Raise a happy, healthy bearded dragon — without the guesswork
Beardie Parent Academy walks you through everything — from building the perfect enclosure to nailing feeding schedules, decoding body language, and handling the scary stuff — in plain, friendly language that actually makes sense.
I built this school so your beardie gets the care they deserve — and you get to actually enjoy being their parent.— Shari Johnson
What you'll learn
What you'll be able to do
- Set up a safe, species-correct enclosure with proper UVB lighting, basking zones, and substrate so your beardie thrives from day one.
- Build and execute a balanced, age-appropriate feeding schedule — including live feeders, greens, and safe supplements — with confidence.
- Identify early warning signs of common illnesses (metabolic bone disease, impaction, respiratory infection) and know exactly when to call a vet.
- Handle and socialize your bearded dragon using stress-free techniques that build trust and make vet visits, baths, and daily interaction calm.
- Manage seasonal brumation safely — recognizing normal dormancy behavior versus dangerous lethargy so you never panic unnecessarily.
- Create a long-term health and wellness routine covering shedding support, parasite prevention, nail trims, and annual vet check-up prep.
How it works
A school that adapts to you
This isn't a set of static videos. Every lesson is generated live and tuned to where you actually are.
We learn your level
A quick placement check tailors your starting point so you're never bored or lost.
Lessons adapt as you go
Each lesson is written for your pace and your goal, adjusting as your skills grow.
Your AI coach keeps you moving
Checkpoints, feedback, and gentle nudges turn progress into a real result.
The curriculum
What's inside your school
6 modules · 29 lessons
Welcome to Beardie Parenthood
Gives new and prospective owners a confident foundation — what bearded dragons really are, what they need, and how to choose a healthy one.
- 1.1Understanding Your Bearded DragonIncluded
- 1.2Choosing a Healthy BeardieIncluded
- 1.3What to Expect in the First Week HomeIncluded
- 1.4Building Your Beardie BudgetIncluded
Setting Up the Perfect Enclosure
Walks owners step-by-step through building a safe, species-correct habitat with the right lighting, heat, and furnishings.
- 2.1Choosing the Right Tank SizeIncluded
- 2.2UVB Lighting Explained SimplyIncluded
- 2.3Creating the Perfect Temperature GradientIncluded
- 2.4Safe Substrate and Décor ChoicesIncluded
- 2.5Humidity, Ventilation, and Day-Night CyclesIncluded
Feeding Your Bearded Dragon
Covers everything owners need to build and execute a balanced, age-appropriate diet with live feeders, greens, and supplements.
- 3.1The Beardie Food PyramidIncluded
- 3.2Live Feeders — Crickets, Dubia Roaches, and MoreIncluded
- 3.3Safe Greens, Veggies, and FruitsIncluded
- 3.4Calcium, D3, and Vitamin SupplementsIncluded
- 3.5Feeding Schedules by AgeIncluded
Handling, Bonding, and Socialization
Teaches stress-free handling and trust-building techniques that make every interaction — including vet visits and baths — calm and positive.
- 4.1Reading Your Beardie's Body LanguageIncluded
- 4.2First Handling Steps — Building Trust SlowlyIncluded
- 4.3Bath Time and Hydration RoutineIncluded
- 4.4Handling for Kids and the Whole FamilyIncluded
- 4.5Stress-Free Vet Visits and TravelIncluded
Health, Illness, and Common Conditions
Equips owners to spot early warning signs of the most common beardie illnesses and know when — and how fast — to call a vet.
- 5.1Metabolic Bone Disease — Signs, Causes, and PreventionIncluded
- 5.2Impaction — What It Is and How to Avoid ItIncluded
- 5.3Respiratory Infections and When to WorryIncluded
- 5.4Parasites — Internal and ExternalIncluded
- 5.5Building Your Beardie First-Aid Kit and Vet NetworkIncluded
Long-Term Care — Shedding, Brumation, and Wellness Routines
Prepares owners to manage seasonal brumation, support healthy sheds, and maintain a lifetime wellness routine with confidence.
- 6.1Understanding and Supporting Healthy SheddingIncluded
- 6.2Brumation Basics — Normal Dormancy vs. Dangerous LethargyIncluded
- 6.3Preparing Your Beardie for Brumation SeasonIncluded
- 6.4Nail Trims, Beard Checks, and Weekly Wellness HabitsIncluded
- 6.5Annual Vet Check-Up Prep and Lifelong Health PlanningIncluded
Who it's for
Is this you?
First-time reptile owners
You've never kept a reptile before and want a trustworthy, jargon-free foundation before your beardie even comes home.
Parents of young kids
Your family chose a beardie together and you want safe, fun guidance on handling and care that the whole household can follow.
Pre-purchase researchers
You're still deciding if a bearded dragon is right for you and want to understand exactly what the commitment looks like before you commit.
Overwhelmed new beardie parents
Your beardie just came home and conflicting forum advice has you second-guessing everything — you need one calm, reliable source of truth.
Worried health-watchers
You've noticed something 'off' with your beardie and want to understand common conditions, warning signs, and when to call a vet.
Growing-beardie caretakers
Your juvenile dragon is growing fast and you need to level up — adjusting feeding schedules, managing brumation, and building a long-term wellness plan.
Questions
Frequently asked
Your teacher
A note from your teacher
Shari Johnson
If you've spent more than ten minutes on a bearded dragon forum, you already know the feeling: you came in with one simple question and left forty-five minutes later with six contradictory answers, a list of things you're apparently already doing wrong, and a low-grade anxiety about substrate that didn't exist before you started. I've been there. And I built Beardie Parent Academy because I believe new beardie owners deserve so much better than that.
Here's the truth: bearded dragons are wonderful, rewarding pets — but they do have specific needs, and those needs matter. The right UVB setup isn't optional. The feeding balance between live feeders and greens shifts as your dragon grows. Brumation looks alarming if nobody warned you it was coming. These aren't scary facts designed to overwhelm you — they're just the things a good reptile-loving friend would tell you over coffee, in plain language, before you ever needed to learn them the hard way.
That's exactly what this school is. Every lesson is built around what I wish someone had told me early on: the vet-backed facts, translated out of clinical language and into something you can actually use on a Tuesday evening when your beardie is staring at you and you're not sure if that's normal. You'll walk away knowing how to build a species-correct enclosure from scratch, how to feed your dragon with confidence at every life stage, how to read body language so you can actually tell when something's off, and how to build a long-term wellness routine that covers everything from shedding support to annual vet prep.
I also know that a lot of people coming to this school have kids in the picture — families who picked a bearded dragon together and want everyone involved in the care. There's space for that here too. The lessons on handling, bonding, and involving the whole family are some of my favorites to teach, because watching a child build a trusting relationship with their beardie is genuinely one of the best things in the world.
No judgment for the questions that feel too basic. No gatekeeping. No contradictory advice that leaves you more confused than when you started. Just clear, warm, practical guidance — from someone who genuinely loves these animals and wants your beardie to thrive for years to come. I'm so glad you found this place. Let's get your beardie set up for a great life.
— Shari Johnson
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- 6 modules, 29 lessons
- AI-adaptive lessons tuned to your level
- Quizzes & checkpoints to lock in progress
- Your own AI learning coach
- Learn on any device, at your pace
- Full access for as long as you're subscribed