What to look for when buying a new dragon?

My sweet dragon rango died yesterday and I'm not sure if im ready for another one yet because I know they will never replace my beautiful girl ... But I also am interested in checking some out because they are great animals and I want another one to love and take care of like I did.... I don't want to get sad waking up every morning seeing an empty cage that used to bring me happiness. I'm thinking of getting a new one in a few weeks and wanted to know what to look for so that I can find a perfectly healthy lizard. Also I want one that was as sweet as my last one so is there any traits I can tell from them?

I'm sorry to hear about Rango. I know how tough it is to lose a little buddy. When you're ready, there are a few things to consider. Do you want a baby, or do you want to adopt a rescue? If you want a rescue, then it really depends on who needs help near you and what their past conditions were in terms of how healthy they'll be. It is very rewarding to nurse a sick dragon back to health, but it takes a lot of work and in some cases a lot of money. If you decide you want a baby, I'd find some reputable breeders. Maybe go to a reptile expo and speak with them and see who they bring with them. I'd look for a baby who is active and curious, has a good appetite, and has a healthy bloodline (which is why I'd suggest a reputable breeder rather than a pet store baby). While they all have their own personalities, I think that their temperament has a lot to do with how they are treated. If you provide a loving home and proper care, as you did with Rango, then I would think in most cases you'll wind up with a sweet and happy dragon.

Thanks for your reply. Do you know where I can find a reptile expo or how to find nearby breeders? I found one this coming weekend but it's an hour and a half drive so I'm not sure if I'll go or not.

Kingoflizards":1bv8qa8m said:

Thanks for your reply. Do you know where I can find a reptile expo or how to find nearby breeders? I found one this coming weekend but it's an hour and a half drive so I'm not sure if I'll go or not.

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Where are you located? Repticon shows are coming around now. If not, you may be able to find a rescue near you. I found my little girl from a reptile rescue. She is 4 and surprisingly healthy. Just needs some special love. That being said, a lot of them you find on craigslist will not be healthy because most people have no idea how to care for a dragon. You wouldn't believe how many craigslist ads I see for beardies that have only a heat lamp, no UVB, and are on sand or reptibark. That is partially the pet stores fault for giving out crappy information and partially the owners fault for not doing proper research.

But there are so many beardies on craigslist or in rescues that need good homes, if you could and you found one that just needed some UVB, some good food, and love..then that's the route I would take. Sometimes you can find them and their tanks on there for 50-100 dollars.

If you don't want to deal with a beardie that someone has already had, then definitely find a reputable breeder. There are a whole lot of good ones. I'm sure someone could steer you in the right direction. I, personally, got a beardie from DistinctiveDragons (Distdrag) but apparentaly he is out of business, such a shame because he really had some lovely dragons.

I stopped by petsmart today just to see what they had and I saw 3 bearded dragons. Two of them were perched on a tree and one was running around by the glass acting like he wanted to get out. He looked healthy and didn't have any scratches or missing limbs or anything like that. I got to hold him and he seemed really nice. Do you think it means anything if he is running around the glass like that? Also I asked the worker there and they said that the bearded dragons they had came from reptile industries.

Kingoflizards":u66vqv0o said:

I stopped by petsmart today just to see what they had and I saw 3 bearded dragons. Two of them were perched on a tree and one was running around by the glass acting like he wanted to get out. He looked healthy and didn't have any scratches or missing limbs or anything like that. I got to hold him and he seemed really nice. Do you think it means anything if he is running around the glass like that? Also I asked the worker there and they said that the bearded dragons they had came from reptile industries.

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I got my baby beardie from them a few weeks ago and he was also running around when I picked him up. He looked find, no missing limbs or anything and alert and healthy. But i'm already having feeding and growth problems with him. Petsmart feeds their beardies meal worms (so bad for them) so mine has a hard time hunting and getting his crickets. He gives up after like 8 crickets. A GOOD breeder makes sure each dragon they sell is a very good eater and grower before they give them a new home. If they aren't growing good or eating good, they keep them until they are. I would just play it safe and go with a breeder. It's definitely they best route. And a lot of times you can get them cheaper or close to the same price as petsmart. I will find you some links to some good breeders.

Here's an ad I found. They are very pretty dragons, that are obviously growing.

http://market.kingsnake.com/detail.php?cat=51&de=1095543

I would check out a breeder but there aren't any around where I live. The only place I know around here that has them is petsmart. That's where I got my last one and she was very healthy but died because of an impaction it was my fault because I had her on sand until I found out how harmful it is... I'll ask them what they feed their bearded dragons when I go back and ask them more info. They have 3 dragons. Two are normal colored but one is a leatherback :shock:

I got my new beardie today! not sure if it's a boy or girl or what the name is gonna be but its been very active and looks very healthy.

Did you get it from petsmart? the one I have from them is a leatherback. Last time I went they had a translucent and some dunners. I wish they had had those when I went to get mine.