Is a bearded dragon right for me? This is a very good question to ask yourself before bringing one home. While bearded dragons are great pets and many people enjoy owning them, they aren’t right for everyone.
If you are here reading this information, that tells me you are serious about owning a bearded dragon. Personally, I think anyone who wants to own a bearded dragon should, but I also want perspective owners to know what they’re getting into.
I don’t want to discourage any perspective owners, but encourage. I remember what it was like when I first started. I was a little nervous and wondered if I would be able to provide proper care for a bearded dragon. If this describes you, know that if I can care for a bearded dragon, so can you.
I’m going to run through some questions that you might want to ask yourself before committing to a bearded dragon. These questions are practical and should be considered carefully. If after you have read these questions and still want a bearded dragon, then I would say you are a good candidate to be a new beardie owner.
Things to Consider
1. Do you have the time and money to care for a bearded dragon?
Even though bearded dragons are relatively cheap (I don’t know who’s relative it is), the enclosure and equipment you will need to properly care for them is not. There are some ways to save some money on this, but for the most part this hobby can become costly.
Besides the enclosure and equipment, the food for your dragon ( crickets, mealworms, vegetables, fruits, supplements ) will cost a little as well. There are also other hidden costs in feeding and housing your dragons prey.
There’s also the time issue. You are going to need a certain amount of time to properly care for a dragon. It isn’t a whole lot, but more than say a cat or dog. You will need to feed them at least every day, especially when they are young. This will take a little bit of time and inconvenience. You also need to do upkeep on their cage.
The last thing is that it is hard to leave and go somewhere for long periods of time with a bearded dragon at home. It is also just as hard to find people willing to handle crickets or worms to feed your dragons while you are away. That is, if they can get past the whole reptile thing.
2. Do you have the space to house them?
Though a bearded dragon isn’t a huge lizard, they are going to need a sizable cage. The minimum sized cage for an adult dragon is equivalent to a 55-gallon aquarium. Though this is the minimum, I suggest something that is about 4 feet long by 2 feet wide by 2 feet high. In this case size does matter.
3. Are you willing to keep live insects in your home?
This one is a little hard for some people. Not only did I have to talk my wife into letting me keep a bearded dragon, but I had to talk her into letting me keep live crickets and other insects in our home. Hee, Hee, let the good times roll!
Make sure there aren’t others in your home who will object to live insects being kept there. There is nothing more disgusting, to some people, than a tub of mealworms in the ‘fridge.
If you have no other family members to worry about you will be alright, as long as it’s okay with you. Also, be prepared for the chirping of crickets, most notably with larger, older ones.
4. Do you have small children?
Bearded dragons, as well as other reptiles, carry microorganisms (such as Salmonella) that can be harmful to babies, toddlers, and the elderly. Also, if you are pregnant or have someone in your home that is, you will want to take extra precautions.
Don’t let this scare you, though. If you do a good job keeping everything clean and follow safe hygiene practices you shouldn’t have a problem.
Some people even recommend not to have reptiles around small children at all. This is safe advice, but I don’t fully agree. I have small children at home, and I also keep bearded dragons. Though, my son and daughter have no contact with with my dragons, and I also practice safe hygiene. If you have small children at home
5. Are you willing to commit to a dragon for its lifetime?
Bearded dragons can live fairly long in captivity, if cared for properly. Actually, most will live to and average of 5 years or older. There are unconfirmed accounts of dragons reaching 12 years of age.
When you buy a reptile there is a commitment on your part to care for them for the length of their life. This is really no different from owning a cat or dog.
If you think you can commit to this and for some reason you have get rid of your dragon don’t feel bad, things do come up. I had to part ways with my first dragon because of circumstances.
Whew! That was a lot to take in. I hope the questions didn’t overwhelm you. I know there can be quite a bit of information to read.
If you have decided that a bearded dragon is right for you, you won’t be disappointed by these amazing animals. I truly love caring for these reptiles.
Bearded Dragons: Where to Start
Don’t know how to get started with bearded dragons? Are you thinking about buying a bearded dragon and just checking for some information? You’ve come to the right place. Hopefully, I can help with the decision on being a bearded dragon owner.
Perhaps you’ve seen a bearded dragon in a pet store or someone you know owns one. Maybe you’ve been interested in reptiles for a long time and thought now was a good time to bring a new pet into your home. No matter how you got interested in bearded dragons, doing research before you buy is almost essential with new pets.
While the details of first wanting to own a bearded dragon will vary, they usually are quite similar. Most cases usually end with a new bearded dragon owner.
No matter how you got interested in owning a bearded dragon, you are off to a great start.
“What?”, you say, “How am I off to a great start, I haven’t done anything yet?”
That’s not true. You have searched for information and found this site. It’s not that my site is the greatest, but it does provide help for owning bearded dragons. The great start I was talking about is learning about bearded dragons before owning one. I highly commend you for doing this.
I’m glad you’re here and I hope the information I provide will give you the insight you need to own a bearded dragon or maybe help you decide whether one is right for you. While bearded dragons make great pets for some, they just aren’t for everyone.
Bearded Dragons Need Specialized Care
As with most exotic pets, bearded dragons need specialized care. There are certain care techniques that need to be learned before bringing a bearded dragon home. If you’re new to any kind of reptile husbandry ( care ), it may seem like a new and strange world.
You may have heard that bearded dragons are good beginner pet reptiles and this is a very true statement. The only thing is they are being compared with other reptiles and not with other pets. Bearded dragons will provide plenty of challenges for new reptile owners.
Why are they so challenging? I think the biggest reason they are challenging is new owners don’t know what to expect and don’t know what normal bearded dragon behavior is. When things don’t line up with the care sheets or the books, they start to get worried. Also, there is a lot of bearded dragon care information to take in and some things may be overlooked.
Poor husbandry is the main reason that bearded dragons fall ill or have problems. The biggest husbandry mistake is improper heating. If you pay attention to details and set up your dragons home right from the beginning, you will set yourself for success.
Are bearded dragons good beginner pet reptiles? Yes, I believe they are. They provide plenty of room for error and, trust me, most beginners make mistakes. I have made my fair share of them, so don’t worry if you do make mistakes. A bearded dragon can overcome many of our mistakes. They are very hardy animals.
I hope that this isn’t discouraging to anybody, but I want to present the truth about these animals. Then again, I hope that people who are fully prepared to own a bearded dragon are the ones to buy them. Reptiles do not make good pets for everybody.
If you have time, please take a look around and read as much information as you can. There’s are a lot of great tips here to get you started with owning a bearded dragon. A great place to start is my bearded dragon care for beginners page.
Information presented on this site is free, so you can come back whenever you need to. I will be continually adding new content and updating old content as well, so check back often. I am always learning new things and I’ll pass them on to you, so you can be the best bearded dragon owner that you can be.