Western bearded dragon (Pogona minor)

Short answers

Western bearded dragon: How big does the enclosure need to be?

120×60×60 cm for one animal (adults in a group from 200×100×100 cm).

Western bearded dragon: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 25–35 °C, basking spot 45–50 °C, at night 20–22 °C.

Western bearded dragon: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: UVB is essential (30 % UVA / 10–12 % UVB; Ferguson zone 3–4).

Western bearded dragon: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: approx. 12 years.

Western bearded dragon: Is it suitable for beginners?

Rather not – it is considered an intermediate species (difficulty: Intermediate).

Climate

Daytime temperature

25–35 °C

Night temperature

20–22 °C

Basking spot

45–50 °C

Humidity

approx. 40 %

UVB

UVB is essential (30 % UVA / 10–12 % UVB; Ferguson zone 3–4)

Enclosure

Minimum size

120×60×60 cm for one animal (adults in a group from 200×100×100 cm)

Substrate

A sand-loam mix, stones and climbing branches, somewhere to bathe, hides

Feeding

Food

Juveniles 60–70 % insects (house crickets, crickets, roaches) plus plants; adults mainly wild herbs (dandelion, clover); no iceberg lettuce, cabbage or spinach

Feeding interval

adults 2–3×/week, juveniles daily

Key facts

Adult size

approx. 30–37 cm total length (SVL ~14 cm)

Life expectancy

approx. 12 years

Origin

South-western Australia; dunes, steppe, savannah, dry forest

Protection status

Not listed under CITES; an Australian export ban – only EU captive breeding is legal, proof of origin recommended

Brumation

A winter rest of 4–8 weeks at 17–20 °C is recommended

Cohabitation

Keep them singly, or one male plus three or four females in a large enclosure. NEVER keep males together.

Notes

Daily misting, and a water bowl cleaned daily. Rare in the trade; good lighting and UV are decisive. Vitamin and mineral supplements.

Do you keep this species?

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Related species

• Eastern bearded dragon (Pogona barbata) – Intermediate
• Central bearded dragon (Pogona vitticeps) – Beginner to intermediate
• Kimberley bearded dragon (Pogona microlepidota) – Intermediate
• Mitchell's bearded dragon (Pogona mitchelli) – Intermediate
• Nullarbor bearded dragon (Pogona nullarbor) – Intermediate
• Rankin's bearded dragon (Pogona rankini) – Beginner
• Rankin's dragon (Pogona henrylawsoni) – Beginner to intermediate
• Gippsland water dragon (Intellagama lesueurii howittii) – Intermediate

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Western bearded dragon (Pogona minor) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (120×60×60 cm for one animal (adults in a group from 200×100×100 cm)), substrate (A sand-loam mix, stones and climbing branches, somewhere to bathe, hides), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.