Would you recommend a Bearded Dragon for a beginner?

[Dragonman555]

To someone who never owned a Reptile before in their life? I know Bearded Dragons are considered the best reptile pet for beginners but there are also sites that say Bearded Dragons should not be a beginner reptile because they need some proper care and they recommend a Leopard Gecko or a Crested Gecko for a beginner instead. Which one would you guys say are they a good beginner reptile or would you recommend a beginner get a Leopard Gecko instead? But lets be honest here if someone starts out with a Leopard Gecko wouldn't they get kind of boring after a while because from what I gathered Leopard Geckos don't like being handled as much as Beardies do and Leopard Geckos sleep during the day and are active when we go to bed making most people only able to play with their Leopard Gecko a little while before they go to bed. Unless the person sleeps during the day and stays up all night.

 

[Zeusmybeardie]

Read the care sheet on this site and see what u think about their care it's fairly easy once u get everything and u get used to the routine

 

[Spikey92]

I was used to having dogs,horses,cats,guinea pigs,bunnys pretty well everything but a reptile. Spikey is my/our first reptile. I really enjoy having her and it is actually not that difficult to care for them
. You definitely need some knowledge and you should gather some information before you buy him though.But everything about lighting,enclosure,food etc is pretty easy to learn,as long as you have the time to read care sheets,posts on this website etc.
We bought Spikey September 4th and we already love her more than anything and we are now absolutely in love with Beardies

 

[Brandonforty2]

Bearded dragons were my first pet and they are okay. Sadly pet smart and my friend taught me wrong about keeping them together. That was the only thing that seemed unimportant. Now I have to monitor them to make sure they don't fight and I am working as hard as I can to get another tank.
Don't put two in one tank.

 

[mudskipper]

Once you have all the items you need and the basic knowledge require, either isn't difficult. But a leopard gecko is easier. Leopard geckos don't need any lights, veggies, or baths. You won't see them very much, however. So if you prefer a more interactive reptile, a bearded dragon would be better even though it would require more maintenance.

 

[blue11]

Beardies are WONDERFUL reptiles ...
There are things you have to keep in mind, is that when you hear they are great "starter lizards" ...

Because for starters, you may never want to get another kind of reptile again! Teehee. :wink: Truth!!

And IF you start out with a very good set-up (proper lights, thermometers, tank, substrate, feeders, supplements) then, generally, it won't be an expensive or difficult journey for you or your dragon. The money you put into the GOOD set-up is going to save you sooooooo much money a few months into having your beardie, when you find out that everything is wrong. That's the kicker. When I got BlueBelle, everything was wrong. I had to spend so much more money into doing things the right way.
When I got Lexi, I knew what I needed to give her, so things were much smoother.
(Plus it helped I had some of BlueBelles extra supplies around )

I think there a few key things that people don't tell people about beardies. Most will brumate, and in many different ways, which pet stores dont really tell you that. So when it happens, it can really freak you out. Also females can lay eggs without mating, another thing pet stores dont tell you and it can really freak you out. Also, two beardies together can be deadly, and babies (which most sell) are adorable yes, but require alot of time and energy.
As far as everything else, they will tell you, but the majority of it is incorrect information. That's why you come here

On the whole, beardies are the bestest ever
They each have their very own personality, quirky ways, features, color, expressions, likes/dislikes, all that.
Learning information and reading posts on this site will help your beardie flourish.
They are truly fascinating little balls of awesomeness.

When people say they are "hardy lizards" ... what they mean is they are definitely tough little dudes and dudettes. They can handle alot, and i think that is where the whole "beginner" lizard idea comes in. The problem with that is, you want to go into with all the correct information so that they dont ever HAVE to try to handle bad or unhealthy situations. So the "hardy" label doesn't dismiss the importance, the vitalness of a great setup, healthy foods and feeders, frequent handling, solid substrate, proper equipment and a LOT of love.

