No matter how you were united with your pet, if you are reading this post then that means you possess a bearded dragon (or you are ending up with one soon) and built a simple terrarium for it to relax in. And your pet pretended to not care about its simplicity when deep down it crushed him knowing that with a little more effort, it’s mum/dad could’ve provided it with the world in a tiny enclosure. So what can you do now?
Maybe upgrade your bearded dragon tank to a premium bearded dragon enclosure exclusively for him. A degree of variability exists in the behavior of these bearded dragons. At times, they are running around whereas, at others, they prefer to lay low or utilize their camouflage skills. Apart from the behavioral aspect, for your bearded dragons to thrive, there are certain other conditions the vivarium needs to meet in order to qualify as habitable for reptiles such as aridity, temperature gradient, substrate, humidity, climbing, and explorative space etc.
So here are 30 best DIY bearded dragon enclosures found online that are absolutely stunning. Feel free to take inspiration from them!
1. The Little Cove Terrarium:
The little cove is a featured bearded dragon enclosure due to its warmth and coziness suited to the comfort of your bearded dragon. Though it is not huge, yet the layout provides adequate space for your bearded dragons to move around and explore. It has a light source at one end and shady area on the other providing the breaded dragon with options. It even has a wooden hammock for your breaded dragon to lie on and chill. The only missing part is the substrate repressing the reptile’s desire to dig. Sand should be substituted by reptile carpet, paper towel or even newspaper for juvenile bearded dragon enclosures
PROBABLE EXPENSE: $75-$85
2. The Rocky Terrain Terrarium:
The background on this bearded dragon enclosure might be intimidating but it’s worth a shot. it mimics the bearded dragon habitat making it a great bearded dragon tank setup. It has substrate to dig, it has foliage and above all, it has a degree of similarity to a dry terrain due to the presence of stones and that dried out log piece, which gives the pet an optimum environment to live and grow. One little shortcoming can be the absence of a light gradient; however, that can be catered to when you are building one for your pet bearded dragon.
PROBABLE EXPENSE: $95-$120
3. The Lesser Canyon Terrarium:
The Lesser Canyon is a two piece bearded dragon enclosure allowing for a shift from a closed to open space. Wooden branches along with a few leaves line the back, multiple artificial rocks have been installed at various levels for a rocky look and feel, and hence it utilizes the space to a maximum. Lack of sand/substrate is one major setback in this model. Secondly, there is no attached source of light that will provide the dragon with the essential UV rays and an opportunity to bask. Thirdly, there is a lack of security. Your breaded dragons might crawl out of their enclosure.
PROBABLE EXPENSE: $60-$70
4. A Sculptural Insight Terrarium:
A Sculptural Insight is a tall breaded dragon enclosure that you can buy from Amazon. If you are looking to DIY, you can draw ideas from this setup. It features a Mayan carving at the backdrop. You can buy this beautiful terrarium from Amazon but you will probably feel a bigger sense of achievement doing it yourself.
Despite being a lot of work, it is an option you must consider for it is a spectacle not only for your pet but also for you or anyone whom you wish to show it to. It is spacious, has a sculpture in the background (which leaves room for you to customize according to your taste) and provides your pet with a climbing opportunity.
You can actually purchase this whole Mayan terrarium at Amazon here.
PROBABLE EXPENSE: $200-$250
5. Into the Wild Terrarium:
Wildlife style bearded dragon terrarium
This tall bearded dragon tank setup idea is actually from Exo Terra that uses a backdrop wallpaper. To replicate it, you would probably need to put in work for a couple of hours, but the contentment you’ll receive when seeing your young dragons move around with excitement as if they were in the wild is a reward enough to get you working. This bioactive vivarium has a balanced proportion of both fauna and flora.
Check out this wildlife terrarium from Exo Terra.
PROBABLE EXPENSE: $200-$250
6. The Rocky Bottom Terrarium:
As you can see, this rocky DIY bearded dragon enclosure is meant for geckos. However, it can also be suitable for lizards and mid-day baskers like bearded dragons.
This bearded dragon enclosure setup, however, lacks the presence of foliage. It does give a realistic dry atmosphere similar to that of a desert. Space hasn’t been utilized to a maximum. It can be achieved by introducing some props such as a hammock or some artificial wooden formations.
That gives the bearded dragon an opportunity to move. Also, basking light and UVB might not reach the bottom of the terrarium with such a high ceiling. This can result in a lack of UVB or dark spots where UVB cant reach.
