Bearded Dragons

[MountainStorm]

I talked to my 8 year old daughter about Bearded Dragons and she is keen to raise one. Any idea on what it would cost to get started? How much are these critters? What does a vivarium run? I think it's one of the coolest looking lizards I've seen and from what I've read probably the easiest to keep healthy.

 

[Alamo71]

Well I bought 2 at my local Pet Smart 68 bucks a piece for the leatherbacks they also had some called fancy faced for like 80 a piece. I bought a 50 gallon tank which came with a basking lamp an hear lamp an a few more odds and ends for 279.00 then other items for the tank a hammick basking log this an that for a total of about 600 but that's for 2 an a bigger tank I would think for 1 agood size tank an what not a couple hundred maybe more should get u a nice setup. It's like anything else there are tons of stuff to buy for them it all adds up
We have had ours about a week an so far it's been good I have the lights on a timer when they shut off they go to sleep my kids wake up an before school feed them about a dozen crickets an when they come home from school they feed them a dozen they get them out an handle them like any other pet.


Sent from the SWAMP

 

[MountainStorm]

Thanks for the info!

 

[vonclod]

I had a leopard gecko for about 14yrs. Cool lizard. Never liked my dad though, haha. A bearded dragon would've been cool, too

I assume they just eat crickets?

They will eat fruits & veggies, crickets, mealworms, king mealworms..my friends dragon loves sliced strawberrys.
I have 4 tarantula's and a Japanese tree frog my bud recued from a shipping container right now..oh and one fat/cool cat.

 

[NorCal 2500HD]

What eddie said ......100% true.

They like water too.......luke warm in the bath tub......

 

[Sarra]

Urban Legend about mealworms eating their way out....simply doesn't happen.

The girl at the pet store is incorrect about Mealworms....Wax Worms are the treat, as they are very fatty....

Ron Tremper is among the biggest reptile breeders in the world, he feeds his geckos mealworms...

The other advantage of meal worms, you can keep them in a fridge and they go dormant....

There is tons of articles and such on the net about diet for lizards.

Gut loading whatever you are feeding them is a must....



Later EddieO

I kind of figured, but when you have a $700 gecko, you don't really want to take chances. :roll:

Then again, that gecko ate pinkies and fuzzies, more than anything else.

 

[TexasSP]

Crickets are cheapest online if you don't want to breed. Shipped to your house by the thousands. Bearded Dragons when adult sized will eat pinkie and fuzzy mice too.

I am with Eddie, mealworms are great as they go dormant when cold and don't make noise and mess like crickets. Any bug you feed should be gut loaded or dusted with calcium powder prior to feeding period. Several companies make the feeding gel for crickets which serve as a water source and food source in one. Makes for less drowned crickets.

I used to order from these guys:

http://www.rainbowmealworms.net/

 

[Alamo71]

Thanks for all the good info


Sent from the SWAMP

 

[Alamo71]

Well one of these little guys is shedding his skin pretty dam cool just like a snake I noticed the past couple days him not eating as well as the other an done some research an it's because he is shedding he did eat about 8 crickets this am so I guess he is good now these little guys are freaking COOL!!!!!


Sent from the SWAMP

 

[EddieO]

Less eating is normal during shedding....they get a bit stressed. That's when treat type food helps....Wax worms, Horned Worms (most lizards go nuts for these) Silkworms, or even Superworms are a nice treat for them.

Horned Worms are a wild thing to just watch....they grow at a very quick rate, where they are too big for most geckos, but Bearded Dragons have no problem with them.

Later EddieO