The Real Cost of Owning a Bearded Dragon: Prices You Didn’t Expect
When I first considered getting a bearded dragon, I thought the cost would be simple—buy the lizard, grab a tank, and call it a day. Oh, how wrong I was.
From habitats to heating lamps and the sneaky cost of crickets, I quickly realized there’s a lot more to budget for.
So, if you’re wondering, “How much does a bearded dragon really cost?”—you’re in the right place. Let’s break it down, dollar by dollar.
Typically, you can buy an average bearded dragon for $30-$100. But, the rare species of bearded dragons can cost over $1200. In total, the entire cost of ownership during the first year is around $1109-$3322. The cost of a bearded dragon varies depending on its species, age, color, morph, availability, breeders, etc.
| Bearded dragon cost | $30-$100 |
| Shipping cost | $40-$100 |
| One-off items cost | $220-$1162 |
| Yearly cost = (monthly cost*12) | ($62-$130)*12 = $744-$1560 |
| Health check-up cost | $25-$200 |
| Cost of repurchasing or changing supplies | $20-$100 |
| Maintenance expenses | $30-$100 |
| Total Cost Breakdown In A Year | $1109-$3322 |
How Much Does It Cost To Have A Bearded Dragon?
Several factors impact the price of bearded dragons. Such as-
1. Age of Bearded Dragons
The age of bearded dragons is a significant factor in its price range. No wonder a baby bearded dragon is cheaper than a mature bearded dragon. But, it depends on the morphs and species too. Besides, a grown-up bearded dragon has a higher cost of habitat set-up, foods, etc.
How Much Does A Baby Bearded Dragon Cost?
If you research the price of beardies, you’ll notice less price of baby beardies than the adults. The younger the bearded dragon, the less will be its price.
The average price range is about $40-$85 for a baby bearded dragon. At pet stores, the sellers tend to sell baby bearded dragons for up to $65. If you buy baby bearded dragons from breeders, the price range will be around $50-$70.
Remember that the hatchlings of beardies cost according to their species and morphs. For example- the price of a baby Citrus Bearded Dragon is about $70. On the other hand, you can buy a Sandfire hatchling at around $90.
However, you should not buy a baby bearded dragon younger than 6 weeks old.
How Much Is A Full Grown Bearded Dragon?
The price of an adult bearded dragon is higher than that of a baby or juvenile bearded dragon. Within $100-$150, you can walk out of a pet store with a full-grown bearded dragon.
Depending on the species, morphs, or breeder, the price of a full-grown bearded dragon can cost up to $2000.
2. Sex of Bearded Dragons
The price of a specific species of a bearded dragon can also vary due to its gender. Generally, a female bearded dragon is costlier than a male bearded dragon. Also, there are more demands for female beardies for breeding purposes.
For example, a male lemon fire bearded dragon costs $150, whereas a female lemon fire beardie costs $200.
3. Color Or Morph of Bearded Dragons
The color and morph play a crucial role to determine the cost of a bearded dragon. That’s because some species of certain morphs are rare. So, their price becomes higher.
You can also go through this article to find out about the most expensive bearded dragon.
32 Types Of Bearded Dragon morphs And Their Price
| Color Or Morph | Price |
|---|---|
| Red | $50-$150 |
| Ruby Red | $200-$300 |
| Sandfire Red | Up to $200 |
| Yellow | $100-$200 |
| Citrus | $150-$1000 |
| Blue | $300-$400 |
| Purple | Around $300 |
| Snow | $200-$400 |
| White | $300-$700 |
| Witblits | $300-$800 |
| Zero | $300-$900 |
| Wero | Up to $500 |
| Green | $200-$300 |
| Translucent | $300-$500 |
| Tiger | $150-$250 |
| Fancy | Up to $300 |
| Leatherback | $100-$500 |
| Dunner | $300-$500 |
| Hypomelanistic | $100-$900 |
| Paradox | $800-$1200 |
| Citrus Tiger | $100-$200 |
| Lemon Fire | $150-$300 |
| Orange | $100-$200 |
| Classic or Standard | $25-$100 |
| Green | $200-$300 |
| Sandfire | $100-$200 |
| Sunburst | $80-$200 |
| Purple | Up to $300 |
| Silkie | $90-$200 |
| Tangerine | $200-$350 |
| Black | Not found |
| Albino | Not found |
4. Store or Breeders
You can buy bearded dragons from several sources. The easiest option is to buy a bearded dragon from your local pet stores. If you do not have any local pet stores, you can rely on online stores.
