How Long Do Bearded Dragons Live? Average Lifespan & Ways to Improve It

Bearded dragons are considered one of the most peaceful and friendly pets. They are such lovely and happy pets that are passive by nature, and they love interacting with people around them, including their pet owners. Bearded dragons are known as the nicest reptile.

Bearded dragons as a pet give entrainment and are fun to watch. They have friendly behavior toward their pet owners. Like every other animal, it has its pros and cons. When choosing a bearded dragon, a pet owner should take care of a few things.

Pet owners often have several curious questions regarding the lifespan of their bearded dragons. How long do bearded dragons live? How can a pet owner extend the lifespan of their bearded dragon? What things affect the lifespan of a bearded dragon and several more? 

How Long Do Bearded Dragons Live? 

Bearded dragons are expected to live for approximately 10 to 15 years. However, one of the oldest bearded dragons has lived for 18 years. And so, bearded dragons don’t need to live for only 10 or 15 years. Bearded dragons can live for more than 15 and maybe even for more than 18 years of age. And there can also be chances that some bearded dragons won’t complete their life span even up to 10 years of age. 

It is very sad for any pet owner to lose their adorable pets after some time, but after following some of the crucial steps, pet owners can extend the lifespan of their bearded dragons. Those crucial steps include providing their bearded dragons with food like celery and a happy environment. 

What Makes Some Bearded Dragons Live Longer than Others?

Bearded dragons are fun and friendly pets, and their owners always want to have them around. Several factors make some bearded dragons live longer than other bearded dragons. 

Some bearded dragons consume a nutritious diet like fish which makes them healthy and lives more. In contrast, other bearded dragons deprived of the essential nutrients stay unhealthy and sick, ultimately making them live shorter than the others. 

Other factors that add up to the extended lifespan of some bearded dragons, which makes them live more than other dragons, are the healthy environment, appropriate temperature, and much more.

Average Lifespan of a Bearded Dragon

The length of the lifespan of any individual differs. Some may have a longer lifespan, while on the other hand, while some may have a short lifespan. While talking about bearded dragons have an average lifespan of 10 to 15 years. However, it depends on many factors, including the diet they consume and the environment they are staying in. 

Some bearded dragons have lived more than the average lifespan ( 10 to 15 years), and others could not live even the average lifespan. 

6 Factors That Influence a Bearded Dragon’s Lifespan

1: Good Diet Good Health 

It is said that the health of any individual is more what they consume. And this is a fact in the case of bearded dragons. Pet owners will grow healthy and happy if they feed their bearded dragons healthy and good food items. 

It will also add up to their good lifespan, but on the other hand, if pet owners do not serve their bearded dragons a healthy diet, their health will slowly deteriorate and degrade their lifespan. 

Pet owners should feed their baby bearded dragons a lot of protein-enriched food items. When bearded dragons grow into adults, they need less protein. Pet owners can eat a wide variety of green vegetables like cabbage, broccoli, peas, cucumbers, mushrooms, fruits like watermelons, apples, mangoes, peaches, and insects like roaches, spiders, silkworms, slugs, moths, and many more.

2: Proper Environment is a Boon

Another thing that is known to influence the lifespan of bearded dragons is the environment they live in. For a good and extended lifespan, bearded dragons need to be healthy, and after a healthy diet, they also need a healthy and happy environment. Where pet owners keep their bearded dragons must have a proper ventilation system, enough lighting, temperature, and adequate humidity. 

The tanks also should have enough space for bearded dragons to move freely inside them. And it will also affect the overall health of bearded dragons and their lifespan. 

3: Temperature and Humidity Affect Life

Many factors influence the lifespan of bearded dragons, one of which is the temperature and humidity temperature of the place they are staying in. The temperature which is best for bearded dragons depends on their age. 

If pet owners have a baby pet bearded dragon, they need a temperature of approximately 100 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit. But pet owners need a temperature of approximately 90 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit if they have an adult bearded dragon. 

4: Gender—Male Live Longer 

Yes, the gender of a bearded dragon, is also known to act as a factor that will enhance its lifespan. There is a belief that male bearded dragons are known to have a longer lifespan than any female bearded dragon. Due to the difference that female bearded dragons have to breed, they have a shorter lifespan than male dragons because the process of breeding requires a lot of energy, which ultimately decreases the lifespan. 

5: Size—Larger Size 

Size is the next factor that is known to affect the lifespan of bearded dragons. Bearded dragons of larger sizes are known to live longer than bearded dragons. For this, pet owners can feed their bearded dragons a healthy diet and a good environment and keep them happy, which will help them grow. 

6: Genetics—Healthy Genes Long Life

In any individual, genetics is crucial in determining the lifespan and is also a factor in bearded dragons that affect their lifespan. And this is something that any pet owner or vet cannot control. However, pet owners should check while buying bearded dragons; their genes should be healthy. 

5 Ways to Improve Your Bearded Dragon’s Lifespan

1: Healthy Diet For Growth

One of the most crucial ways to improve the lifespan of bearded dragons is by providing them with good and healthy food items. Bearded dragons are natural omnivores so they can eat animals and plant products too. Pet owners should feed their pet beardies a diet with a 70 to 30 ratio of plants and animals. 

Bearded dragons need a lot of protein in their diet, which is essential for their growth. And it can achieve through a proper diet. They also need a lot of vitamins and other healthy elements. 

2: Environment Promoting Natural Behaviour 

Another way pet owners can enhance the lifespan of their bearded dragons is by providing them with an environment that will promote the natural behavior of bearded dragons. Bearded dragons need to have a spacious tank that will let them grow and survive freely.

Pet owners should avoid putting their other bearded dragons in the same tank, or else the tank will be very crowded, and bearded dragons will not be able to grow properly. 

3: Proper Hydration 

Apart from all these, bearded dragons also need enough hydration levels in their bodies. With enough hydration, bearded dragons will achieve all the essential factors to enhance their lifespan. 

4: Visiting Vet to Monitor

Being a pet owner, one must not be aware of their bearded dragons when falling ill or when some ill element is in their bodies to harm them. For all these and many more reasons, it is advised to take their bearded dragons to the vet regularly. 

5: UVA Lights, UVB Lights, and Dark Corner For Digestion

The three lighting combinations, UVA lights, UVB lights, and Dark corners, will extend a bearded dragon’s lifespan. Pet owners should be aware that light is essential for the digestion process in bearded dragons, and it will affect the lifespan of bearded dragons and enhance it. 

Conclusion

Pet owners are often concerned about the lifespan of their bearded dragons. How long do bearded dragons live? There are a lot of factors in bearded dragons that are known to affect their lifespan, and there are also several ways through which pet owners can enhance the lifespan of their bearded dragons. 

Some factors that affect the lifespan of bearded dragons are their genetics, their diet, the environment they are staying in, the temperature they live in, and much more. Pet owners can extend the lifespan of their bearded dragons by providing them with a healthy diet and good environment, taking them to the vet regularly, and many more. 

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