Lotsa noob questions - Which lizzy will suit me best?

[Phyrex]

Hi guys,
I’m very new at this and have a few questions.

I have an empty 100 gallon terrarium (160x50x50 cm) and am thinking about the possibility to keep lizards or some other cute animals (no snakes! *lol*). :)

I personally like Geckos and Chameleons a lot but I haven’t done any research on them so far. (I keep Carnivorous plants, but don’t worry I won’t mix them with animals *grin*)

If it’s not too much to ask I would like some information from the experts.

I prefer to have a tame lizzy at least. One that doesn’t bite. And isn’t stressed a lot when you pick it up and put it on your shoulder. Or maybe I should just get a dog? :D
I’m very against animal cruelty so if I’m not 100% sure my animal is super happy then I won’t buy one.

So the first question is:
1)
What lizard would suit me best?

2)
I assume the terrarium is pretty big for a lizard.
Is it possible to mix different kinds of lizards in one enclosure? Or multiple of the same species for all I care. (No breeding please :))

3)
How much will a complete terrarium setup for a lizzy cost me approximately?

These questions for now, when the answers suit my flavour then I will probably have many more questions to come.

Thanks for reading.

[Bartman]

For a tank that big id say got for a 1.1 pair of bearded dragons. Super calm, medium sized lizards that are pretty easy to care for.

They eat both veggies and insects and live in a desert type environment. Require a high basking spot and uvb from a special reptile light is key.

Other then that, its really easy. They also have amazing personalities :D

[Phyrex]

Kinda like this one:
http://dragoncharm.com/mnementh(1-4)/mnementh12-1.3.5.jpg

It almost looks like it's trying to say "Buy and love me Phyrex" :p

Nah seriously, before I ever buy one I will do some serious research on them.
But if you have a lizard that large, won't the relative small 50 cm width anoy him?

[lisa marie]

I say a blue tongued skink. They grow to about 2 feet long and are chubby guys. Though they don't like to sit on your shoulder since they are completely terrestrial. Mine seems a little nervous of heights. He does walk around the house though when it's not too cold to do so. Blue tongues are very docile, tame lizards and very curious. They are omnivores, very hardy lizards, and care requirements are not too difficult to meet.

[aaron]

I'd say get yourself a beardie! Theres a ton of them out there and they are almost bullet proof. An excellant lizard for starters and experianced keepers. The only downfall of them is that there is a ton of them out there! A 100 gallon tank is a very nice size for one and maybe alright for even 2 but if you just want a pet pick yourself up a nice male! They have great personalities and seem to actually like interactions with humans! Blue tounges are cool looking lizards (kinda prehistoric) but i don't have any experiance with them to share!

Aaron

[Phyrex]

Thanks for the replies so far guys.

Lisa > Well I’ve googled on the Skink but I find the Bearded Dragon loads more attractive.
They look so strong yet cute. :)

Bartman >
What did you mean with “1.1 pair of bearded dragons”
What kind of pair?
2 male, 2 female or 1 of each? Or is it better to just stick with one.
In other words: what would make them the happiest?

And Aaron >
“The only downfall of them is that there is a ton of them out there!”
Why is this a downfall? You mean it makes them less special or something?
Anyway, if there are a lot of dragon types out there, which one should I pick?

I would like to hear more stories about the beardies and human interaction.
For example; would it dislike/harm it when you take it out of his terrarium each day for an hour? (not saying I want to do this but just checking...)

[TomL]

Hi there,
Ok the 1.1 is just how people write the number of males and females there are. It works like this Male.Female.Unknown so 1.1 is a pair. For you you may want to keep 1.1 because breeding them might be kind of a fun experience, if not they are fine by themselves or in groups.
I think Aaron was saying that because there are a lot of beardeds out there they are less valuable and breeding them would result in babies beardeds that you cannot make money on? either that or they are common and not overly exotic? im not sure...
But if this is your first reptile I think that this is an advantage for you. You can get a dragon at a good price and you will have a large number of animals to choose from. As for types its up to you, there are a large number of colour varieties to choose from (just look around this site)
And lastly as far as human interaction goes, I have seen some really really friendly dragons and they seem to be ok with handling (I won't say they like it because Im not convinced that any reptiles enjoy being carried around by what to them would represent an animal that can eat them)
Well best of luck to you with whatever you decide on
PS- Before you buy you can never read too much or ask too many questions
Cheers
Tom

