Caring for bearded dragons requires an ongoing commitment and giving these exotic pets the right amount of care means work and dedication. Since these lizards have an expected lifespan of up to fifteen years, before deciding to purchase one, prospective pet owners must thinking carefully about their decision and weigh up all the pros and the cons. Bearded dragons are by far the most fascinating of all pets and they make great pets for both children and adults. They are relatively docile and tend to be rather social which means they enjoy spending quality time with their owners.
The cash outlay needed to setup a natural environment for these lizards may be slightly costly, as a glass enclosure or tank will have to be purchased to house them. Due to the fact that these exotic pets have a love for tree climbing, miniature trees will need to be placed in the tank to create an environment which is as close as possible to their natural habitat. The cost outlay for the tank, along with the lighting, bedding and the other necessary tank accessories, such as hiding logs amounts to roughly $200. Depending on the season which is being created in the bearded dragon's simulated habitat, the light will be needed to remain on for a period of between ten to twelve hours per day.
Being social reptiles, the bearded dragon must be taken out of their enclosure at least once a day and it is during this time that the he will explore their surroundings and socialize with the family. When it comes to diet, those caring for bearded dragons will need to make certain that they have an adequate supply of live calcium coated crickets on hand, along with baby mice or rats and super worms. Since these pets are omnivores their diets will also contain a variety of greens and they will enjoy a choice of leafy green vegetables like kale, or peas beans and a selection of fruits, like ripened strawberries.
Bearded dragons are not fussy eaters and as long as they are enjoying a varied diet they will thrive in captivity. When feeding the your beardie live crickets, all uneaten crickets need to be removed from the tank as they crickets tend to nibble or bite your dragon. A rule of thumb while caring for bearded dragons is that these exotic reptiles should never be fed any food that is larger than the space between their eyes. It has been discovered that larger foods can cause paralysis of the back legs and as such the diets should only be bite-size portions.
In giving your beardie the appropriate care, the owner must clean the tank regularly and using a good yet non-toxic sanitizer will allow the tank to remain hygienically clean for longer. It is vitally important for owners or those who handle the bearded dragons to wash their hands thoroughly after handling the bearded dragons, as they are known carriers of salmonella bacteria.
Those who are looking for a pet that need only minimum care and little attention, are advised not to opt for a bearded dragon, as although they make for wonderfully fascinating pets, beardies require continual care and attention and in considering that their diet is made up of a selection of live foods, like the calcium coated crickets, earthworms and baby mice, those who are squeamish may not enjoy feeding times.
In terms of cost, although the initial setup or cash outlay for the tank or enclosure may seem costly, in general caring for bearded dragons will not require a fortune, and most of their foods, such as the baby mice can be purchased or sourced from local pet stores or from specialty breeders while crickets are more readily available. Caring for a bearded dragon will be a fun and fascinating adventure and will offer many years of enjoyment.
The Bearded Dragon Manual (Advanced Vivarium Systems)
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