There is a huge difference between a beardie just existing versus a beardie really living and thriving.
Sadly a lot if people jump into it without trying to learn about the right care, or fix their mistakes from bad advice (that was me, I had to redo everything the first time around) ....
suddenly the beardie doesn't flourish, so they lose interest, or get annoyed, frustrated, etc .... and that beardie just "exists" and will eventually deteriorate both physycally and mentally. i have a rescue, Lexi, whom did just that in her old home. its a very sad thing. With a ton of care, she is bouncing back each day, each month that passes.
Just existing with no care is no life at all for such smart and interactive reptiles. Or any animal for that matter. Or person. Or anything. Ya know?

If you are willing to put the time and care into a dragon, ambitious and excited about getting a beardie, amped about learning and researching, then YAY for you and what a lucky beardie you will have. You will both be lucky to have each other. And you get back what you put in times a million. Yay!!! I really hope you let us kow what you decide to do so we can all help and dote over your baby! Or adult! Whichever you decide to get! (They are all our babies anyhow )
-Em

 

[BIRD]

As a beginner myself, I can offer little experience but can certainly regurgitate a lot of info! Unfortunately, our first dragon "Banjo" expired a couple weeks after bringing it home. This was a tough experience (especially with kids) but taught me very valuable lessons. Research before purchase! You're a huge step ahead of me, as that's what you're doing now. We bought what we felt was the cutest little guy in the tank. He was very docile and didn't seem to "jump" around as much as the tank mates. I figured like a puppy, we wouldn't want a hyperactive pet, that was a mistake and I'm pretty sure in hindsight it wasn't healthy when we brought him home. So I learned what to look for when choosing a new family member. And more importantly, that "choosing" should only happen after properly setting up their environment. I violated one of my own personal rules...when endeavoring into a new hobby, a "starter kit" may be a more economically engineered option at first, but soon find myself replacing components due to inadequacy. In the long run, it's been my experience that spending a little more up front saves money (and heartbreak) down the road. While on the topic of $, I might add to be prepared for the feeding expense associated with the companionship of these amazing reptiles. Crickets are expensive at the pet store, so we buy 2000 at a time online. Still not cheap, but more affordable and convenient. So now enter the be prepared to house whatever live food you intend on curbing the verocious appetites these critters have. I have a pretty good system now, and unintentionally even have some breeding of the crickets which require me to separate sizes each week, but it has just become part of the routine. I might also warn you of the addictive nature of keeping a bearded dragon. I recently completed a custom enclosure for Sidney (I posted pics in the Vic pics only thread) and for 3 weeks I was obsessed with the design & build, postponing personal hygiene in lieu of providing our beloved with the best environment I could muster. This caused strain on my environment and I had to increase my basking time and uv exposure. But now Sidney taken up occupancy and my stress marks have diminished. Anyway, to sum it up, my personal experience has been:
1) Understand and provide the best environment you are capable of.
2) As with any pet, they require daily care and attention so be prepared for that dedication.
3) There are many resources available for bearded dragons, take advantage of as many as you can. I have several books I have read and still refer back to them regularly. This website is the most valuable resource I have encountered, as I can search a specific topic and immediately get pages of info. I have found conflicting info between some of these, in which case I go with consensus and common sense. I think individual beardies have different needs, likes/dislikes, preferences , etc so the more "booksmart" you become, and the more you understand YOUR dragons behavior, the easier it becomes to modify or react to keep them healthy.
4) ENJOY them! I could spend all day just watching them, they are truly unique creatures IMO. I keep a journal of "firsts" like the first time Sidney waved (last night was the first time he accepted a hand offering, green bean!).
I have had MANY pets over the years, and am completely won over with beardies. My 2 cents is that responsibility and devotion is more important than experience. Take your time preparing, and you won't be disappointed!

 

[bunnyrut]

i don't think any reptile is "easy".

