how much per week ill i waist on a baby dragon?

[SoleSky]

When I purchased my bearded dragon I spent around $40 on my 40 gallon breeder (it was on sale at petco). I attempted a no cricket diet so I fed him reptiworms which was around $12.50 a week or more depending on how hungry he was. I also offered him dubia roaches, as many as he could eat. I payed for tile, lights, ceramic heat emitter, vitamins, assorted rocks and basking structures. Vet visits which cost over $130 for me because he had pinworms, treatment for pinworms was around $30 as well. UVB is $30 every six months, fixtures cost me around $30 each but you can get them at lowes for cheaper. digital thermometer was around $10. REPTILES ARE NOT CHEAP and neither are any other animal. Seriously consider your financial situation before purchasing a pet. I had a job and I lost it which made it extremely hard to care for my beardie properly at the time. Some people did help me out but I wasn't expecting such kind gestures. I'm back on my feet now but just spent $150 on my new beardie enclosure, of course this is luxury for him but still. These are expensive little additions so be aware, for their sake.

 

[RB1]

remember he said baby dragon,you will be looking at 1000 crickets every 2 weeks,i feed only twice and all my dragons are healthy,tho i offer greens before the 2 feedings,

mines eat 30 crickets or more a feeding session,tho i try to limit him to 30,don't want him obese

 

[paulsmom06]

I have had my guy for 5.5 months and have spent over $2000 in housing, lighting, and vet costs ALONE.
This total does not include his food. Before he went on an eating strike, he was eating 1500-2000 crickets plus anywhere from 700-2100 reptiworms a WEEK.
That did not include the treats of butterworms, silkworms, and hornworms he got every other week.
Oh and he LOVES car rides, so add in gas money to drive him around for awhile every couple of days.

So yeah, it's outrageously expensive. However, I researched for months before I got him so I knew what I was getting into. If you consider it wasting money, possibly consider a pet that requires less maintenance. I think he's worth every cent.

 

[woahamie]

i agree with everyone here.
i'm a soon-to-be parent (im getting my guy next week) and so far, its been pricey, but all worth it.
before plunging into getting your beardie, you should first RESEARCH and figure out if these guys are right for you. because im sure its not for everyone.
once you've done your research then you can decide if you really want to care for one.
ive been researching and preparing everything for almost two months, and its paid off.

it wont be cheap. so if you're concerned about "wasting" your money, then these guys are not for you, because you WILL be spending quite a bit, especially when they're babies.

So please, research first and then decide.

these forums are a great place to have your questions answered and everyone is willing to help out a fellow parent.

good luck!

 

[brcb7tuner]

If all that is too expensive for you get a tarantula or scorpion all they eat is one cricket a week or a pet rock I hear those are pretty cheap to take care of.

 

[TASTIGER]

or a pet rock I hear those are pretty cheap to take care of.

:lol:

beardies are expensive expecially when you enjoy spoiling your animals :love5:

 

[rdoyle]

Dont for get about meds. I know some you can get online I just spent 60.00 for Baytril and Bene-Bac Gel for a URI. and 6.00 for some waxies to help get wight on him.

 

[morganlerat]

Reading this made me think about all the poor babies whose lives are "wasted" at the hands of ignorant people who just think they look cool.

I have to agree sweetie, if thats the way you feel do your parents a favor and get a new video game or something that wont suffer if you dont want to put the time and money into it.

 

[TASTIGER]

Reading this made me think about all the poor babies whose lives are "wasted" at the hands of ignorant people who just think they look cool.

ok i was just trying to laugh off this thread but i had to post this. I rescued Rocky from a teenager that "didnt have time for him" and decided that he was wasting too much money on feeding him. R.I.P. Rocky im sorry i was too late

 

[ShannyBeard]

ok i was just trying to laugh off this thread but i had to post this. I rescued Rocky from a teenager that "didnt have time for him" and decided that he was wasting too much money on feeding him. R.I.P. Rocky im sorry i was too late

That pic makes me want to hurt people who do that to animals. HOW SAD and how terrible and heartless and ignorant.

 

[TASTIGER]

That pic makes me want to hurt people who do that to animals. HOW SAD and how terrible and heartless and ignorant.

you should see his thread..it might have been deleted by now. the teenagers mom threatend to take me to court for posting the pictures and the craigslist link that had his phone number in it. apperently he was getting phone calls telling him that he cant sell the dragon because it was sick.

 

[noella5088]

I rescued Ali from an owner that said she couldn't afford to feed him anymore. Ali would've looked like Rocky if I didn't rescue him. I paid 40 and took him. I knew Ali was special. He deserved better. I spent a lot of money on supplies, tanks, CHE's, basking bulbs, UVB tubes, fixtures, decorations, and food.

They're worth the money. I'd spend money on Ali to make him happy. I made a bearded dragon that's never known 'love' like this happy. He trusts me enough to sleep on me. He trusts me enough to feed him his salad greens of turnip greens, mustard greens (I found them again), and collards. He has never had a place to hide, possibly heat and UVB, and food. He has plenty of food and do you know what he does before he eats? He looks at me with an expression of thanks. I mean he looks at me to thank me for his salad. I tell him it's all his and he can how much he wants. He really chows down after hearing this. Ali's worth every cent to me. I love him. He bonded with me as his 'mommy'. He's very intelligent because I let him sit on the computer and he stood on the letters O and U. He even used the space bar, the up and down keys, and he watches the screen while he does this.

Ali's worth it.

 

[ShannyBeard]

That pic makes me want to hurt people who do that to animals. HOW SAD and how terrible and heartless and ignorant.

you should see his thread..it might have been deleted by now. the teenagers mom threatend to take me to court for posting the pictures and the craigslist link that had his phone number in it. apperently he was getting phone calls telling him that he cant sell the dragon because it was sick.

That fool put that dragon up on a public website and you can link that wherever you want because it was made public by the kid himself. How stupid. That's just like people who put stuff on Facebook that they don't want EVERYONE to see and then get upset because the 'wrong' person saw it. ORLY? And you really trust a social media site's privacy that much? Stupid.

The kid with that dragon should have had the Humane Society look at that link. It's an actual crime to neglect animals, punishable by law with fines and/or jail time.

Funny the lady whose kids dropped Papa Smurf at the reptile shop was upset because the shop just took Smurf without paying the kids for it. The kids knew the dragon wasn't worth money - they were just trying to find someone to take better care of it. The Mom threw a fit and wanted to call the police on the reptile shop. Are you kidding me?!?! I told the guy at the shop that if he got another call from her to be very polite and get her name and number and address and I would contact her myself. I would love to have an animal neglect case put against her, and anyone else like that.

 

[AllanonsWrath]

Im trying to figure out how this thread keeps raising back to the top lol. The OP hasn't been on since the thread was started and never responded back to the advice given. Let's let this thread RIP.

 

[ShannyBeard]

Im trying to figure out how this thread keeps raising back to the top lol. The OP hasn't been on since the thread was started and never responded back to the advice given. Let's let this thread RIP.

It could have been resurrected a few days later by someone who is not on the forums very often and just had to make a comment. That's my best guess. The rest of us have just been visiting in here.

I think we all see people like this, who think they are 'wasting' money on animals, and we've all been impacted by that in some way or another. By either taking in an unwanted animal or seeing one suffer in a thread here and not being able to do much else than argue with the OP.

The nice thing about this thread is the OP never came back to argue. :mrgreen: