Bearded Dragon Tank Selection Guide For Beginners

After deciding you want to keep a bearded dragon, the first thing you need to get is a tank for your bearded dragon. And selecting the correct tank is extremely important for your bearded dragon’s health. There are many types of tanks made of many different materials. Also, sizes vary too!

So, you need to know what size tank you’ll have to choose, what type of material should you consider and so on. As a beginner, all of these questions might feel like suffocating you. But don’t worry. I’ll explain everything you need to know about tanks for bearded dragons in this article.

First, let’s start with the most important aspect while choosing a tank for bearded dragon, i.e. the size of the tank.

What Size Tank Do I Need For Bearded Dragon?

Bearded Dragon Size	Bearded Dragon Age	Minimum Size	Maximum Size	Recommended Tank
Baby bearded Dragon (below 10 inches or 25 cm)	Less than 6 months old	20 Gallon	40 Gallon	REPTIZOO 34 Gallon Tank With Foam Background
Juvenile Bearded Dragon (10 to 18 inches or 45 cm)	6 to 12 months old	50 Gallon	75 Gallon	REPTIZOO 48″ x 18″ x 18″ Tank (67 Gallon)
Matured Bearded Dragon (More than 18 inches or 45 cm)	More than a year old	75 Gallon	120 Gallon	REPTIZOO 48″ x 24″ x 24″ Tank (120 Gallon)

Note: When selecting a tank for bearded dragon, remember that height space is important for these reptiles. They like to climb around. So, try to choose a tank with greater height space. For example, between 48″ x 12″ x 24″ and 48″ x 24″ x 12″ tank, the first one will be better for bearded dragons.

Types Of Bearded Dragon Tanks

As I’ve already said before, tanks for bearded dragons are made of different types of materials. The most common ones are glass tank, plastic tank, and wooden tanks. Each material comes with its own set of advantages and disadvantages.

Let’s get to learn about them in detail:

Glass Tanks

The unique aspect of glass tanks is they provide you with a 360 degree viewing angle. Also, they are pretty affordable and available ready-made at most pet stores.

Bearded dragons come from arid Australian deserts. So, they don’t prefer too much humidity in their enclosure. With a glass tank, you can use a screen mesh top which will allow ample airflow through the enclosure. This will ensure the humidity doesn’t get too high inside the enclosure.

The thing I don’t like about glass tanks is they can easily break. Whenever I am around glass tanks, I always get nervous thinking I’ll do something stupid and break the tank!

Plastic Tanks

Plastic tanks are mainly made of 3 different types of plastics: PVC plastic, ABS Plastic, and vision cages.

PVC plastic tanks are lightweight and look more elegant. In fact, these are the most common ones you’ll see in pet stores. Mostly pet stores stack these PVC plastic tanks one above another in order to optimize space. Also, as you can tell, these tanks are pretty durable. Also, they are capable of holding heat inside the enclosure.

Now let’s talk about the bad sides of PVC plastic tanks. The humidity can get too high as the top is not open. Also, the price tag is quite expensive compared to a regular glass tank.

ABS plastic enclosures are also quite like the PVC ones. They are lightweight, look elegant. Also similar to PVC cages, ABS tanks are quite expensive.

Vision cages come with a lot of advantages for keeping bearded dragons. The enclosures are made of one single type of plastic and also come with fixtures for setting up the lights. The cages are easy to clean, lightweight, looks good, and also can be stacked one above another. However, you’ll need to have a heavy pocket for getting one of these.

Wooden Tanks

Wooden tanks are not generally sold ready-made. You can make one yourself or ask some professional to do one for you. Normally Melamine and Plywood are used for making bearded dragon tanks.

Melamine is quite sturdy and works as a good insulator for trapping heat. Also, the white color reflects light and keeps the inside more colorful and vibrant. The drawback is these woods can cost quite high.

Plywood is a great option if you want to go for the DIY route. They are easy to source and work with. If you want to make a bearded dragon tank on your own with plywood, I’ll recommend to keep the top open for easy air ventilation. Also, remember to use a sealant that is nontoxic to animals.

