???

[~Kaitlin~]

i was wondering do bearded dragons make good pets cause i want 1

[Jeanne]

Yes, they do if you can afford to set them up properly.

[JLC]

They require a fairly large enclosure once they are grown (although not nearly so big as a monitor or anything)...and they MUST have really good UVB lights...which are expensive. They're fairly high-maintanence...at least compared to my snakes...but I'm sorta attached to my little guy.

[mr~python]

Judy, i dont know if this holds true with bearded but in the monitor world UVB bulbs and full spectrum lighting is considered just a major rip-off. its said that they dont even produce near as much as the sun would and there just useless. i even know of a guy that keeps a lot of monitors and a bearded. he doesnt use full sprectrum lighting for any of his animals. he says when he did use it the animals would just hide from the light more often and become less active.

tey seem to be recommended a lot by most beardie keepers so i dont know. just some food for thought.

[JLC]

Well...beardies are day-time lizards and don't burrow underground, that I'm aware of. And I've heard a lot of horror stories (and seen pics) about severe calcium deficiency due to lack of UVB lights for beardies.


I don't know much about lizards at all....but I do know I haven't seen any compelling evidence to say that beardies should NOT have UV lighting...and plenty to say that they DO. (Although I will grant you this was all 2 years ago when I was researching and learning about my little guy....haven't looked at that stuff in ages.)

Mine is doing great under his lights...rarely ever uses his hide and sleeps soundly at night as soon as the lights go out.

[mr~python]

well sounds like he's doing great.

monitors are also diurnal lizards and soak up a lot of heat (and probably UV too) during the day. they use burrows like a beardie would use a crack in a rock, etc. (whatever they may use).

ive had my ackie since may 23 (definitely not as long as you've had your beardie) and he's grown four inches and has went from 8 grams to 30 grams. i havent used any full sprectrum lighting. i do use miner-all I though.

[Jeanne]

Well...beardies are day-time lizards and don't burrow underground, that I'm aware of. And I've heard a lot of horror stories (and seen pics) about severe calcium deficiency due to lack of UVB lights for beardies.


I don't know much about lizards at all....but I do know I haven't seen any compelling evidence to say that beardies should NOT have UV lighting...and plenty to say that they DO. (Although I will grant you this was all 2 years ago when I was researching and learning about my little guy....haven't looked at that stuff in ages.)

Mine is doing great under his lights...rarely ever uses his hide and sleeps soundly at night as soon as the lights go out.

Beardies must have UVB lighting to metabolize calcium. UVB creates vitamin d3 in thier bodies. So yes Judy is right Mr.Python... I would not want to keep a beardie without UVB period...nor would I want to take a chance on doing so with any monitor due to the fact that there are fewer ppl saying they dont need it than the amount of ppl saying they do need it.

[fish21]

there is a lot to think about when getting a beardie.


1. they are little hogs. as adults they eat about 15-20crickets a day. and salad every other day.

2. eletric bill. will go up about 25-30 bucks a month for one beardie set up.

3. time they require about 5-10 mins of cleaning and attention if you want a nice and tame beardie.

4. most beardies wont drink out of a water bowl so they will need to be misted down about twice a day.

just some points to ponder.

i breed bearded dragons and have had a great time with them. i actually have about 8 babies that will be ready to go in about 2 weeks. they are tiger pastells. verry cute.
i included on of the dad. he is a high yellow.

here are some pics

[mr~python]

nor would I want to take a chance on doing so with any monitor due to the fact that there are fewer ppl saying they dont need it than the amount of ppl saying they do need it.

i beg to differ. there are more monitor keepers/breeders that dont use UVB.

i can give an example, Frank Retes. Frank Retes owns Goanna Ranch in Tuscon Arizona and is one of the most respected and renowned monitor breeders in the country. Frank has raised and bred generations of monitors without the use of UVB bulbs at all. http://forums.kingsnake.com/viewarch...78938&key=2006 (this okay since it peratins to the conversation right?)

UVB has not yet proven to be beneficial to monitors, but it also has not proven detrimental so you can spend the 40+ dollars on lights for a monitor but you wouldnt need too.

[JLC]

Kewl...I didn't know Goanna Ranch was in Tucson! I've no interest in owning monitors, but it'd be great to see some up close and personal! LOL