Where do you get your beardies from?

[abbyxelizabeth]

Just curious, but where do you guys get your beardies from? If online, what website? If a store, which store?

 

[Marshamello]

We got our first one from Petco, he died after about 5 weeks. Our second one, who we have had now for just over a month, we got from LLL Reptile and had him shipped from Southern California to us in Northern California. We're very happy with him and he's doing great.

 

[DixieLonestar20x]

If you are looking for one try to look for a local breeder or someone local that is knowledgable and can help you out. I bought one of mine from PetSmart and have had him for a couple years now with never any issues. Just know what to look for in a healthy baby dragon if you buy one from a store.

If you are looking online, I really like Back Water Reptiles (www.backwaterreptiles.com) I have had great success with them. Have not ordered a beardie through them, but I have ordered 2 snakes from them that showed up great (hungry of course) but also ordered feeders from them and have had a good experience with that as well.

 

[zandi202]

All three of my beardies and all three of my leopard geckos are Petco babies.

 

[dociledragons]

I'm surprised how many people get there dragons from petco/pet smart.

For myself, I have always ordered them from breeders online or an expo at times.

 

[lexus465]

I got mine from petco, never had any problems. I think it's good that people who have bought their dragons from pet stores are coming here and getting good care information, myself included.

 

[UltimateShelly]

I got mine from a local breeder in town, he makes sure all of them get the best care.

You ask him what you want, put a deposit down, and he'll get it for you.

 

[Missi]

We got Jim from a breeder at a repticon show .
We did look at petco first to get an idea about baby beardies but they did not look healthy and very very tiny(3-4in) . At the show we got Jim who was much bigger ( 8in) , well established with eating and used to baths . Plus the ability to call the breeder with any questions we had . Not to mention it was the same price at petco as from the show.

 

[Lulu6603]

I got my first beardie at the Dallas Repticon. She is a beautiful leatherback. My second is from the DFW craigslist. He is a red silkie originally from Lllreptiles. They are both doing great.

 

[bunnyrut]

Mr Dargon is from Petsmart. we got 2 of them together. one died.

Tasty Treat is from a reptile Expo. got her from Just Lizards. she didn't cost too much more than the pet store, and she was super healthy.

 

[Siren]

I got my first bearded dragon from a mom/pop pet shop I worked for. She was beautiful and healthy. I got one beardie from Petco. 2 other beardies from a local online who needed to rehome them, originally they were Petco dragons. My two newest ones, one I got from a local breeder, but they aren't breeding anymore. Had a few clutches and too much work for them. The other newbie is from Petsmart, where I work. Normally I wouldn't anymore. I am more for direct from breeders these years, but she came in as a "fancy bearded dragon", 50% off, plus my 15% employee discount....and she was a striking red leatherback. I couldn't pass her by. Never had another dragon like her before or since at our Petsmart.

Though I usually recommend breeders over pet stores, you can get very lucky sometimes. And like said before, it is good to see people who buy from pet stores come here for more info. And you can have a bad experience from breeders and dealers too. I had a very terrible experience with Veiled Chameleon that didn't get resolved till they got a call from Judge Judy producers after I contacted them.

 

[dociledragons]

I had a very terrible experience with Veiled Chameleon that didn't get resolved till they got a call from Judge Judy producers after I contacted them.

Interesting Can you elaborate on this.

 

[babyheartthrob]

I got Draco 1 (RIP) from one Petsmart, Draco 2, Tonks and Padfoot all came from a different Petsmart from Draco 1, Miney (RIP) and Albus came from Hurricane Dragons, Hagrid is from Designs by Reptiles, Remus is from Show Me Dragons, Cedric was originally from Rocknair Dragons, but I got him from Dramatic Dragonz and Harry is from Dramatic Dragonz.

Hurricane Dragons, Designs by Reptiles and Dramatic Dragonz (http://www.dramaticdragonz.com) are all local Breeders in Louisiana and Show Me Dragons (http://www.showmedragons.com) is in Missouri.

All of my babies from the breeders are/were very healthy. I lost Miney due to egg binding in September. Hagrid was a runt that I "saved" with a $15 adoption fee. And I adopted Albus from a family locally that couldn't keep him.
Draco 2 and Padfoot are both very healthy, poor Tonks isn't so fortunate, he was apparently returned to the Petsmart that I got him from after not being taken care of properly. By the time I got him he was in the beginning stages of MBD, but he's getting better and even though he is really small (15.25 inches at over a year old) he is my little fighter 8).

Sabrina

 

[disturb3d0n3]

I got my Iguana from a small pet store from a mall almost 10 years ago.

All my other reptiles I got from breeders. I considered Petco for a beardie however when I looked at the condition they were in I knew that was only going to be a nightmare. Plus my friend bought two from petco and both died. They always seem to have them overcrowded, on sand and feeding mealworms :/

Good breeders tend to treat them like their children and give them the best care they can until they leave. I find that most pet stores treat reptiles like product rather than a living animal. I will always recommend expos/breeders over the pet stores any day.

 

[Siren]

I had a very terrible experience with Veiled Chameleon that didn't get resolved till they got a call from Judge Judy producers after I contacted them.

Interesting Can you elaborate on this.

I ordered a blood python for my fiance as a gift. UPS showed it as delivered but it didn't arrive. I spent all day emailing Veiled Chameleon back and forth and calling UPS. Finally found out the package was left at the wrong house. When we went to the home, the elderly couple had no idea what was in it. Veiled Chameleon wrote the wrong address. When I checked all my information, I had given them the correct address, but the address label was hand written, wrong, and barely legible anyways as it was smeared. Thankfully the box was not left outside in the Florida heat for long. When I took out the snake, she was very dehydrated, skinny, lethargic. Had her for less than 2 weeks, she refused all food, refused to drink. When I checked the picture I was shown to her actual markings, they were not the same snake. I kept in contact the entire time with them but as she failed in health more and more, their replies were more sporadic. When she died, their replies stopped all together. I kept calling them over and over again. Emailing them over and over again. I stalked them online honestly. When I saw them post on kingsnake, I posted on there about my experience and only then did his wife contact me and she did tell me...in writing...the snake was sick and never should have been shipped. Told me she would talk to her husband about it. They refused to give us a refund. I had enough and told them I would see them in court. I started working on the court documents and contacted Judge Judy, not thinking anything of it, got a call back from the producers. Gave them copies of all I had and they called him asking if he would go on the show to defend himself. They had to leave a message (as always) The next day, my fiance tricked him. Called and left a messaging saying he was interested in buying a chameleon he saw on his website, to please call him to discuss it. He took the bait and called, my fiance told him "Are you ready to fix this problem with the snake or do you want to waste our time and yours with court when you know we will win because we have a written admission by your wife the snake was sick?" We finally resolved the issue. I got Judge Judy's dogs off their backs lol