Considering becoming a new owner...

[Avarice]

I'm the proud owner of 2 torts and 3 turtles... every time I go to Petco or Pet Smart to buy filters or new bulbs ... I linger around the reptiles they have for display. Out of the snakes or spiders... the one animal that truly gets my attention the most are lizards....to be more specific bearded dragons.

I've never owned one before, so I guess if all goes well, it will be my first lizard.. but I really would love on.
I've been on some sites, reading up on appropriate lighting and vivarium and I must say I am really liking the idea of owning a beardie.

For the more experienced members here, is a bearded dragon a good choice for a newbie?
What should I expect as a new owner?

 

[Aleena]

I'm glad you enjoy bearded dragons! We love them too! Although a Bearded Dragon is considered a beginner lizard, it does take some serious care. You need the proper uvb lighting and heat lamps for the dragon to digest properly and grow, avoiding some serious illnesses. You would need to make sure you had something tall enough for your BD to bask on under the lights, and have a large enough viv (a 40gal breeder tank works good, being the smallest you should go for a BD), have a digital thermometer with a probe and make sure you bathe it and clean its enclosure thoroughly once a week while spot cleaning when they make a mess the rest of the time. There are some great links to check out, here's something to get you started:
Basic BD Care Sheet - A Place To Start

Bearded Dragon --- Exclusive Care Info Library

Beautiful Dragons Nutrition List

 

[Chris Baez Jr.]

Hi, welcome to BDF. Well, you've done some research, that is great. When you get ready to start with lizards, go Bearded Dragons, you can't go wrong. I'm new to Bearded Dragons myself, but I'm glad this was my first lizard, they are the best.

 

[Avarice]

@ Aleena
Thank you very much for the links. I am still reading them, but what i've read so far has really helped.
One question though... since I will most likely get a baby... do I really need a 40 gallon tank? Would 20 gallons be sufficient space for a baby beardie?
For lighting... would a Mercury Vapor Bulb be a good choice?

@ Chris Baez Jr. ,
Many thanks for the warm welcome.
I've been browsing thru the threads on here.. seeing pictures and looking up videos. I really want one. I do hope im a suitable owner though...

One thing I've been wondering..
Are there different species of bearded dragons.. or are they the same but in different colors?

 

[Aleena]

You can put a baby in a 20 Long until it starts getting bigger, but it's amazing how quick they grow! Most people prefer to skip that step, but you're welcome to.

There are a few different breeds, but the color variations are not considered different breeds. My leatherback is a different breed of bd.

This link will be helpful, I think!

Morphs as I understand them.

 

[Avarice]

Ahh many thanks for the link! It cleared some things up...

Could you help me identify this beardie?
I saw one the very same color at a pet store, this beardie more than anything else got me really interested in them. If possible.. i'd like it to be my first beardie ^^

Not actual size mind you.. I found this picture on the internet.. but it was same color (im 99% sure) but was much smaller.

 

[Aleena]

Normal breed of BD. Can't see the nails very well or the spots on the shoulders to tell if it's hypo or not. If the nails are clear then it would be hypo.

 

[Avarice]

Thank you very much.
I hope I can pick on up at the Reptile EXPO this weekend ^^

I know there are many things to consider when owning a Beardie.. is there anything I should try and pick up the the EXPO?

 

[Germ]

A few more things to add to the already great info that you have received.

You should have everything set up & your temps stable, prior to acquiring your new BD, so it is ready to bring it home to. To start out with, the K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Stupid) method is best, the enclosure should be uncluttered, with only the basics, so as to make hunting for Live Prey easy, with as few hiding spots as possible for feeders & the young BD. A clear\white heat bulb & UVB bulb 10.0 (10%), both covering a basking spot at the right temp in the vicinity of 110F with a heat gradient to 80-85F at the coolest floor area of the enclosure (Measured at the right spots with accurate thermometers as already earlier mentioned & shown in one of the links), non-particle substrate, a rock to work as an emery board as it crawls on it to help keep it's nails\claws in check, a misting bottle, small (Gutloaded) crickets, greens & a low sided food dish (A jar lid works well to start out), an electronic timer to keep it's Day\Night schedule consistent (Have found 12 On - 12 Off to work the best) is really all it needs. This will help to make the acclimation & transition as stress free as possible. For the first week to 10 days, it is best to keep handling minimal & to maintenance only, also for this reason.

