The most popular question among the potential owners of bearded dragons is “Are they good pets?”, “Is it worth it?” and the definite answer is Yes. Many potential owners have these questions is because this animal is not so popular among many households as are cats or dogs. There is, therefore, a need to know more and be sure before making this important decision of having a bearded dragon for a pet. This article will give you various reasons as to why keeping a bearded dragon as a pet is worth it.
The caring of Bearded Dragons is Simple
The bearded dragons are easy to take care of and this is one of the reasons why it is a good choice for a pet for both children and busy adults. Once you provide the required environment for these reptiles such as the right temperatures and lighting conditions, the process will be easy and they will thrive easily. According to their size, an adult will need an enclosure such as a 55-gallon tank that has a secure screen top. The baby and juveniles can be kept in a smaller enclosure but as they grow, they can be moved to the bigger one so that they will have enough space to relax.
You must provide your bearded dragon with a proper diet and plenty of clean water. they enjoy a diet that consists of plenty of insects, fruits, and vegetables and the process of finding these foods is so easy since they are available. To add to the availability of these foods they are also very affordable. It is also easy to keep the habitat of your bearded dragon clean. All you need is to take a few minutes to clean all the unwanted food, provide clean water and clean all the droppings every day. The tank they are living in also should be cleaned thoroughly every week and this will keep the dragon healthy and stress-free. This whole exercise of cleaning is not hard when you compare it with other pets and how they are taken care of.
They are Peaceful and Calm
Another reason why bearded dragons are good and loved by most people is that they are calm and peaceful. They have a behavior of being passive and with time they become calmer with age. Most of the pet reptiles do not enjoy the company of human beings but the bearded dragons, enjoy being around people and this is good for a pet. Imagine having a pet that you are not connected to, that would be a boring experience indeed.
During your free time, you can get the dragon out of its enclosure and allow it to roam freely In your house under your supervision. You can also get it out in the compound and let the pet enjoy the environment as you watch it. These pets can sometimes be aggressive and bite when they are scared or feel threatened, but when you handle them gently, they will have no problem. Whenever they bite some owners are so scared and surprised but they do not hurt.
Their lifespan is long
Another reason why it is important to have a beardie as your pet is due to the longevity of their lives. When you pick a small dragon that is maybe 3 to 4 months and takes care of it properly, you are assured of a friendship that will last for around a decade. That experience can be a reward ring starting from the young age to adulthood. A relationship of more than a decade means you will have enough time to body and create memories with each other. However, for this to happen you need to raise a healthy dragon that has been provided with all the requirements.
Feeding them is Straightforward
Another reason why a bearded dragon is a good pet is due to the ease of feeding them and the fact that they eat a variety. This lack of pickiness is very crucial because it means getting what to feed them is easy. They are omniverse and this means they eat both insects and plant matter and you can follow a straightforward schedule of feeding your bearded dragons once or twice a day for the young ones while you feed the adults once a day. Some of the vegetables you can feed your bearded dragons include mustard greens, green beans, collard greens, chard, broccoli. Kales, parsley, dandelions, red or green cabbage, watercress, bell pepper, and even Bok choy.
they also enjoy a diet of fruits such as bananas, kiwis, apples, pears, mangoes, guavas, tomatoes, starfruits, peaches, and grapes. They drive the proteins and minerals from the plant matter but for their growth, they need proteins which they mainly get from insects such as spiders, crickets, locusts, waxworms, silkworms, mealworms, grasshoppers, earthworms, slugs, and moths.
They ARE very House-friendly Size
Bearded dragons are medium-sized lizards that are very convenient to most owners. they are small enough to be kept in the homes without occupying a big space and large enough for easy handling even by the children. This makes them convenient to every potential owner irrespective of your house size be it an apartment or a big house with a compound. they will fit comfortably and as an owner, you won’t feel that they are taking a lot of space.
The bearded dragon grows to a maximum length of between 12 to 24 inches and the tail is about a third of the length. However, the males grow bigger than the females in general because the females go through challenges such as during birth.
They are Affordable
The bearded dragons are not expensive to acquire and take care of compared to other pets. You only need about 200 to 600 dollars when starting in order to set up a good enclosure, buy a quality thermometer, a good light source. After you have set everything, you will be done and the process of maintaining is cheap. The food they eat is also affordable and readily available to most supplies and it means you do not have to spend so much looking for the appropriate food.
