Adult or Baby

Hi. I want to get a bearded dragon, and am not sure whether I should get an adult or a baby (If I can even convince my parents to let me get one). At the moment, size doesn't matter, so that shouldn't be a deciding factor. What do you think?

Thanks :)

I personnaly think most of the fun is getting something as a baby and raising it to adulthood. I would get a younger one, if you dont wanna go too young, get one a few months old. I wouldnt buy an adult unless I really knew the former owners. But thats just me, im sure you will get alot more answers, from more experienced handlers. Whatever you do, Good Luck!!:gj:

OK. I have some more questions:

-At what age can they be housed on sand?
-I wouldn't be able to feed a beardie 3 times a day. IS that going to be a problem? If it is, how old do they need to be before they can be fed 1 a day?


Thanks :)

1. Why would you want to house it on sand?
2. Beardies eat ALOT(50-100 appropriate sized crickets a DAY) These are not cheap to feed. I spent $20 a week on crickets on line, so it is not that much. Just the cost alone to start them Is ALOT, and baby can be housed in a 40-50 gallon, while and adult should be house in a 4-6sq foot enclosure. You will need a bigger size eventually, but a baby can stay in a smaller home for a little while.;)

I would get a baby...

I got a baby back in 2002(4 months old). He is now 6 yrs old. They eat crickets alot when young. You can also give them Rep Cal pellets, you just soak them in water, but also add some greens with the pellets in the dish.

My Beardie prefers Super Worms now, than crickets. Also my BD is spoiled. I hand feed him sometimes! LOL

http://blackninjakitty.com/herps/car...reeniglist.htm

Also you don't want to use SAND... that's a NO NO
http://www.sundialreptile.com/care%2...d%20dragon.htm


GOOD LUCK:gj:

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Originally Posted by Beardedragon

1. Why would you want to house it on sand?
2. Beardies eat ALOT(50-100 appropriate sized crickets a DAY) These are not cheap to feed. I spent $20 a week on crickets on line, so it is not that much. Just the cost alone to start them Is ALOT, and baby can be housed in a 40-50 gallon, while and adult should be house in a 4-6sq foot enclosure. You will need a bigger size eventually, but a baby can stay in a smaller home for a little while.;)

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My 6 yr old is in a 40 gallon breeder.. he is doing FINE!! STL: 21 inch
I also let him free roam occasionally, with me in the room.

You can buy crickets online... 1500 for less than $20

He may be doing fine but that does not mean he is happy;) They like and thrive better in larger tanks.

Once you include shipping 1000 is around $20, i live near premium crickets so i next day day shipping from normal priced shipping to boot!

Thanks!!! I got one today. After much confusion, I got the one that I had orrigeonally wanted at the pet store. He is almost full grown :)

Well, I doubt you could get the approval for feeder roaches, but it's an option for many people who keep the bigger insect eaters.

I'd go with a young juvie..i guess a few months old. You still get to see them grow up, it should be well started, and it may be a little more forgiving of some mistakes than a young baby.

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Originally Posted by Dragon Queen

Thanks!!! I got one today. After much confusion, I got the one that I had orrigeonally wanted at the pet store. He is almost full grown :)

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Congrats, beardies are great pets.

if you have the money/resources.. go for a baby..

if you can find an adult that is healthy.. i would get 1.. i have 2 of them and they eat like pigs!

Well I would say baby- because I've seen a lot of audult Bd's get attached to someone when their a baby and have a rough time with new people. But trust me- they are A LOT of $$ and work, and a lot of time must be spent with them to make sure they stay tame. Our guy was out AT LEAST 2 hours a day, every day. Also, we spent $20 a week on food for him- which gets to be OVER a grand a year in food. I've heard some owners spend a lot less, and some spend a lot more. Depends on several factors, but the point is that you never know and you have to be careful. Good luck.

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Originally Posted by Dragon Queen

OK. I have some more questions:

-At what age can they be housed on sand?
-I wouldn't be able to feed a beardie 3 times a day. IS that going to be a problem? If it is, how old do they need to be before they can be fed 1 a day?