[aaron]

sorry what i meant was that they're available everywhere because they aren't very hard to breed and because of that you'd want to make sure of what kind of stock your getting. Buy from a reputable breeder. You might pay more from a breeder than right out of the classifieds from someone selling them for $20 but most reputable breeders pay close attention to their bloodlines and can assure you that your getting a healthy animal. What Bartman means by 1.1 is 1 male and 1 female. You can keep a male and female together or a male and several females but not 2 males. Also they must all be relatively the same size.If your going to keep just one you'll likely want to get a male as there is a risk of egg binding with females.

Aaron

[Samba]

If you don't want millions of babies just get two females... and everyone is right... beardies are uniquly inquistive and interactive with their owners. Some of the smartest of reptiles in my opinion... =)

[Will]

I agree with Samba. If you get a pair of beardies, get 2 females(NOT 2 males), unless you are committed to alot of work. A pair can literally produce 100+ babies a year, and trust me, the 2 babies you start with are enough work.

Other than that, Beardies are great. Other than the UV requirements, which aren't dificult to deal with anyways, they are really basic animals, and very interactive lizards. If you look around a bit, you will discover a TON of different colored dragons out there too. Definitely buy from a reputable breeder as well, ask around people will tell you who is good to deal with.

I would like to hear more stories about the beardies and human interaction.
For example; would it dislike/harm it when you take it out of his terrarium each day for an hour?

They seem to be unique amoung reptiles in that they often seem like they may actually enjoy the chance to explore outside their tanks, and at the very least they don't seem to mind handling as much as other reptiles....

[Phyrex]

Those beardies really sound like my kinda lizzy. :)
100 babies per year huh? I think I’ll avoid mating in that case... for now at least.

I’m still wondering whether a single BD male alone would be happier compared with two females together. Anyone?
It’s probably a difficult question but I want what’s best for the lizzies. :)


Oh and a few small questions:
How old will they get in captivity?
Should I buy them very young or more mature? (What’s best for them liking me)

Thanks.

[Samba]

1.) As for One male, or two females being happy... It's really hard to say... we can't exactly ask them, but if you want my opinion, I think two females will be just fine together, especially if they are about the same age.

2.) Beardies can live up to 10-15 years (from what I heard).

3.) Whether you want to buy them younger or older is your choice; personally, I think if you want to spend as much time with them as possible, buy young. The younger they are the easier they will be to handle when older (not that they're difficult anyways). When buying younger animals and housing them together you must always keep a close watch to make sure one doesn't bully the other. Make sure they are about the same size... If you buy older just make sure the beardies will get along with each other (if you decide on two girls). The best way to do that is to find some already living together, but if you can't, just remember to quarentine them for at least 60 days before introduction.

If you are really interested in them be sure to research them thoroughly so you will be a well-prepared and knowledgable owner. Good luck, and please update us soon!! =)

[Phyrex]

Well if a solo BD doesn’t feel lonely I think I prefer to start with just one BD (male).
I’ve had a bad experience with hamsters not liking each other in my childhood despite my best efforts and spending a fortune on their habitat (those plastic tube thingies). :)

Does anyone happen to know a very good site about building a perfect terrarium setup for BD’s?
I’ve seen some that include a basket spot (+ hiding place underneath sometimes), drinking & feeding place but not much more than that...
I’ve read that BD’s like a shallow puddle of water to bath in?
And what about plants inside?
It has to be somewhat nice looking to the human eye also... ^^

[Will]

Here's a few sites that should provide some good info for you:

Bearded Dragon.org (http://www.beardeddragon.org/)

ICU Lizard(CDN Site) (http://www.iculizard.com/)

Daichiu Dragons (http://www.dachiu.com/)

Borderview Dragons(CDN Site) (http://www.geocities.com/borderviewdragons/)

[adamofsound]

one thing no one has mentionned is that beardies can go through 25-30 crickets easily every day or every ohter day when they are young.
I keep a pair and the bug bill can really get up there. expect to pay up to $20 a week to feed a beardie.
They really are fun lizards though. just wait until you see your first head bob and arm wave! too funny

Adam