When considering the purchase of a bearded dragon, it’s important to be aware of the average price range, which is typically $35-100 for standard bearded dragons. However, the costs don’t stop there; you must account for additional expenses such as feeding, housing, and veterinary bills. Below, we’ll explore the various factors affecting the overall cost of keeping these reptiles.
Bearded dragons vary in price based on their type, size, and morph. Here’s a breakdown of the species and subspecies available in the pet trade: Pogona minor, Pogona barbata, Pogona vitticeps, Pogona nullarbor, Pogona henrylawsoni, and Pogona microlepidota. Each species and subspecies has unique habitat requirements and sizes, which can impact their price.
Morphs also play a significant role in the pricing. Some of the popular bearded dragon morphs and their respective prices are: Red ($50-150), Blue ($300-400), Snow ($200-400), Green ($200-300), White ($300-400), Orange ($100-200), Sandfire ($100-200), Sunburst ($100-200), Tangerine ($200-300). It’s evident that rarer morphs or species command higher prices, with the blue bearded dragon being notably more expensive than others.
For baby bearded dragons, the price can range from $25 to $500, depending on the morph, species, and location of purchase. Generally, baby bearded dragons are the most cost-effective option compared to adults. For instance, a hatchling Sandfire might cost around $90, while adults can cost several hundred dollars more.
Adult bearded dragons can be priced much higher, with some reaching up to $2,000, depending on the morph, species, and distributor.
The cost of living for bearded dragons includes monthly expenses such as food (around $50) and substrate (around $40). While bearded dragons are not the cheapest exotic pets to maintain, they are more affordable than many others.
Before buying a bearded dragon, consider factors such as location, size, and variety. The type of habitat they need, the cost of live food, and where to purchase a bearded dragon are all important considerations. It’s also worth noting that bearded dragons do not require extravagant living spaces, which can help keep costs down.
When considering the purchase of a bearded dragon, it’s important to understand the costs involved. Standard bearded dragons typically cost around $150 for an adult. The adult price is significantly higher than that of juveniles due to the additional expenses breeders incur in maintaining them. Breeders anticipate that buyers, who often opt to breed them soon after purchase, will make a profit from them again. This expectation is reasonable, as most pet owners prefer raising hatchlings themselves. The price of an adult bearded dragon reflects the costs of tank, food, substrate, and other items necessary for its growth.
Understanding the Care Needs and Costs of Bearded Dragons is crucial. We’ll outline the various expenses you should anticipate. Cost of Housing Bearded Dragons: A 10-gallon tank is sufficient for a hatchling, while most adult bearded dragons can comfortably live in a 20-gallon enclosure. Some opt for larger tanks, up to 50-gallons. Housing options include: – Glass Terrariums: Available at pet stores or online, these are one of the most affordable options. Prices range from $48 for a 10-gallon to $100-120 for a 20-gallon, and $256 for a 40-gallon. – Wood Enclosures: A beautiful option, whether pre-made or self-built. Materials for a simple wooden enclosure cost around $50-100, including screws, air vents, hinges, silicone, OSB or plywood, and a glass front panel. – Plastic Containers: Easily adapted plastic totes can serve as reptile enclosures, with prices around $30-50 for a 50-gallon tote. – Acrylic Terrariums: More expensive and prone to scratching, yet less fragile than glass. Prices are $125 for a 10-gallon, $180 for a 20-gallon, and $350 for a 50-gallon. Bearded Dragon Food Price: Feeding bearded dragons, who eat quite a lot, can cost around $30-50 per month. Live foods, in particular, can be expensive.Bearded dragon food can vary in cost depending on your time and effort. The diet consists of three parts: Fruit (10-15%), Live food (20% for adults and 80% for babies), and Vegetables (80% for adults and 20% for babies). Fruit isn’t essential but can add minerals and nutrients. In the United States, fruit averages around $0.91 per pound. Your bearded dragon likely won’t eat a pound of fruit a month. A $2 spend on fruit is reasonable if you choose expensive varieties or buy organic.
Live foods can add $7-10 to your monthly cost if bought for every meal. You can cut down on costs by breeding worms and crickets. Greens add another $3-7 to your monthly feeding cost. Growing greens or buying from farmer’s markets can help cut costs. Finally, add calcium and vitamin supplements to your bearded dragon’s diet. Expect to spend an additional $15 a month for supplements. Now let’s talk about bearded dragon substrate cost. You can spend around $50 for a perpetual-use substrate or $20 every fortnight for a more natural one. Owning a bearded dragon requires a lot of cleaning. Spot clean the substrate daily and deep-clean or replace it every two weeks. Substrate choices are debated. The bearded dragon community has seen a shift from natural to artificial substrates for easier cleaning. Some options include: Sand (use only for ⅔ of the enclosure with a boundary and clean feeding area to prevent impaction), Newspaper (readily available at pet stores, nearly free but needs to be replaced once or twice a week), Ceramic tiles (easy to wipe down and won’t need replacement, around $50 for a box that covers most enclosure sizes), Alfalfa pellets (more natural but need to be changed every two weeks, around $19 per bag), and Reptile carpet (cheap and easy to maintain, around $13 for a 27-inch sheet and can be washed instead of replaced).The cost of equipment is a significant part of the overall bearded dragon costs. Bearded dragons require heating and lighting. Heat lamps are needed to keep them warm during the day. Hide Boxes are essential for their health, with at least two hides suggested – one on the cool side and one on the warm end, plus a humid hide. A thermostat helps maintain the heating pad or ceramic heat emitter. Food and water bowls are necessary for cleanliness and the dragon’s health.