The substrate for the enclosure will also be needed as you start but it is cheap or runs free. It is also important for a serious keeper to ensure the bearded dragons get regular checkups from a vet just like other pets. The vet services of a bearded dragon are a bit cheaper compared to those of cats and dogs. It is however advisable to ensure your pets so that all these costs will be covered in case anything happens to your beardie.
The Bearded Dragons are fun to Observe
Many people do not know how entertaining a bearded dragon can get sometimes. When they want your attention they will perform some back and forth movements inside the enclosure. With time they learn when mealtime especially those that follow a fixed schedule and whenever you are late, they will let you know by doing some movements displaying some behaviors. They also enjoy getting out of their enclosure and exploring the environment outside. It is important to regularly take your lizard out to explore the house or even take a walk around the compound. Watching them explore is of a lifetime moment with your bearded dragon. The bearded dragons enjoy swimming too. To enable them to swim you can purchase a kiddie pool or a large plastic storage tank and fill it with water for them to swim. It will be a very interesting moment watching them swim especially for kids.
These lizards also enjoy playing and to support this you can put different toys inside the enclosure or you can allow them to get out and play from there. Soke also enjoys nudging a pinball and this can be entertaining to watch.
They look Neat
Compared to most house pets these reptiles have a very unique appearance and this means if you want a pet that is unique from the ordinary house pets, then the bearded dragon is the ideal choice. There are different species of bearded dragons and they come in different colors such as red, orange, brown, and green.
The dragons are medium-sized and they have an average length for a pet that will not take a lot of space or make you as an owner uncomfortable. The head is usually wedge-shaped and it contains more rows of scales that look like a beard when they are puffed up. That is where the name bearded dragon was derived from. It also has a flat body with four stubby and beautiful legs. A row of scales lines on every side of the lizards’ stomach makes it look neat. In general, the bearded dragon has a body that looks attractive and so neat and this is an advantage since no one wants to keep a scary pet that even the kids will fear to handle or watch.
The Bearded Dragons can show affection
Bearded dragons may not show love and affection like the cats and dogs but they definitely have their ways of showing it to their owners. Many people are surprised to hear this since they believe the reptiles are aggressive and have no ability to show love and be nice to people. This is why the bearded dragons are different from the rest and are good pets.
The dragons are warm and whenever they are taken out of their enclosures, they are very happy and you will often see them angled into the necks and chest of their owners. This is one way of showing love and affection. Some are so comfortable and relaxed and they even fall asleep snuggled on the chest of the owners for hours. It is important to bond with your bearded dragon to this point but ai takes time. It is important to be patient with them and allow them to adjust to the environment and to you also.
Whenever they are in the room you can start talking and singing to them and they will quickly get to know you and recognize your voice and whenever you are around the know you are not a threat. When they get used to you, they will start associating with you freely during food time or playtime.
They are intelligent
Most potential pet owners want to own a pet that is intelligent and can be able to recognize them from strangers. However, many keepers do not realize how intelligent these lizards are. they have the capacity to recognize the owners and with time they develop a strong connection. They can also learn new things by just observing how other beards are behaving in other enclosures. These pets can also be trained but this exercise needs a lot of consistency and the right approach. You can easily train them to come when it is food time and also to walk on a leash.
The Bearded Dragons make good pets for kids
Another reason why beardies are good pets is that they make great pets for kids. Many potential owners of a pet need one that will easily bond and have fun for kids instead of a big and scary animal that will scare away the kids. The size and colors make it attractive and interesting for kids. The kids need to be taught how to handle the bearded dragons since their reaction depends on how they are handled.
That caring is so easy and the kids can learn with less difficulty. They just need regular meals, attention, and maintenance. They also need regular routines which they can be taught to kids on how to manage them. Your beardie should be fed, given attention, and have its habitat cleaned regularly maybe once a week.
They are peaceful and quiet
Another reason why bearded dragons are regarded as good pets is that they are not nosily like some pets. Some potential owners want a pet that will not pollute the environment with unnecessary noise and this makes the beaded dragons the ideal choice. These lizards rarely produce any noise and they will not disturb your peace. Even when they make a squeaking noise, it will be nowhere close to the irritating loud noise produced by some pets such as a dog.
A quiet pet will give a conducive environment to concentrate on other important things such as studying or those who work from home. Again, in some places, it is illegal to make noises and with a bearded dragon, you will never find yourself with constant quarrels with your neighbors and law authorities because of noise.
