Selecting an Enclosure can be a daunting task. There are many things you need to keep in mind when it comes the the animals health, your interaction, cost, size, and availability. While its tempting the buy a small enclosure for a dragon to start off, most everything that you will need to complete that enclosure will need to be sized up when the dragon becomes bigger so you end up buying twice as much. It is much better to buy once with everything matched from the very start.
Glass Terrarium
Pros:
Available in very small to around 40 gallon, aquarium tanks can be found larger but will require a custom top
Inexpensive
Readily available at most pet stores and online
Easy to sanitize
Handles high humidity well if your beardy dumps the water bowl
Easier to create a thermal gradient of cold side and hot side due to screen top shedding heat
Due to open top, it is easier to run lighting such as basking lights or mercury vapor bulb which generate a lot of ambient heat.
Cons:
Reaching in from above your Bearded dragon can be threatening to them
Lights and heaters often sit on the very top you are trying to remove, and sliding to one side often burns the plastic. Buying a stand for the heater often lifts it up enough to negate is effectiveness.
Glass does not retain heat very well so loss of heat and subsequent cost is a factor
Beardies can see there reflection in the glass and get angry at it.
Font Opening Glass Terrarium
Pros:
Available up to around 40 gallon but very few any larger
Reaching in from in front your Bearded dragon is less stressful for them than above
Easy to sanitize
Handles high humidity well if your beardy dumps the water bowl
Lights and heaters sit on the top and don't need to be moved to get into the tank.
Easier to create a thermal gradient of cold side and hot side due to screen top shedding heat
Due to open top, it is easier to run lighting such as basking lights or mercury vapor bulb which generate a lot of ambient heat.
Cons:
A bit more expensive
Can be harder to find, Petsmart Thrive brand is highly recommended for the features it comes with
Glass does not retain heat very well so loss of heat and subsequent cost is a factor
Beardies can see there reflection in the glass and get angry at it.
Melamine Wood Enclosure
Pros:
Available in a variety of sizes from small to very large exceeding 200 gallon
Reaching in from in front your Bearded dragon is less stressful for them than above
panels are easy sanitize, but calking in corners can be problematic
Lights and heaters mount in the enclosure for a cleaner external look
Cons:
A bit more expensive
Can be harder to find, usually at reptile stores like LLL Reptile
Wood retains heat very well
Does not handle high humidity well if your beardy dumps the water bowl, particle board swells and disintegrates
You must have screens enclosing the light and heater for protection.
Can be difficult to get a good temperature gradient because these retain heat so well, may require heavy modification to add enough venting to allow for a cold side.
Due to lighting and heater being in the enclosure, it is much harder to run lighting such as basking lights or mercury vapor bulb which generate a lot of ambient heat which can turn these quickly into an oven.
Pvc Enclosure
Pros:
Available in a variety of sizes from small to large of around 100 gallon
Reaching in from in front your Bearded dragon is less stressful for them than above
Panels are easy sanitize
PVC retains heat very well
Lights and heaters mount in the enclosure for a cleaner external look
Does handle high humidity well if your beardy dumps the water bowl, particle board swells and disintegrates
Can be shipped disassembled
Cons:
More expensive
Can be harder to find, usually internet only, sometimes in reptiles stores but at a premium
You must have screens enclosing the light and heater for protection.
Can be difficult to get a good temperature gradient because these retain heat so well, may require heavy modification to add enough venting to allow for a cold side.
Due to lighting and heater being in the enclosure, it is much harder to run lighting such as basking lights or mercury vapor bulb which generate a lot of ambient heat which can turn these quickly into an oven.