Addition of some plants, in this case, would further enhance the enclosure for the resident, providing it with places to hide in.
PROBABLE EXPENSE: $60-$70
7. A Cozy Little Place Terrarium:
This cozy little place is a complete setup for a bearded dragon enclosure. It is spacious, it has hiding spots, it is made of wood panels and hence the regulation of temperature is easy. There are multiple props to keep your Beardie busy. Two cons are lack of sand and foliage that can be managed by their subsequent introduction making it nearly perfect.
For a young bearded dragon, substituting sand with reptile carpet or paper towel would make it a perfect little home. Besides adding foliage would help maintain optimum moisture levels within the tank for a healthier environment for the pet reptile.
PROBABLE EXPENSE: $75-$95
8. The Adventure Box Terrarium:
The Adventure Box has bearded dragon enclosure décor that brings adventure for the adult bearded dragon. It has cactus that mimics the desert environment keeping it as real as possible with wallpaper backdrop. There are substrate to dig, room for exploration and spaces to hide in too. Moreover, it has wooden panels around it to assist with temperature regulation. In addition, it also has a constant source of light. It is nearly complete considering the needs of dragon and looks quite easy to construct.
PROBABLE EXPENSE: $100-$120
9. Home Sweet Home Terrarium:
The landscape of this bearded dragon enclosure quite closely resembles their natural habitat. It has an uneven surface, a lot of room and many spots to hide. It also has a light variation which further favors this model. The only issue is that of temperature regulation due to glass walls. Though it is nearly perfect for an adult dragon, it is unsuitable for younger baby bearded dragons since they can chew the sand and get infected with GIT diseases.
PROBABLE EXPENSE: $95-$120
10. Nothing Like Home Vivarium:
This simple and homey vivarium definitely looks inviting. It is the epitome of comfort. It has adequate props and enough space for the healthy growth of your bearded dragons. It also has a basking light at one end and a shadowed area on the other hence catering to nearly all the needs. This could just be the idea you need to create your own vivarium.
PROBABLE EXPENSE: $70-$90
11. Rocky Desert Vivarium:
Rocky background that mimics the desert
This rocky tall bearded dragon enclosure that might seem impossible to put together, however it is not. This provides sufficient room for the dragon to climb, hence, making it a suitable choice. There are plants, rocky terrain, basking light giving your bearded dragons all the UV it needs. It could be slightly improved by creating little spaces for it to hide or rest.
Moreover, the addition of some foliage would help by increasing the humidity of the tank to suitable levels, as it appears to lack that. One shortcoming is that this type of enclosure isn’t suitable for small parent houses since it takes up a lot of space.
Tall bearded dragon vivariums, however, have the issue of having too many hidden dark spots that UVB cant reach. This might result in a lack of vitamin d3 in bearded dragons if they don’t get adequate UVB.
PROBABLE EXPENSE: $150-$170
12. Dark Wooden Style DIY Terrarium:
This dark wooden style bearded dragon enclosure brings out a rustic and vintage design to your room. It is one of the ideal terrariums. The landscape has dried logs, rocks and spaces catering to the explorative needs of your bearded dragons. Apart from that, it has UV light sources on both ends and a slightly shady area in the middle. It is bounded partially by wood and partially by glass, so temperature regulation is easy as well. It does lack fauna so addition of some dwarf white and powdered blue would aid catering to this absence. Moreover, addition of some more foliage would increase humidity within the tank.
PROBABLE EXPENSE: $100-$150
13. This Minimalistic Terrarium:
Simple and easy to setup enclosure
This minimalistic bearded dragon enclosure is one of the easiest assemblies. It’s simple yet complete terrarium provides everything that a beardie’s tank requires. This is as basic as you can get.
For such an ensemble, all you need is a bearded dragon terrarium kit. After putting it together, you need to add flora to it and improve the landscape by adding small rocks and either substrate or its substitute getting one of the cheapest but seemingly impossible habitats for your pet.
PROBABLE EXPENSE: $65-$75
14. The Treehouse Terrarium:
This wooden DIY bearded dragon enclosure is also an easy alternative and it meets nearly all the needs. It has a reptile carpet, a good landscape, a bridge, and different basking spots and shady areas as well. What it lacks is the maintenance of adequate humidity since there aren’t many plants. However, that can be catered to by the addition of some foliage. There is also the absence of fauna. Adding insects such as dwarf white and powdered blue gives your pet bearded dragon a chance to learn to find food. Moreover, these insects maintain the internal environment as they mainly feast on the dragon’s feces keeping the cage clean and healthy.
