How much have you invested???

[XtinaBeardieMom]

Well, I started with 2 dragons about 4 months ago but as of a month ago I only have one (RIP my little Monster girl). I'm definitely in for well over $2,000. I used to keep track of all the funds, but I don't anymore. I'll try to remember some of the stuff I spent so much money on...

Dragons: $125 x 2 = $250
75gal 4ft glass enclosures: $230 and $120 = $350
Tank furniture (2 large branches, 2 hammocks, 2 log hides, 2 rock hides, food/water dishes, fake plants): $175
Dehumidifier: $45
Infrared temp gun: $70
Powersun 160w bulb: $65 x 3 = $195
Reptisun 10.0 bulb (after realizing it was too hot in TX to regulate temps w/out a dimmer & you can't dim an MVB): $26 x 3 = $78
Lamp stand: $25
Fluorescent tube fixtures: $30 x 2 = $60
Mounting brackets: $25
Outdoor enclosure/hutch: $100
First vet visit: $55 x 2 = $110
Prescribed meds: $30
Fecal tests: $35 x 5 so far = $175
2nd vet visit: $55
Blood work: $150
X-rays: $150
Cremation (RIP Monster): $130
Custom beardie box for Monster's ashes: $18
3rd vet visit: $55
Prescribed meds: $50
Ultrasound: FREE, but should've been $320 - very kind vet
Live feeders: $300
Dubia Colony Set-up: $50
Roach gut load chow: $25
Baby food: $10
Fresh produce: $75
Salad spinner: $10
Mortar & pestal (for pills): $5
My supplement & meds arsenal/first aid kit (including powdered calcium & vitamins, liquid calcium & vitamins, electrolytes, probiotics, Albon, Panacur, Toltrazuril, silver cream, Baytril, Terramycin, sterile eye irrigation wash, bee pollen, herbal supplement, Serrapeptase, Allopurinol, black cherry concentrate, black cherry powder, Critical/Carnivore Care, syringes): $275
Blankies & bed: $20
Harnesses/Leashes: $8 x 3 = $25
Traveling enclosures, heat pads, etc: $20
Phone consultations with Tracie: $45
Shipping charges for all this stuff: $50
Paper towels: Oh god, don't even ask

Having my little Lotus alive & well: PRICELESS!!!

So, anyone want to add all that up for me? I sure as heck don't or I may If anyone questions the validity of any of these costs, just let me know and I'll send you a copy of the receipt(s). I have ALL of them :wink:

Well now we can go ahead and add on the $44 worth of hornworms I just bought, which Lotus will NOT eat!! Ugh I've never seen this dragon turn down food of any kind, and now she refuses one of the most premium feeders out there. :shock: I have a thread going to try to sell them here >>> [ Invalid URL Removed / p= t=174038 f=2 ] if anyone is interested. *sigh*...dragons :roll:

 

[ashleyelsha]

well let's see.. I got tootheless at a reptile expo for $25 and I got his viv with the screen top for $18. Although it's a 20 gallon long, I will be buying him a new enclosure at the next expo and using the current one for one of my snakes that is waiting for an upgrade from her 10 gallon. All of the decorations and feeding bowls I have had laying around and I use papertowels as a substrate which I buy the cheapest papertowels already for other things. I used a river rock from the yard, an old climbing branch that I used to use for a snake. I used a light fixture from an old 12 gallon aquarium abut I did have to buy a UVB light which was about $20. I also had to be a heat lamp and bulb, I got those at the expo. $10 for the fixture $5 for the bulb. Oh and supplements, I've probably spent about $20 on supplement powders, multivitamin, calcium with D3, calcium without D3, and some dry pellet food to try out.

That is :
$25
$18
$20
$10
$5
$20
$98.00 not including food.

