Table of Contents
How Long Do Bearded Dragons Live?
Bearded dragons typically live five to fourteen years; as pets, they can live an average of 10 years. Males tend to live longer than females of the species. Herpetologists agree that males living longer is relative to their bigger size.
The greater size transfers into males being more durable and more likely to withstand environmental changes. A female bearded dragon’s body also takes on a lot of stress when laying eggs and thus potentially shortening its lifespan.
What Is The Average Lifespan Of Bearded Dragons In The Wild?
The average lifespan of bearded dragons in the wild is five to ten years. One of the main reasons for having shorter lifespans than domestic bearded dragons is natural predators.
In the wild, bearded dragons can be victims of birds like falcons, hawks, or feral cats and dogs. In addition, beardies are small enough to be attacked by just about anything bigger than a pigeon in the wild.
A wild bearded dragon can also find it challenging to find food regularly at certain times of the year. The scarcity of food and seasonal droughts can seriously shorten the lifespan of a bearded dragon.
These reasons can shorten a bearded dragon’s potential lifespan by an average of three to 6 years.
How Long Will Bearded Dragons In Captivity Live?
As long as a bearded dragon is well taken care of, it can live for eight to twelve years on average. Pet or captive bearded dragons don’t have to worry about predators unless you have an overly curious cat or dog. Captive beardies also have access to food and water regularly. These factors and a good diet can help increase their lifespan by several years.
However, a poorly kept bearded dragon might only live to an average similar to their wild family members, in many cases less.
A proper diet and appropriate humidity levels, heating, and lighting in their enclosure will help them live longer. Then, add a good, clean living space and calcium supplements to give your bearded dragon the best chance to live a long and healthy life.
How Long Can Bearded Dragons Potentially Live?
There are a few cases where bearded dragons lived to be eighteen years old. However, their maximum lifespan average can potentially be twelve to eighteen years assuming certain conditions are met.
It is are for beardies to live this long, but it is possible. According to herpetologists, long life is usually a result of good husbandry, optimal diet, suitable housing, and above-average genetics.
However, even when meeting all the criteria, a bearded dragon will rarely live past the age of 14.
What Are Essential Factors In A Bearded Dragon’s Lifespan?
An essential factor in a bearded dragon’s lifespan is proper husbandry. Failing to take care of a bearded dragon properly will reduce its total lifespan. Listed below are a few of the key problems when not properly taking care of a beardie.
- Overfeeding adults protein and lack of leafy greens.
- Heat and humidity levels not being ideal.
- The enclosure is too small for the size of the dragon.
- Not having enough shade in the enclosure.
- Not monitoring bearded dragon poop times and consistency.
- A big red flag is breeding a female dragon too young.
We can avoid most of these mistakes with some common sense. So let’s go over some of the main points to pay attention to.
The Importance Of a Well Balanced Diet
A well-balanced diet will aid your bearded dragon in staying healthy. In addition, the diet is the first place to look at when you want to make sure your pet lizard lives as long as possible. You will have to make sure they also get the appropriate supplements and nutrients to keep away the potential for disease.
For the most part, we can assume the correct nutritional breakdown according to a dragon’s age.
- Young dragons like hatchlings and juveniles need more protein because they are in the growing stage. Make sure to include more insects in their diet.
- Adult dragons require less protein and need plenty of leafy greens and vegetables to stay healthy. Protein is still necessary but in lower quantities.
It is crucial to know what you are feeding your bearded dragon and its eating schedule.
Calcium is essential for reptile development; however, too much calcium can result in bowel issues and damage to the organs. An important indicator is the consistency and color of bearded dragon poop.
Make sure to give hatchlings calcium supplements in their diet at least four times each week. Juveniles and adult dragons will need calcium supplementation once or twice each week.
Bearded Dragon Enclosure
A grown bearded Dragon will need a large tank of around 120-gallons with the proper levels of humidity, light, heat, and the right kind of substrate. All of these are essential pillars in keeping your dragon happy and healthy.
Some substrates are better than others. The size and consistency of the materials are important when choosing which one to use. Some substrates can be ingested by your bearded dragon causing impaction. Try selecting a substrate that is not particle-based. Substrates based on tiny rocks are usually not the way to go.
Shade is equally as important as any of the other factors. There should always be a place of shade so your bearded dragon can cool off from the heat lamp. The enclosure should be split into a side that provides a thermal gradient and a much cooler side with shade.
