11 DIY Bearded Dragon Décor Ideas to Make Today (With Pictures)
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DIY projects to make décor for your pets can be a fun way to spend some of your weekend time. If you have a bearded dragon, you may be on the hunt for some DIY ideas you can get started on (and finish!) today. Whether you just love arts and crafts or you’re looking for cheaper alternatives with the prices of items having gone up, there’s something here to entertain you and your beardie.
The 11 DIY Bearded Dragon Décor Ideas
1. Homemade Basking Rock
| Materials: | 1” Styrofoam board, grout, Styrofoam safe glue, Mod Podge, water-based waterproof sealer |
| Tools: | Knife or small hand saw, pins |
| Difficulty Level: | Easy to moderate |
Every bearded dragon’s enclosure needs a basking space, and a basking rock is a great option to help your scaley friend achieve a correct body temperature. You can save yourself some money by making this homemade basking rock yourself. You may already have the necessary materials around your house, but if you do need to purchase supplies, just keep in mind that many of these materials and tools can be used for a variety of other projects as well. Although not necessarily a beginner-friendly project, this project can be relatively easy, making it a good project for kids to help with.
2. DIY Basking Rock
| Materials: | Styrofoam, grout mix, cement color, expanding foam insulation, water, water-based polycrylic satin sealer |
| Tools: | Knives, hand saws, hot glue, hot glue gun, bucket, paint brushes |
| Difficulty Level: | Moderate to difficult |
Having a basking area is a necessity for the health and well-being of your bearded dragon. Basking rocks can be pricey, though! This DIY basking rock project allows you to make your own basking rock. You have the option to fully customize the rock exactly how you want it to be. If you don’t already have these supplies on hand, you’ll end up with way more than you need for just one rock. This means that you can make multiple basking rocks or find other uses for the leftover supplies.
This project does require some complicated steps and products you may be unfamiliar with, so make sure to thoroughly read all instructions before getting started.
3. Fake Rock Build
| Materials: | Styrofoam, waterproof PVA glue, grout, water, sand |
| Tools: | Permanent marker, knife |
| Difficulty Level: | Easy to moderate |
Are you looking for a project that will create tank décor that draws all eyes to your bearded dragon’s enclosure? Look no further than this fake rock build project. Not only will you end up with a huge piece of tank décor, but you are also able to fully customize the look, size, and shape of the project.
To make this project even better, some of the steps are pretty easy, so kids can help out with this. If you were to purchase a decorative rock of this size in a store, you could spend a lot of money. If you already have the supplies on hand, you’ll save a lot of money, but like the previous projects, there are multiple uses for these supplies that you can use for a variety of other types of projects.
4. Rock Wall Project
| Materials: | 1” Styrofoam board, toothpicks, joint compound, liquid nails, textured stone spray paint, protective sealer |
| Tools: | Utility knife, tape measure, permanent marker |
| Difficulty Level: | Moderate |
If the previous entry didn’t interest you, then maybe this rock wall project is what you’re looking for. You can fully customize the rock wall you create, ensuring it fits your beardie’s tank perfectly. This may not be the project for a beginner, but the difficulty level is such that a beginner DIYer could pull this one off with minimal assistance. Most of the supplies are likely things you already have laying around if you’re into doing DIY projects, and you’ll be able to reuse the supplies you don’t use up on this project.
5. DIY Hides
| Materials: | Insulation foam, non-toxic paint, Exo-Terra desert sand |
| Tools: | Knife, paint brush |
| Difficulty Level: | Moderate |
Insulation foam is a product that anyone who’s ever done any kind of home construction project likely has on hand already. To make DIY hides, you can use insulation foam to make fully customizable hides in no time flat. This project does require some skill and knowledge of using the materials, but it is quite a straightforward project.
Not only will the final product be lightweight and fully customized to meet your beardie’s needs, but the insulation foam will help make these hides efficient for helping your bearded dragon maintain an appropriate body temperature.
