Glad to see you're researching in advance! Too many people don't bother, and end up with sick beardies or have to change their setup later - which can be pricey, and needlessly stressful for the lizard.
Okay, essentials. As I'm sure you've heard before,
proper UV lighting is very important. Don't use coil or compact bulbs. They emit poor-quality light, and can hurt your dragon's eyes. Reptiglo's UVB bulbs (even their tube bulbs) have also been linked to health problems, so avoid those.
Go for a trusted brand, like Reptisun (10.0) or Arcadia (12%), and ensure that the length suits the size of your vivarium. Also, make sure your dragon can't get
too close to the bulbs! An excess of UVB can cause things like conjunctivitis (snow blindness, essentially), which is painful but not usually permanent. More info
here.
Overnight heating: no lights! Light of any kind will disturb your dragon's sleep, especially coloured, despite what the box may tell you.
If your viv falls below 18C/65F at night, you may want to invest in a Ceramic Heat Emitter. Never use a heat mat! Beardies can't sense heat on their bellies, and may get burns if they lie on one. A CHE radiates heat from above, which is much better for your lizard friend.
When feeding, ensure that your dragon has
at least an hour to warm/wake up before offering food. Likewise, remove any food from the viv at least two hours before bedtime. This will aid digestion. I like to keep a bowl of water and one of fresh greens in the viv all day, so Bandit can eat and drink whenever she likes. There are no set times to offer live prey - so make a schedule that works for yourself, based on how often your scaly friend needs food
As beardies grow up, they need less animal- and more plant matter. Info
here, in the bottom section (Feeding and diet)
As for handling, it's a good idea to get your beardie used to being touched and held at an early age. Try not to fuss them too much when first settling into their new home, as relocation is stressful (especially on young dragons). I let Bandit climb on me until she either gets cold, or wants to take a flying leap back into her tank. Skittish dragons can be brought to trust you by offering food by hand, or just putting your hand in the viv for a bit until they climb on. I initially keep a balled-up T-shirt in the viv, to get the new dragon used to my scent
That's all I can think of right now. I wish you a happy life with your new friend in September!
