Bearded Dragons?
#244129 - 06/22/2009 12:30 PM |
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Has anyone kept these little guys?
I know the basics of reptile care but that is about it.
They seem pretty simple as far as care goes but I am also hesitant because the one time I had an iguana it didn't go so well.
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Re: Bearded Dragons?
[Re: Jennifer Lee ]
#244132 - 06/22/2009 12:49 PM |
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My family had a bearded dragon up until a couple years ago, when he died, probably from old age. I believe we had him for about 8 years? He was GREAT!
It was the only large lizard we ever had and was much more enjoyable than any of the smaller ones we had previously had. They do get pretty big and you definitely need to make sure you have a big enough aquarium for it. Most are friendly and enjoy coming out of the cage. We used to let him run around the living room and even brought him outside to run around in the grass. He ate many different things, instead of just the normal crickets. We fed him fruits, vegetables, crickets, mice, worms, his favorite being strawberries.
Our dog was afraid of him though. It was quite funny, every time the bearded dragon came out of the cage, the dog would look at the lizard and run over and look into the cage, like he was trying to tell us to put him back.
If I were to ever get another small animal again, it would definitely be another bearded dragon.
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Re: Bearded Dragons?
[Re: Casey Kelly ]
#244137 - 06/22/2009 12:59 PM |
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I am tempted to start with an Anole to get the hang of lizard keeping before we do a bearded dragon, but maybe I should just jump right in.
Would a ten gallon be ok to start with while it is a baby?
I have a 55 gallon waiting to be brought home but no where to put it right now, we would need to get a stand for it.
My biggest hurdle is going to be dealing with feeding him insects other than crickets, but I guess since it will be son's dragon it will be his job to deal with handling the bugs!
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Re: Bearded Dragons?
[Re: Jennifer Lee ]
#244142 - 06/22/2009 01:22 PM |
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I would start out with whatever you're comfortable with. You can't really mess up too much with most lizards - just need to feed them, make sure there is always water, and keep it warm enough.
I think as a baby, it should be fine in a 10 gallon for awhile. You get used to the crickets, they're not so bad. The major pet places (i.e. petco & petsmart) sell little things just for crickets so you never have to touch them - it's basically a cardboard tube in a plastic container, but it works out really well.
Good luck with whatever you go with!
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Re: Bearded Dragons?
[Re: Jennifer Lee ]
#244143 - 06/22/2009 01:25 PM |
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I had several. I'd skip the anole. BORING! Beardies are great. Cute as hell when they're little, and they grow up to be very cartoon-like in their mannerisms. The babies are pretty fragile, though. Try to get a larger baby if you can, esp. since you have a child who might be heartbroken if it dies.
You can start them in a 10 gallon. It won't be long before they outgrow it though. As far as food goes, they adore vegetables as well. I used to buy frozen mixed veggies for mine. My last one was really funny. He got so lazy (read:spoiled) that he refused to eat crickets. He would just close his eyes when I put them in his tank. Mealworms were ok if I handed them to him on a spoon. Otherwise, they were too much work as well. Romaine lettuce was a big favorite also. Don't forget to "gut load" any crickets you get before feeding them.
They are great pets- awesome for kids, very friendly (as far as reptiles go). You can take them outside w/a harness, too. Do be careful as to what you put in the tank as far as bedding. Some sands can be harmful if eaten, which happens when they catch crickets sometimes. They need a very dry heat, and regardless of what I did as far as lights (full spectrum UV, etc.) they KNEW when it was winter and would almost hibernate. I would think he was dead, he was so motionless and would only eat once a month or so. By the second or third year, I quit worrying about it.
There are some gorgeous ones you can actually mail-order. Mine were kind of boring colored. I did have one red one though.