120 Gallon Bearded Dragon Tank

1. REPTIZOO 48″ x 24″ x 24″ Tank

As you can guess from the name, this is a 48″ x 24″ x 24″ glass tank made for reptiles. Here are the specifications:

• Dimensions: 48″ x 24″ x 24″
• Size: 120 Gallon
• Material: Tempered Glass

Here are the things I like about this tank

• Needless to say, this is a quite spacious tank. It is very hard to find a company that makes 120 gallon tank with good customer satisfaction. Reptizoo ticks both of these. The customer rating is quite satisfactory.
• As the tank is made of tempered glass, it is quite durable and stylish. All the side panels are made of glass. The top has a sliding door screen ventilation for complete air flow.
• I really like the front sliding open door. It gives the owner easy access inside the tank for cleaning, feeding and other maintenance. The screen top also allows more UVB to penetrate inside the enclosure, ensuring a healthier and happier bearded dragon.
• The tank comes with a waterproof raised bottom. This bottom also ensures air flow throughout the enclosure and carries enough space for storing other important equipment like heather.
• I know shipping is a great concern when it comes to glass tanks. However, Reptizoo takes utmost care when they ship their products. The tank is covered with thick heavy foam and packaged with resistant cardboard to ensure nothing gets broken. This packaging has passed a 5 ft drop successfully! However, even after all this you receive a broken glass tank, you can contact Reptizoo to get a free replacement!
• Comes with a safety lock. No matter how smart your beardie is, it can’t open the door in any way!

Things I didn’t like:

• The lock is not super secured. A child can open it.
• Some users found the front glass door a bit shaky while sliding.

If you are interested to know more, check out the glass tank on Amazon. You’ll get the see the latest price too!

2. Carolina Custom Cages 48″ x 24″ x 24″ Tank

Let’s look at the specifications first:

• Dimensions: 48″ x 24″ x 24″
• Size: 120 Gallon
• Weight: 73 Pounds

Things I like about this tank:

• It comes with a key-lock security feature
• Has a 12″ waterproof base
• I have seen no user complaining about getting a cracked tank

Things that can be improved:

• The setup guide can be more helpful if there were A B C D labelling. Much more intuitive for regular joes.
• The suction cups are not that impressive

I have nothing more to say. This is a pretty good spacious tank for any type of reptile! Click here for more info on Amazon!

75 Gallon Bearded Dragon Tank

Well, now we are getting into the range that is more practical for most of the bearded dragon owners. The size is not too big for an apartment, and the price range is also between a comfortable range. Let’s look at my only recommendation within this range:

REPTIZOO 48″ x 18″ x 18″ Tank

• Dimensions: 48″ x 18″ x 18″
• Size: 67 Gallon
• Material: Tempered Glass

Things I Like:

• Have you seen squid game? If you did, you already know how strong tempered glass is. Well, this one is made of tempered glass! So you can guess how tough and durable this tank is!
• Screen top allows full ventilation as well as UVB & Infrared penetration.
• Like other Reptizoo tanks, it also comes with a waterproof raised bottom to store heather and other stuff. As the bottom is waterproof, it is suitable for both desert as well as rainforest style terrarium.
• Front sliding door allows easy access for cleaning, feeding and maintenance.
• Left and right side comes with window ventilation.
• The right and top side features closable inlets for organizing wire and other tubing.

Things that need improvement:

• Some users found the instructions lacking for proper understanding
• The lock isn’t super secured!

For more features and the latest price on Amazon, click here!

50 Gallon Bearded Dragon Tank

Carolina Custom Cages 36″ x 18″ x 18″ Tank

• Dimensions: 35.9 x 17.9 x 18 inches
• Size: 50 Gallon
• Weight: 60.4 Pounds

Well, the features are quite similar to the 120 gallon Carolina Custom Cage tank. Both features a waterproof base, strong material, and sturdy build. The tanks are shipped inside more robust cardboard boxes with extra Styrofoam protection that can handle even the roughest abuses of UPS.

Currently, you can get this tank for less than 300 bucks! The price is always changing on Amazon, so you better get one now!

40 Gallon Bearded Dragon Tank

REPTIZOO 24″ x 18″ x 18″ Tank

• Dimensions: 24″ x 18″ x 18″
• Size: 34 Gallon
• Material: Tempered Glass

Well, most of the features of this tank are similar to the other Reptizoo tanks I have talked about earlier. However, there are some differences:

• This tank comes with a foam background. High-density foam is used to make the background which offers a pleasant natural looking vibe to the tank.
• The front side can be opened with a double hinge door.

The only thing I don’t like about this tank is I think it is too small for bearded dragons. Yes, you can keep baby beardies in it until they get juvenile. After that, you’ll need to upgrade to a more spacious tank. However, if the budget is too tight, you can definitely give this one a try!

