A bearded dragon emergency plan answers one question fast: if you are stuck away, ill, or dealing with a power cut, who can act, and what do they need to know in the first ten minutes? Bearded dragons depend on equipment — heat, light, and ventilation — in a way a cat never does, so the plan must cover people, the enclosure, and the dragon itself, in that order.
The people, in calling order
Start with your own mobile number and the address where the dragon lives, then a backup person who lives close enough to get there the same day and has, or can get, a key. Choose someone willing to handle a lizard and check equipment, not just a well-meaning relative in another town.
Next list your regular reptile vet with practice name, address, and phone number, followed by the out-of-hours or emergency clinic your vet directs clients to. If your usual vet does not treat reptiles after hours, write down the exotic practice that does. Add one more practical contact where relevant: a trusted local keeper, boarding service, or reptile shop that could advise on a failed lamp in a pinch.
The enclosure details a helper cannot guess
Write the basking spot and cool-end temperatures your dragon is used to, where the thermometer probes sit, and what to do if readings drift — starting with checking that the basking bulb and thermostat are actually on. Note the lighting schedule, including when the UVB light comes on and goes off, and where spare bulbs are stored.
Include the failure plan explicitly. During a power cut the priority is keeping the dragon warm without overheating it: no feeding while it cannot bask and digest properly, keep the enclosure closed to hold heat, and call the backup contacts if power stays off for hours in cold weather. A helper who has never kept reptiles will not know any of that unless the sheet says it.
Feeding, handling, and health notes for your dragon
List what your dragon actually eats now: the staple greens offered daily, the live insects used, how often insects are offered for its age, and the supplement routine exactly as you follow it. Note favourite foods that tempt a reluctant feeder and any foods you avoid for this individual.
Add handling basics — support the whole body, expect a startle if woken suddenly — and the health history that changes decisions: past parasite treatment, a recent shed or brumation period, ongoing appetite issues, or a female who has laid eggs. Note where the carrier is kept, so a vet trip does not begin with a search.
Where the plan lives and when to refresh it
Keep one printed copy near the enclosure and one with the backup person, and review it whenever a number, vet, or routine changes — a plan with a dead phone number is worse than none, because it looks finished. Refresh it after any vet visit that changes care, and test it once by asking your backup to talk through what they would do.
Stored in KinsLe through Pet Passport, that contact sheet sits with your bearded dragon's health records as one ready packet for a sitter, a family member, or a new vet.