Should I get a bearded Dragon?

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charmander16

Juvie Member
I think of it this way.

If I could go back to my 13 year old self and have the opportunity to give myself a bearded dragon at age 13, would I do it? No way!

I defiantly would not want myself to have a dragon at 13 or for that matter pretty much any time until about a few years ago.

These guys need stability, and the reality is simply that most people's lives are not stable in their teens and 20s.

Just my opinion, but you don't want to put yourself in a position where you are going to need to start making decision s about what you can and cant' do based on having to care for a dragon.

"Oh, I'd like to do X, but... I really shouldn't because I need to go home and care for my dragon.."

"I'd like to go out of state to college, but, maybe I shouldn't because of my dragon.."

That's not going to be good for you or the dragon.

IMO, these are "pets" only suitable for people at stable points in their life, and there is nothing at all wrong with not being stable at age 13. You SHOULDN'T be stable at that age! :D
 

evie123

Member
Ryanater":3egj3zkw said:
I'm 13 and a half years old and i'm considering getting a pet bearded dragon this summer.I have a 20 gallon fish tank and 15 gallon fish tank since Christmas and I think a bearded dragon would be fun to keep too. I've read all the care sheets and watched lot's of videos on youtube. These are my reasons why i'm still a little on edge about getting one.
1. They live for 15 years which means i'll be 28 and I plan on getting a good education and a job so how will my dragon effect my life?
2. I find insects a little nasty but I could manage feeding them since adults only need 20% protein.
3. Am I gonna find it boring after awhile making up salads and stuff for my dragon?I do cook alot though.
4. Am I ready for the commitment in general?

I am in the same situation as you actually, i’m 14 in September. If you are planning on getting an adult bearded dragon, i would say you would need to get a 40 gallon tank with a screen lid. Or if you plan on getting a juvenile - the 20 g tank you have right now should be perfect for a couple of motnths until you grow out of it. Seeing as you’ve watched lots of videos on youtube and learned all about bearded dragons (just like i am doing right now) i would say you’re ready to possibly own one!

About the life span, it is something you would need to consider if you are wanting to get a younger one. If you want a shorter commitment - i would recommend adopting an older bearded dragon or getting a rescue one. This means they might be further on in their life and would mean you wouldn’t have to worry about your career.

Insects - they can be a bit frightening honestly!! I would recommend getting some tongs to pick them up with so you wouldn’t have to touch them. Make sure you don’t let any escape - and i’m sure you’ll be fine.

Finally - i would recommend seeing a friends bearded dragon if they have one to get a feel for what they are like and maybe help make meals. I was feeling the exact same way as you - i was unsure if after a while i would get bored. I went to visit a beardie breeder nearby to see what they are like - and i fell in love with them even more! So i will be getting one soon.

Hope this helped!! :)
 

VenusAndSaturn

Sub-Adult Member
Beardies are definitely a long commitment. I got my first beardie when I was 8, that did not go well at all for the week or two that I had it, then I got another that one, lived a while, then it died, then I got two more when I was 13 and they are doing amazing and now are two years old and I'm 14. I also have a yearling/sub-adult bearded dragon and 3 other healthy reptiles.

In all honesty I would have to say that bearded dragons are the worst beginner pets, but thats just because of how much care they need compared to a crested gecko, leopard gecko, corn snake or ball python.
Ball pythons can live longer than beardies but their care is a lot more simple in a way.
Truly just in general reptiles are one of the worst beginner pets to start out with as they need lots of care and commitment.

At minimum a baby beardie up until about 6 months of age can be housed in a 20 gallon, once they get there its either a 40 or 50 gallon for about 6 more months, as once they reach about 12 months of age they will need to be moved into the minimum of a 75 gallon.

At your moms house you could probably keep the 75 gallon there, and then at your dads house have a 40 or 50 gallon enclosure setup there if you want to take the beardie with you or if your mom cant take care of it 24/7 on the weekends.
Just in case you think about this, dont do a 20 gallon as a temp setup for a full grown bearded dragon, It doesn't work out trust me on that. I tried when I went to my aunt's for a week, they were not happy about the space.

I would also definitely recommend tongs, now I have no trouble picking up insects at all but I do have to say being bit by their occasional treats (Superworms and Hornworms) hurts. Now not a whole lot but it does hurt a bit, especially hornworms.

Luckily once beardies reach about two years of age you only need to feed insects to them twice a week, so that means rather than spending maybe 50-100 a month on a baby/juveniles/sub-adult's insect intake you now only spend maybe 20 or 40 dollars a month or so for insects.

For me I spend about 47 dollars once a month on just crickets, I feed about 5 other insects along side that, those being superworms, black soldier fly larvae, sometimes dubia roaches (colony is small), sometimes turkish/red runner roaches (colony is small), and mealworms.
So my beardies have a decent variety of food, I've been wanting to get hornworms for them again and try out silkworms however vet bills are expensive and the health of my animals comes first before trying some occasional foods out.

I believe my adult female bearded dragon who is currently having some problems, just her vet visit will be 60 dollars. I have no idea what the other things will be yet but I assume up in the 100's at least.

In all honesty I believe the only reason I can take care of 7 reptiles is because I stopped going to public school and am now homeschooled. School is very demanding and stressful, while with homeschooling you can fit into your schedule and make it work smoothly.
 

AHBD

BD.org Sicko
Actually if your dad also has an interest in and it's something you really want and have researched then you absolutely should get one. Pets can be one of the good things that keep kids out of trouble. And ALL of us can go through times in life [ sickness, job change, death in the family, etc. ] that can put our pets on a back burner to a degree but that doesn't mean we refuse to own pets.

You can either go with a young healthy baby that your mom could care for on the weekends or else have a temp. set up for your weekends with dad. People come here for advice a lot, so when you decide where from and what size dragon you want to get you can tap in to this forum as well. Some of us know who the best breeders are or can critique a Craig's list dragon for you if you want in put when the time comes [ Posting pics of any that you are considering ] You can also check for reptile expos in your area + look up the vendors who sell beardies.

So by all means, if you are permitted , go and get yourself a dragon. :)
 

JessPets

Gray-bearded Member
One of the biggest things I want to mention is COST. These are not cheap pets, in fact they are extremely expensive, especially as a baby. Plan on spending $250 at least PER setup (double if you are doing two!) I don't mean this to be rude or discouraging, it is just a very important factor that I think should be pointed out! As a minor (under 18yo) who also owns a dragon, feel free to PM me with any questions you may have! Good luck!
 

Martadragon017

Hatchling Member
I agree that that being home schooled really does help me in caring for my girl! About tough times, caring for and being with my beardie is actually what I do to help me through them! I know you said that money isn't a problem, but just in case and so that you are ready, here is a thread specifically about the costs of a beardie: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=241185
Also, make sure you find a reptile (!) vet, boarding place, and some kind of store near you that will contain lighting and food for him/her in case you can't get stuff delivered for whatever reason, or will just take to long to deliver. I hope that everything works out for you! :)
 
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