Bearded Dragon for Sale: What to Look For Before You Buy
| Common morph price | $30–150 |
| Rare/designer morph price | $350–500+ |
| Setup cost (before the dragon) | ~$300–600 |
Signs of a healthy dragon
Look for a tail base as thick as or thicker than the neck (not pinched thin), clear bright eyes with no crust or discharge, alert response and movement when approached, smooth even skin with no widespread stuck shed, and steady breathing with no clicking, popping, or gaping.
Pet store vs breeder
Pet stores are convenient and usually cheaper, but morph identification and health history are often unreliable. Reputable breeders cost more but offer confirmed genetics, lineage information, and generally a health-checked, well-started animal — worth it if a specific morph or health history matters to you.
Realistic price ranges
Common morphs (Normal, Hypo, Citrus) typically run $30–150. Established popular colour lines run roughly $150–350. Rare or designer combinations, and documented German Giant or health-tested breeding stock, can run well over $500.
Don't forget the setup cost
The enclosure, UVB, heating, and supplies typically cost as much as or more than the dragon itself — budget $300–600 for a solid first setup before factoring in the animal.
After you buy
Plan for a minimum 60–90 day quarantine before any contact with other reptiles, and budget for an initial vet checkup and fecal exam even if the dragon looks outwardly healthy.
See the full care guides guide, or browse all 467 info pages.
A single adult bearded dragon needs a minimum 4ft x 2ft x 2ft enclosure, with 6ft x 2ft x 2ft increasingly recommended as best practice — plus a linear T5 HO UVB tube, an overhead basking bulb on a thermostat, a real thermal gradient, a sturdy basking platform, and a shallow water dish.
A complete bearded dragon setup needs a 4ft+ enclosure, a linear T5 HO UVB tube, an overhead basking bulb on a thermostat, two thermometers, a basking platform, a hide, a shallow water dish, and age-appropriate substrate — all running and stable for at least 48 hours before the dragon arrives.
Hatchlings can start in a 20-gallon long tub, juveniles need to move to roughly a 40-gallon breeder footprint by a few months old, and adults need a minimum 4ft x 2ft x 2ft enclosure, with 6ft x 2ft x 2ft recommended.
Basking surface temperature should run 95–110°F depending on age (hotter for hatchlings, cooler for adults), with a cool side around 75–85°F, all provided by an overhead basking bulb on a thermostat — not a heat mat or heat rock.
Bearded dragons need a linear T5 HO UVB tube at 10.0 or 12% output, running the length of the basking third of the enclosure with nothing between bulb and dragon, replaced every 6–12 months regardless of whether it still produces visible light.
Bearded dragons should be kept at roughly 30–40% ambient humidity. Sustained humidity above 50% significantly raises the risk of respiratory infection in this dry-climate species — brief daily misting or a shallow soak handles hydration and shedding needs without pushing ambient humidity up long-term.