Bearded dragons are NOT beginner reptiles!

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I have read all over that bearded dragons are good for beginners, i totally disagree...1st these guys are fussy eaters, if they like something better they wont eat anything but what you gave them and will stop eating their staple entirely. 2. The UVB world sucks so its hard to know what kind is good w/o researching. 3. you have to bathe them because a lot of them don't drink water 4. they are suppose to eat more veggies as they age and if you got a little guy this can be a pain

Other then they are probable the cutest, most docile reptile on the market i don't think these guys should be considered good for beginners. maybe i just got a particularly fussy one.
 

Frito

Hatchling Member
before getting my beardie all i've ever owned are iguana's beardies are much easier than iguana's with the exception of having to feed them live feeders. iguana's are cheaper and easier to feed (just go to the grocery store and buy the ingredients for a good salad to chop up and have some good greens to give them like collard or mustard greens)

as far as handling goes and in general temperament beardies are much easier to get calmed down because they are pretty calm to begin with, it takes a lot of work to get iguana's to calm down to someone and once you do that they often will still attack other people or get temperamental during breeding season etc.

i'm actually kind of regretting having got another iguana and want to get rid of him in favor for a 2nd beardie but i'm afraid of what another person might do to the poor ig if i was to give him away (living conditions etc.)

oh well someday i'll figure out a way to make room for another beardie but for now i got no more room for another cage :D
 

ziggy23

Gray-bearded Member
They're a lot easier than some reptiles. I too was a previous iguana owner. I don't think I could ever own one again. Don't get me wrong, I love them. I wouldn't hesitate to rescue one in need, but it would only be long enough to find it a better place. They are just too much work for me.

IDK, I've never had a problem with any of my beardies being fussy eaters. They'll eat anything I put in front of them, and once a few things I wish they wouldn't.

The uv lights are a pain. It really ****es me off that there are bulbs and other equipment that can cause serious harm out there. One shouldn't have to do so much research just to make sure you don't kill your pet.

Live feeders are a bit of a pain once in a while.

but overall I find them quite an very easy pet to care for. But maybe they just mesh with my personality better.
 

ajkry2

Gray-bearded Member
from what research i've done on herps (which isnt much mind you) compared to other types of lizards, beardies are relatively simple.

any type of exotic is going to be a little more work than your average dog or cat, but beardies require less (from what i understand) than alot of other types of exotics...

if you're going for an exotic pet its going to be more work -- but how much more work is the q
 

SuperNinjaMonkey

Member
Original Poster
I owned a kingsnakes and 2 leopard geckos...snakes you feed ounce a week, usually require no special lighting and only about 80-90temps....geckos same thing and feed only 4crickets every 2 days (tho i fed more) so thats what my bases are off of.
 

Grimleo

Juvie Member
SuperNinjaMonkey":2l7hhosn said:
I owned a kingsnakes and 2 leopard geckos...snakes you feed ounce a week, usually require no special lighting and only about 80-90temps....geckos same thing and feed only 4crickets every 2 days (tho i fed more) so thats what my bases are off of.

I have a crested gecko I only need to mist twice a day, and mash up a little gecko shake every one or two days.

I have two tokays that need to be misted a couple times a day, and I just have to drop in a few feeders for them every night to satisfy them.

I've had all kinds of snakes and even a few leos in the past, too.

I actually really agree with Mr. Monkey..beardies are by far the hardest pet I've had to take care of. Definitely would not say they are a beginner pet. Though I don't think I will be saying that when I get an Ig and possibly a tegu in the future. :p

I wouldn't say they are hard, either. I just wouldn't call them a beginner pet. I would put them right there in the middle. xP
 

isdrake

Hatchling Member
I will have to disagree. Lizards in general are not easy pets but beardies are easier than most of them, which at least makes them a good beginner lizard.

We currently have one beardie, one Argentine black and white Tegu and one Martinique's Anole. The bearded dragons is definitive the easiest one.
 

Ronzie

Hatchling Member
I think they are a great beginner reptile.

As long as people do their research and know exactly what their responsibilities are. Plus have time for the little guy.
I kinda have an advantage over most people. My gal is in my home office so I have contact for several hours aday. She's 3-3 1/2 months old and has really became super friendly.
At first she wouldn't touch her veggies. Now she loves them. As long as I put them in at lunch time.
 

Sadona

Juvie Member
I think bearded dragons are the best reptiles to start out with.
When I first got Cinder, I was under the impression that he would be easy to care for...he was, in a way, but then again he was different then most beardies.
You just have to know what your dealing with before you get the beardie.
I recommend an older beardie...they don't eat as much as the little ones, they accept veggies and they are calm and tame compared to the jumpy yougins.
 

