Bearded dragons are popular pets in America and the UK. Herpetologists say that beardies have advantages over both dogs and cats that are making people choose them more often than any other pet.
With the correct habitat setup in your home, beardies are great pets to have. Discover 9 reasons why you should get a bearded dragon as your next pet.
Not a lot of room needed
Their small size and weight make them easy to maintain. Adults only grow up to 2 feet in length, and part of that is their tail, not just their body. They stay small enough that you can handle them easily.
They also don’t require a lot of room to live. If your house is space-challenged, getting a beardie means that you don’t have to worry about a lot about where to keep him. He won’t need a whole room to himself.
Special kits with vivariums built for beardies are generally compact as these are not arboreal lizards. Or you can use a 20 to 55-gallon fish tank. Moreover, you can place the enclosure in almost any part of your home as long as it’s heated and lit properly.
Not much work or a lot of time needed to care for them
It is more convenient to have a beardie as a pet when you have a tight schedule. They require minimum care and attention. You don’t need much time to take care of a bearded dragon. You don’t have to shampoo or groom a beardie like a dog or a cat.
Neither will you have to take it for walks, although you can if you have a reptile harness and leash. The only thing to worry about is that its habitat is suitable. That means that there are adequate light and heat and a little room to roam.
Bearded dragons are adapted to temperatures of 78-85 degrees F during the day and 65-70 degrees F at night. You can provide heat to their tanks by using a heat lamp for basking and an under tank heater to maintain the temperature at night if needed.
Leave one side of the tank unheated so that the beardie has a place to cool off. Again, make sure that its habitat is kept tidy by picking up droppings and leftover food.
No worries about allergies
Unlike animals with fur, bearded dragons don’t cause allergic reactions. There’s no dander to make you sneeze and no fluff to pick off your clothes.
Not expensive and fewer visits to the vet
Bearded dragons cost less than a purebred dog and do not require frequent veterinary check-ups like dogs and cats unless there’s a health emergency. Even their food costs less.
Makes you a better person
Having a beardie as a pet means that you will have to take care of it. This creates a sense of responsibility in you. You are able to learn responsibility traits which you in turn in the applying to your fellow human beings. Then the world becomes a better place.
Peace and quiet
If you want a quiet environment, bearded dragons are an excellent choice. They are very quiet. They only rarely produce a squeaking noise that can’t disturb you. The squeaking noise is nowhere near as irritating as the loud bark of a dog.
A quiet environment will provide you with proper concentration for activities like studying. Again, you will not have trouble with your neighbors and the law because these pets do not make noise.
Bearded dragons are calming to watch
What could be more soothing than watching your lizard bask? Plus, beardies can be quite amusing when they cock their head to the side to look at you. Sometimes they wave by lifting a front paw. But then they may startle you when their hunting instincts kick in as they chase down a live cricket.
Companionship
One reason people get pets is to seek companionship. Health experts have proven that loneliness is one of the causes of stress. Stress, in turn, develops to depression. Pets provide company that can be less stressful than human interaction.
Human beings are sometimes unable to provide honest companionship. Having a bearded dragon in your home helps you evade loneliness and boredom. They make great listening buddies since they won’t interrupt while you talk. Also, taking care of them keeps you active and makes you feel good.
They live for years
Okay, although beardies don’t live as long as a dog or cat, they have an average lifespan of 8 to 12 years. This far outstrips some pets like hamsters or rats. It’s nice to know that proper care should ensure that you’ll have your little buddy to enjoy for a long time.