General:
The Bearded Dragon originates from Australia and is native to a number of the varying habitats and regions found there.  The most common species in the pet industry is the Inland Bearded Dragon or Pagona Vitticeps.  These wonderful lizards are know for having extremely docile temperaments, which makes them excellent pets.  Adult dragons can grow up to 2 feet but typically average between 18 - 20 inches.


Selecting:
When looking to purchase an animal there are some important things to keep in mind.  If purchasing online select reputable breeders.  Check forums and take not of feedback on particular sellers.  There are many good reputable breeders but as with most things not all are good.  You can check my link page for other Breeders I have had positive experience with. 

You can tell a lot about an animal by it's appearance.  Typically a healthy dragon will be robust with ample reserves.  Bearded Dragons tend to store fat at the base of their tale.  Healthy well fed dragons will typically have thick tales at the base (this is not so noticeable on young dragons). Look for signs of protrusions around the tail base as this could be a sign of undernourishment or something more serious.  Take note of the eyes as a sunken appearance can be a sign of dehydration.

Housing:
Housing The housing needs of dragon will change as they grow. With hatchlings and juvenile up to 12 inches a 20 gallon long aquarium or similar sized container is suitable. Too large of a container at this age may make it difficult for the youngster to catch it's food.

For adult Bearded Dragons you should have at a minimum a 55 gallon tank.  Our typical cage set up is 2'D x 4'L x 2'H. Adults provided they are male and female or both female.  If you've been to a pet store or shopped online lately you've probably noticed there is no shortage of substrate options.  Unfortunately what you find there is probably not a good option.  Below are the substrates we use and have found to be both economical and effective.

Play Sand:  This is an easy and affordable option for larger juvenile and adult dragons.  Some people will use sand for hatchlings but be sure to sift it for larger pebbles.  Most play sand is washed but I like to purchase the sand that is also dried.  You will notice that sand from different supplies can vary significantly in grain size and smaller is better.  Make sure it is play sand as many sands for construction purposes will contain silica which can cause health problems.

Tile:  One of the nicest options in my opinion is tile.  To start with a nice natural stone such as slate adds a natural look and feel to an enclosure.  Cleanup is relatively easy with tile, and it doesn't need replacing.  Tile will also retain heat, which allows for a more gradual temperature drop after lights out. The additional benefit is the abrasive texture to the tile will keep your dragons nails trimmed. 

Paper Towels/Newspaper:  These options are good for young dragons as there is no concern for impaction.  The other benefits are that it's easy to clean up and relatively inexpensive.

Reptile Carpet:  This is a nice looking option that seems to work well.  The downside to this is it must be cleaned or replace regularly.  I would recommend multiple pieces so one can be replaced while the other is being cleaned.  If you like the carpet option look around at you local home improvement store for some indoor/outdoor carpet.  I've done this before and it can be a great savings over the commercially available carpet.  Just make sure it has a tight pile without loops to catch on toes and such.

Cage Accessories:
There are many options for decorating a dragons enclosure.  I would just recommend a couple things.  One, have some type of platform that allows your dragon to reach the proper basking spot.  Keep in mind that they also must be able to get within the effective range of the UVB lighting.  (see lighting section)  Dragons self regulate so if you have multiple levels or something like a branch that works well.   For juvenile and adult dragons some type of hide or cave is nice.  I do not recommend hide for baby dragons.  Many people laugh when they see the reptile hammocks, but they do really like them.  If you want to save some money it's easy enough to make one.  You can be creative with accessories but be sure to sanitize things such as rocks and branches you get from the back yard.   

Lighting and Heating:
If you spend time researching this topic you will notice there are some differing opinions as to what is really necessary.   What I provide are my recommendation based on experience and others who's experience and knowledge I value.

A Bearded Dragon habitat needs to have a basking spot, which should have a temperature range around 105-115 degrees F.  To provide the necessary gradient to ensure a healthy dragon there needs to be a cool side to the enclosure that is around 80-85 degrees F.  There are a number of factors such as enclosure type, air flow...that need to be considered when trying to create such an environment and you will likely have to experiment with bulb wattage to achieve the desired result.  It is not necessary to buy the commercially available reptile basking bulbs.  You can user standard flood or halogen bulbs for less money and similar results.  Night temperatures can drop down into the mid sixties even for hatchlings.  If the location of your enclosure gets below this you will need to consider an alternate heat source for nighttime hours.

Along with heat Bearded Dragons require a source of Ultra Violet (UV) light in the form of UV-A and UV-B to help in the syntheses of Vitamin D-3, which is important for the absorption of calcium.  There are a number of bulbs available today that provide the necessary UV-A and UV-B, such as mercury vapor bulbs (Megaray for example) and fluorescent tube lights ( Reptisun 10.0 or Reptiglo 10.0).  Pay particular attention to the recommended mounting distances for the UV bulb you are using.  I'm not a fan of compact fluorescents as the cover a smaller area and there have been reports that some may emit the harmful UV-C.  I don't know for sure but as a precaution I stay away from them.

