Comparing Geckos to Beardies

[Hopefulresearch]

Hey, I wanted to know all the possibilities before I buy, right? Please tell the good and, yes, the bad too. Thanks for all your help!

 

[Dragonblade]

It really depends on the gecko species.

geckos tend to be smaller than Beardies, most are nocturnal meaning no special uvb light. They have different eating habits and heating requirements as well.

With the exception of leopard geckos most geckos are arboreal meaning a tall rather than long terrarium is ideal for them.

Geckos can be more communal if you house a trio say 1 male 2 females (with the exception of the Tokay Gecko) together.

Also your geckos will need a moist hide area to assist them with shedding.

Dragons require bigger enclosures, and UVB lighting, and in general eat more. However, they make up for it with the great personality and hardiness.

You really can't go wrong with either decision as long as you get a proper setup and do your research!

 

[Rukii]

Well I have both, so I'll put up my pro/con list :]

GECKO PROS- They don't need to be handled
They don't need to be fed daily on a strict time schedule
They don't need specific UV lighting
They're not too messy
They're not noisy
They're easy to feed
They don't need specific tank elements
They are quite cute!
They are very interesting to watch
They don't need constant supervision.

GECKO CONS- They shouldn't be handled much, their skin is very delicate.
They can get stressed out easily (too much handling, too much light at night)
They should have tall tanks to accomidate their climging habits
They need lots of tank decor (fake/real plants, vines, rocks, logs,etc) to climb on (ABSOLUTELY NO PINE, sanitize all other outside logs/plants before adding to tank)
They live in humid environments, so they need to be misted *at least* once daily (they drink water from droplets on the leaves and such also)
It is better to get a humidity gage/thermometer just to be sure you're doing things correctly
Tank should be kept clean to keep bacteria/mold from growing from the moisture. (its also tough for them to climb on the sides if its dirty)
They are escape artists, and are fast. If they escape, they will probably be gone for good.
ts said that geckoes are very hard to care for.. I don't think they are difficult to care for, they just require special attention. Be ready to have your hands full if you're getting a gecko.


BEARDED DRAGON PROS- They are very friendly, love attention
They love being handled
They grow very attached to their owner
They have funny little antics
They are very beautifully colored
They can eat a wide range of foods
They like escaping, but cant get into vents or anything weird, so they could be found easier.
They are nice to take around outside and socialize with once they are adults.
They won’t be aggressive to others (unless they were treated badly as juveniles, or were never handled/taken care of correctly)
They need specific guidelines to be followed, but are generally easier to raise than geckoes in my opinion

BEARDED DRAGON CONS- They need specific lighting (UV, HEAT, etc)
They need large, and usually space-consuming tanks.
They need a basking lamp, and a basking rock/log
They need specific heat gradients.
They can’t be fed food too large, or they could die (no bigger than the space between the eyes)
They should be handled daily
They need to be “watered” (either having water dripped onto their nose so they lap it up, or syringe-fed, or even out near a faucet so they drink from it) Or you can have a water-fall/fountain in their water dish. They don’t drink still standing water.
They need to be bathed weekly. It helps them shed/stay clean, and they can absorb some moisture.
Their tank can’t be too humid, or they could develop respiratory issues
Crickets need to be taken out of the tank every night so they don’t bother your sleeping lizards.

Sorry for the long list. But overall, I think Bearded Dragons are better. They are less stress-inducing. Hope the list helped a little. Good luck on your choice! :mrgreen:

 

[sunkist]

It's easy for me.... beardies = cuddles... geckos = no cuddles.

 

[Hopefulresearch]

Thanks for more reason to get a beardie!!!