Would this be okay?

Hey guys.

I really really want a bearded dragon and I've been thinking about getting one for ages.

There is one problem... my parents tell me I have to have it in my room, but my room is pretty small. I have a shelf on the side that would fit a tank on there of about the following size..

L: 92cm (36 inches)
W: 51cm (20 inches)
H: 44cm (17 inches)

Possibly a little higher and longer but the width is the absolute max tbh, it'd already be hanging off a little.

I've heard the ideal tank would be bigger, but let's face it, the bigger the better, but would this be okay? I'm only getting one and I'd certainly have it out atleast once a day for exercise around my room (no danger of it escaping).

What do you guys think? I really want one but this is the only thing holding me back.

I don't think there is a standard sized tank that would fit those exact dimensions (although I could be wrong). If I did the math right, that would give you 5 square feet of floor space, which is a little shy of the 6-8 square feet minimum that's generally recommended. So yes, that tank would be doable, but you should go a bit larger if at all possible. Do you have any free wallspace along your floor? You could always make an enclosure on legs that will stand on its own (so you wouldn't need to fit in a bulky tank and stand)

Hi Toodles,

Those dimensions as an enclosure only would be adequate for a beardie, but there are other considerations to run through, as well. Without seeing what you're describing on the shelf, I'm getting the impression this shelf is in some kind of unit and that is the total space available. If that is the case, it might not work so well.

You will need room for lighting at the top of the enclosure to allow for proper UVB and a temperature gradient; air exchange and ventilation will also need to be considered. You'll need room to get in the enclosure for ease of daily maintenance and then more thorough regular cleanings.

If this is a space within a unit and the top is not open, it will be more trouble than it's worth, IMO. It may not be hopeless, but if you could give a bit more information on the space available and exactly how it's laid out, we will be able to provide better answers and/or suggestions.

Hey mate.

I understand what you're saying, but no, the tank wouldn't be in a unit type thing but rather on a lowish (about waist height) sturdy shelf. Because my room is so small, it's not really possible to have much of the tank hanging over the sides so that is why I've got strict size restrictions.

There is endless space above the tank, so when I said 'maybe could be a bit higher' I wasn't thinking.. it could be up to 40 inches higher if really necessary but from what I've read I've got the impress Beardies aren't really climbers so 17/18 inches of height would be okay?

Oops, no edit button.

So yeah, there would be plenty of room above to access the tank easily and also fit all the lights and suck.

Thanks for clarifying; yup, if you have open space above it sounds like it would work! Make sure it's not in front of a window and you should be good to go.