As far as veggies, We eat greens, collards, mustards, kale, so what he eats out of our greens and fresh veggies isn't much of an extra cost. I've probably spent $20 or so on crickets ( I buy $2.00 worth at a time usually). and I ordered phoenix worms 3 times and reptiworms once, so that was $15 on the first order of phoenix worms, $27 on the second, $15 on the 3rd, and about $15 on my order of reptiworms. so that's $57 on food and I still have enough to last at last another 2 weeks and we've had him for about 5 weeks already. So that's actually less than $10 a week on food. Not too bad really and I am always looking for cheaper ways to feed my animals quality food. Not that I am cheap, I pay good money for my cat's holistic grain free cat food, but it lasts longer and in the long run is actually cheaper than buying the cheap cat food, not to mention I supplement her diet with real animal meat.
I think with time you can learn to budget and compare prices and people really should take the time to look at places like home depot and lowes for light fixtures, rocks, etc. Look around your house and yard and you would be amazed at what you can find. I have 3 freshwater aquariums, 7 snakes, a cat, and now a bearded dragon. Home depot and my own back yards are my best friends. Just make sure you properly sterilize anything you bring from outside. Also reptile expos are great ways to get quality products for really CHEAP, you don't have to pay shipping prices and they are a fraction of what retailers and local pet stores will charge. Not to mention I stock up on frozen feeders at the reptile shows and it's usually enough to last until the next show. We would travel to the show anyway to have a day out with the kids and it costs less than a day at the zoo or something likewise so we just make a family outing of it and it is totally worth it.

 

[MikeILC]

Well, I started with 2 dragons about 4 months ago but as of a month ago I only have one (RIP my little Monster girl). I'm definitely in for well over $2,000. I used to keep track of all the funds, but I don't anymore. I'll try to remember some of the stuff I spent so much money on...

Dragons: $125 x 2 = $250
75gal 4ft glass enclosures: $230 and $120 = $350
Tank furniture (2 large branches, 2 hammocks, 2 log hides, 2 rock hides, food/water dishes, fake plants): $175
Dehumidifier: $45
Infrared temp gun: $70
Powersun 160w bulb: $65 x 3 = $195
Reptisun 10.0 bulb (after realizing it was too hot in TX to regulate temps w/out a dimmer & you can't dim an MVB): $26 x 3 = $78
Lamp stand: $25
Fluorescent tube fixtures: $30 x 2 = $60
Mounting brackets: $25
Outdoor enclosure/hutch: $100
First vet visit: $55 x 2 = $110
Prescribed meds: $30
Fecal tests: $35 x 5 so far = $175
2nd vet visit: $55
Blood work: $150
X-rays: $150
Cremation (RIP Monster): $130
Custom beardie box for Monster's ashes: $18
3rd vet visit: $55
Prescribed meds: $50
Ultrasound: FREE, but should've been $320 - very kind vet
Live feeders: $300
Dubia Colony Set-up: $50
Roach gut load chow: $25
Baby food: $10
Fresh produce: $75
Salad spinner: $10
Mortar & pestal (for pills): $5
My supplement & meds arsenal/first aid kit (including powdered calcium & vitamins, liquid calcium & vitamins, electrolytes, probiotics, Albon, Panacur, Toltrazuril, silver cream, Baytril, Terramycin, sterile eye irrigation wash, bee pollen, herbal supplement, Serrapeptase, Allopurinol, black cherry concentrate, black cherry powder, Critical/Carnivore Care, syringes): $275
Blankies & bed: $20
Harnesses/Leashes: $8 x 3 = $25
Traveling enclosures, heat pads, etc: $20
Phone consultations with Tracie: $45
Shipping charges for all this stuff: $50
Paper towels: Oh god, don't even ask

Having my little Lotus alive & well: PRICELESS!!!

So, anyone want to add all that up for me? I sure as heck don't or I may If anyone questions the validity of any of these costs, just let me know and I'll send you a copy of the receipt(s). I have ALL of them :wink:

Well now we can go ahead and add on the $44 worth of hornworms I just bought, which Lotus will NOT eat!! Ugh I've never seen this dragon turn down food of any kind, and now she refuses one of the most premium feeders out there. :shock: I have a thread going to try to sell them here >>> [ Invalid URL Removed / p= t=174038 f=2 ] if anyone is interested. *sigh*...dragons :roll:

I added yours up on page one if you didn't see ^^

 

[XtinaBeardieMom]

Well, I started with 2 dragons about 4 months ago but as of a month ago I only have one (RIP my little Monster girl). I'm definitely in for well over $2,000. I used to keep track of all the funds, but I don't anymore. I'll try to remember some of the stuff I spent so much money on...

