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considering getting a BD

thorn

Hatchling Dragon
Messages
120
Hello all I am considering getting a BD and I have read everything on a few other sites. I was just wondering how long can they spend out side of their tank before it gets unhealthy. If i want to pick him/her up and hold and pet them how long is to long? I have been told that they love attention if you raise them right.
 

Chris Baez Jr.

Juvenile Dragon
Messages
317
Location
Lakeland, FL.
Good question, they do love to be held, and they like to play. But I'm new at this myself, so we'll wait for the experts to give us an answer.

Get one, you won't regret it. I didn't even like them 'till there was one literally in my house. It's been just over a week and I still feel like a kid on Christmas day.
 

thorn

Hatchling Dragon
Messages
120
The only reason why I'm just considering it is because I just got a jackson cham like 3 weeks ago and he takes so much dam care right now. I was woe fully unprepared for what i was getting into with a cham even tho i did like 2 weeks worth of research online. I know a person who rescues reptiles and I'm considering "trading" my jackson for an adult male BD that some one gave to her as a rescue. She says its as friendly as a puppy dog.
 

Asia Lorraine

Hatchling Dragon
Messages
47
Location
Texas
Only you can answer the question on if you should get a beardie or not however my beardie Otto is my first reptile to ever own and its not that his care is easy but from what I read on reptiles beardies are good for beginners and Jacksons are more for experienced people. I agree with Chris though. Once the more experienced guys get on you might find the answer you need.
 

thorn

Hatchling Dragon
Messages
120
Jacksons are more for experienced people. I agree with Chris though. Once the more experienced guys get on you might find the answer you need.
ya i have owned other pets in the past that were for "advanced" owners that were very easy for me to take care of so i kinda figured out the hard way thats not true for chams. From talking to some friends that own BD's they say by comparison BD's are easy to take care of next to chams. I do know that I want a BD the only thing I'm really considering right now is if I should give up my jackson for one. I'm just afraid I will hurt him on accident because they are such picky little guys
 

Germ

Bearded Dragon Veteran
3 Year Member
1,000+ Post Club
Messages
4,493
Location
North America
To start with, BDs don't really 'Love' to be held etc, although most do tolerate it quite well, the majority would be just as well left to themselves. Many will tell you, oh mine scratches at the glass when it wants me to hold him & give him some Lovin. Oh, when I try to put it back in the enclosure, it tries to climb back up my arm to be with me. They are a caged animal that want their freedom & have a difficult time understanding the concept of glass. Many try to humanize their actions & read whatever they want into them, because it makes them feel better, motherly or a good parent. These are not a cat or a dog & should not be treated as such, if you want a cuddly pet, get a furry one.

We go to great lengths to provide the proper environment for them, give them the proper temps, UVB to replace what they are missing from the Sun in captivity, etc, so they will live a long & healthy life. But all this effort is wasted if they are not in their enclosure for extended periods of time to take advantage of it & is detrimental to their health. Short outings of 30-45 minutes or so once or twice a day are okay. You will find that any longer than that & they will try to wander off to find a quiet place or just lay with you & sleep, but they would be much better off in their proper environment. People often mistake what they like to believe is cuddling when their BD snuggles in close to an area where the skin is exposed like the shoulder or neck, in reality, they are trying to find the warmest spot they can which generally is your Body or into a warm blanket. If they crawl into a room temp blanket they are really trying to hide, because it is not going there for heat. They are not like us, where when we cover up with a blanket, our body heat warms up the space under the blanket & keeps us warmer. Reptiles are Cold Blooded, no body heat to do this with, so that is not why they do it.
 

thorn

Hatchling Dragon
Messages
120
Sounds like the kind of pet I'm looking for. I want something I can pet and have interactions with for like an hour to 2 hours a day and not freak out when I'm not in the room every second of the day or not freak out if I just want to read a book instead of touching it. That's all my cat did every second of the day. If I was not touching him he just cried and cried and cried until I did. Thanks for the info Germ.
 

Chris Baez Jr.

Juvenile Dragon
Messages
317
Location
Lakeland, FL.
I have as fenced yard, so my dogs go outside whenever I'm going to handle the BD. Though my three dogs are old and tired, they would not chase anything if it ran over them. All they do is sleep and eat. I'm going to have to put the poodle to sleep soon though. He is 14 yo and is going blind pretty fast.

I think BDs are the kind of pet that once you have one, you will always have at least one. Some of the members here at the forum have more than one, and some breed them. If I ever get a second one, I'd like to get it from one of the members here.

@thorn, I like reading too. I love quiet time. I have the BD housing on a table in my room, so I can watch her and read too.
 

thorn

Hatchling Dragon
Messages
120
The only other problem I can think of with me getting a BD is I don't know where I'm going to put the tank. I new. A 40 gallon breeder tank is pretty dang long.
 

Germ

Bearded Dragon Veteran
3 Year Member
1,000+ Post Club
Messages
4,493
Location
North America
A 40 gal breeder is only 3 feet long. A regular 40 gal is 4 feet long, but there is more floor space in the 40 gal 'Breeder' version, even more than a 55 gal tank.
 

thorn

Hatchling Dragon
Messages
120
That's not as bad as I thought. I must have been looking at a bigger tank just put in the wrong place at the store yesterday
 
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