Dragon Knowhow

[wilddragons16]

Hello, everybody! Well, I love to know everything about my hobbys. Therefore, what are the best recources, (besides the wonderful website), that YOU think are the best. Drache613, everyone says you're the expert. Where did you learn all the stuff? Don't say experience, 'cause I can't read and get experience. :lol: What are everyones fav books, websites, quotes, moderators, all that stuff. Have fun!

 

[CountofCasualty]

This is the best resource you can get. And Tracie(Drache16) has learned almost everything through her own experiences and previous knowledge. Message her personally if you need help. Another good person is Deb (Sweetiepie9). Ask questions.

Honestly though, it's all experience and asking questions. No amount of reading will EVER prepare you truly. You can have everything perfect and you can still hit a wall or curveball and you won't know what to do or what is causing it.

 

[Taterbug]

This site is great for getting some very dragon specific info, Tracie is really super wonderful and helpful! It's a good resource of peoples own experiences since there are so many of them here and there are so many helpful folks.

Some other sites I've found useful are anapsid.org (has some good information about captive reptiles and especially iguanas) and some of the other reptiles forums (chameleon forums have good info on bugs and supplements, tortoise and iguana forums have good info on veggies, and some of the other forums have great info from folks with lots of info on general things like genetics, natural history etc).

I got pepper from a breeder, so contact her as well. She has his parents, and several of his clutch mates so she has been able to give histories or confirm things with me.

I try to read lots of science journals and veterinary texts in addition to all that to help fact check or understand the actual reasons. There are a few of the big texts available through google books that have been super informative, I am considering buying the text if I can find it at a good price. Most unfortunately aren't so dragon specific. Reptile Medicine and Surgery, Infectious Diseases and Pathology of Reptiles, and Exotic Animal Formulary (birds and reptiles) are a few.

Reading really can improve your understanding of good care, and help limit how many times you are caught off guard. Experience can't be read, unfortunately and just as the previous poster says, there will always be something you haven't read yet that happens.

 

[wilddragons16]

I am am beekeeper in my second year, and when I first got my colony, I lost my queen, which is AWFUL, and I had been researching bees for at lest three months before I got the hives. So I know what you mean when you say that you can get a curve ball. Those books sound GREAT! Just my kinda books. Pathology, sounds like a medical text book Medicine textbooks are great. What is the author of infectious diseases and pathology of reptiles?

 

[Taterbug]

That's awesome that you keep bees! If my second colony survived the winter, this will be my third summer. Unfortunately I lost my first colony last winter, and for sure one of my two replacement colonies this winter. They were doing fine until that awful cold weather.
The bees have been a crazy learning experience, from the internet to a crate of bees in the trunk of my car to catching a swarm off a tree. I'm feeling really bummed about the poor winter survival I've gotten.

I think all three of those are either medical or educational textbooks, or veterinary reference books.
Here they are on Google Books
Reptile Medicine and Surgery
Current Therapy in Reptile Medicine and Surgery (more recent edition)
Infectious Diseases and Pathology of Reptiles: Color Atlas and Text
Clinical Veterinary Advisor,Birds and Exotic Pets,1: Clinical Veterinary Advisor

 

[wilddragons16]

Fellow beekeeper!!!! Yes, I am stressing about mine... Need to order queens. This is my second year. Have you read a world without bees? That stinks about your colonies.

 

[Reptiles4Life]

I don't get how Tracie knows as much as she does she knows a ton i wish i knew that much.

 

[label]

Greetings from Australia, the home of the beardie! You might want to look at the best Oz discussion board, http://www.australianbeardies.net/index.php . There are a number of US and other foreign members on the board and it has lots of experts participating who may give you some different perspectives. The tone there is also almost always supportive and constructive, which is nice.

An excellent recent book is Guide to Australian Dragons in Captivity by Dr. Danny Brown. Beardies are only one of the types he covers but there's a lot of material on them. He also covers their natural history, which gives you a better idea of how they live in the wild, along with a lot of general husbandry advice.

 

[wilddragons16]

That is a great idea! I like to know about the makeup of my dragons, not just how to take care of them.

 

[Reptiles4Life]

boy that book is a lot of money.

 

[label]

boy that book is a lot of money.

It is, but your dollars are at least bigger than ours or it'd be even more expensive. It's very well-written and has a lot of good info in it

 

[wilddragons16]

Man, rluper, you weren't joking! That book has one heck of a price tag! :shock:

 

[Reptiles4Life]

lol i really want it but way to expensive. i can't believe that price it like a ton of money i want that much money really bad.

 

[Reptiles4Life]

boy that book is a lot of money.

It is, but your dollars are at least bigger than ours or it'd be even more expensive. It's very well-written and has a lot of good info in it

Yes but i don't have near that much i only have 20 dollars saved up for repticon and i am still saving.

 

[wilddragons16]

Go to the library and get it on inter-library loan. Then its free.