In respect to temperature you will need to be able to monitor each case to ensure you stay in the desired range.  I use a couple different methods to do this.  In a number of cages I have installed indoor outdoor thermometers.  The ones I use are nothing fancy but the have a digital display and a small probe that I place inside the case.  Mine ran me $5 each and based on my temperature gun they are accurate.  That brings up the other option.  Temperature guns work well to check various locations within an enclosure.  If you look around you can find a simple accurate temp gun for around $10.  I'd tell you where but don't want to endorse anyone at this time.  Send me and email if you need help.

Keep all lights on a timer to help maintain a regular schedule.  With hatchling dragons a schedule of 14 hours light and 10hours dark seems to be best.

Feeding:

Bearded Dragons are omnivorous, meaning that they eat both plant and animal matter. In general the food items that your Bearded Dragons eat should be no bigger than the space between their eyes. Larger food items have the potential to cause impaction and/or hind leg paralysis. 

Baby and juvenile Beardies should be offered appropriately sized crickets two-three times a day. Offer as many as your Beardie will eat in a 5-10 minute time frame. When your Beardie stops eating, stop offering. Young Bearded Dragons can eat anywhere from 20-60 small crickets a day. You should also provide your Beardie fresh greens daily. Greens can be left in your dragons enclosure throughout the day.  Spraying the greens with water will prevent them from drying out so fast and will also help keep your Beardie hydrated. 

Sub-adult to adult Beardies only need to eat prey items once a day along with fresh greens. Other suitable prey at this age may include Cockroaches, Zophobas worms (superworms), Silkworms, Butterworms, and Hornworms (not wild caught as they are toxic).  DO NOT feed your Beardie insects that you have caught in your backyard. These bugs could have parasites that could be passed on to your Beardie or they could have been exposed to poisons that could kill your Beardie. Lightning bugs can also kill your Beardie so it is much safer to stay away from wild caught insects. 

Prey items should be dusted once a day, five days a  week with a calcium/vitamin D3 supplement such as Rep-cal makes.  If you use a Mercury Vapor Bulb (MVB) of UV it is recommended to use calcium without D3.  The MVBs provide greater amounts of UVB which enable bearded dragons to produce their own D3.  All prey items should be dusted twice a week with a multivitamin supplement such as Herptivite, also made by Rep-cal.

Uneaten prey items should be removed from your Dragons enclosure.

There is a wide variety of greens that are available that are good for your Beardie. Dandelion greens, Collard greens, Mustard greens, Bok choy, Kale, Turnip greens, Escarole and Chicory are among the easiest to find and the best to use. If the greens you are wondering about say Lettuce anywhere in the name avoid them. Most types of lettuce are composed mostly of water and hold little or no nutritional value. With the wide variety of other greens out there it is better and easier to just avoid any type of lettuce. Spinach should also be avoided as calcium binds to it and will not be digested by your animal.

A wide variety of vegetables can also be offered to your Beardie. Butternut squash, Yellow squash, Spaghetti squash, Acorn squash, all other varieties of squash, Green beans, Parsnips, Sweet potato, Snow peas and Carrots. Carrots should only be used as a treat though due to the high amounts of vitamin A. Any food with high amounts of vitamin A should be avoided as reptiles do not absorb a lot of vitamin A. Feeding your Beardie a lot foods such as Carrots will end up in a condition called Vitamin A toxicity which is deadly. Squashes will either have to be cooked or micro-waved before feeding them to your Beardie. This will soften them up and they can then be minced and eaten easier. Fruits can also be used, just avoid any citrus fruit such as oranges and grape fruit.

BeautifulDragons.com had some good information on this topic as well as others.

Water:
Fresh water should be offered daily in a shallow bowl. The water bowl should be disinfected once a week to avoid any bacterial build up. Not all Beardies drink from a water bowl so you may have to drip the water slowly onto your Beardies snout. Wiggling your finger in the water may also get their attention. Beardies like things that move so creating ripples in the water may get their attention.

Bathing:
To aid in hydration and shedding, it is recommended to bath your Beardie a minimum of once per week.  I recommend 3 times per week but more often does not hurt.  Bath water should be warm on your wrist and not hot, much like bath water for a small child. Make the water only as deep as your Beardies chest or half way up their front arms. Never leave a Beardie unattended in the bath, accidents only take a second to happen. It's also a god idea to disinfect your tub when the bath is over because Beardies will often defecate in the water.

Sexing:
There are several ways to differentiate between male and female dragons. the folks at dachiu explain it nicely and provide a couple photos for reference.