Any animal requires a certain amount of care. i think it's up to you to research exactly what is required and decide if it is something you can handle.

if you decide that you can handle it, take into mind the costs of everything.

but i can tell you that they are worth every penny.

 

[cupcake0702]

Now that I know everything I do? No.

But was it worth it, yes.

It has been quite the learning experience and I am still learning every day.

 

[Dragonman555]

After reading all these posts makes me want to slap myself in the face a few years ago because I wanted an Iguana as my first time Lizard because Iguanas are very popular pets probably even more so than a Bearded Dragon and I see more baby Iguanas in pet stores than Bearded Dragons and they are alot more cheaper too. Baby Iguanas are like 30 bucks while Bearded Dragons are like over 100 dollars Its crazy how much cheaper a baby 6 ft long lizard in the pet store but more expensive than a Bearded Dragon in the long run because they need a very big environment.

 

[ReptileAddiction]

I would go for it they are a lot of fun. But when mine was a baby I would spend 50-75$ a month on food and random supplies and stuff. If you can not afford that a leopard gecko will be much much cheaper.

 

[Dragonman555]

I would go for it they are a lot of fun. But when mine was a baby I would spend 50-75$ a month on food and random supplies and stuff. If you can not afford that a leopard gecko will be much much cheaper.

How about if you buy an already adult Bearded Dragon would that be cheaper because they mainly eat veggies and less protein?

 

[Brandonforty2]

You would still have to buy crickets but it would eat less. You would still feed it veggies. You can also buy your crickets in bulk online for around half the price than pet smart.

 

[casaquwa]

Beardies vs. Blue tongue skink

I own them both so I know what it's like to care for them and what they need exactly. If you're looking for a really good beginner reptile, I would honestly suggest a bts. They are super easy to care for, eat almost everything (but are considered picky eaters, and some eat things others do not like), and have an amazing personality. They are harder to find (pet store wise) and cost a bit of money. I feel like they are easier to hold because they do not feel as fragile as beardies do.

I love them both, but I would suggest a bts to a beginner. HOWEVER, a beardie would make a good pet too for a beginner.

The only thing I have against them is when I hold them they feel fragile, some of them can be a little jumpy and they can dart out of no where.

They both have their ups and downs. It's hard to say that one is 'better' than the other.
Its like a cat vs. dog kind of argument and it all comes down to what you like

 

[bunnyrut]

Its like a cat vs. dog kind of argument and it all comes down to what you like

that's a good point.

i just fell in love with the bearded dragons because of the way they were looking at me. i had no idea how much personality they have!

i think any reptile is more work than anything with fur. they require so much attention.

with a cat you can just put down the litter pan, some food and water, and pet them when they decide you can touch them. and you can get their food at most stores.

with reptiles there is so much research on what they can and can't eat. one site says this is ok, another says it's bad. they really LOVE this thing, but it's hard to find.
they are acting funny, are they sick? there is only one herp vet nearby - and that's over an hour's drive! why can't the vet right next door look at him/her?!?

i had an iguana years ago. he was a lot of work and i loved him. he was 'eh' about me, lol. he was MUCH easier to care for, but got so big! but he was not as curious as a beardie.

i've heard good things about uromastyx. they are more vegetarians but eat meaty things once in a while. plus they look adorable with their big cheeks. (i would like to get one eventually). but i am unsure how their personalities are in comparison to beardies.

i always recommend going to a reptile show. you can see all the different kinds of lizards and ask breeders questions (ask different breeders the same questions just so you can figure out who is telling you whatever just to sell you the lizard). you can usually pick out the people who really care about their lizards.
and there are lizards of all sizes and ages. having a smart phone on you to research the actual costs of care would help too. some lizards are cheaper but cost so much more in husbandry (for example, a basilisk. i want one but the viv size will take up an entire wall, plus you have to make it like a forest inside).

if you do go with a bearded dragon i suggest the age of 2 months and up. the tiny babies are really fragile.