hi were thinking to get a beardie and i wondered if anyone could us some advise please

we have been to the pet shop and asked loads of questions but i have a few more before we make our final decision

do they bite and if they do is it just a nip if they bite would you need a tetnus the pet shop id be buying from handle them from when there young so he would be used to being handled

i have read lots of stuff on the internet and everyone says different things

the pet shop is selling everything we need but what extras would we need
many thanks
tracy

__________________



harley

hi my husband has some beardies he said they dont tend to bite if u handle them enough but if they do it dosent really hurt,they really like butternut squash and water cress as well as there insects,he actually has 3 baby ones for sale if your intrested not sure if you live close or not,any questions u can always ask as he has a few of them himself

Hello
Good choice of reptile!
Beardies are very reluctant to bite. They are very popular as pets because of this, and I have only heard of one of two in the a hundred, that have been a little more feisty. It's generally not in their nature.
However, as babies they can be very fast and skittish and I think this is what puts people of handling them, ad then as times goes by, they become unhandable adults.

The key is too do it little and often. For a few days, place you hand into their viv and allow them to get used to your hands. Try sitting them on you hand whilst it's flat in the bottom of their viv. Over time you can bring your hands out.
A good way to restrain a baby is placing your first and middle finger over their shoulders, so the palm of your hand is on their back. Just be very careful as they can be quite delicate when tiny. Just give them lots of time, they generally slow down as they get older, so it only gets easier.

Have a quick search through all the other bearded dragon threads, I have posted in lots of them and there is some really good advice.

thanks for the advice we live in the shetland islands so i dont think we'd be close enough to buy 1 of yours lol were searching for the best vivarium at the moment

__________________



harley

My recommendations would be to search yell.com or similar and contact you local joiner. He should be able to knock you on up at a fraction of the price of a shop, and especially the internet taking postage into consideration.

I would imagine it can get mighty chilly where you live, so a glass vivarium is a no as they don't hold the temps very well. Go for thick melamine wood.
Mine is 25mm thick, which is not a standard thickness, only joiners make them that thick, as it isn't financially feasible on a large scale.

My 4x2x2 ft (That's minimum size for a beardie by the way) was just £60.

i never thought of getting a joiner to make 1 its a pet shop on the mainland that i have been talking too we went in the summer time to talk to them and that was the size they recomended i have been quoted by them a price of £269 for everthing my viv and the lights too but i think i might try a joiner first

__________________



harley