If you are considering buying a bearded dragon there are a few things to think about before you make that leap at the pet store. Owning a bearded dragon is a serious commitment and not to be taken lightly.
There are many things that you should mull over for a few weeks, or even a month, before bringing it home. Here is what to know before buying a bearded dragon.
Costs
There are some expenses associated to owning a bearded dragon. Just like any other pet, you must supply housing, food, and health care.
Housing one beardie can cost any where from a hundred dollars upwards of a couple thousand, depending on how elaborate you want to get.
The initial costs of setting up the habitat will be the most, but once you get past that there are some intermittent maintenance costs, such as substrate and lighting replacements.
Some of the special lighting required to keep a bearded dragon healthy can be upwards of 50 to 60 dollars, and need to be replaced at least twice a year. That’s not counting if the bulb happens to burn out before then.
You will need to supply a constant food supply for your bearded dragon. Just like with a dog, or cat you must supply food and water every day. This is especially important for babies.
Luckily, food costs are not too extreme; usually about 10 to 15 dollars a week will cover it all.
Space
Properly housing a bearded dragon means that you will need an enclosure large enough to house it. The enclosure should provide ample floor space to give it enough room to roam around some.
The recommended size for the enclosure is a 125-gallon tank. Baby bearded dragons can be housed in a smaller terrarium, but the size of the home will need to be increased as the baby grows up. It’s better to start with the largest possible size you can to avoid the need to continually buy new enclosures.
A 125-gallon tank is 72 inches long, 18 inches wide, and 21 inches tall. That is a large tank, and takes up quite a bit of room.
Make sure you can accommodate this much space in your home. Think about the location of the enclosure, and how it would affect your living space.
You can use masking tape to create an outline of the enclosure on the floor. This will give you a good idea of the size of the enclosure compared to everything in the room. Remember to leave enough room around the front and sides of the enclosure for you to be able to gain access to it.
Time
Time is another factor to consider before buying a bearded dragon. You need to devote some time to any pet you get, and owning a bearded dragon is no different. You will need to take time to maintain the habitat, to feed your pet, give it baths, take it for walks, or just to pet and handle it.
It doesn’t take a huge amount of time each day to properly care for your bearded dragon, but there is some time involved.
Take a few minutes to think about your day-to-day schedule. If you are an extremely busy person, always on the go, then think about how to adjust your schedule so you can devote the time needed to care for your pet.
Learn About Owning a Bearded Dragon First
It is very important to learn as much as you possibly can about owning a bearded dragon before you run out to the pet store for your newest baby.
Take a few weeks, or even a few months, to read and absorb as much information on them as possible. Checkout some books from your local library, or purchase them from a book store. Your local pet store will probably stock an assortment of great books on bearded dragons.
Make sure you are comfortable on everything you need to know before bringing your new pet home -there’s no rush to buying. The pet store will have babies available when you are ready, but make sure you are ready first!
Buying a bearded dragon without having adequate knowledge for owning one can cause you and your new pet unhappiness.
Have Your Heart In It
When you make the decision to own a bearded dragon make sure your heart is in it. Owning a bearded dragon is a long term commitment, since they can can live up to fifteen years.
That’s a long time to care for something.
Be absolutely sure that you want to own a bearded dragon before investing the money and time needed that is needed.
If your heart is not truly in it you will find yourself regretting the acquisition a few months down the road.
Take your time and really think about it. Don’t rush into a decision. Take a few weeks to mull it over before jumping in with both feet.
Welcome To The World of Owning a Bearded Dragon
These considerations are not meant to scare you off from owning a bearded dragon, but to hopefully make you aware of the requirements of owning one as a pet.
Keeping a bearded dragon is not difficult, but there are many things to consider before getting involved.
Hopefully, you will think about getting a bearded dragon of your own, and enjoy the relationship that you build with it.
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Dumaflichy says
Whover posted this article should probably do at least 5 seconds of research. You do not need a 125 gal tank. You need at least a 40 gal tank. It even has a link posted for the kit to own a bearded dragon that comes with a 40 gal tank.
Tee Riddle says
Hi Dumaflichy, thanks so much for your comment. I did at least 7 seconds of research and found that a 125 gal tank is ideal for a bearded dragon, in my opinion. Is it absolutely necessary? No. I have found that the more floor space you give a bearded dragon the better they thrive, but it’s not to say they can’t live very well in a 40 gal or 55 gal tank. I have the link for a 40 gal kit as an option for those that are just starting out with bearded dragon ownership because I feel it is a very good starting point. Is it the end all, be all? Of course not. There are many different terrarium configurations that are very successful.
Have a great day and thanks for visiting Bearded Dragon Care 101!
Nichole says
I love this because you do state that you prefer the125 g tank but not that it is the only one. Now my ? Would be what food is the best for them and how often do you feed them and how much