Grimleo

Juvie Member
That's the thing...I can't agree that it is a good beginner's reptile. Pet shops rarely give ANY good advice, and even some breeders and experienced keepers are not good at giving you the right information about them(no one from this site, obviously). It's not like pet stores give you an instruction manual that says BD.org on the front. I wish they did.
With my other pets, I took forever trying to learn everything there is to know about them before I bought them. I have never run into any real problems with any of them. With beardies I was given so much false information before I even started that when I actually got my beardie, I was working frantically to make it better for such a long time. It's taken so long to get things right for my poopers and then I am still learning new things.
That goes without saying beardies eat A LOT and need to be fed A LOT(ex: if you had a day job you would have to get someone to feed them during the day, because on here if you say you want to feed your beardie when they wake up, or before they sleep, you're doing everything wrong). They also get fairly large for a pet lizard so they need A LOT of space. They just take A LOT more work than other lizards and animals, whether it be the researching, setting up, or the initial caring for the animal...
Maybe I just had a really bad experience...:(
(if I offend anyone i am so sorry I am having such a bad night...yell at me in pm if you have to)
 

Elijahsmom

Hatchling Member
I agree that BD's are NOT easy per say. Elijah is however the first reptile that I have ever owned. I've had experience with exotic animals, birds, fish, etc.. but never a reptile. Yes I was told some wrong information by the pet store and may be I just got lucky with him. I had a bad set up for a little while (stick on thermometers, 10 gal with a 75 watt bulb, a reptiGLO UVB...) he has always been in good health however. I have learned a TON from being on this web site. I am so glad I joined, no only great for learning but also great for sharing stories with other beardie lovers. Now I think that if you do your research right and prepare yourself and not make a spur-of-the-moment decision then yea beardies are a great pet for beginners. I mean yes Elijah could be a lot more spoiled but I have all the things essential for him now and I thank the Good Lord that he did not suffer from my lack of knowledge and my trust in the pet store that I bought him from.
 

RedInkAus

Hatchling Member
They are a great "beginner" reptile in the sense that they are a great teaching specimen for reptile husbandry. Plenty of info around with a few specifically dedicated forums such as this one available.

Their husbandry is complex enough that it requires some reasearch but not overly complicated that you need highly specialised items. They are forgiving of newbie mistakes to an extent, yet there's just enough going in their requirements that it teaches you to pay attention to what is needed. They are quite docile and food is readily available so they make a great ambassadre for the reptile world, so yeah they are a great beginner reptile.

As with any reptile it requires a bit of research. Beginner does not mean feed and forget, beginner should mean a great platform to further knowledge.
 

Reapix

Hatchling Member
the only "Beginner reptile" ive really heard of is a leopard gecko wich, yeah theyre fairly simple. i use to have 2.
 

Virus

Hatchling Member
RedInkAus":1upk7hoi said:
They are a great "beginner" reptile in the sense that they are a great teaching specimen for reptile husbandry. Plenty of info around with a few specifically dedicated forums such as this one available.

Their husbandry is complex enough that it requires some reasearch but not overly complicated that you need highly specialised items. They are forgiving of newbie mistakes to an extent, yet there's just enough going in their requirements that it teaches you to pay attention to what is needed. They are quite docile and food is readily available so they make a great ambassadre for the reptile world, so yeah they are a great beginner reptile.

As with any reptile it requires a bit of research. Beginner does not mean feed and forget, beginner should mean a great platform to further knowledge.


For the most part, I agree with this statement the most.

They are a great beginner for a reptile, but overall would be an intermediate pet. When I make it back stateside, and move out (and blah blah), I'm going to make a set up for a Cuban Rock/Grand Cayman Hybrid Iguana. So working with beardies is definitely a great help for that adventure.
 

isdrake

Hatchling Member
Grimleo":3c41ned1 said:
They also get fairly large for a pet lizard so they need A LOT of space. They just take A LOT more work than other lizards and animals, whether it be the researching, setting up, or the initial caring for the animal...
Maybe I just had a really bad experience...:(
(if I offend anyone i am so sorry I am having such a bad night...yell at me in pm if you have to)

The one thing with beardies that might make them harder for beginners is their size. Where I live the minimum enclosure for an adult is 0.9 square meters / 9.7 square feet. It's not something you usual will find in your pet store. And many people don't want to offer that much space.

I'm curious what why think bearded dragons need a lot more work than other lizards? I think their climate and care are easier to achieve than many other lizards. Besides they are a common pet so there is a lot of information about them.
 
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