Hard to tell from a Pic, but the Dragon in the picture you provided, appears like it could very well be a Marketed Leucistic as shown in the last post of the thread that Aleena provided to you, but a true one is highly unlikely to be found in a pet store.

Another link that you may find helpful ...

Is Bearded Dragon Co-habitation a good plan?

Good Luck & Good Hunting for that perfect new addition to your family ...

 

[Noella]

Welcome to BDF. Everyone's so helpful and I've learned a lot from Germ, Aleena, and Mungi. They're really nice and blunt to the point. With their advice and know how, Allie's thrived combined with my loving care and making her a part of my wacky family was a great idea. She's captured our hearts and showed us how happy she really is.

 

[Mungi's Buddha]

Welcome to the BDF Family, Avarice It's a very exciting thing indeed getting your first dragon and I am thrilled that you are doing your research beforehand...also happy to see that you are already studying the info in the links that both Germ and Aleena have provided for you..there is a wealth of info in them that will help you and your dragon enjoy a long and healthy adventure together and a whole host of experienced, enthusiastic and passionate folks in the BDF Community at your disposal and eager to help too!
I will tell you that I can't stress enough Germ's point in that you should get everything set up and adjusted BEFORE you bring your new dragon home... It will make that homecoming much less stressful on you and your new baby. Those first couple of weeks when your dragon is trying and needing to acclimate are some of the toughest and any way you can reduce stress will only mean a faster and smoother acclimation for your baby;-)
Also remember that no questions you could ask are silly so don't be shy ever about asking...better to ask and get the right answer than to guess ALWAYS! Am looking forward to hearing more from you and for those first of many update pics of your new dragon that I am sure will come

Enjoy Your Day!

 

[Josh]

Welcome to BDF! You're asking all the right questions. It's encouraging to see you out and getting the proper info and advice. Don't forget to keep us updated with your beardie when you get him. We LOVE photos!

 

[Cate Black]

Don't let someone else care for your beardie unless they are experianced!
Don't house a baby beardie with a grown up one! It WILL eat the baby!
Don't house them together at all, actually. Unless its two girls and youre lucky!!
I found these lessons out the hard way. ;__;

 

[Avarice]

@ Germ
Whoa, at first it seems like a lot, but I see everything is necessary and will help make the beardie feel like home ^^.
Could you give me an example for lighting, like which bulbs/set up you're using. That would help out tremendously....
Since I will most likely keep the beardie in my room and I live in california, it never gets cold at night. Is it an absolute necessity to keep the lights on at night as i sleep? I know when I'm out during the day/school, I will keep the lights on.... Oh and since it's pretty warm here in california, could I perhaps take out the beardie to walk around in my backyard? Supervised of course.
After reading the co-habitation thread... I will not make that mistake. Poor little guys :/

@ Noella
That is exactly what I am looking for. A new addition to my family, a new companion that I can give it as much love as I give my other animals ^^. I hope I can make my beardie happy...

@ Mungi's Buddha
Many thanks mate. I feel very welcomed... this is truly a great community. I have many questions, but reading the helpful links and other various threads on the internet, a lot of them are being answered . As soon as I find the right little guy(or girl) I will post on here as soon as I get home . I really cannot wait hehe

@ Josh
Thanks mate! Will do .