It makes you a more responsible person
Once you have a birdie as a pet it automatically means that you are ready to take care of it. This alone creates a sense of responsibility in you. This process of taking care of this lizard from around age till the end makes you get used and you learn the art of being a responsible person since before going about your daily activities you must ensure they are fed and the enclosure is free. This art of responsibility grows in you and which you eventually extend to fellow human beings. This is how the world becomes a better place with responsible people.
They are easy to hand feed
Even though they do not love being handled the bearded dragons love being hand-fed. They are not comfortable handling live foods such as crickets and worms. If you will have no time for hand feeding you might have to consider if the beardie is a good pet for you. If you do not want to handle them with free hands you can as well use some small tongs or tweezers.
This does not however mean that these animals cannot feed by themselves. You can directly put food on their tanks but there are sometimes when they are feeling unwell and they may need someone to intervene. This process of hand-feeding is social interaction for both you and the dragon. The other reason why it is important or hands feed the bearded dragons is because sometimes putting live food in the tank can cause stress to the animal. Some insects such as crickets are known to bite the dragons, especially at night.
No need to worry about Allergies
The Bearded dragons do not cause some allergic reactions like some animals do especially those with fur. They have no dander to make you sneeze and no fluff to pick of your clothes.
Popularity
Among the lizards, the Bearded dragons are the most commonly domesticated animals and this means that they are generally good. This is because if they were not good pets, it means no one would ever want to have one. They have different species and this means you need dome research to determine which one that you want.
Are Bearded Dragons Good Classroom pets?
Many classrooms are now adopting classroom pets and these pets range from small pocket pets to fish tanks. It is obvious that the dragons and the children integrate well and they can create a friendship faster than the other people. So the definite answer to the question is Yes they are. They make good classroom pets because they are easy to take care of and allows testation among the student. This teaches the children to grow and become responsible people in the future. When you have a desert species, it helps you teach about the habitats of these pets. A classroom pet needs students who are ready to take responsibility without fail.
Are the Bearded Dragons good pets for Beginners
We have discussed some of the factors why bearded dragons are good species one should always consider when looking for a pet. There is no doubt about whether they are good pets or not. The question is whether they are a good choice for a new owner who has not been able to own one before. The resounding answer is yes since they do not need a lot of care and the feedings schedule is flexible.
You should always be doing proper research about that certain pet so that you can get enough information regarding them.
Are the bearded dragons hard to care for?
We have discussed some of the reasons why they are regarded as good pets but there are those that feel they are not and below are some of the reasons;
Frequent cleaning required
The dragon has a smelly poop and they keep pooping. This means there is a need for someone to be always around to clean the poop most of the time to ensure they don’t smell in the house. This can be a bit challenging to some people since they may not be always available to clean. To ensure there are no smells the poop should e cleaned immediately but some keepers might have a tight schedule that might not allow them to have time for a beardie.
Fear of live insects
The bearded dragons need plenty of insets more so if it is still growing. Some of the insects they feed on maybe live such as crickets. Some keepers may be afraid of the live insects and this becomes a big challenge when feeding their pets. If you are afraid and you are afraid to handle live insects it will be difficult to have a dragon since they must be fed on live insects because when they are freeze-dried they lack some nutritional value.
High cost of start-up
Some potential owners of the bearded dragons feel that the cost of starting up and putti g everything into place is a bit expensive for them. You need to have a tank and prepare the enclosure wall, but the thermometer, and others. Getting a dragon might be cheap but providing the right environment and all the conditions in its enclosure might be a challenge to some people.
It is hard to find a Vet
Some people more so those who live in rural places feel that it is a bit hard to find a good vet who deals with bearded dragons, They may be the most popular reptiles but still, they are not as popular as other pets such as cats and dogs and this means the vets maybe a few and if you are in some areas it will be difficult to get one and it means if your pet needs an emergency checkup by a vet, they are likely to even die before you can get one.
Conclusion
If you are planning on getting a bearded dragon you should not hesitate because they make great pets for most people. The unique patterns and colors are enough reason to have a beautiful animal for a pet in your house. They are not aggressive and will be fun for you and your kids. They are also cost-effective especially maintaining. They can be a bit costly to start due to the cost of putting up the habitat but once you are done the running cost is very affordable. The bearded dragons are the ideal choice for a pet if you want a pet with a great personality.
