity. It’s not only a hardy lizard that can survive harsh environmental conditions but also has many inbuilt mechanisms to help it evade danger.
Further, comprehensively caring for the dwarf pet gives it a healthy, happy life and prolongs its lifespan. The following are measures that you can observe to ensure that your dwarf bearded dragon lives healthier for longer:
- Proper breeding
- Feeding the dragon a balanced and sufficient diet
- Keeping the pet in a suitable habitat
- Maintaining hygiene
- Observing reptile pet security
- Provision of adequate water
- Regular health check-ups by a reliable reptile pet vet
Let’s take a peek;
1. Proper Breeding
Natural breeding enables baby dwarf beardies to inherit all traits of their parents, including undesirable characteristics. On the other hand, selective breeding allows baby dwarf bearded dragons to take up only desirable features from their parents. Thus, dwarf beardie pets obtained from selective breeding potentially live for longer.
2. Balanced Diet
Dwarf bearded dragon feed on various plants and insects. Proper bearded dragon nutrition involves feeding your pet sufficient and healthy food and supplements. It supports healthy growth and significantly lengthens a dwarf bearded dragon’s life.
3. Suitable Habitat
The dwarf beardie requires less space than more giant pet lizards due to its relatively smaller size. Therefore, chambers that house dwarf bearded dragons should imitate typical desert temperatures as much as possible because these dwarf reptiles come from an arid climate. Such a friendly environment is sure to increase the lizard’s lifespan.
4. Hygiene
Another way to keep a dwarf beardie healthy and ensure the pet lives for a long time is to ensure that all food and water sources are clean. Contaminated food and water shorten the life of a beardy pet by increasing the risk of bacteria and infections that eventually lead to the pet’s untimely demise.
5. Security
When exploring outdoors, carefully watch over your dwarf beardy for hawks and big cats which prey on and attack bearded dragons, thus shortening the pet’s lifespan. Moreover, staying alert when bathing or swimming a dwarf beardie prevents the pet from drowning and dying prematurely.
6. Provision of Adequate water
A well-hydrated dwarf bearded dragon will live for more years than a dehydrated one. Water is life, and lack of it is fatal. Enough water is vital for a dwarf bearded dragon to survive and thrive.
7. Regular Vet Check-ups
Regular check-ups by a dependable reptile pet veterinarian are one of the best ways to address health complications that can potentially influence the life expectancy of your dwarf beardie.
Although sometimes your concerns may turn out to be nothing serious, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Moreover, the reptile Vet can give you sound advice to ensure your dwarf beardie stays healthy and lives to its prime.
Conclusion
One of the most rewarding aspects of dwarf beardies as pets is that they can potentially live longer in captivity than in the wild. Generally, a dwarf beardie can live up to 8-15 years under optimal bearded dragon tank conditions. However, in captivity, these exotic reptiles require a knowledgeable hand to breed and care for so they can flourish.
Besides getting your pet dragon from a reliable breeder, providing your dwarf bearded dragon with a balanced and sufficient diet, housing it in proper habitat, and observing terrarium hygiene will prolong your lizard’s life.
Additionally, providing security and adequate water and regularly taking your beardy pet for health check-ups are other factors that contribute to improving a dwarf beardie’s lifespan.