Hello to everyone here on the site. ^.^ This is going to seem like a somewhat strange first post to many, but I’m currently attempting to gather opinions on something important to me – my choice of a next pet.
I suppose the most important thing for me to point out is that I am a minor – just under 17 years of age. I obviously live with my parents and we’re having a back room renovated into a second bedroom. My younger sister has been living in the same room with me for years now, but she’ll be moving into that room, which solves a big issue for me with pet keeping – space. It’s a plague I know a lot of people who keep a lot of herps struggle to deal with. Her stuff literally takes up half the room, and once she’s out of there, I’ll have a pretty fair bit of floor space to spare, enough for a larger cage than the one I currently keep.
I’ve had a leopard gecko for the past five years and I adore the little bugger. I’ve always had an issue with my allergies and a love for animals, so he’s always been a great middle ground for me. But I actually wanted a bearded dragon for the longest time – my mother just wasn’t so keen on the idea because they’re about twice the size of leos. Over the years, she’s gotten pretty used to the idea of reptiles in the house and she has learned to love my gecko, so long as I’m the one handling him. She’s much more open to the idea of keeping another, larger lizard in the house. (Snakes, unfortunately, are completely out of the question because everyone on her side of the family hates them.)
The room should be completed by the winter and I should have enough funds for a new lizard by this time next year. My behavior’s the polar opposite of an impulse buyer – I do tons of research before considering anything, animal or otherwise. Naturally, I’ve been doing a few more looks into what kind of pet would suit me best. I’m particularly interested in keeping a larger species than a gecko, but it has to be one that’s docile, relatively people-friendly, and not extremely difficult to provide care for.
I’ve always been really fond of bearded dragons since I was young – even before getting my leopard gecko. There was a guy at my father’s workplace that kept two beardies and sometimes brought them to the office. (it was a strange workplace, and a borderline zoo, since every day was “take you pet to work day”) I really enjoyed getting to see them and made it a mission of mine to get one as a pet, but as I mentioned, my mother wouldn’t let me keep one because of their size. Right now, we’re at a point where she’d accept another animal in the house, so I’m naturally considering getting a bearded dragon.
I’ve done some research into some other animals, though, and I’m under the impression that two of the best – if not the best – lizards for my situation would be blue tongue skinks and bearded dragons. Naturally, I’ve done a fair bit of research into either’s personal needs. Neither is particularly painstaking to care for and they’re exceptionally well mannered, unlike, say, a chameleon, savannah monitor, or iguana, all of which I’ve known friends who have struggled with. I’m fairly familiar with the advantages of keeping either species, like their lifespans, behavior, and prices, and I’ve had the opportunity to see both species up close and in person.
I’m on this particular site because I actually want a biased opinion on bearded dragons. Why did you decide to keep a bearded dragon? What do you think I’ll enjoy about them in particular? What makes them really stand out and shine when next to a blue tongue skink, or any other lizard? Please, pour your hearts into your posts!
I suppose the most important thing for me to point out is that I am a minor – just under 17 years of age. I obviously live with my parents and we’re having a back room renovated into a second bedroom. My younger sister has been living in the same room with me for years now, but she’ll be moving into that room, which solves a big issue for me with pet keeping – space. It’s a plague I know a lot of people who keep a lot of herps struggle to deal with. Her stuff literally takes up half the room, and once she’s out of there, I’ll have a pretty fair bit of floor space to spare, enough for a larger cage than the one I currently keep.
I’ve had a leopard gecko for the past five years and I adore the little bugger. I’ve always had an issue with my allergies and a love for animals, so he’s always been a great middle ground for me. But I actually wanted a bearded dragon for the longest time – my mother just wasn’t so keen on the idea because they’re about twice the size of leos. Over the years, she’s gotten pretty used to the idea of reptiles in the house and she has learned to love my gecko, so long as I’m the one handling him. She’s much more open to the idea of keeping another, larger lizard in the house. (Snakes, unfortunately, are completely out of the question because everyone on her side of the family hates them.)
The room should be completed by the winter and I should have enough funds for a new lizard by this time next year. My behavior’s the polar opposite of an impulse buyer – I do tons of research before considering anything, animal or otherwise. Naturally, I’ve been doing a few more looks into what kind of pet would suit me best. I’m particularly interested in keeping a larger species than a gecko, but it has to be one that’s docile, relatively people-friendly, and not extremely difficult to provide care for.
I’ve always been really fond of bearded dragons since I was young – even before getting my leopard gecko. There was a guy at my father’s workplace that kept two beardies and sometimes brought them to the office. (it was a strange workplace, and a borderline zoo, since every day was “take you pet to work day”) I really enjoyed getting to see them and made it a mission of mine to get one as a pet, but as I mentioned, my mother wouldn’t let me keep one because of their size. Right now, we’re at a point where she’d accept another animal in the house, so I’m naturally considering getting a bearded dragon.
I’ve done some research into some other animals, though, and I’m under the impression that two of the best – if not the best – lizards for my situation would be blue tongue skinks and bearded dragons. Naturally, I’ve done a fair bit of research into either’s personal needs. Neither is particularly painstaking to care for and they’re exceptionally well mannered, unlike, say, a chameleon, savannah monitor, or iguana, all of which I’ve known friends who have struggled with. I’m fairly familiar with the advantages of keeping either species, like their lifespans, behavior, and prices, and I’ve had the opportunity to see both species up close and in person.
I’m on this particular site because I actually want a biased opinion on bearded dragons. Why did you decide to keep a bearded dragon? What do you think I’ll enjoy about them in particular? What makes them really stand out and shine when next to a blue tongue skink, or any other lizard? Please, pour your hearts into your posts!