6. Zoo Med Excavator Clay Tunnels
| Materials: | Zoo Med Excavator Clay, water |
| Tools: | None |
| Difficulty Level: | Moderate |
This Zoo Med Excavator Clay Tunnels DIY project is going to let you in on a relatively unknown product that is perfect for reptile owners. Zoo Med Excavator Clay allows you to create tunnels and hides in just about any shape or size to meet the needs within your beardie’s enclosure. When used correctly, Excavator Clay won’t crumble or collapse, but it’s important that you follow the instructions on how to properly use the product. If you end up with crumbly or unstable tunnels, then it’s best to toss them and try again.
7. DIY Homemade Hide
| Materials: | Aquarium-safe silicone, rocks, plastic food storage container, fake plants (optional) |
| Tools: | Scissors/box cutter/knife, permanent marker |
| Difficulty Level: | Easy |
If you’re interested in the least expensive DIY projects you can make for your bearded dragon, then this DIY homemade hide project is probably perfect. Many of the supplies are available at dollar stores, and if you’re a crafter, you may already have most of them at home.
This project is beginner friendly and can be put together in an afternoon. Just be aware that silicone takes multiple hours to dry and may take a few days to fully cure. It’s important that you ensure that everything is dry to the touch and secure before putting the hide into your beardie’s enclosure.
8. Bearded Dragon Bridge Hammock
| Materials: | Square wooden dowels, twine, nuts, suction cups |
| Tools: | Drill |
| Difficulty Level: | Moderate |
Bearded dragons love to have places to hang out in their enclosure, and hammocks and bridges are a great option to fulfill this desire. This bearded dragon bridge hammock takes a little bit of technical know-how to pull off, but it’s definitely a project you can complete in an afternoon. If you’re a regular crafter, then you probably already have the materials necessary at home. If you don’t, the materials are inexpensive. This project will cost you far less than purchasing a commercially produced similar product.
9. Bearded Dragon Hammock
| Materials: | Thin cardboard, towel or washcloth, yarn, beads, suction cups |
| Tools: | Scissors or box cutter, packing or duct tape |
| Difficulty Level: | Easy |
Are you wanting to put together something a little cozier than a wooden bridge for your bearded dragon? This bearded dragon hammock will give your beardie a soft place to land when they’re ready to take a nap. This is an extremely easy project that even kids can do with little to no help. You’ll likely be able to put this hammock together in an hour or so, making this a great DIY project if you don’t want something that’s going to take your whole day or weekend.
10. DIY Ball Toy
| Materials: | Ping-pong ball |
| Tools: | Non-toxic marker |
| Difficulty Level: | Easy |
Believe it or not, bearded dragons love toys and other enrichment items. This DIY ball toy allows you to take something as simple as a ping pong ball and transform it into something of your own creation. The instructions turn this into a soccer ball, but with non-toxic markers, you can make it into a basketball, baseball, tennis ball, or even a globe. Any round object you can think of can be created from a simple ping-pong ball. A ball is a fun item for your beardie that stimulates their hunting instincts, making their enclosure more fun.
11. DIY Enclosure
| Materials: | TV cabinet, reptile-safe paint, heat lamp, tank light, thermometers, tank décor, hides, glass, silicone or other glass adhesive, hinges |
| Tools: | Miter saw, paint brushes, drill, tape measure |
| Difficulty Level: | Difficult |
In all fairness, this DIY enclosure isn’t likely to be something you can complete in an afternoon, but you may be able to get it done over the weekend. Just about any type of TV cabinet or storage cabinet can be used for this project, but it needs to be made from sturdy materials that can be cleaned. You’ll be building an enclosure from the ground up with this one, so be prepared for lots of measuring, cutting, drilling, painting, and installing. The end result will be worth it, though!
Conclusion
Let your creativity run wild when working on DIY projects for your beardie’s enclosure. Just remember to keep things safe for your reptilian friend. Ensure all products are safe for animals before you use them. Also, make sure that anything you make from scratch is secure and free of loose materials that can be harmful to your bearded dragon. Now all you have to do is collect your supplies and get crafting!
Featured Image Credit: Natasha Potapova, Shutterstock
