1. Are you sure you want the dragon?

Never buy on impulse. You are in a store and see a lovely dragon and immediately decide to get it. Most of the dragons sold this way, will die within one year.


2. Do you know how to deal with them?

• Always get care information before you buy your reptile and bring him home. Learn everything you find about housing, feeding, caring and the diseases beardies get. Get more information sources – books, magazines and personal experiences of experts and owners.

3. Do you exactly know what you have to do?

• Organize before you get the dragon. Create a list and go get the equipment you need. Set up the cage properly and let it run for at least a week to make sure the temps are correct and everything else is working. Find a trusty source for the crickets. Check grocery stores which sell the right vegetables. ( this website can guide you through these steps)

4. Do you have access to fast professional medical help?

Is there a qualified reptile Vet in your area? Newly acquired Bearded Dragons should always have a fecal sample tested for parasites and a general health checkup. It is also a good idea to have them retested for parasites at least once every 3 month. Click here to find your closest reptile vet.

5. Will you have the time to feed, upkeep the cage and clean up after a bearded dragon, daily, during his or her life?

• You will need a certain amount of time to care for the beardie and they need to have out of cage time every day. They need to be fed every day and it takes time to make a salad in the morning.
• You won’t be able to travel somewhere for long periods of time and leave the dragon at home. It is also difficult to find a person willing to handle crickets or worms to feed your dragons while you are away.

6. Do you have the money to care for a bearded dragon?

• Dragons themselves may be only $100 their proper care will cost you. The set up will cost up to $1000 and they eat plenty and needs to be fed daily, you need money for greens, vegetables, fruits, crickets, roaches, supplements etc. They also need a UVB light that are very expensive and needs to be replaced every 6 months (around $90). On top of that you need money for vet trips and all of this become costly over time. I budget around $25 per week for food and a vet consultation can cost around $250. Additionally, if you live somewhere cold, heating add alot to your electricity bill.

7. Are you willing to keep roaches, mealworms etc. in your fridge, what about live insects in the house?

• This one can be a real difficult problem. Everybody in the household must be ok with it. It is almost impossible to make sure some dont escape into the house.