Check out more info on Amazon!

Bearded Dragon Starter Kit: Zoo Med 50 Gallon ReptiHabitat

If you are absolutely tight on the budget and looking for a combo type of deal, I’ve got you covered! With this Zoo Med 50 gallon ReptiHabitat kit, you’ll get almost everything you’ll need to keep a bearded dragon in just one combo package! Economically, this deal is a no-brainer!

Here’s what you’ll get:

• 40 gallon tank with dual screen top
• Dome lamp fixture (large combo deep)
• Reptisun 10 compact UVB bulb
• Repti spot lamp
• Reptisand substrate
• Dual gauge for temperature and humidity
• Reptirock Food/water dish
• Bonus: booklet on bearded dragon care for owners!

Let me put emphasis on this. The things you’ll get with this combo packages are certainly not the highest quality items on the market. I’ll only recommend this package to the ones with very tight budget. This package will only get you started with keeping bearded dragons. Later on, you’ll need to upgrade to higher quality items!

Click here to check out the latest price on Amazon!

Things To Look For When Getting A Tank For Bearded Dragon

Now that I’ve already reviewed the best tanks for bearded dragon according to size, it’s time to know the crucial features a bearded dragon tank must have. If your bearded dragon tank doesn’t come with these features, you may need to upgrade it later on!

Height

When selecting a tank for bearded dragon, remember that height space is important for these reptiles. They like to climb around. So, try to choose a tank with greater height space. For example, between 48″ x 12″ x 24″ and 48″ x 24″ x 12″ tank, the first one will be better for bearded dragons.

So, when you are choosing a tank for your beardie, look for the one that has a good height. Trust me, your beardie will be happier!

Ease of Accessibility

You’ll need to access the tank every day for feeding, cleaning, and other maintenance. If the access system is complex, then it will easily tire you out or make you irritated. That’s why it is smart to get a tank that offers easy accessibility. I like the ones that have a sliding door or double hinged door at the front side. It easily allows me to get my hands inside the tank and do the works that need to be done.

Ventilation

Ventilation allows complete airflow throughout the tank which is essential for keeping the tank healthy. Also, proper ventilation is crucial for UVB and infrared penetration. These are very important for the proper development of the bearded dragon.

I like to choose tanks that have a screen top. A screen top allows full air circulation as well as easy UVB & heat penetration. It also prevents the tank from getting too humid. As bearded dragons are originally from arid desert areas, they don’t prefer too much humidity inside their enclosure.

Weight

This is another crucial factor if you have to move around the tank often. If the tank is too heavy, then moving it around will be a hassle. So before buying the tank, make sure you can handle its weight. However, I don’t think it is too much of a deal-breaker as I can easily ask my friend to move the tank with me.

Setup Process

The setup process needs to be easy, well-explained, and intuitive. All of these tanks come in parts. So, you’ll need to assemble the parts and make the tank come together. If the assembling part is complex, or the instruction manual is lacking, you’ll fall in deep trouble. Your only option will be surfing the internet for a video or detailed guide.

So before bringing the tank home, make sure you’ve checked the instruction manual. If you are confused about any step, ask the salespeople. They’ll help you out.

Can 2 Bearded Dragons Live In A 40 Gallon Tank?

2 bearded dragons cannot live in a 40 gallon tank. 40 gallon space is the bare minimum for a single bearded dragon. So there’s no way you can keep two of these territorial animals together in a single 40 gallon tank.

Besides the space issue, there are other problems as well. Bearded dragons are very territorial. So, they will fight each other for space, establishing territory and dominance. It is really a bad idea to keep 2 bearded dragons together unless you know what you are doing.

Is A 20 Gallon Tank Big Enough For A Bearded Dragon?

20 gallon tank is not big enough for a bearded dragon. It is not enough even for a baby bearded dragon. To keep a bearded dragon healthy and happy, I’ll recommend getting at least a 40 gallon tank.

Final Words

I believe I’ve explained most of the things you’ll need to know for selecting a bearded dragon tank. Let me recap some of the important points:

• Choose the largest tank your budget allows. I’ve already given you my recommendations based on what size tank you want.
• Before buying the tank, go through our buying guide to check if the tank comes with the essential features.

And that’s it. Good luck on getting the best tank for your bearded dragon!

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