first lizard

[herpseeker]

My in laws are looking into getting a lizard for their 6 year old daughter, they had an iguana but she was scared of it since it almost bit her. I was told a beardie or leopard gecko were the best beginner lizards, i have experience with beardies and other lizards but i don't know how to prepare someone else for the keeping of these reptiles, what should i tell them?

 

[brittani299]

Hello Beardies are good pets because of their docile behavior. I would tell them about how they like to cuddle and have great personalities. I would make sure that they do lots of research before buying though. Personally a breeder is a good choice. I got my male from http://www.beardeddragons.co Cheryl has great healthy beardies for very reasonable prices. I would also tell them that they are expensive to feed though. Babies need fed 2-3 times a day as much food as they can eat in 15 mins. Here is a list of things they should know:
a) tank - you could start with a 20 gallon long, but your baby will need a 40 gallon breeder quickly, so might as well just start with that. If he is intimidated by that, you can partition it with some cardboard or something temporarily.
b) substrate of your choice (but nothing loose) - I would highly suggest slate tile. It is very similar to their natural habitat, is cheap, easy to clean, keeps muscles toned and nails trim. Other options are reptile carpet, non-adhesive shelf liner, and paper towel/newspaper. Your call really.
c) basking spot (rock or log, either from outside and sanitized, or bought)
d) hide (don't use this for the first couple weeks so your baby doesn't hide instead of bask and acclimate)
e) other tank furniture (a log, a fake tree, vines, fake plant... whatever you want. Just browse the pet store)
f) basking light (whatever wattage gets you to the right temps (105-115F basking spot, aiming for 110F). You can use either a clear household bulb or a basking light from a pet store. Just make sure the bulb is not colored or coated.)
g) basking light clamp lamp fixture
h) 3M command hooks
i) under cabinet fluorescent fixture (I got mine at Walmart - I had a heavier one from Lowes, but it kept falling)
j) ReptiSun 10.0 tube
k) Digital thermometer with probe (at least 1, and they should have a hygrometer built in to measure humidity) and/or temp gun
l) a food bowl for salad, and another for worms/roaches (no water bowl - they don't need a water bowl, and it will just raise the humidity. Just be sure to give baths. Do not feed mealworms a bearded dragon, but you can put phoenix worms, silkworms, dubia roaches, waxworms [treat], butterworms [treat], or hornworms [treat] in a bowl. Crickets will not stay in a bowl)
m) If the tank gets below 65F, another dome fixture and a ceramic heat emitter (do not use a red light)
n) (Optional, but really really useful) a power strip with built in timers for lights.
o) supplements - you will need a calcium with D3 powder to be used 5 days a week, one feeding each day for a baby. As an adult, this goes down to 3 feedings a week. You will also need a multivitamin powder. Use this two days a week, one feeding each day for a baby. As an adult, this will drop to 1 feeding a week. I use Rep-Cal and HerptiVite, but other options work as well.
p) If your ambient temperatures are not high enough, you may need an additional light fixture and a lower wattage household bulb to bring up the coolside temp and add extra light.

 

[herpseeker]

thank you for the reply, i will relay the information thank you for explaining it better than i could.

 

[bunnyrut]

beardies are great, but require about a 10 year commitment. i would recommend adopting an older one, mainly because the 6 year old will want to hold it, and babies are risky to handle.

i don't know much about leopard geckos, but they look adorable. if they are iffy about the whole having to feed live bugs, there is always a uromastyx. they eat veggies.

iguanas are great. i love them, they can be friendly if handled all the time. BUT they live for 20 years and will outgrow their tank. i don't know why people say that they only get as big as the tank they are in, that is just false information.

 

[herpgirl2510]

I would agree an adult for a six year old would be better much more handleable.

 

[jloucks]

iguanas are great. i love them, they can be friendly if handled all the time.

...and they can turn pure unadulterated evil if not handled all the time. I would NEVER wish one on even my worst enemy. Not doing that again!

Oh, and another thing that was fairly obvious with the detailed requirements post above, but I am going to spell out,,, Bearded Dragons are expensive (for a kid anyway). You are looking at $20-$30 a month not counting startup costs unless you raise your own food. ...and who really wants a cricket farm in their garage?

Actually, would be double that if you don't mail order your cricks. PetSmart has them, but they are 12 cents a pop!

 

[brittani299]

Yes adult beardies are cheaper because they require less feeders. If they are handled right as babies they also are great pets. An adult beardie is probably what they should get because it should be bigger for a 6 year old and should be more docile.

 

[Feline]

Please consider looking for an adult Beardie on Craigslist in your local area. There are always Beardies up for adoption for a rehoming fee; some may even come with the entire set up for less than what you would pay if you were to buy everything from scratch.

 

[jloucks]

Please consider looking for an adult Beardie on Craigslist in your local area. There are always Beardies up for adoption for a rehoming fee; some may even come with the entire set up for less than what you would pay if you were to buy everything from scratch.

While I definitely agree with you on checking Craigslist, it has been my experience that CL BD's are still pretty expensive. ...but def check. Might get lucky!