@ Cate Black
I will be the only one handling my beardie.. I'l feed him, clean his house etc.
No worries, I only plan on getting one.. a baby if possible and watch him/her grow up...
I read the co-habitation and what I read... I won't make that mistake ^^


Here is one question that I might be scolded at... but
At the moment I have no set up, no tank or lighting for a beardie. I was planning on going to the Anaheim EXPO this weekend and buying an entire set-up and a beardie there. It will be my first EXPO so I don't know what they'l have but many people have told me that it will have many amazing things for sale. A lot of venders have tank set ups and everything.
Am I doing something wrong? Should I buy my set up at the expo and then buy a beardie or could I possibly buy both at the same time ?

 

[Noella]

I've always heard that you should buy the set up first and foremost. Here's how I started off: When I first got Allie, the poor baby was in a cracked chameleon 15 gallon tank, wood shavings, and a huge water bowl smack dab right in the middle of the tank. She had one heat lamp, no UVB, no vitamins, and I was told to feed only 15 crickets. When I asked what kind of greens she ate or veg she liked, they told me I should research her needs instead of asking them. Nice people, aren't they? Well, I jumped in with both feet and immediately got a new light, plants, basking rock, drift wood.The poor baby was so stressed, it wasn't funny because I had to jump her from a 10, 20, now a 55 gallon critter tank that's now her home. Her permanent home. The thing I learned from this experience is to follow your own intuition and instincts. I followed my instincts when I realized that Allie wasn't normal. She wouldn't bask (before anyone yells, it was because Allie had two previous owners before me. I don't know how many owners she jumped from, so she was always trying to vie for my attention-all the time and to the point where I had to spend time keeping her warm because she wouldn't bask.) Her new UVB bulb was even more stressful and she hid from it. She didn't spend enough time under the UVB while she was sick and I reduced her UVB bulb time during meds for at least 4 hours on and 4 hours off until she could tolerate 10 hours. It was a long process of getting her well again and I nursed her back to full health.

Now, Allie's a healthy girl full of life and energy. She's not the same beardie I first met. Happy, soulful eyes always looking at you, and a huge gigawatt smile on her beautiful face! And she's growing! She was 12-13 inches when I got her. Now she's 19 inches and still growing. Her whole body's shed three times since I've got her.

 

[Germ]

Apparently you are not fully understanding what you are reading. BDs do not need or want night lights. The list that I mentioned earlier is not just to make it feel at home, but necessary for it's health & wellbeing.

Example of a Basic Setup: Showing the recommended Basic requirements, proper Temperatures & the points at which they should be measured from, in Red & the optional choices that are actually used in this particular example enclosure, in Black.​

​

Read more: http://www.beardeddragonforum.com/index.php?threads/basic-bd-care-sheet-a-place-to-start.5177/#ixzz26IzqBhIM​

This type of fixture works well with the bulb replaced & the plastic cover discarded, for a tube type UVB mounted with Hot Glue inside the enclosure so none of the UVB is blocked by the screen ...
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0..._m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0KVK8XGDAGKS4493GQVP

Compact & Linear Tube Fluorescent repti-sun 10.0

For heat I use ordinary Halogen Flood bulbs. But any white\clear bulb will work of sufficient wattage to provide the proper temps will work. I also forgot to mention that it will need Calcium & a Multi-vitamin supplement.

You should have every thing set up, lighting, temps right & stable, before you acquire your BD.

 

[Scottio]

I became a first owner along with my girlfriend with Charizard during September. After getting the viv set up, temperatures all sorted we were on the off. The first few nights were awful! I genuinely had nightmares about him being too cold and other ridiculous antics.

I'm expecting you're going to be getting a baby dragon?

The first thing I was told was make sure your viv is big enough! Don't get a 2/3ft only to get a year down the line and have to up it to a 4ftx2x2. Just not a good way of managing money. He might look a little lost at first but give it 6 weeks down the line and he'll be all over it!

Make sure your new beardie is not missing any toes or parts of the tail and their eyes are clear and bright!

Have fun!

Substrate. Such a highly discussed topic throughout every bearded dragon forum. Currently, and since we got him we have kitchen lino on the viv. This is ideal for cleaning and works really well, wipes down and doesnt look as 'tacky' as towel/newspaper.