Thanks :)

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Oh, didnt see that before. Ours as a baby sate sometimes up to five times a day. If you dont have time for that then sorry- but you dont have time for a baby. Even as an adult he ate twice a day. And like I said- he WILL get mean if you do not spend time with it daily. Many people I know got them thinking they were "cool", and never handled them and they all got mean and started to even bite. Everyone warned me that mine would- but he never did. They were all shocked- then I was shocked to learn that they never handled theirs- hence, why they were mean.

And as for the sand- they have to be about 4-6 months, but it depends on how big they are, though, there are way better choices than sand. Sand, that they can and will ingest, can cause impaction and can cut their insideas well. Even the repti-sand- just cause it says it wont harm them on the bag, well thats not true, so dont believe it.

Babies are extremely fragile. This means you must take extreme care while handling them. On top of that, their immune systems are also fragile, and they get sick easily.

Another option is a juvenile. Juvies are usually 8-16 months old. They aren't as fragile as babies, but they are smaller than adults and you will have more time with them.

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Originally Posted by Dragon Queen

OK. I have some more questions:

-At what age can they be housed on sand?
-I wouldn't be able to feed a beardie 3 times a day. IS that going to be a problem? If it is, how old do they need to be before they can be fed 1 a day?


Thanks :)

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I didn't see that either.

They need to be an adult (over 16 months) to be housed on sand, but I still wouldn't reccommend it. Sand is difficult to clean and is a great home for bacteria.

That is going to be a problem. Babies need to eat 3x a day. A BD that is over 8 months could be fed once a day, but make sure to feed it enough!

Congrats! I think an older BD was the best choice. We had to choose between a full grown one & two babies when we went to get our first two, and we went with the babies because I wanted to 'raise' them. I don't regret it now (they are 8 1/2 months old), but they were much more work when they were babies. They can be rather fragile when so young.

only because my brother has 2 baby beardies i would have to say go for the babies. my brother's beardies are so freaking cute.

i think he said they are sandfire's. he said they can breed hypo's or something like that.

but yea dude go for babies.

http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/4261/img0094ut8.jpg

i been breeding dragons for 2 years and if u could of then buy a juvenile cause like many others said they are fragile u gots to make sure u have small crickets or risk an impaction and they are more work but an older one is alright if i were u i would place him on tiles they work best u can easily pik em up and clean them if u aver plan on gettin another one check these out

ww.bloodbankdragons.com

Baby beardies are extremely fragile and hyper. Adults are hardier and more docile than babies. Take for instance, the matter of sand (imo, sand shouldn't even be used for adults). Sand is "acceptable" for adults and deadly for babies; this is because adults' digestive systems are much tougher. Adults are SO laid-back with handling and they LOVE to cuddle, while babies are hyper and jump all over the place.

I have two beardies myself. I raised the first one and the second one I got as an adult. Now, I do not regret getting the beardie as a baby but it was a lot of work. When they are young they eat like pigs. Now that mine are four years of age they are a piece of cake to care for. They are super friendly and a joy to have.

As far as housing goes, I personally have mine in a 75 gallon tank. They are housed separtely. Although they would be fine as adults in a 40 gallon breeder I spoil mine!

As far as substrate goes I am a big supporter in textured ceramic tile!! It is super easy to clean as well as it will last forever.......unless you break it. As a result there is no chance for any type of impaction. It comes in a multitude of colors and is cheap. I walked into a tile store and told the manager that I needed three pieces of tile. He inquired if my tiles at home needed to be replaced in which I stated no......it's for a bearded dragon. He was so intrigued that he gave them to me for free. I have used tile for years now and would not have another substrate. Besides, sand not only causes impaction but also is quite dusty (the children's play sand).

Just my two cents.

Beardies are great pets, just make sure you let him rest in his new enclosure for a little bit. I was going through this same debate. I decided to listen to another member on another forum and purchase mine through a breeder in Arizona. I got my Dragon the next day and he came fine, he also brought a girl friend. Needless to say, I was very happy to receive two Bearded Dragons. They are still a bit timid, but are starting to really pick up on eating. I have had them for about a month or so.