Dragons: $125 x 2 = $250
75gal 4ft glass enclosures: $230 and $120 = $350
Tank furniture (2 large branches, 2 hammocks, 2 log hides, 2 rock hides, food/water dishes, fake plants): $175
Dehumidifier: $45
Infrared temp gun: $70
Powersun 160w bulb: $65 x 3 = $195
Reptisun 10.0 bulb (after realizing it was too hot in TX to regulate temps w/out a dimmer & you can't dim an MVB): $26 x 3 = $78
Lamp stand: $25
Fluorescent tube fixtures: $30 x 2 = $60
Mounting brackets: $25
Outdoor enclosure/hutch: $100
First vet visit: $55 x 2 = $110
Prescribed meds: $30
Fecal tests: $35 x 5 so far = $175
2nd vet visit: $55
Blood work: $150
X-rays: $150
Cremation (RIP Monster): $130
Custom beardie box for Monster's ashes: $18
3rd vet visit: $55
Prescribed meds: $50
Ultrasound: FREE, but should've been $320 - very kind vet
Live feeders: $300
Dubia Colony Set-up: $50
Roach gut load chow: $25
Baby food: $10
Fresh produce: $75
Salad spinner: $10
Mortar & pestal (for pills): $5
My supplement & meds arsenal/first aid kit (including powdered calcium & vitamins, liquid calcium & vitamins, electrolytes, probiotics, Albon, Panacur, Toltrazuril, silver cream, Baytril, Terramycin, sterile eye irrigation wash, bee pollen, herbal supplement, Serrapeptase, Allopurinol, black cherry concentrate, black cherry powder, Critical/Carnivore Care, syringes): $275
Blankies & bed: $20
Harnesses/Leashes: $8 x 3 = $25
Traveling enclosures, heat pads, etc: $20
Phone consultations with Tracie: $45
Shipping charges for all this stuff: $50
Paper towels: Oh god, don't even ask

Having my little Lotus alive & well: PRICELESS!!!

So, anyone want to add all that up for me? I sure as heck don't or I may If anyone questions the validity of any of these costs, just let me know and I'll send you a copy of the receipt(s). I have ALL of them :wink:

Well now we can go ahead and add on the $44 worth of hornworms I just bought, which Lotus will NOT eat!! Ugh I've never seen this dragon turn down food of any kind, and now she refuses one of the most premium feeders out there. :shock: I have a thread going to try to sell them here >>> [ Invalid URL Removed / p= t=174038 f=2 ] if anyone is interested. *sigh*...dragons :roll:

I added yours up on page one if you didn't see ^^

Lol yes, I'm trying very hard not to acknowledge that number

 

[MikeILC]

Crazy woman! Haha! xP

 

[ImNotYogi]

Lol, wow, some of these costs have me spooked on getting a beardie.

 

[paladinesdragon]

Yellow Male 100.00
Het hypo peach pastel female 175.00
Homeade melamine cages approx. 200.00 x 2
flourescent strip fixtures 20.00 x 6
keyless light socket and 4" mounting pan 1.50 x 11
Homeade cooler incubator 250.00
Homeade 9 Bin rack for hatchlings with timer 200.00
UVB bulbs 24.99 x 6
Basking bulbs 11.99 x 6
Supplements 10.00
Roach breeding setup 250.00
Other feeders ? allot

Also, just to give some perspective, We have 2 clutches in the incubator right now. When our 1st clutch hatches we will be feeding anywhere from 4,900 to 10,000 insects a week. When second clutch hatches there is an overlay from when the 1st clutch is ready to sell and the second is just hatched, so we will have a total of 33 babies which is approx. 11,550 to 23,000 insects a week. That is allot of feeders.

-Matt

 

[BeardieMommy3991]

Looks at the prices of Paladine's setup..... Ho-shnap.