PROBABLE EXPENSE: $75-$95
15. The Cozy Living Vivarium:
This bearded dragon enclosure is pretty basic and easy to assemble. However, it would require a few add-ons as well. It already has a light source and some plants however; there is lack of space for movement. Slight changes in the landscape could tackle that. But the great thing about this setup is the sliding doors that make it easy to access to your dragons. Adding some props such as rocks or a hammock or even a dried tree branch could make this home more exciting for the beardie.
PROBABLE EXPENSE: $65-$75
16. The Outdoor Playground Terrarium:
The Getaway bearded dragon enclosure is an outdoor mesh cage that is very easy to construct. It is a feasible choice only in areas with a humid and warm environment. The reason is that you cannot regulate conditions such as temperature and humidity in a mesh cage. Mesh cage can be used as a pet trampoline where the pet spends some time for fun but it is not a suitable habitat for a long-term residence. Another issue is the security of your bearded dragon’s enclosure. Your bearded dragons can become vulnerable prey for the flying predators especially when the roof of the cage is absent. However, you can build one and use it as a substitute home when cleaning the original vivarium.
PROBABLE EXPENSE: $25-$35
17. The Three Storey Enclosure:
This mesh DIY bearded dragon enclosure is cost effective and comparatively secure as it is bounded on all sides, however, this model does not eliminate reservations for the maintenance of humidity and body temperature, either. With some bearded dragon terrarium décor such as rock formations or foliage or even dried tree branches would give it a warm and welcoming home-like feeling.
The characteristic three floors in the enclosure give it an advantage over the others. With this much ample space, it will definitely make your bearded dragon happy everyday.
PROBABLE EXPENSE: $50-$60
18. The DIY Cupboard House Vivarium:
Have too many old furniture laying around in the house? Don’t waste them away. – This DIY terrarium constructed using an old piece of furniture i.e. the cupboard is also a smart idea that comes with some savings. However, the space that the enclosure offers hasn’t been utilized properly. A more efficient approach would be the introduction of a small tree giving the dragon an opportunity to climb. Besides, the absence of foliage is raising doubts about the maintenance of humidity. Moreover, there is lack of shady areas due to the narrow base of the cupboard. On the bright side, the drawers in the bottom offer storage for the pet’s belongings.
PROBABLE EXPENSE: $75-$85
19. The Beardie Mansion:
This luxurious tall DIY terrarium is perfect. It has a light source, alternate shady areas, a lengthy stump with branches for the reptile to climb, a substrate for it to dig in, a balance between flora and fauna, and regulated humidity and temperature. It is an optimum home; however, its size is not suitable for small or medium-sized parent houses. Hence, a smaller version of the same type would be more suitable.
PROBABLE EXPENSE: $180-$200
20. The Meshed Bungalow Terrarium:
The Meshed Bungalow is the best one among the mesh enclosures so far. It is tall, has opportunities for climbing, and is adequately secured with the probable presence of fauna. However, it brings along the same concerns as the other mesh enclosures i.e. Irregular UVB exposure and dark spots as the tank is too high. If you are going to DIY this type of setup, consider getting on that is lower in height.
PROBABLE EXPENSE: $120-$150
21. Complete Eco-System Terrarium:
This enclosure perfectly mimics a bearded dragon habitat. With such ample space you might be able to house more than 1 bearded dragon.
This tall enclosure is further subdivided into three portions. So if you have more than one of these dragons and they don’t like to share their room, then the best way to deal with it is by constructing a tall terrarium and subdividing it into portions.
You can accomplish that by fixing wooden cardboard with the help of the screws, however, make sure that it is durable and is able to bear the weight of everything that’s inside the enclosure. Apart from that, it is well-decorated, has adequate foliage and exploration area, consistent light and humidity and temperature regulation which will defintely give your bearded dragons the perfect experience.
The aquarium at the bottom can also house fishes to create a completely natural ecosystem.
PROBABLE EXPENSE: $250-$300
22. The Amazona Terrarium
This terrarium is a miniature & contained version of a rainforest. It presents a wild jungle theme that allows bearded dragons to hone their survival instincts.
This bearded dragon habitat is bioactive marked with a balanced presence of fauna and flora. It presents the dragon with numerous spaces and opportunities for camouflage. The humidity and temperature are regulated. One shortcoming could be the absence of substrate, however, the overall characteristics present somewhat make up for it.
