Hello,

I suffered a stroke at the end of last year, being only 24 that's been a big thing to deal with as at this age you don't really expect to have that sort of thing happen to you. Being a carer myself I know what the 'rehibilitation' period is and I know that going back to work is going to take quite some time.

I currently have 3 cats, a hamster and my partner has 2 tarantulas (ick) and because I am pretty much stuck at home all day looking at these 4 walls I am getting extremely bored and am in need of something to perk me up. I play with the cats a lot, but as you know cats sleep probably 80% of the time the hamster also sleeps in the day so I'm twiddling my thumbs-I don't dare touch the tarantulas

On one of our trips out I was taken to Pets at home where me and my partner stocked up on various pet foods etc, I noticed these gorgeous looking bearded dragons . They were 2 for £160.00 or 1 for about £85.00 if memory serves me right. I was asking about them, but the information I was given wasn't really extensive enough and I felt like they didn't really understand the reptiles.

Basically I want to know the pros and cons of keeping a dragon, I only want one as I fear two may fight-like in the case of my hamsters and I had to separate them, sadly Kryten died which was heartbreaking as I hadn't noticed anything wrong with him-I couldn't go through that again with another pet.

So, helpful bods out there-is a dragon for me? I have the patience of a saint and a bit of money stocked up as I don't really go out much, I'm not fully well yet. Also, where should I get them from and what should a 'healthy' dragon look like so I know I'm not getting a poorly one.

Thanks in advance!

Katania

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*Katania aka Shin*

Mother to the best cats:
Sooty (5yrs)
Smokey (4.5yrs)
Bandit (3yrs)

I would say so yes, you have plenty of time on your hands and being Diurnal, they would be awake throughout the whole day.

Beardies make good pets, but they do have specialist requirements, make sure you do lots of research and find out exactly what they need in regards to feeding, temperatures, vitamins and calcium, substrates etc.
I have put lots of info on here to various people, have a search through.

All I would advise is don't buy one from Pets at Home. Find a breeder local to you - have a look in the classifieds section of the reptile forums Reptile Forums UK - Care, Pictures, Classifieds & More

And yes, only get one, they are naturally solitary animals.

That's brilliant, thanks for the advice! I wasn't at all keen on the way they were at PAH to be honest, I don't really like buying animals from a place that don't seem well-up on the kind of creatures they stock. We will have plenty of room when we move so the dragon will have ample space to bungle around

Thanks again and I'll be sure to check through the advice you have posted on here previously. I'll even take pictures when I get him or her, I will probably go with a boy though, in many animals they are a lot easier to maintain...except humans of course ;D

__________________
*Katania aka Shin*

Mother to the best cats:
Sooty (5yrs)
Smokey (4.5yrs)
Bandit (3yrs)

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*~pinkangel~*

If you do decide to go ahead and get one, it might be worth taking a look at the various starter kits available when you're buying your equipment. Quite a lot of places (ourselves included (see The Pet Express - Bearded Dragon Deluxe Starter Kit - £179.00 - Reptiles - Habitats if you want to know the sort of thing I mean)) tend to bundle all the bits and pieces you need together and sell them at a discount, so it is worth shopping around and seeing what is out there.

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THE PET EXPRESS
Online Retailer of Quality Pet Supplies at Low Prices
www.ThePetExpress.co.uk

well they are great i have two of my own and i love them the things bad about them they have long claws and they will used to grip onto you and they heart unless u clip them yourself like i do. also they eat loads veg and insects my ones eat about a box of meal worms a day and they will eat them fast no messing around lol. so its the time and cost of getting them more food every week. i get my live food from livefooddirectuk.co.uk and they are great they send everything i order. apart from these thing they are great. ok u are right they might fight and when they are young its hard to sex them and if u end up with two males they will deferentially fight and might kill one another so if you did get two and they tern out to be both males u will have to get rid of one of them so i think its best to either get older ones or just the one and by the way get and adult starter kit because if you get it a baby starter kit they will soon grow out of it and you will need bigger, its ok for the baby to be in a big tank.

thanks clarkey