BRINGING BEARDIE CAMPING

[Alexmc2003]

Okay so my family and i camp everyweekend at my trailer but my mom has finally let me get a beardie. I know so much about them and am finally ready to buy one, but my mom says i have to find out what to do with him on weekends. She says im not aloud to have a tank up there (the trailer is 30 mins away) so now im stuck. Does anyone know a way i could have my beardie up there but not using a tank? Ive heard the netted dog tents are fine but im a little nervous? Help!!!

 

[charmander16]

Not a good idea. Maybe for a full grown adult, but if you are getting a new pet then I assume you will be getting one between 2 months and 4 months of age. They have pretty specific needs in terms of habitat and require calm not not to much disturbance especially when young. They need mostly to be put into a good enclosure and fed and otherwise left alone.

Taking one on a car ride to a different place and putting them in some kind of tent thing is a no-go IMO. Best possible scenario would be if you had something like a 30 gallon tank and you took the whole tank there and back every time with the beardie inside.

But also, if you are only going overnight you should be able to leave him at home just fine. If you won't be able to feed him 2 times a day due to this the best bet would be figuring out how to make it so it can be fed while you are away.

 

[Mysty]

Personally, I would get an adult. This reduces the 3 major concerns you would have if you leave the beardie at home for 2 days ( which you have to if you cant take a tank with you.)

1. Feeding. Babies need 3-4 live meals a day. Adults need live food 3xweek.

2. Poop. Babies poop far more frequently than adults. Poop left in the tank can cause parasite problems and illness. Depending on the adult, they go around every other day-or up to a week.

3. Equipment breaking. Babies are more sensitive to a bulb breaking and going without heat and light. Babies should be kept at a higher temp than adults so will feel it more.

You could always try and rescue a healthy adult from a good rescue organisation.

 

[kingofnobbys]

Look it from the bearded dragon's view point ....

Sure camping may be pleasureable for you and your family and the family dog.

Not so for a bearded dragon.

You heard of relocation stress ? your bearded dragon will experience this for the entire time because :
1) it will be forced to come with you in the car
2) it will find itself in a entirely strange and scary new place full of strange people, strange smells, 3) will encounter strange and yes dangerous animals (not just the wild animals who will be attracted to the camp because there will be food there ,but other peoples' pets (cats, dogs especially none of which you will have any control over)
4) the usual routines it's become accustomed to will go by the wayside while you are preoccupied with having fun

Your pet bearded dragon will NOT ENJOY CAMPING.

IMO this is a seriously bad idea.

Leave beardie at home , he'll be happier , safer , and less likely to become a meal for a cat, dog, or a wild animal.

 

[CooperDragon]

My thoughts are in the middle ground on this. Since you're in a trailer, it's pretty well protected from outside elements (cold nights, animals, etc) so that's good. I agree with other posters that an adult will fare MUCH better with this setup than a young dragon would because of the reasons provided. You may want to wait until your dragon has grown (a year or so) or consider adopting a docile, healthy adult dragon who is being re-homed near you.
It also comes down to their individual personality too. Some dragons may be terrified and stressed out by the moves as Kingofnobbys mentioned. That can be a real threat to their health and happiness. Some dragons on the other hand seem to enjoy a bit of adventure and would be fine with it. I've had my dragons on long car trips and their reaction has been mostly curiosity to most of the things they encountered and I felt it was a positive experience for them offering some enrichment instead of keeping them in a tank all day. That's just from my limited experience and I realize it could go very differently depending on the dragon.
Before going all out I suggest trying some short car rides around town and see how they handle it. Offer time in the yard and see how they handle it. If you have a dragon who doesn't seem to enjoy that then it's a no go. Otherwise I'd ease into trying the camping a bit.
Even with an adult you'll need to take precautions. They need to stay very close to you when outside and preferably be on a leash/harness. This will help prevent them from running off (which can be instinctual and not being able to in some cases could be stressful) and can provide protection from predators (hawks, eagles, etc).
I have a collapsable baby play pen for travel that I use and it works pretty well. Providing time outside can provide adequate UVB but you'll still want a basking lamp for inside. A halogen flood light and adjustable stand will do the trick - just set it to provide the 100-110 basking range in part of the pen during the day. It's good to provide some hides as well. You will also need to carry cleaning supplies (vinegar/water, F10SC, paper towels, rags) to clean up after them and also a supply of food (veges for adults, younger dragons or for an extended stay you'll need bugs - black soldier fly larvae work well for travel). So you don't really travel lightly with them and that's another thing to keep in mind.
I may be missing some things to consider, but that's the general idea. I'm not against doing this but I advise careful consideration of the points everyone is mentioning before doing so and you'll want to ease into it and be well prepared, that's all.