There are several reliable online pet stores from where you can buy bearded dragons. Such as UndergroundReptiles, LLLReptile, BackwaterReptiles, PetSmart, Petco, etc.
Otherwise, you have to depend on breeders. Some best online breeders are CB Reptiles, XYZ Reptiles, Reptile Rapture, Spice Dragons, Morph Market, Cliffhanger Reptiles, etc.
Besides, you can look into the reptile show, which is a big get-together of breeders and reptile enthusiasts.
The price range of bearded dragons varies according to the sources from where you buy your favorite beardie.
5. Species of Bearded Dragons
There are mainly eight species found in bearded dragons. Each species of bearded dragon costs different than other species. Let’s check the following table of costs for several species of bearded dragons.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern Bearded Dragon | Pogona barbata | $150-$400 |
| Dwarf Bearded Dragon | Pogona minor | Around $700 |
| Western Bearded Dragon | Pogona minor minima | $200-$400 |
| Rankin’s Bearded Dragon | Pogona henrylawsoni | $100-$400 |
| Vittikins Bearded Dragon | Pogona vittikins | $250-$400 |
| Central Bearded Dragons | Pogona vitticeps | $40-$100 |
bearded dragon Shipping Cost
When you buy a bearded dragon through online breeders or online stores, you should expect to pay the shipping cost. It depends on the distance of the shipment and the requirements.
The average shipping cost of beardies for overnight delivery is within $40-$100.
bearded dragon Supplies Cost
The expense of buying a bearded dragon is only a small share of the entire cost breakdown. When you think of keeping a pet, you must ensure setting up a proper habitat. To fulfill the requirements of your bearded dragon, you need to count the one-off supplies costs.
From my experiences of keeping a pet bearded dragon, I’ve made a list of the required items and their costs. Let’s go through the following list.
| Supplies | Cost |
|---|---|
| Glass tank | $80-$700 |
| Ventilated screen lid | $30-$50 |
| Substrate | $11-$20 |
| Ceramic Heating Element | $10-$25 |
| UVB Light | $7-$12 |
| T5 UVB Fixture | $15-$65 |
| Water bowl | $12-$20 |
| UVA Basking Lamp Fixture | $15-$100 |
| Food dish | $5-$10 |
| Hideouts | $5-$30 |
| Digital thermostat | $10-$40 |
| Humidity gauge | $5-$20 |
| Basking rock | $8-$20 |
| Plants | $2-$20 |
| Branches | $5-$30 |
| Total | $220-$1162 |
Monthly Grooming Cost for A Bearded Dragon?
After bringing a bearded dragon to your home, there must be a separate grooming cost on monthly basis. So, when you decide to keep a bearded dragon as a pet, you should calculate the monthly cost too. If you afford these food and electricity costs, you can proceed to buy a new beardie.
Food Cost
The food cost of bearded dragons varies according to the age of your pet bearded dragon. As baby and juvenile bearded dragons grow fast, they require plentiful foods. Compared to them, you may cost less for food if your bearded dragon is an adult.
Bearded dragons can eat varieties of foods, including live insects, vegetables, fruits, small vertebrates, etc. Among live insects, there are crickets, dubia roaches, bugs, locusts, grasshoppers, black soldier fly larvae, earthworms, redworms, super worms, etc.
On the other hand, you can feed a variety range of vegetables like sweet potato, okra, mushrooms, cucumbers, leafy greens, etc. In the same way, there must be 5-10% fruits in their diet. Click here to know more about safe fruits for bearded dragons.
- Live Insects Cost = $25-$60
- Vegetables Cost = $15-$30
- Fruits Cost = $2-$5
So, the monthly food cost for a pet bearded dragon can be around $42-$95.
Monthly Treat Cost
As human tries out rich food once or twice a month, bearded dragons also require monthly treats. In the list of monthly treats, there are basil, chives, sage, oregano, papaya, mango, pomegranate, etc. Thus, you may expend around $5 to make your bearded dragon happy.
