Before we discuss popular substrate options for captive bearded dragons, let’s talk about what the natural environment for these creatures looks like. Everything in their enclosure, from lighting to substrate, should be modeled after what your pet would see in nature.
The bearded dragon originates in Australia. In the wild, they typically prefer to stick to warm, arid areas such as deserts, subtropical woodlands, or savanna and scrublands of Australia. In these places, they naturally live on a range of substrates such as loose sand, leaf litters, fallen branches, and rocks.
Being semi-arboreal, they find it easy to climb and perch around trees, tree trunks, and fence posts or on top of rocky outcroppings. The perching location reflects their status within the dragon community. Therefore, the higher the perching location, the more dominant a dragon is in their community. Perching and busking are their daily activities.