Hi everyone

[Callista]

Hi, I'm new, obviously, and I've been thinking about getting a bearded dragon. I have read a lot about the care and needs of a beardie, but I haven't bought anything yet, I want to get it right the first time. I still have some questions though:
What's the best age/size to get for a beginner like me? I've read that babies are harder to take care of, so I think it might be easier to get a juvenile/ adult, but I could use some advise. Is it wise to adopt a beardie from a craigslist like website? Or from a pet store?

What about food? Do you buy crickets and other live food, or is it best to have a colony of your own? (I'm not so sure about keeping a lot of insects at home, what if they escape?) Do you need a lot of variety in live food? Where do you buy the food from? Is it true that you can give dog food once in a while as a substitute (one of my books talked about this)?

Any advice on buying a terrarium? I've read the advice, and I'd like to buy a 100-50-50 cm terra (sorry, I'm from Belgium, we don't use feet and inches) and build my own rock enclosure (so it'll probably be a while before I actually get a real beardie). Anything I need to pay attention to?

I think that's it for my questions, though I'm sure I'll have more later on... I hope you guys will have some advice for a novice, thanks!

 

[Blankenship24]

Hello,

So i recently became a beardie owner on Monday. However, I did lots of research before getting one. Probably about 6 months, probably more to make sure I knew a lot.
I did not buy my girl (Ziva) from a breeder/pet store. I browsed craigslist, and found one that I thought might be a good fit for me and my family. We visited Ziva (we named her) to see if she was the right dragon for us and she was.
Ziva ended up being about 7 months old. I paid $60 for her, and it was the best $60 I've spent. I have held younger dragons, and adult dragons. The babies are cute, but I actually preferred something other than a baby. Ziva is easy to handle, not fragile, and isn't skittish like some babies.
As for food, I have started a Dubia colony just because it's easier than having to buy feeders every week and it's cost effective also. I am not a fan of insects but i love this beardie and I'm willing to do it for her. The great thing about Dubias is they can't crawl a smooth surface I have mine in a sterilite bin with a hole in the top with a screen glued over it for venting. It would be very difficult to
have them escape unless you dropped them or user error. My girl loves Dubias, but I might be inclined to get some Phoenix worms for a little variety every couple weeks but for the most part i plan to stick to the Dubias.
I wouldn't recommend giving your beardie dog food. You'd be better off giving some fruits and veggies. There's a great website called Beautiful Dragons about nutrition. Check it out.

I didn't build my enclosure, but it's 4 x 2 x 2 feet and has hides, climbing branches and wood, and a rock or two. You just need to make sure you have a hide and a basking spot and anything else you want to put. There is a viviarium topic on this forum that people have photos of all the vivariums, there is some really cool on there.
Good Luck
Jen

 

[Callista]

Thanks, Jen, for your reply to my questions. I'm certainly going to keep reading everything I can get my hands on before I actually buy a beardie, I want to take good care of him/her.
Another question:
Is it better to get a male or a female? Are there any differences in behaviour or care?

 

[Blankenship24]

Your welcome. As far as behavior male vs. female, it literally all depends on the Dragon. There's no specific behavior for male vs. female dragons. If you have a female dragon, sometimes she may lay infertile eggs, which obviously a male wouldn't. I didn't really have a preference when I found my dragon, but i've held both male & female dragons and haven't found any behavior differences. The care of a bearded dragon is essentially the same for male or female dragons. I think its best to keep an open mind of male vs. female and when you find the right dragon you'll know. I always pictured myself with a male bearded dragon...and WELL here i am with my girl Ziva and I love her to death. She's as sweet as can be, and eats like a pig I had my entire set up with lighting, hides, basking spots, and temps all set up prior to getting a bearded dragon and it has worked out great for me. good luck and this forum is great for asking questions!

 

[Callista]

Thanks, again, for answering my questions. I'm still looking for a terrarium to buy, and I'm so looking forward to getting it all ready for my beardie! I've discovered that they have several beardies up for adoption at the local reptile shelter, and they help new owners with any question and problem, so I think that's where I'll look for a beardie of my own. Exciting!