How to Pick The Right Tank Size For a Bearded Dragon! (With Chart)

Choosing the right size tank for your Bearded Dragon is essential. This really can make a difference when it comes to the way they grow, feed and not to mention their overall health and happiness.

In this post, we will cover the tank size we recommend for both baby and adult bearded dragons so you can make the best decision when it comes to picking the tank that will allow your bearded dragon to grow both happy and healthy.

So how do you pick the right size tank for your bearded dragon? Baby Bearded Dragons should have a 20 – 40 Gallon tank, Juvenile Bearded Dragons should have a tank 50 – 75 Gallon tank and adult Bearded Dragons should have a 75 – 120 Gallon tank.

Read on to find the answers to some other important related questions you need to know such as at what age does a Bearded Dragon go from a baby to a juvenile and then to an adult?, will tank size affect the size of your Bearded Dragon? And more.

What Size Tank Should You Have For a Baby Bearded Dragon? And Why?

Getting the right tank size for your Bearded Dragon is actually very important but it’s not just about going as big as possible when they are a baby and thinking that “bigger is better”.

When your Dragon is a baby, it won’t need too much space and as a new owner, you probably won’t want to have the expense of a large tank and all the lighting and decor that is required especially if it’s not needed at that time.

It’s also a good idea to start with a smaller tank as baby Dragons aren’t very good at catching their food. This means larger tanks can make it difficult for them to catch live food when they are young.

A larger tank could mean that you will have to hand feed if your Bearded Dragon is struggling until they are older and can navigate the tank better to catch their food on their own.

You should consider a tank at a size of 20 – 40 Gallons for a baby Bearded Dragon as this will give them enough room to be healthy and happy and also be small enough to allow them to develop the skill of catching their food.

The tank we suggest you house your baby beardie in is the ‘Exp Terra Glass Terrerium’ 

You can find out what tank why we recommend this tank for a baby and where to get it from in this post right here.

Alternatively, You can head over to Amazon below and check it out here…

What Tank Size Should You Have For a Juvenile Bearded Dragon? And Why?

Juvenile Bearded Dragons have different housing requirements than babies.

Juveniles Dragons will obviously need a larger tank as they continue to grow in the first year of their life.

In fact, the first 12 months of a Bearded Dragons life is where 90% of the growth takes place so it’s important to make sure that you have a tank that can allow them the space to grow and be healthy and happy.

By the age that a Bearded Dragon is classed as a juvenile, it should now be comfortable with catching live food in its tank so you no longer have to be cautious about keeping the tank to a moderate size to compensate for this.

A juvenile Bearded Dragon should have a tank that is around 50 Gallons and can easily go up to 75 Gallons plus to really give them the opportunity to grow and be happy.

Carolina Custom Cages has a great tank that’s just right for juveniles. You can find out more about it here where we talk about exactly why we recommend it.

Or again, you can head over to Amazon below to see the latest price…

What Size Tank Should You Have For an Adult Bearded Dragon? And Why?

When your Bearded Dragon reaches full adulthood then it’s a good idea to treat them to a large tank as their home.

I understand that changing tanks regularly can be quite a cost and not something that you want to do unless you really need to.

I do recommend getting a large tank when they reach adulthood though, as this will be the biggest they will grow and the last time you will need to get a new tank for growth reasons.

You can create a wonderful habitat for your Dragon with lots of plants, rocks and hides that emulate their natural habitat.

A good size tank for your adult Bearded Dragon is a minimum of 75 Gallons but if you really want to give them a really spacious home to keep them stimulated and also help them grow that little more then a tank of 120 gallons would be great.  Source:

Again, Carolina Custom Cages has a great tank that I recommend for adult Bearded Dragons, here’s exactly why I recommend it.

Or check out the latest specs and price at Amazon… 

At What Age And Size Are Bearded Dragons Classed As Babies, Juveniles Or Adults?

