The Bearded Dragon is a native of Central Australia in the genus Pogona. It is known for the underside of its throat, which turns black (like a beard) when inflated due to stress.
These lizards are popular as pets worldwide, but many first-time reptile owners hesitate to have such a lizard as their first pet. This article discusses whether Bearded Dragons are suitable pets for beginners.
4 Pros And Cons of Having Bearded Dragons As Pets:
Choosing a pet, good or bad for you, depends on your opinion, condition, and financial stability. Here we provide 4 pros and cons about the Bearded Dragons, that will influence your decision of having them as pets.
Pros of Bearded Dragons As Pets:
1. Easy To Handle:
Many experts believe that Bearded Dragons are very docile, easy to handle, and love to stay as pets. These lizards are very human friendly, unlike some squirmy reptile species.
Bearded lizards are less active compared to other pet lizards. Hence, these lizards are very less prone to run, bite, and jump, making them one of the easiest lizards to keep as pets in the household.
2. Smaller Size:
Due to their small to medium size, it is not difficult to pet Bearded dragons at home, especially in flats where the space is comparatively less. The length of Bearded dragons is between 20-24 inches with tails, as males are slightly longer than females.
Smaller size and fewer activities ensure these pets don’t run away from your home or get sick due to less exercise. A small-sized reptile enclosure will be sufficient for these lizards that costs minimal.
3. Good Temperament:
The Bearded Dragons are known for their docile and entertaining nature as pets. These lizards love human attention and interactions. They love to be cared for and cuddled by their owners.
These bearded lizards are very entertaining to watch; from their head-bobbing, waving, to puff up their beards, everything is exciting to watch. However, these lizards show camouflage and entertain the audience by showing their different colors and appearances.
4, Easy Diet:
You don’t need to worry about feeding the Bearded Dragons as these lizards consume similar foods like other reptiles and amphibians species. Being omnivorous, Bearded lizards can consume both insects and animals.
Gut-loaded crickets, mealworms, waxworms, superworms, smaller mice, and leafy vegetables are some of the comfort foods of Bearded Dragons. With proper nutrition, Bearded Dragons may live 10-15 years in the wild and 20-22 years in captivity.
Despite having such impressive pros, there are some cons also associated with these lizards.
4 Cons of Having Bearded Lizards As Pets:
1. Initial Set Up Cost:
The Bearded dragons require a specific environment to live in. In many cases, the pet owners need to spend a lot to recreate that environment at their homes.
Purchasing new enclosure, UVB lights, thermometers and hygrometers to maintain temperature and humidity, etc, may cost up to $1000. Any changes in the environment can be fatal for these reptiles.
2. Aggression:
At a young age, these lizards may stay together but keeping two mature Bearded Dragons as pets is not a good idea. The mature males often fight over territorial dominance and even sometimes attack female lizards who don’t show submissive gestures to the males.
3. Health Issues:
The Bearded Dragons are often affected by metabolic bone disease due to an imbalance in calcium-to-phosphorus ratio. However, these lizards are also prone to respiratory infections and digestive problems similar to other reptiles.
One of the biggest problems of these lizards is that they don’t show the symptoms of illness unless they are seriously ill. Hence, whenever you find the symptoms, rush to a vet, otherwise you might not save your pet. Thus, many Bearded Dragons live even less than 10 years due to health issues.
Regular Maintenance:
If you want to pet a Bearded Dragon, you must maintain it properly every day, such as feeding multiple times a day, maintaining heat, humidity, and light, etc. These reptiles are very sensitive, a small change in the environment may lead to fatal problems for them. Also Read: 5 Reasons Why Chinese Water Dragons Can Be Amazing Pets