Supplementation Cost
To ensure a healthy diet, you must gut-load the insects with calcium and multivitamins. Since bearded dragons can not have a similar diet as the wild, these bearded dragons lack several nutrients. Hence, you must expend for supplementation in the list of grooming costs.
If your bearded dragon is an adult, it will require calcium with vitamin D3 2-3 times a week. Besides, you need to provide multivitamin supplementation at least 2 times per month.
On the other hand, a juvenile beardie requires multivitamins 1 time a week. Also, you should give calcium with vitamin D3 4-5 times a week. I’ve found that the price of 200 g of calcium dust is around $3.19.
So, the total supplementation cost ranges from $10-$20.
Electricity Cost: How Much Does A Bearded Dragon Cost In Electricity?
While keeping a bearded dragon as a pet, you should keep a separate segment of the electricity bill in the list of costs. You might know that bearded dragons require basking light. So, you need to install such a heat lamp.
Besides, you have to run a heat mat, UVB light, and other heat sources.
To run this electric equipment, you may expend around $5-$15 on electricity bills in a month.
Usually, running a reptile heat lamp can cost 14 cents per hour. If you run a 150-watt heat lamp, it will cost around $1.50 per day.
| Food cost | $42-$95 |
| Monthly treats cost | $5 |
| Supplementation cost | $10-$20 |
| Electricity bills | $5-$15 |
| Total Monthly Cost | $62-$130 |
Occasional Cost of owning a bearded dragon
In addition to the regular cost, there may arrive several occasional costs too. It includes vet costs, maintenance costs, etc.
If any required equipment gets ruined, there will come the occasional cost of repurchasing the items. In the same way, there may add health check-up costs. Let’s go through the details of these costs.
Health Check-up Cost
You must not be a miser when it comes to the health issues of your bearded dragons. If you notice any unusual behavior or health complexities of your beardie, you must rush to a veterinarian. Without any medical tests, an office visit to the vet can cost $25 to $100.
Besides, the blood test, x-rays, and other tests can cost differently. Also, you need to pay more for medications or treatments.
In total, the health check-up cost can go up to or over $200 depending on the type of health complexities of your beardie.
Cost Of Repurchasing Or Changing Supplies
Sometimes, the heating equipment may get ruined. In such a case, you have to either repair or buy new equipment. Besides, you should change the substrate every six months. It may cost $20-$100.
Maintenance Cost
Keep a part of your expenditure for the maintenance of bearded dragons. To prevent any unwanted diseases, you must ensure the cleanliness of the habitat of beardies.
You should spot-clean the habitat daily by removing the uneaten foods, wastes, etc. Besides, you must disinfect the tank, water dish, and food bowl with bleaches or cleaners.
So, you should expend some money on a 3% bleach solution, soap, hydrogen peroxide, gloves, spring water, lino, distilled vinegar, etc.
The average maintenance cost ranges from $30 to $100.
Total yearly cost of owning a bearded dragon
Let’s sum up the bearded dragon cost, one-off items cost, monthly cost, and other additional costs finding out the 1st yearly total expenditure. It will be the total cost breakdown of owning a bearded dragon.
| Bearded dragon cost | $30-$100 |
| Shipping cost | $40-$100 |
| One-off items cost | $220-$1162 |
| Yearly cost = (monthly cost*12) | ($62-$130)*12 = $744-$1560 |
| Health check-up cost | $25-$200 |
| Cost of repurchasing or changing supplies | $20-$100 |
| Maintenance expenses | $30-$100 |
| Total Cost Breakdown In A Year | $1109-$3322 |
So, in the first year of buying a bearded dragon, the total cost breakdown with occasional costs will be around $1109-$3322. If you do not count the occasional cost, the entire expense of the first year of owning a beardie will be about 1034-$2922.
Otherwise, the yearly cost breakdown of keeping a pet bearded dragon may cost you around only $744-$1560.
About Author
Hello, I’m Muntaseer Rahman, the owner of AcuarioPets.com. I’m passionate about aquarium pets like shrimps, snails, crabs, and crayfish. I’ve created this website to share my expertise and help you provide better care for these amazing pets.
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