Store Enclosures

[beardielovers]

OK...I've been visiting this forum for a bit now and have been picking up lots of recommendations for our viv that we are building and getting setup. My challenge is finding a place to purchase a beardie from. They either have young beardies on calci-sand, improper UVB (such as using a reptisun 2.0 18" away from basking area, or using CFL UVB), or beautiful dragons that have eye problems. How do people get past these issues and select a nice beardie to bring home with them? Will purchasing a young beardie (for our first reptile) that has been living in poor conditions make it harder for us to take care of once they get home with us? It sure is sad to see so many people using improper setups for their reptiles! Hopefully this post is in the right spot - sorry if it's not.

 

[RedHandFilms]

The best thing you can do is buy a dragon from a reputable local breeder. Next best would be to have one shipped to you from a reputable breeder elsewhere. Unfortunately, I see you live in Canada and as such I'm assuming harsh winter temperatures. You won't be able to have a dragon shipped to you now. Good breeders will monitor weather temps for shipping and will not ship when it's too cold. Canadian Winter = Too Cold. This means that they're not shipping to stores as well, and the dragons in the store have most likely been there longer. Ideally, you would get a younger dragon that has spent less time in the store. You might ask a store when they are getting more dragons and pick one up the day a new batch arrives. The less time in the store, the better.
Some of the damage done can be reversed with proper care. One of the most common problems is not enough UVB. As long as this has not lasted long enough to cause major damage or illness, a few days under a good light and they'll be great.