What's your typical week like?

[groan]

Hi BD lovers!

My son has asked for a bearded dragon. First pet for this 11 yr old.

We've been doing lots of reading and research but what I'd like to know is what is your typical week like? We're looking into getting a 1 or 2 yr old BD. I'm interested in feeding, lighting, cleaning duties, as well as time spent out of the housing.

I'd like to show him the amount of time that's needed so that he understands just what kind of a change in his current schedule he can expect. Of course I'd be there to help out, but most of this will be on him.

Note that I work a 9-5 job, he goes to school. The dragon would be alone most of the day from 8AM to 6PM.

So, What do you think? As brief or detailed as you like. What's your week like?

Thanks!

 

[CooperDragon]

For me, it's like taking in a toddler. A healthy dragon can take up plenty of attention and a sick dragon even more so. They're all a bit different but generally speaking, morning consists of a bath while I cut up veges for a salad. Salad goes in the tank and he gets some time to run around the house. Goes back to the tank and (with an adult) gets bugs every 2-3 days for 10 minutes all he wants. I take the scrap veges and put it in the roach bin and check on them. Dragon basks in the tank and I go to work. I come back from work and he gets time outside the tank again to run around. In the summer when it's nice out he gets some time out in the sun. I check on the salad and refresh if needed. Then when he's done running around he sits on my chest and falls asleep while I watch TV or listen to music etc late in the evening. When I go to bed he gets tucked into his tank for the night. Repeat the next day. On the weekends he gets to be outside of the tank a lot. Runs around in the morning. Gets time to bask in the afternoon, then more outside time. He has a portable light in the living room to get some heat as needed. Care for babies is a bit different. They eat bugs a couple of times per day.

 

[Kashki]

Well, my first dragon has been a massive inconvenience due to the fact he's refusing to eat. As a result I've had to spend a lot of my days making sure he is hydrated and carefully monitoring his situation. He's looking at his second vet visit and overall has been very time consuming and expensive (don't get me wrong, I love him to bits). This doesn't worry me at all as I work night shifts and have days free to do what I need to do for him.
Your dragon may not be this much of a hassle, but it also could be. You never know how they're going to respond to the move or what you're in for. Your dragon may be aggressive, unwell or just stubborn like mine. I feel like it needs to be known that this isn't the sort of pet you can just forget when it's not new and exciting anymore. So much needs to be constantly monitored (temp, humidity, diet, behavior etc) and you can't really have days off caring for it.

I think as an 11 year old I personally would not have been able to care for this particular dragon. I also think my parents wouldn't have done the extensive research required and the dragon might not have been in the ideal set up and could have become sick or even died.

Also, you're likely going to want to keep or breed feeder insects, which is another thing to consider. They don't require much work, but you've still gotta keep your feeders in good shape too.

A normal day for me is waking a couple of hours after my dragon (He's up at 7, me 9) and preparing his salad for the day and attempting to feed him feeders. After a few hours of basking he will come outside and get some sun before having a bath. He will sit on my lap and take a quick nap or just look around for 15-30 minutes before going back in to patrol his enclosure. I will attempt to feed him again around 4pm and he will turn in between 6 and 8pm (lights off).
This schedule doesn't change as I work practically every night of the week.

I think it really depends on the dragon, but in my case it's very lucky I have the luxury of days off to care for him.

 

[groan]

Thanks for a look on the more difficult side of things. It is always a possibility that any living thing can come with problems you have to attend to.
Aside from that, your schedule of things sounds very similar to what others are telling me.


Thank you for your insight

 

[Kashki]

Thanks for a look on the more difficult side of things. It is always a possibility that any living thing can come with problems you have to attend to.
Aside from that, your schedule of things sounds very similar to what others are telling me.


Thank you for your insight

No worries. It sounds to me like you're doing all the required research and as a result I have faith that you and your son would manage just fine. It may require a bit out of your day, but it's very worth while.

 

[GizmosGrammie]

I am 8 months into my first beardie adopted from Petco at the end of January of this year as a juvenile approx 2 months old. I have not had any nightmare problems with her at all (knock on wood). My 13 yo purchased her with Christmas/birthday money. Unfortunately, one week in he realized he did not really want her so now she's mine. A beautiful gift I never knew I wanted. Lol!! She has been a delight to care for, not a major issue at all. In all honestly as a small juvenile I let her soak in a tub about 3 days a week for about 10-15 each time. Now I only bath her maybe every two weeks. However, I do give her water via a dropper 3-4 days/week. Right or wrong I personally don't believe they need bathed daily. Mine seems to be thriving & I have never bathed her daily.

Because I work, she is fed 2x a day, 6:00 am & about 5:00 pm when I get home from work. When smaller I put her in a separate tote w/crickets for her to eat. She would consume anywhere from 20-60 each setting. On the higher end as she grew. Now she won't touch crickets & is big enough for super worms & she doesn't like being put in the tote to eat anymore. Right now I don't always supervise her eating. I put her supers in a glass bowl in her tank they can't climb out of & she can easily get to them. My Gizmo is spoiled & does prefer that I drop them on the bottom of her cage right in front of her. I only do this while I'm right there as to not leave any wandering around her tank.

