rawbanana Posted December 8, 2011 Share Posted December 8, 2011 We are considering getting one for our kiddos for christmas (thought it really would be cared for by hubs and myself mostly I am thinking)....I am wondering what all is required in there care...are they high maintenence? Are they social? How long do they live etc... Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbkaren Posted December 8, 2011 Share Posted December 8, 2011 We had Scooter, a lovely little Schnieder skink, for a few years. We loved him but were relieved when he died, frankly. Anything that eats crickets is a huge pain in the butt, seriously. If you have a reliable source of long-living crickets nearby, then great; if not, please think long and hard on it. We also have a snake that eats baby mice. But at least for that, we only have to go to the pet shop once a month during the warm months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rawbanana Posted December 8, 2011 Author Share Posted December 8, 2011 Well, hubs and I had a couple of chameleons before we had kiddos and really enjoyed them. We bought them crickets 2-3x a week and kept them in a critter keeper until we were ready to feed them to the little guys. I just dont konw how much upkeep is required w/ bearded dragons.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
georgialee Posted December 8, 2011 Share Posted December 8, 2011 They need a good sized habitat - think a 55 gallon tank once they're full grown. You'll also need specialty lighting plus a spot heat lamp. They eat crickets or meal worms. Crickets are a big pain. Even if you have a cricket habitat you're still going to the pet store every week or so. Plus they end up being expensive. You can raise your own mealworms easily... that would be something you'd have to decide on...they go through a big beetle phase which I don't think I'd be able to handle (maybe your child would take care of the mealworms as well?). They don't really 'play' or anything. They just sit there and look around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rawbanana Posted December 8, 2011 Author Share Posted December 8, 2011 we live very close to a pet store so I wouldnt have a problem going weekly or bi-weekly to get them crickets...do they NEED to eat beetles? How much do you think it costs to raise these little guys? Can you hold them like you would an iguana? I thought an iguana would be neat, but hubby thinks they're too big (full grown) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perry Posted December 8, 2011 Share Posted December 8, 2011 We are considering getting one for our kiddos for christmas (thought it really would be cared for by hubs and myself mostly I am thinking)....I am wondering what all is required in there care...are they high maintenence? Are they social? How long do they live etc... Thanks! We love ours! She's very low maintenance, once you get the tank and lights all set up. She sleeps for days at a time during the winter, and doesn't eat much then. The rest of the year, she eats veggies and crickets. We live fairly close to a petco, and buy crickets once a week or so. She doesn't love to be handled, but tolerates it fine. We don't play with her enough, I'm afraid. :blush: We've had ours for 6 years, and the people we got her from had had her for a few years before that. Our vet says she's never seen one that old though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perry Posted December 8, 2011 Share Posted December 8, 2011 Can you hold them like you would an iguana? Sure! The more you handle them, the friendlier they are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
georgialee Posted December 8, 2011 Share Posted December 8, 2011 we live very close to a pet store so I wouldnt have a problem going weekly or bi-weekly to get them crickets...do they NEED to eat beetles? How much do you think it costs to raise these little guys? Can you hold them like you would an iguana? I thought an iguana would be neat, but hubby thinks they're too big (full grown) I must have mis-typed. I meant that if you decide to raise mealworms that the mealworms go through a beetle phase. But since you live clost to a pet store it seems crickets would be the better option ;) Iguanas grow to be very, very large. They can bit and cause a decent amount of damage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaJeanne Posted December 8, 2011 Share Posted December 8, 2011 We have one that is a couple years old now. Now that she is full grown, she is no problem! Her tank is all set up, she is finished growing, and she sleeps for much of the winter. beardeddragon.org has a lot of useful information on tank set up etc...Raising one from a baby did cost more than I imagined. They eat 25-50 crickets a day while they are growing. I ended up buying crickets bulk from ghanns, it was cheaper than getting them locally. Once they are full grown they need less live food and more veggies. I know some people buy adults so that they avoid the feeding of the juvie stage. I love having her though! My mom had one that loved to be wrapped up and cuddled :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted December 8, 2011 Share Posted December 8, 2011 Check bait shops if you have them for crickets and other feeder insects. I don't have a bearded (although my DD would LOVE one), but I've discovered the local bait shop is a GREAT place to find creepy-crawlies for science observation, and MUCH cheaper than science suppliers or the pet store. (Besides, I think the owner gets a kick out of us coming in and buying just a few mealworms, crickets, earthworms, minnows....). An added bonus is that Fish and Wildlife regulations require any creature sold in a bait shop to be safe for release into the wild, just in case you discover that your dragon doesn't like whatever insects you've purchased. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momto2Cs Posted December 8, 2011 Share Posted December 8, 2011 We have a water dragon, mostly ds10's pet, and we adore it. We call it a girl, don't know if it is or not, but anyhow, she's very friendly and easy to handle, although she can get jumpy sometimes. We feed her greens, fruit, and mealworms, which I get at the local pet supply store and keep in the fridge. She was a baby when we got her, and now has about tripled in size, maybe 18 long if you count her tail. We're moving her to a bigger tank soon. She has a heat lamp, a large shallow pan of water for drinking & swimming, a rock to perch on, and a log to hang out on. I think they're a great pet option! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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