First Lizard - Questions before buying

Hi,

As from the title you’ll know this would be my first lizard. Fortunately I’ve been into reptiles for a while now and currently own a few snakes, a ball python and a boa constrictor. After having a lot of enjoyment from my snakes and continuous visits to the reptile stores, I’ve definitely wanted to get further into reptiles and from the little information I know a bearded dragon is a the best first lizard pet. I’ve researched into them and they seem very cool and social, ease of care and they get a decent size.

I have a few questions that I’m hoping people can help me with;

1- I think if I was to get a bearded dragon I would get a pair, they always seem to be paired in stores. Would this be a good idea? Will they get any benefit from being paired to alone? is it better to get male and female or keep the sex the same?

2- How fast will they grow? As stated above I currently own a red tailed boa, he is growing rapidly, I’m constantly checking him against his vivarium to see if he needs upgrades. I would only buy a bearded dragon from baby/early juve, how soon usually would you have to upgrade?

3-finally, is there anything to be careful of/recommended for first time bearded dragons keepers.

Thanks in advance to all replies.
Cheers
Haydn.

Hi there,

Great on you for doing your research first and asking questions before getting a dragon!

To answer your questions:

haydnparsons":35fus0uy said:

1- I think if I was to get a bearded dragon I would get a pair, they always seem to be paired in stores. Would this be a good idea? Will they get any benefit from being paired to alone? is it better to get male and female or keep the sex the same?

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They are housed together in petstores for cost reasons. They should be in their own tanks. They are territorial creatures by nature. And they are very dominate creatures too. One typically thrives while the others simply survive.

haydnparsons":35fus0uy said:

2- How fast will they grow? how soon usually would you have to upgrade?

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They can grow quite quickly, but it really they all tend to grow at different rates. There is no reason though why you can't just buy a baby and put it in it's forever home. A 40g breeder is considered to be about the minimum size for an adult. A 4x2x2 would be much better though.

haydnparsons":35fus0uy said:

3-finally, is there anything to be careful of/recommended for first time bearded dragons keepers.

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Well this is a pretty broad question but I will assume what you're basically asking for his tips and advice. And to that, I say spend as much time as you can here. Read through the different sections of the forums. Mainly the enclosures, health, and feeding forums. And check out the articles here. And if you have questions, ask!

-Brandon

Thanks for the fast response!

Research is key, learnt that with my BP?

Cheers for advice, guess I’ll just be getting the one then.

Quick question; in terms of dietary, do you have any recommendations, I have researched them a little and some say as babies around 80% insects and 20% plant, also I’ve seen a few reputable breeders say gut loading the insects with the vitamins out of sliced oranges is the best for getting certain vitamins in your bearded dragon, however so others say stay away from oranges due to the acidity. Any views on this?

haydnparsons":1w5dkjba said:

Quick question; in terms of dietary, do you have any recommendations, I have researched them a little and some say as babies around 80% insects and 20% plant...

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Recommendations for specific feeder insects & greens, or the % ratios?

There are more articles, charts & vids on what to feed than one can shake a stick at--also nutritional comparisons (charts--not all of which agree), not to mention trying to get all the info to sync up with their natural diet in the Central Outback. Specific recommendations will depend somewhat on where you live (dubia roaches are illegal in FL & HI but there are other good staples e.g. BSFL), what you can get locally or mail-order, season (what greens/veggies are locally available), and probably some other factors.

IMO, there are no easy/quickie answers/shortcuts. Read the sticky posts in Health & Feeding, then spend some time on google.

...also I’ve seen a few reputable breeders say gut loading the insects with the vitamins out of sliced oranges is the best for getting certain vitamins in your bearded dragon, however so others say stay away from oranges due to the acidity. Any views on this?

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Sure, lots of views. Personally, I go with gutloading whatever your (they're all different) dragon is going to be eating. The rest can be gotten from the vitamin supplements you'll be dusting his/her meals (bugs and/or veggies) once a week.

As far as the 80/20 20/80 thing, great if you can actually get a baby/young juvie to eat his/her greens (not unlike another species I could mention...) :roll: I think (from my own experiences) perseverance is the key.