Have You Ever Faced A Dragon?
Meet Moshi. He just enjoyed a nice meal of meal worms and is now sunning himself. He a friendly little guy and is part of the family. Beardies have not been in the United States for long, but they are strong favorite for pet owners of all ages, second only to dogs and cats. They are the most common reptile kept in captivity as a pet.
What Does A Bearded Dragon in Your Life Tell You?
If a bearded dragon has entered your life, it may have become one of your spirit animals. A bearded dragon in your life represents rebirth, renewal, and change. Know that you have the power to survive any storm that comes your way. Stop beating yourself up over your past mistakes. Look at your hard times as a blessing in disguise and see the bright side.
5 Cool Facts About Bearded Dragons
Bearded dragons wave at each other to say hi and they will wave at you to show they recognize you
They love to spend most of their day basking on a warm rock and will sometimes lay on each other to show dominance
Dragons can run up to 9 miles an hour and are able to run on two legs if needed
They love to explore and go for walks on a leash
Bearded dragons love to swim
Where Do Bearded Dragons Live?
Yes, they are called Australian bearded dragons and that is where the wild ones live, but in reality, the beardies that we have in the United States are not from Australia. It is against the law there to export them which is why you see more and more morphs of the breed. Even the original ones did not enter the country until the 1990s. Most of the dragons you see here were bred in the States as pets.
In the wild, the bearded dragons live in a hot, dry area of central Australia. They spend time in trees or bushes or like to bask on rocks. Just like in the wild, your beardie loves to hang out a branch in their enclosure and will even sleep there. This also means they can hang out on a shoulder, though you may discover they want to crawl on top of your head or down your back as you can see in the picture.
A Beardie Personality
The bearded dragon gets its name from its ability to flare out the skin in its throat region which they do when they are being territorial or feeling threatened. They start out fairly small but can grow up to be up to 24 inches long including their tail. Beardies may look a little fierce with spines covering their body but they are actually gentle and friendly.
What Do Bearded Dragons Eat?
Dragons are omnivores which means they will eat meat or vegetation like milk maidens, bamboo, birds, or elephant blood. Oh wait, we are talking about the bearded dragons. They are much easier to feed. Each morning you can give them a little romaine lettuce, collard greens, or mashed apple, banana, or grapes. They also enjoy crickets. Make sure the crickets are no bigger than the distance between the dragon’s eyes. Drop them into the tank and watch the hunt.
Zee says Moshi likes red lettuce, blueberries, and strawberries. She is my granddaughter who has owned him most of her life so I consider her the expert. He refuses to eat any kind of bugs except feeder crickets, hex worms, or Dubai roaches. If you give him something he does not consider food, he will just glare at you until you give him what he wants.
How Do Bearded Dragons Communicate?
Bearded dragons have ways of communicating with each other. If you pay close attention, you can almost tell what they are thinking. The male beardies bob their head up and down to get a female’s attention or as a sign of dominance, saying he is the boss. It can also be a sign he is guarding his territory, saying “get out of my space”. There may be other reasons like just being a little over-excited or wanting to say hi.
Their twitching tails also tell about their mood. The dragon could be intent on a serious hunt for crickets or they could just be cranky. The beardies also hiss when they feel threatened or uncomfortable.
Beardies also like to wave which is such fun to watch! They will wave for the same reason we do, to be friendly. The dragons are showing recognition, saying “I see you”.
They also wave when they are in submission and the dominant one will often sit on top of the other one. You will see this behavior when they are together at the pet store and are establishing who is the boss. It tends to cause quite a bit of stress so you will want to keep your beardie living alone.
How Do Australian Bearded Dragons Breed?
Bearded dragons are oviparous which is a fancy word that means they have babies by laying eggs. When they become of “breeding age” depends more on their size than on how old they are, although it is usually around one to two years of age. The mating and egg laying happens in spring and early summer when both mates are ready.
Once they have mated, the eggs will arrive in four to six weeks. Around two or three weeks before the female is ready to lay the eggs, she will begin digging and will need something suitable to dig in and lay her eggs. The eggs take 10-12 weeks to hatch.
Here are some little tiny juvenile ones that I was able to get pictures of in a pet store. Aren’t they the cutest little guys ever????
What You Need To Own A Dragon
Thankfully, you will not need a dingy dark cave to own this dragon. The best type of home for a beardie is a 55-gallon glass tank and you will want a piece of indoor carpet covering the bottom. Adult beardies do not need a water dish. They get the water they need from the food they eat. Babies need misting on their faces a couple of times a day.
Your dragon will enjoy a box to hide in, some rocks for basking, and branches to climb on. You will want to light the tank with fluorescent full-spectrum lighting with UVB. This is very important to provide exactly since they get nutrients from this light like they would from sunlight.
Why Bearded Dragons Make Great Pets
Bearded dragons are good pets to have around kids because they are gentle by nature. They do not make loud, obnoxious noises and they will not bite. These pets enjoy being handled and stroked. They will even learn to recognize their owner. You can even take them for walks with a harness. They love being out in the sun and can always use Vitamin D.
There are a few things to know about taking care of your dragon. Do not grab them suddenly. Be sure to support their body and tail fully when you hold them. If a baby beardie gets loose and starts to run, cup him under your hand rather than trying to grab him. If their tail comes off, it will not grow back. When they ride clinging to your shirt, hold them steady. Be careful not to let them jump from high places.
Zee says they can be a little work to own, especially when you need to give them baths and clean the cage, and that is a challenge because you cannot use soap. They love baths and they do know how to swim, though they may not enjoy it much so just keep the water about knee-high. She says afterward wrap them up in something nice and soft.
So you don’t need a cave, crazy foods, or a fireproof suit to own a dragon. All you need is a clean tank, some vegetables, and crickets to own an Australian Bearded Dragon. Give them plenty of attention and you will enjoy a fun and friendly pet. Zee loves her little Moshi…oh, and did I mention I had one once too? They are definitely an awesome pet.
My Recommended Product
Yes, for each article I like to recommend a product from Amazon, partially because it helps me generate a little income to help pay for this site and because I hope it will foster your interest in this subject.
If you are interested in owning a bearded dragon, be sure to do your research. They have specific needs to keep them happy and healthy. Here is a great book that might help.