Ok, so now you know what is a good size tank to start with for a baby, juvenile or adult Bearded Dragon but you also need to know the age and size that a Bearded Dragon is classed as a baby, juvenile or adult.

I am going to assume that you have a  ‘Pogona Vitticeps’ (Central Bearded Dragon) as this is the most common Bearded Dragon in households across the Us and Europe by far.

The size can differ depending on diet, lighting and genetics but below is a guide to the tank size you might want to consider at different ages of your Bearded Dragons life (Please use this as a guide only and always use your own judgement)

When Should You Upgrade to a Bigger Tank Size?

 Choosing the right tank size for your Bearded Dragon from day one can save you a lot of messing around in the long run.

You won’t have to move tanks every few months because they have outgrown it and you won’t have to disturb your Dragon and have the uncertainty of making them uncomfortable with new changes every few months.

It can also save you a lot of money if you get this right from the beginning.

If you aren’t careful you could end up purchasing 4 to 5 tanks or maybe if you don’t think this through properly.

If you purchase the tank sizes that I am about to recommend then you should only have to purchase 2-3 tanks as your Bearded Dragon grows into adulthood.

I recommend that you purchase a 40 Gallon tank when your Bearded Dragon is 0-6 months old, a 75 Gallon tank then they are 6-12 months old and a 120 Gallon tank when your Dragon has had their first birthday or after.

This 120 Gallon tank will be big enough for them right through their adulthood and be the perfect size for everything they need.

You will also be giving your Dragon the best opportunity to grow in larger tanks. You can create a natural habitat with a high quality basking area and spacious hides to make them feel safe.

All in all, I think going for the 3 larger options right off the bat is a better option than increasing slowly in size every few months or keeping your Dragon in a small 20 Gallon tank when they are an adult that will stunt their growth and happiness..

If you really didn’t want to go as large as 120 Gallons or you just don’t have space for it then 75 Gallons would be fine.

Will Tank Size Affect The Growth Of My Bearded Dragon?

Tank size can actually affect the size of your Bearded Dragon.

I’ve written a post about tank size affecting the size of your Bearded Dragon.

Tank size isn’t the only thing that you need to take into consideration though.

You will also need to look at the diet you are feeding your Dragon and the quality of lighting they are getting.

The first 12 months are when 90% of the growing happens for a Bearded Dragon.

If you are keeping your Dragon in a tank that is too small for it then it is likely that its growth will start to slow down to compensate for the size of the tank.

You should definitely consider purchasing a tank that gives your Dragon lots of room to grow and when they are getting too big for that tank then it’s time to upsize again.

If you have read the other sections of this post you should have a good idea of what size tank you will need at what age for your Bearded Dragon.

Will a Larger Tank Make My Bearded Dragon Happier?

On the whole a larger tank will make your Bearded Dragon feel happier, however, it’s not just as simple as sticking them in the biggest tank you can find and its job done!

If your Bearded Dragon has a tank that is bare and resembles nothing of their natural habitat then there is a good chance they won’t feel happy or even safe.

You need to do your best to create something as close to their natural habitat as you can with a good quality basking area and a good hide to help them feel safe when they need to.

Your Dragon will also need good lighting as this is very important to their overall health and happiness. Check out my ultimate guide to Bearded Dragon heating & lighting to make sure you are providing the correct environment for your Dragon.

If you can do this then having a larger tank rather than a smaller one should certainly help to make your Bearded Dragon feel happy.

Is It a Good Idea to Have Two Bearded Dragons In The Same Tank?

By nature are Bearded Dragons are solitary reptiles and enjoy their own company.

They don’t need to be in large groups or even live with just one other Bearded Dragon to be happy. The experts at RSPCA back this point up brilliantly in one of their posts this very subject.

They are quite happy on their own and as long as they have a good diet, the right temperature and lighting along with a good-sized tank they can be extremely happy and healthy.