PROBABLE EXPENSE: $70-$80
23. A Simple Terrarium:
This DIY enclosure is cost effective and can be assembled using bearded dragon terrarium kit, adding foliage for humidity and some decorations to make it adventurous for the little guy. It is also lined with a reptile carpet eliminating the need for substrate. It’s the best choice if your pet likes to loosen up every now and then.
PROBABLE EXPENSE: $60-$70
24. The Bask on The Slope Vivarium:
This bearded dragon DIY vivarium is cost effective and also easy to construct. The cardboard walls and the simple landscape could be enhanced a bit more by adding some pebbles, foliage or substrate. Apart from that, the enclosure is well regulated and has varied spaces as well. If your Beardie likes to bask too close to the source like the one in the picture, then this is the perfect enclosure for it.
PROBABLE EXPENSE: $60-$70
25. The Astonishing Bark:
This bearded dragon enclosure has a desert-like appearance due to the wooden centerpiece further complimented by the presence of a thin layer of substrate and associated lights. It is partially surrounded by wood and partially by the glass and is quite easy to put together. But it is small so you might only house 1 bearded dragon here.
PROBABLE EXPENSE: $65-$75
26. The Cozy Dragon Hut:
The Dragon Hut terrarium, despite having a smaller area, manages to utilize the space well (just like in a hut) all thanks to suitable props. It has a tiny little entrance to a personalized space for your bearded dragon apart from having a perfect basking spot on top of the branch. However, the floor is bare and should be covered by either substrate or alternate available options.
PROBABLE EXPENSE: $70-$80
27. A Marvellous Suite:
This bearded dragon tank idea is quite different from the others as it has both a landscape and bare area. It uses a rocky formation to provide both climbing areas as well as shady space to the dragon. It has a digital temperature and humidity sensor facilitating the maintenance of the optimum environment. It also has desert flora hence further giving it a desert habitat touch. The addition of substrate would indeed complete this DIY enclosure.
PROBABLE EXPENSE: $130-$150
28. The Long Dragon Residence:
This horizontal bearded dragon tank is surrounded by wood on all sides without any slit for vents or regulatory elements. However, the decorations, the presence of foliage and fauna and substrate make it habitable. A solution for regulation of the internal conditions and introduction of mercury lights as a light source for basking would complete this DIY habitat for your new bearded dragon too.
PROBABLE EXPENSE: $100-$120
29. The Classy Setup:
This DIY bearded dragon encolosure is actually meant for python snakes. But it is also a good idea for bearded dragons. It has a rocky substrate, a dried stick for support, décor giving it an aesthetic look, shady spaces and providing with areas to relax in. There is a water source, foliage to maintain humidity, the light source to aid basking and vents for temperature maintenance. The walls are made of wood so its assembly at your home is quite convenient making it the perfect DIY option.
PROBABLE EXPENSE: $75-$95
30. The Ideal Habitat:
Lastly, we have ‘The Ideal Habitat‘, the best DIY bearded dragon vivarium due to its unique structure and design. The bearded dragon terrarium décor further adorns it making it a spectacle to catch. It is marked with the presence of all the regulatory systems and a desert-like landscape with balanced foliage. It also has a secure lock system and is the perfect home for your bearded dragon as long as you are willing to construct.
PROBABLE EXPENSE: $130-$170
Final Thoughts
There are a variety of factors that we need to consider when making a home for your bearded dragon(s) due to their direct or indirect effect on growth and behavior of these creatures. The important thing is attaining balance between these factors. For a steady growth, one needs a durable and secure habitat equipped with the right equipment.
Decor ideas includes:
A basking spot supplying adequate UV for them to meet their needs and carry out their body metabolisms in a normal fashion
A heating tool like a heat lamp to regulate temperature of the tank,
Shady areas using fake plants to establish a temperature gradient,
Temperature and humidity monitor and regulators
Hide huts, basking rock
Water
Food bowl
Substrate or any of its substitute options
Foliage and fauna
Décor to add character and aesthetic sense to the Beardie’s enclosure.
A habitat equipped with all these facilities is ideal for your pet and will definitely make your bearded dragons love you. Lastly, this post was to show you how you can create that ideal balanced environment and what is it that you need for that. We hope that aids you in finding the perfect DIY terrarium for your bearded dragon(s).
The post 30 DIY Bearded Dragon Enclosure Ideas That Are Absolutely Stunning in 2023 appeared first on ExoPetGuides.