If you are curious as to what lighting you should use for the enclosure I would get a Zoo Med Repti-SUN fluorescent tube. Do not purchase the compact fluorescent bulb as it is known to make Bearded Dragons sick. (It poisons them with the UVB, it is also very bright and can damage their vision)

Since you purchased an adult bearded dragon, you should not have to spend an arm and a leg on protein. The dragon should be consuming about 80% greens and 20% protein. You can feed them a variety of insects such as crickets, super worms, dubia roaches, silkworms, etc.

The temperature requirement for an adult bearded dragon should be about 90-95 degrees farenheit. You can achieve these temperatures with a 65-75W basking light.

Enjoy your new beardie, get some pictures up of this guy.

There is so much conflicting info on here that it's probably rather hard for you to know what is best for a dragon.
Here is a website to help you see what they eat,
http://www.beautifuldragons.503xtrem...nframeset.html
Here is a forum that will tell you EVERYTHING you could possibly want to know about beardies.
www.beardeddragon.org
Everyone is really nice there and very helpful.

I currently have 3 adults, 1 sub-adult, 2 juveniles, and 30 hatchlings. Bearded dragons are like scaly puppies they each have their own personalities, likes and dislikes and are one of the most docile lizards I have seen.

I wish you lots of luck on your endeavor to choose . . .

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Originally Posted by OgleRpets

There is so much conflicting info on here that it's probably rather hard for you to know what is best for a dragon.
Here is a website to help you see what they eat,
http://www.beautifuldragons.503xtrem...nframeset.html
Here is a forum that will tell you EVERYTHING you could possibly want to know about beardies.
www.beardeddragon.org
Everyone is really nice there and very helpful.

I currently have 3 adults, 1 sub-adult, 2 juveniles, and 30 hatchlings. Bearded dragons are like scaly puppies they each have their own personalities, likes and dislikes and are one of the most docile lizards I have seen.

I wish you lots of luck on your endeavor to choose . . .

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:gj::gj: Both great sites.

bearded dragons are fun i have 22 dragons and 17 babies only thing i hate is when i have to clean there cages cause it has to be done every day lol but its well worth it there like my kids the scary thing is thats not the only reptile/ animal i keep we got all of our dragons as babies so we can learn there personality cause every dragon is different i love that about them

Ok well I put neither. Because to me a baby beardie is just a a bit difficult. Now if by baby you mean one thats a few months old then I say go for it.

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Originally Posted by Beardedragon

2. Beardies eat ALOT(50-100 appropriate sized crickets a DAY) These are not cheap to feed. I spent $20 a week on crickets on line, so it is not that much. Just the cost alone to start them Is ALOT

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Definitely! Think about that before you buy him. The initial start up cost is very costly and then there food adds up as well.

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Originally Posted by ALEX B.

I personnaly think most of the fun is getting something as a baby and raising it to adulthood.

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I agree :) I feel like it makes a better bond, plus its cool to watch them grow :D

Another thing...if you do end up getting one, I recommend finding ONE person that you know who's advice you can trust. Preferably someone who has been keeping them for a while and knows their stuff. For me that person was the breeder I bought him off of. Asking questions on forums when you first get a beardie can be extremely stressful because everyone has different opinions and you'll just end up going crazy. At least I know I did! Just remember that beardies can be a lot of work to take care of so make sure your prepared for the responsibility.

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Originally Posted by brikimura

Another thing...if you do end up getting one, I recommend finding ONE person that you know who's advice you can trust. Preferably someone who has been keeping them for a while and knows their stuff. For me that person was the breeder I bought him off of. Asking questions on forums when you first get a beardie can be extremely stressful because everyone has different opinions and you'll just end up going crazy. At least I know I did! Just remember that beardies can be a lot of work to take care of so make sure your prepared for the responsibility.

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x2. The web is an excellent place to find information, but there are so many opinions out there! Everyone has a different approach to husbandry. When I am getting mixed messages on a forum, I will always email the breeder or call our vet. I also know of a Petco employee who has been keeping reptiles for a long time and whose advice I seek.

adults are cheaper to feed- good choice. my baby eats an insane amount of food! 5 weeks went from 4g to 40g. in the same amount of time one of my hatchling cresteds went from 4g to...9g lol its amazing literally seeing a difference week to week!

yeah beardie are great mine is 18 weeks old today is 9 inches long and weighs 35grams