Archive for March, 2010

A Bearded Dragon pet makes a great addition to the family but like any pet, taking care of them can’t be taken lightly. It’s a responsibility. When you get any kind of new pet, keep in mind they always take more of your time than you might first realize. While Beardies are not demanding pets, you will have to keep a close eye on them to make sure they’re both healthy and happy. You can’t simply put them in a cage and expect them to thrive.

Although a Bearded Dragon pet isn’t a high maintenance pet in that they don’t have costly shots or frequent vet visits like dogs and cats do, paying for their feed is an expenditure that shocks most new owners. Since you can’t feed Beardies insects that you capture yourself, you’ll need to buy them. Buying insects is one of the main costs of having a Beardie. These lizards have to be fed every day. It’s not like having a dog where you can leave one of those automatic feeders and leave the pet door open. Someone has to not only be there to feed them but to check the cage conditions as well.

Before getting a Bearded Dragon pet consider who or what will be affected by the presence of the lizard. Toddlers don’t always understand the meaning of leaving things alone. By tapping on the cage or poking their fingers in, they can stress the lizard. Other pets might not appreciate the introduction of the Beardie into their territory and might be hostile toward the Beardie.

Looking through all the Bearded Dragon cages for sale can give anyone a headache. The choices seem endless. Does it really matter which one you get? Can’t you just pick one and take it home? No, because not all cages are the best habitat for your sweet little pet. Many people assume that Beardies aren’t tree climbers but they are. They do enjoy running along the ground but like higher perches too. The problem isn’t when they climb, it’s when they land. A wrong fall can injure your Beardie so take care that you don’t give him a perch that’s too tall for him.

What you should remember when you’re searching through the selection of Bearded Dragon cages is to go for one that gives your pet more horizontal room than vertical. This is vitally important if you’re bringing home an adult Beardie. You’re going to need a cage that’s large enough to give your Beardie a basking area and then an area where he can go to get away from the warmth and cool off.

Does this mean that all Bearded Dragon cages should be longer rather than taller? No, when you have little juvenile Beardies, it’s perfectly acceptable to keep them together and you can use a taller cage for that if you’d like to. Just understand that if you get a small cage, when your little Beardie grows, the cage will need to grow too. The type of cages you can get are ready made, four sided glass, custom built ones or you can even make your own if you’re good at building things.

A Bearded Dragon vivarium will need all the comforts your Beardie is used to having. Even though Beardies are exotic lizards, they adapt very well to captivity and are gentle pets which is one of the reasons they’re so popular. They’re not hard to care for as long as you provide a decent place for them to live.

Decent in Bearded Dragon vivarium terms means that you’ll have to know exactly how much living area he needs in his enclosure, what the temperature should be and how often he should be fed. Make sure when you’re setting up his new home that you don’t put the cage in front of direct sunlight. Without meaning to, you’ll raise the temperature to levels he can’t tolerate. You’ll also need to keep it out of a chill-so don’t put it front of an open window in the winter months and don’t sit it in front of an air conditioning unit or a fan.

Even though having a new pet is exciting and it might be tempting to make your Bearded Dragon vivarium the center of attention, your Beardie will need a way to feel secure in the event he feels threatened. You might know that when your dog runs into the room he won’t hurt the enclosure or the Beardie, but your new little lizard won’t know that. If he wants to hide and can’t, it can wreak havoc with his system. Having the right home for your Beardie can make the difference in a successful exotic pet experience and one that leaves both of you stressed.

Bearded Dragon lizards or Beardies as they’re known in the reptile world are quiet creatures of both beauty and gentleness. You’ll discover that many Beardie owners have kept these exotic pets around for years. They’re popular for their skin color, their unusual shape when they extend the spines around their head which gives them the term ‘bearded’ in their name and they’re popular for their ability to breed well even when in captivity. It’s not difficult to share a bond with a Beardie and learning the ways they communicate can show you what your Beardie is experiencing. For example, when a Beardie flicks his tongue, it can mean that he’s checking out his environment.

Many amateurs don’t realize that Bearded Dragon lizards make a good pet and that they can spend some time out of their cage-both inside the home and outdoors. They enjoy being in the yard and it’s safe to allow them out as long as you watch them closely. You don’t want them to eat anything while on their walk and you’ll want to use a specially designed leash created for reptiles like the Beardie.

As with a cat or dog, keeping Bearded Dragon lizards isn’t for everyone. While you don’t have to constantly babysit them every minute of the day, they need to be watched to ensure they’re thriving. Before you get one, ask yourself if you’d have the time to take care of a new puppy. If you don’t, then a Beardie’s not for you because they do need a certain amount of your time.

As with most animal species, the Bearded Dragon female is considered to be more gentle than the male Beardie. Her growth span doesn’t reach the bulk that the males acquire and she’s not as prone to protect her space but keep in mind any lizard when feeling threatened will defend itself. When it comes to the females in this exotic lizard family, don’t make assumptions that what applies to one female applies to all because there are always Beardies who will defy the normal standard.

The Bearded Dragon female is desired by breeders for her egg laying ability. A female can produce eggs even if a breeding situation has not occurred. For the most part, these eggs are not fertile eggs and no new baby Beardies will show up on the scene. There are two common signs that a female is ready to lay eggs- when she exhibits digging behavior and when she may not desire to eat anything. While the not eating is a sign she’s ready to lay eggs, if the Beardie is acting lethargic or has trouble going to the bathroom, there could be a problem with the eggs.

One of the issues you have to be on the alert for with a Bearded Dragon female is a condition known as egg binding. There are different reasons that cause egg binding-among them is a diet that’s not the best for her and an environment that’s not suitable for a Beardie. If you notice your Beardie is off her feed, is continually digging yet producing no eggs, you’ll need to take her to the vet.