She will go on food strike on occasion nothing too alarming. I think she does this to force me into dropping the food right in front of her. Mine loves being held & running free in a confined, beardie friendly place. My whirl pool tub in the master bathroom has become her safe play ground.

They're like most people they get in moods, they'll get sick & like any pet will require vet care at some point. I plan on taking mine to the vet in November which I believe she'll be a yr old. So far she's not needed to go to the vet.

Tank clean up... I used paper towels for quite a while, then moved to tile and now non adhesive shelf liner on top of my tile. Tile was too slick for my beardie to walk on is why I added it. I pick poo up with toilet paper as soon as I see it & wipe up residue with Clorox/generic wipes. Good or bad I've only done a massive remove everything from her tank cleaning maybe 5 times since February. I try to spot clean as I see problems. Not time consuming at all.

The only complaint I have is I made a lot of wrong purchases for a lack of knowledge. I've had to learn along the way before getting her lights & tank setup perfect. This was my own fault.

Don't let bad stories scare you. Yes, they are work, yes they generally do like attention & human interaction. I do not find Gizmo anymore time consuming or costly than my dogs. I've mothered 4 dogs in my lifetime & 2 cats. I would try to hold it or at least interact with it no less than 30 min a day. Mine is in a very high traffic area for me as I'm the one who takes care of her. I have her in my bedroom. She perks up & notices when I'm in the room or if the dog is up on my bed.

I would remind you to be diligent at reminding your 11 yo about hand washing every time after handling. I don't worry too much about her climbing my shirt or scurrying about on my bed, but if I'm going to prepare dinner etc I do put a clean shirt on just to be safe.

Good luck with your decision. It could be a great adventure for you & your son.

Edit: Forgot to mention, I do put greens in her tank most days but she shows little interest.

 

[GizmosGrammie]

Here's Gizmo & her playground. I will admit I do spend a lot of time interacting with her. My kids are all teenagers, one with one leg already out the door & my hubby coaches MS Football & assists w/the HS program so I have a lot of alone time.

 

[groan]

Thanks for the great reply! lots of detail.

Cleaning hands, right. i read taht somewhere you should do this. I guess it's like handling any pet, even dogs. We don't have any sort of pet now, i used to have fish about 5 years ago, but this will be an adventure, for sure.

 

[cbbrown]

sunday-wake up dragon at 9am, feed salad at 12pm soak in bath for 15 minutes close to bed time at 9pm. some times he poops on sundays sometimes he doesn't.

monday- wake dragon up at 9am, feed salad at 12pm, play with him for an hour and let him run around throughout the day. turn off lights at 9pm

tuesday- wake up dragon 9am, feed salad at 12pm, play with him for an hour and let him run around throughout the day, feed him bugs around 5pm when my partner gets off of school. ( he won't eat bugs for me but won't eat salad for her), then bath time before lights off at 9pm

wednesday-wake up kaisei at 9am, feed salad at 12pm. playtime and bonding time at 5pm. lights off at 9pm

thursday wake up dragon 9am, feed salad at 12pm, bonding time at 5pm and feed bugs. bath time before bed time at 9pm

friday- wake up dragon 9am, feed salad at 12pm, bonding time around 5 and bed time 9pm

saturday, wake up dragon 9am, clean tank at 11am. feed salad at 12pm. bonding time around 5 and bed time around 9pm

i forgot to mention, i use a small broom and dustpan while he's in the bath to clean up old food.

he rarely poops outside his baths.

 

[Tehachopi]

For me, it's like taking in a toddler.

Best description of a dragon ever. I spend a typical day waking up sometimes as late as noon (I'm a night person) and start my day apologizing to my boy for getting up so late. Then I must hand feed him as he often lets the food escape for a "hunt" later. Unfortunately it isn't him who hunts them down...its me when I go to clean the palace. On bath days a bath can be at any time he will permit it and lasts as long as he permits. I know bath time is over when he starts swimming....then swims to my hand and digs his claws in as he climbs up my arm. He is then softly patted dry with a towel and placed in his basking spot and offered a few superworms to appease the tummy. Some days he enjoys sitting in the window and watching the outside world. Later he gets another handfed dinner (unless he decides it is time to hunt if I have crickets on hand) and lights go out when I notice he is getting sleepy. At bedtime I have a potential job. If he goes in the cave to sleep all is fine and I turn out the light. If he goes to his pillow I better tuck mr grumpy wumpus in or there will be hell to pay when I wake up late the next day. It is all worth it. I love my little boy. When I am sad he cuddles up to me and often falls asleep with me. On Wednesdays he joins my mom and I for Survivor night where we watch Survivor in the living room. He is the hit of the family yet quite the toddler but I wouldn't have it any other way.

 

[MyBilbo]

For me I wait until the right time, I used to work 8-8 and I knew I would not have time to care properly for any animal.

I know work shorter days and split shifts so I have much more time on my hands for reptile hobbies.

Bilbo came to me at 3 months old, Monday has always been big clean day, with spot cleans daily. I won't repeat what has already been said but in my experience, the older they get the less time is needed to do certain things like feeding, but you can make use of the time would have used feeding for other things like loving them unconditionally