# how long can bearded dragon stay out of viv?



## beardie_mad

hi all, i am new here and i am 15. i am hopefully getting a bearded dragon. i have done alot of research about them but the only thing i can not find out is how long can you keep a bd out of it viv?

answers would be appreciated


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## reptilelover96

well my viv is on the floor and when i am at school i leave them in (so they can get the uv and heat) and when i get home i let them out but i leave the dorr open i only lock them in when it is feeding time at school and at night obvioursly when i am away as well but my beardie were kinda trained lol as i left the doors open they wonderd in and out when they wanted if they were too cold or for some reson lol, hope this helps x


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## reptilelover96

o and welcome!


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## beardie_mad

thanx for the reply


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## reptilelover96

no probz lol x


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## AuntyLizard

Baby I would say 10 mins at a time really but as they get older they can stay out longer.. In the summer mine like to sit on the window sill.

Liz


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## loulou87

I think they should only stay out until they start to get cold. if you consider that at night they are in their viv and its the same temp as your home they are ok for a little while, but need to get as warm as they can in the day- beardies need to be warm and under the UV to digest their food and so leave them alone when and after they eat. also remember to leave lights on 1 hour before feeding and 2 hours after so they can digest- I normally cuddle george for an hour after his lights go off, then he falls asleep and i put him back. 

YOu know what... youll learn to read your beardie and what he/she wants and youll realsise when they want to go back. 

I think its best as babies to maybe have them out for short spaces of time maybe 15mins and then put them back to warm up and then maybe after an hour or 2 get them out again. 

Youll be just fine with your beardie- im really happy you are asking questions before you get your dragon- many people do it the wrong way round


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## beardie_mad

thank you for the replys. another quick question, How often do you need to feed the bd's when their a baby and how often when they are adults?


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## loulou87

you always provide your beardie with fresh salad, whether a babie or an adult. I put mine in in the morning and change it when i finish work around 6. As a baby your beardie wont eat it, but if you leave it there then they gradually start to experiment. 

With regard to live food, feed your babies 2-3 times a day, for 15minutes and put as much as they eat in. so what i do is put a few roaches/locusts into his viv them he eats them and i add more and continue for 15 mins. That then means i dont have to search his viv for hiding bugs at night to get them out! As a baby their diet is mainly live food and only when they get to adult do they switch and eat more salad than live. As an adult I think live food every other day is recommended. 

Make sure you dust one of his/her meals with calcium each weekday as a baby and at the weekend use vitimins.


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## AuntyLizard

Babys up to 8 wks 3 x a day 8wks - 14 wks 2 x a day there after until they are 6-7 months once a day. Fresh veg should be available daily.

I offer my babies veg before they are even introduced to live. This stops the problem of them not eating it, in fact mine prefer their veg to live. 

Liz


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## Matista17

Dont Worry, I Was New Some Time Ago But Your Bearded Dragon Can Be Out Ov Its Vivarium Until You Feel You Want To Put It Bak And Remember, It Is Important That Your Dragon Get A Bit Ov Exercise If They Get Fat.Lol..xx


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## loulou87

Aunty- i wish the breeder of george had done that- he was a nightmare to get onto veg:devil:

were there now though but took lots of time and many methods! i suppose they would much rather have live- i mean what kid do you know that likes their greens?! beardies are the same.... or mine at least!


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## beardie_mad

because im still at school would i need to freed them when they are babies once before i go school which i leave home at about 8:30 and once when i get home which would be about 3.15. also how long do the lights need to be on before i feed them and how long after?

and thanks for the replys once again


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## hickman2342

Your lights need to Be on for at least an hour before and an hour after, one to ensure they are warmed up enough to chase their food and on long enough after they have eaten to enable them to digest what they have eaten

Your uv light should be on for twelve hours a day, heat light depending on age should be onall the time


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## loulou87

I would suggest you get a timer to turn your lights on both heat and UV an hour before you get up. that way you can give him and hour before you feed. then feed whn you get in from school. 

All lights off at night, heat and UV, they need to be able to define between day and night- mine goes off at 9:00 come on in the morning at 7, which means i can feed at 8 before i go to work.


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