Make sure to include a good quality UVB light for your bearded dragon. Try to stay away from coil-style UVB lights and stick to large bulbs.
The humidity in the enclosure is best at 30 to 40%. This humidity level is vital in preventing various kinds of respiratory problems like infections.
Disease In Bearded Dragons
Preventing diseases is one of the best ways to increase the lifespan of a bearded dragon. It would be best if you always were on the lookout for warning signs of your bearded dragon’s health. It is a common good practice to take your pet lizard to see the veterinarian at least once a year for a check-up.
One of the most common illnesses for beardies is Metabolic Bone Disease. This disease affects bone functions and gets progressively worse with time.
The result is painful deformations in the legs, spine, and jaw, to name a few. Some mistakes that can lead to this non-infectious disease are lack of UVB light and calcium deficiency.
Breeding And Lifespan In Bearded Dragons
Females will live longer if you don’t breed them. The sheer stress of having an enlarged abdomen and loss of mass along the pelvic region and the limbs can significantly reduce the dragon’s lifespan.
The energy necessary for reproduction and egg-laying can also take a steep toll on the bearded dragon’s life expectancy.
A single female can lay many clutches throughout her life, each laying 15-25 eggs. If you plan to bread your female dragon, make sure to feed and supplement correctly before, during, and after laying her clutch.
Different Species Of Bearded Dragons Have Different Life Expectancies
Different subspecies of bearded dragons can live longer than others. There are a total of eight known subspecies of bearded dragons to choose from. As a rule of thumb, the bigger the bearded dragon is, the more likely they are to live longer. This is because the large size makes them more resilient and lets them more easily adapt to changes in their environments.
The subspecies Pogina Vitticeps have an average lifespan of eight to twelve years when correctly cared for. In contrast, the smaller Pogona Henrylawsoni only lives eight to ten years on average. Other subspecies are smaller and have shorter lifespans as well.
The Lifecycle of A Bearded Dragon
We can see there are six stages in the lifecycle of bearded dragons. The stage of the specimen depends on their size and age.
The period where the bearded dragon first develops is called the embryonic stage, and it takes place in the egg. Throughout this initial stage, the mother’s diet and stress levels play a big part in the offspring’s future quality of life.
The hatching stage is where the beardie is around three inches in size. This second stage can last anywhere from 55 to 75 days. Once the bearded dragon reaches eight inches in length, they step into the juvenile stage.
The juvenile stage takes place when the specimen reaches around 8 inches long. At this point, they will grow on average one inch per month. Bearded dragons are also called subadults at the juvenile stage.
A bearded dragon reaches the young adult stage once it turns a year old and can last as long as three years. At this point in their development, the specimen should consume more leafy greens and vegetables. You will also notice that bearded dragons are more social at this stage. This is because they are maturing sexually.
From the age of five until seven years old, bearded dragons are in the mature adult stage of development. There is no more growth, and we notice a decrease in reproduction rates.
Bearded dragons reach their old stage between seven to eight years. After that, they will be more lethargic and will feed less often than before.
How Old Is My Bearded Dragon?
If you want to know out how old your bearded dragon is, you can quickly figure it out by understanding which life stage it is in. The first obvious answer is to measure the length of the specimen.
- Dragons in the hatchling stage under thirty days old will usually measure just below four inches.
- A specimen measuring between four and ten inches is usually four months old.
- A bearded dragon measuring under twelve inches in length is under one year old.
This method is suitable for specimens that are under one year old. An adult bearded dragon will measure anywhere from 16 to 26 inches long.
Weighing your bearded dragon can also be a great way to check on the specimen’s age. A juvenile will typically weigh up to 300 grams, while adults can weigh 500 grams.
Conclusion
life expectancy can vary depending on a few factors. In general, a pet bearded dragon can live between eight to twelve years on average. A bearded dragon that lives in the wild can have a considerably shorter lifespan due to scarcity of food, seasonal droughts, predation, fluctuating temperatures. It is also understood that bigger specimens will have longer lifespans and that males live longer than females.
For bearded dragons to live a long and healthy life in captivity, it is essential to avoid common mistakes and follow the instructions in the bearded dragon care guide.
Remember to constantly monitor for any signs of illness in your bearded dragon. In addition, it would be best if you regularly looked out for weight loss, dehydration, swelling, lumps, changes in behavior, dehydration, and loss of appetite.
Featured Image by Ben Greene