It is possible to have 2 Bearded Dragons in the same tank if you really want to and sometimes 2 Dragons can live in the same tank with no issues.

If you are thinking of getting another Bearded Dragon or purchasing 2 Bearded Dragons at the same time you need to be aware that often placing them in the same tank can cause problems.

Because Bearded Dragons generally prefer to be alone, when they are placed in the same tank as another Dragon there can be a power struggle.

You will often get the 2 Dragons trying to be dominant with each other.

This will usually mean the dominant Dragon will bob its head in a fast motion to say “I’m the boss”.

While the other less dominant Dragon will bob it’s head in a slow-motion which means they are submitting to the more dominant Dragon.

The weaker Dragon can also wave an arm to show that it submits to more dominant Dragon.

Also, the more dominant Dragon will lay on top of the other Bearded Dragon.

This looks cute like they are getting on with each other but actually, the dominant Dragon is stopping the other one from absorbing heat and light and taking it for themselves.

When 2 Dragons are placed in the same tank the less dominant one can end up not getting the required heat and light it needs to be healthy.

This happens because the more dominant Dragon will stop them from using the basking area.

They will also tank most of the food and leave the other Dragon hungry.

It can also lead to stress and loss of appetite. For these reasons, I wouldn’t recommend putting 2 Bearded Dragons in the same tank.

If you have 2 Bearded Dragons that get on well together and have no problems then it’s absolutely fine to put them both in the same tank but if you are thinking of purchasing another Dragon you may want to think about getting a separate tank.

What Size tank Should You Use For Two Bearded Dragons?

As I mentioned above, I don’t really recommend housing 2  Bearded Dragons in the same tank as they are likely to not get on.

I am going to assume that you already have 2 Bearded Dragons and they are comfortable with each other and there are no problems.

In this circumstance, it will be fine to put 2 Bearded Dragons in the same tank, although you will still need to monitor them closely and keep an eye out for aggressive and dominant behaviours.

So, If you are comfortable with having 2 Bearded Dragons in the same tank, what size tank shoulds you have?

You should really use the guide I have given earlier and double it. For example, if you needed a 40 Gallon tank for one Bearded Dragon then simply double the size.

Here is a guide to the tank size you should have for housing 2 Bearded Dragons in the same tank.

Once you have 2 adult Bearded Dragons n the same tank you may want to think about having something custom built to give them space to both be able to bask.

They will also be able to have their own hides, overall a larger tank will make for a happier healthier Bearded Dragon.

Should You Use a Separate Tank Just For Feeding?

There are quite a lot of people that like to have a separate tank just for feeding their Bearded Dragon.

This sounds perfect as you can purchase a smaller tank and just using for feeding then your Dragons main tank doesn’t get messy.

There can be other advantages to this in theory such as live feeders hiding in the large tank and also your Bearded Dragon can suffer from impaction due to small particles of sand and so on getting stuck in their stomach.

Although at first, it seems like a good idea to have a separate tank just for feeding to avoid all of this I wouldn’t recommend it.

Bearded Dragons get very comfortable in their own home and moving them just to feed can make them nervy, edgy and uncomfortable.

They can even refuse to feed altogether if they are moved to another location.

Younger Bearded Dragon can be especially unhappy with getting moved to feed and they will easily get stressed.

As long as you make sure your main tank has no sand or tiny holes for live feeders to crawl and hide in then your Bearded Dragon should enjoy feeding in its tank.

Wrapping Up

I really hope this post helped you to decide what tank size you should get for your Bearded Dragon.

It really does depend on how many times you want to change tanks and how big you want their tank to be when they are adults.

You also need to factor in things such as having the space for a larger tank. The bottom line is you need to pick a tank size that is right for both you and your Bearded Dragon.

If you can pick a tank that will meet your financial needs as well as the growing needs of your Bearded Dragon and lastly fits well in your home then you are on to a winner.

Related Posts