So I live in Scotland, and if you've ever been here you'll know it's not exactly the most reptile-friendly country, but as it's just turning summer, what temperature should it be to take my beardie into the garden on a harness? He's 6/7, maybe 8 months old, I'm going to take him for his first vet visit when he's maybe a year old and check it out, probably make sure of the gender too. So what temperature is ideal?
That's a bit on the chilly side , the dragon is likely to cool down very fast at that temperature and likely wont enjoy the experience.
21 degC (70 F) is well below a bearded dragon's voluntary minimum temperature , the vet who suggested it was OK is giving poor advise.
26 to 30 degC is more comfortable for a bearded dragon and closer to it's preferred operating body temperature of 36 degC. Probably a tall order in Scotland unless you are having a "heatwave".
My vet also told me 70 degrees minimum and it should be full sun or mostly sun. Never in the rain, even a light rainfall will cool down a beardie very fast.
Do you think your vet in your country would answer a question like that over the phone? Someone local may have a better answer than internet people not in Scotland
The voluntary minimum temperature for a bearded dragon is 25 degC.
The preferred temperature range is 31 to 39 degC.
These temperature have not been picked out of mid air , but are based on ACTUAL behavioural studies of wild bearded dragon in their native range.
Any vet who says 21 degC is fine to take a dragon outside in (even in direct sun on a calm breezeless day) doesn't know much about the thermal requirements and temperature responses of bearded dragons.
Been doing it for decades. Lots of other people have too. Thinking any Ill effects will come to your dragon for being outside in 70 degree weather for an hour or so is a bit silly.
I can promise you your dragon will be fine outside in 70 degrees for a bit.
Vets state it, experience shows it, doing it proves it.
Could you explain to us what Ill will come to our dragons if we do this? Because I can't think of anything. but you must know of something so im sure I and the rest of the posters here would love to know what that is so we can make a better informed decision.
My dragons have always voluntarily left their cages to run around my house that is usually 70-72 degrees. And they will stay out for hours before going to bask again. You can only imagine how being outside in the natural sunlight would be even more enjoyable for them at the same temperatures.