Advice for buying adult beardie

[lori2plus1]

There are several available on Craigslist locally for a lot less than making my own setup from scratch. I'm also nervous about starting with a baby so I like the idea of getting one already grown up so to speak. What should I look for and what questions should I ask?

 

[Galactic]

Ask about health and temperament. Never get one shipped from craigslist, always try to arrange a meeting to see and handle the lizard first. Avoid people charging high "rehoming" fees unless you are getting an entire setup. I just adopted a skink from someone on CL and talked with them for over a week about the animal. You are making a good choice though in adopting one. I see way too many being given up because "kids got bored"

 

[lori2plus1]

Yes, I'm talking to a guy who is selling his whole setup (some flaws, but not too bad) with an 18-month-old beardie that was given as a gift to his 12yo daughter, who is not into it. Can never understand giving pets as gifts unless you really know it's going to be wanted! He says the dragon has not been handled much at all. How hard is it to tame one that old? Speaking from the perspective of someone who's never even touched one? :?

 

[lori2plus1]

I'm guessing there could be some feeding issues too, I think it's been fed on mostly mealworms and beardie chow. How hard is it to "retrain" a grown beardie to eat healthy foods?

 

[Taterbug]

The biggest risk in Craigslist is the lizard actually being unhealthy or the setup inadequate.

It may be hard to get him on a good diet, but some dragons take to good food well. It's a personality thing. As for handling, my first dragon wasn't handled much in his first six years and was a sweetheart. Other dragons can get aggressive or standoffish - depending on their lives/personality. I don't think either would be beyond correction with enough patience.