Bearded Dragon Hacks That’ll Save You Time, Money, and Stress

Taking care of a bearded dragon is fun—until you’re scrubbing poop off the decor for the third time this week.

I’ve had my share of trial and error trying to keep things clean, cheap, and less of a headache. Over time, I’ve found a bunch of small tricks that made a big difference.

These hacks won’t turn you into a reptile whisperer overnight, but they will save you time, money, and a whole lot of stress. Let’s make beardie life easier.

Use Puppy Pads as Tank Liners

You know what’s worse than scrubbing dried-up poop off tile? Doing it every damn day.
I got tired of it and tossed a puppy pad under my bearded dragon. Game changer.

They soak up mess, take 10 seconds to swap out, and keep the tank smell-free.
Buy them in bulk and thank me later.

DIY Hammocks From Old T-Shirts

You don’t need to drop $15 on a pet hammock that looks like a hammock for ants.
Grab an old t-shirt, cut it up, tie the corners to suction hooks—and boom, beardie lounge.

They love climbing on it, it smells like you (which they weirdly like), and you can throw it in the wash if it gets gross.

No sewing, no money wasted.

Feed Worms in a Shallow Bowl

Letting bugs loose in the tank sounds fun until your dragon misses half of them… and they start crawling into places they shouldn’t.

I use a shallow dish with smooth sides. The worms can’t escape, and my dragon gets all the food in one go.

Less mess. Less stress. Zero bugs burrowing into the substrate.

Don’t overthink it—just use a sauce dish or a cheap feeder bowl.

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Make a Dig Box for Mental Stimulation

Beardies get bored too. I didn’t believe it either until mine started clawing at the glass like a little escape artist.
I made a dig box with a cheap plastic tub and clean play sand—and he went nuts for it.

It’s like a sandbox for reptiles. Keeps them busy. Especially helpful if your female dragon’s acting like she wants to lay eggs—even if she’s not gravid.

Takes 10 minutes to make, saves hours of weird behavior.

Use a Cheap Timer for Lights

If you’re still flipping lights on and off by hand, stop torturing yourself. Get a $5 plug-in timer from any store and set your lights once.

No more forgetting. No more weird sleep cycles. Just set it and forget it.

I haven’t touched my light switch in months.

Store Greens in a Salad Spinner

Beardie owners know this pain: you buy fresh greens, use a handful, and the rest turns into soggy mush two days later.

I keep mine in a salad spinner. It keeps everything crisp way longer.

Wash once, spin it dry, stick it in the fridge. No slime, no waste, and you always have fresh salad ready to go.

Repurpose a Plastic Bin as a Travel Carrier

Forget those fancy reptile carriers. I use a clear plastic storage bin with holes drilled in the lid. It’s sturdy, cheap, and doesn’t bend like those soft pet bags.

Perfect for vet trips or giving your beardie some outdoor sun time. Just toss in a towel, and you’re good to go.

Use a Spray Bottle for Gentle Hydration

Some beardies don’t care about water bowls. Mine acted like it didn’t even exist. But a quick mist from a spray bottle? That got his attention.

Helps with hydration, especially during shedding. Also useful when it’s dry or your humidity’s acting up.

Label Feeder Insect Containers by Size

Nothing slows you down like digging through a tub of bugs trying to guess what’s “small enough” for your baby dragon.

I started labeling each container by size—tiny, medium, chonky.

Now feeding takes seconds. No overfeeding. No guesswork. It sounds dumb, but it saves real time and brain power.

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Freeze Veggie Cubes for Quick Meals

Chop up safe greens, stuff them into an ice tray with a splash of water, freeze, done. Now you’ve got ready-to-go meals for days.

Just pop one out in the morning, let it thaw, and toss it in the dish. Saves time and makes you feel like a meal prep god.