Full-spectrum light bulbs are required for their well-being. Equip basking lamps with full-spectrum UVA and UVB heat bulbs instead of multiple lamp fittings. Thermometers and hygrometers are needed to monitor the enclosure’s climate. Heating Pads or ceramic emitters are needed at night as bearded dragons require a day and night cycle. Bearded Dragon Vet Fees: Annual costs for veterinary advice are around $75-100 if no unusual medical problems occur. Bearded dragons need regular vet visits. A basic check-up costs $25-100. Extra tests or medications can add from 50 to several hundred dollars. Annual vet visit includes a general checkup and a parasite test. Overall Bearded Dragon Cost of Living: The average overall cost for buying a bearded dragon and caring for it over one year is $915. This includes startup and ongoing costs. Vet Fees are $100 a year. Startup Costs are $165. UV lights cost $30. Thermostat is $19. Light Fixture is $30. Water and Food Bowl is $10. Substrate (Reptile Carpet) is $14. Glass Enclosure (10-gallon) is $48. Heating Pad or Ceramic Emitter is $18 or $14. Ongoing Costs are $50 per month ($600 per year). Food is $35 per month. Calcium and vitamins (powder form) are $15 per month. Bearded Dragon Price is $50. An initial fee of around $215 can be expected if being as affordable as possible. Choosing a specific bearded dragon morph, large acrylic enclosure, or other premium products can increase the cost significantly.Things to Consider Before Buying a Bearded Dragon
There are many factors to think about before getting your new bearded dragon. Location Matters Where you purchase a bearded dragon greatly influences its cost. A local pet store will charge less than a well-known breeder. However, you can’t be certain of the quality if bought at a local pet store or supermarket. Local breeders trying to enter the market might be even cheaper but carry similar risks. Size Matters The age and size of the bearded dragon significantly affect the price. Baby bearded dragons cost much less than adults and it’s easier to raise them from babies. Variety Matters Your regional pet store or breeder may have multiple species, colors, and varieties of bearded dragons. Wild-type bearded dragons are the cheapest while fancier ones are more expensive. Bearded Dragons Don’t Need Palaces Many owners make the mistake of buying large glass or acrylic enclosures. A bearded dragon doesn’t truly need a palace-like setup. Large plastic totes or affordable wooden enclosures can make good homes. Buying Live Food Is Expensive Many keepers make the mistake of buying all live foods. Breeding mealworms, superworms, and crickets at home is cheaper and not difficult. You can also add silkworms as a seasonal treat. Where to Buy a Bearded Dragon As mentioned earlier, there are many places to buy bearded dragons. Some common ones include Repticon – a reptile convention or expo which is one of the best ways to find high-quality bearded dragons. Breeders here go through a screening process. Repticons may not be the cheapest but are worth it. Supermarkets are also responsible for many bearded dragon sales. People go in for bread and milk and leave with a cute lizard. Let’s change only the tank type, and assume you’re buying a tangerine morph bearded dragon. That changes the prices to: Tangerine Morph Hatchling – $250. Acrylic Enclosure (10-gallon) – $193. Assuming you use all the products we mentioned earlier and change just those two things, it adds $345 to the startup cost. The short version is, you can pay $215 to begin with, or up to $560. If you choose a truly rare morph, this price can easily rocket to $1,000 or more. The same is true of food, substrate, and every other element. You can decrease the costs by being thrifty and raising live insects like mealworms and dubia roaches. You can also start a small vegetable patch and grow pesticide-free veggies. If convenience is your main concern, then you might pay more overall.Supermarkets may sell bearded dragons at cheap prices, but you don’t know who bred the lizard or if it was done responsibly. Supermarket attendants usually don’t know much about caring for bearded dragons. A lack of experience can lead to unpleasant results for the lizards. Local pet stores also sell many bearded dragons each year. Except for some specialist exotic pet stores, these stores are often more focused on cuddly animals and fish. Like supermarkets, many pet stores can’t provide background information about the animal. Only buy from a pet store if they can tell you about the breeder and you consider the store trustworthy. Pet stores often sell bearded dragons cheaply, but that doesn’t mean they are good-quality animals. New or local breeders may be passionate about bearded dragons and want to breed them. In some cases, it’s a real passion and they do a lot of research. In other cases, it’s just an urge or an attempt to make money. Local breeders may sell bearded dragons at low prices, but you can’t trust all of them equally. Preferably, visit the breeder before buying, check the setup, and ask questions. Only buy from them if they have a quality breeding operation. Online marketplaces offer a hassle-free way to buy bearded dragons. The prices are usually comparable to those of Repticon or established breeders. You can trust the marketplace to screen the breeders and provide legal assistance if there are problems. Most online marketplaces use courier systems to deliver the bearded dragon to your door in 48 hours or less. Established breeders sell through their websites. They have years of experience and produce high-quality animals. Buying directly from a trusted breeder may seem expensive, but it’s worth it for the quality. We hope you’ve enjoyed this article about the cost of buying and keeping a bearded dragon. Don’t forget to check out our other bearded dragon content, like the comprehensive care guide. We also have an article to help you decide if bearded dragons are the right pet for you. What’s your biggest concern about buying a bearded dragon? Let us know in the comments. Stacey, the owner of this website and lifelong reptile lover, caretaker, and educator, provides everything from information on caring for reptiles to how to give them the best chances against common reptile diseases and illnesses.
