Why Bearded Dragons Are Not Good Pets for Beginners

Bearded dragons are a type of lizard that is native to Australia. They're popular pets because of their docile nature and ability to be trained to do tricks. However, there are several reasons why bearded dragons are not suitable pets for beginners.

Their Body Size

Bearded dragons can grow up to 24 inches long from their head to their tail. This means that they need a large enclosure to live in. Dragons that are 20 inches or more are housed in a vivarium or tank of about 75 to 120 gallons. Besides, they also need a lot of hiding places and things to climb on in their enclosure. That can be expensive and time-consuming to set up.

Their Diet

These pets are omnivores, which mean they eat both plants and animals. In the wild, their diet consists of 75% vegetables and 25% insects. In captivity, their diet should consist of 50% vegetables and 50% insects. Their diet can be expensive because they need to eat live insects. In addition, the insects can be hard to get, especially if you don't have a pet store nearby.

Their Care Requirements

Bearded dragons need a lot of care. They need to be fed live insects daily, and their enclosure needs to be cleaned every week. They also need to be bathed weekly and their nails trimmed regularly to keep them healthy. All of this can be a hustle for beginners who are unprepared to take care of a pet.

They're Prone to Health Problems

Bearded dragons are prone to several health problems, including metabolic bone disease, respiratory infections, and parasites. Metabolic bone disease is caused by a lack of calcium and vitamin D3 in their diet. Respiratory infections are common in dragons that live in enclosures that are too cold or too humid. And parasites pose risks to dragons that eat live insects. All of these health issues can be expensive to treat.