I also had one w/something wrong w/it. He got HUGE. Like iguana sized. And he was pure EVIL. One glance, and he'd turn jet black. By the time he was a few mos. old, his head was as big as a garden trowel and you had to use tongs to feed him b/c he was so aggressive. The vet thinks it could've been some weird hybrid thing or a pituitary disorder. I wish I had pics of him. He was fascinating to look at, but a scary little beast. His temperament was unlike any beardie I have ever met. He met his end one fateful day when he attacked our Pit Bull. He was always trying to push the top off his tank, but could never get it more than an inch or so. We had it pretty well reinforced. I guess one day he got it a little more and the dog happened to be over there and maybe he used him as a way to drag himself out of the tank.
My ex came home to Mikey upside down on the floor, w/obvious head trauma (one eye was partially closed). He had no other injuries that he saw, but he was in bad shape, pretty much paralyzed. He still turned jet black, so his attitude was intact. The poor dog was upstairs hiding in his crate, with his head torn up terribly, and Mikey's teeth implanted in his face. He must've gotten grabbed by the lizard, and shaken his head to get him off. Mikey wouldn't let go and finally his teeth gave out and he must've hit the wall and that's what caused his injuries.
Interesting to blame a lizard in a lizard vs. dog issue, but the evidence was overwhelming and we'd seen him try to attack the dog on numerous occasions. The dog had pretty serious injuries and the lizard didn't have a mark on him. He had to be euth'd, unfortunately.
Sorry to write a novel...but I had to tell that story. What a strange animal. I wish I'd saved his body; I would be very interested to have an expert tell me what the hell that thing WAS. This was not a normal beardie.
Anyway, go for it. They are awesome!
I think you made me want another one!
Edited to say: I didn't feed mealworms. They have a harder shell. I can't remember the name of the worms I did feed...I will try to, but please skip the mealworms if you get one.
Edited by Jenni Williams (06/22/2009 01:33 PM)
Edit reason: wrong info
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Re: Bearded Dragons?
[Re: Jenni Williams ]
#244146 - 06/22/2009 01:37 PM |
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Ok so how quickly do these guys grow,Should I do a 20 gallon long to start with instead of a 10?
and would a 55 gallon be sufficient for a grown adult?
Also what if we go out of town for the weekend, can they go two or three days at the most without food if I keep the lights on a timer? Or do I need to find someone competent to feed them.
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Re: Bearded Dragons?
[Re: Jennifer Lee ]
#244153 - 06/22/2009 03:46 PM |
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i would honestly start with a 20L...lizards are much like fish in that when you house them in smaller tanks, even as juvis, their organs grow at a normal rate, while their bodies will adjust to the size of the tank. a 55 should be fine for an adult. i would still move it into the 55 when you get the tank.
as far as feeding while on vacay...baby lizards need to eat almost every day. adults do not. that being said, if you are truely only going to be gone for a weekend, just put in some extra crickets, the lizard should be ok. don't get caught up on just feeding rickets, they need a hugely varied diet, different worms, bugs, veggies, etc. i would not under any circumstance dust the crickets with any supplement, not even calcium. their calcium intake should come from calcium rich veggies, not from supplements. plus, the supps tend to make them constipated.
i would have the lights on a timer for sure. people forget,get caught up at the store, etc and they need a regular day/night cycle.
other than that, keep the cage clean, fresh water, wash your hands and it should be good to go.
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Re: Bearded Dragons?
[Re: Jennifer Lee ]
#244154 - 06/22/2009 03:46 PM |
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Well he is home, and stinkin cute!!
We got him all set up in 10 gallon which is plenty for right now.
I'll try and take pictures in a little bit.
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Re: Bearded Dragons?
[Re: Jennifer Lee ]
#244164 - 06/22/2009 04:27 PM |
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Re: Bearded Dragons?
[Re: Jennifer Lee ]
#244166 - 06/22/2009 04:55 PM |
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Now I definitely want another one! SO CUTE!
I would beware of leaving him w/too many crickets. Crickets will start feeding on him if he does not eat them all fairly quickly. I had to stop feeding them to mine for this reason. He ignored them and they would be all over him in a few hours.
If you leave him soon, yes, he needs someone to feed him daily and check in on him. If you wait until he's grown, then no. A few days is ok as long as he has eaten plenty before you leave. Mine wouldn't eat every day if I tried.
Do they have any guesses as to boy or girl?
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