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.