Water Dragons

[CornSnakeMan]

ok I went to a pet store and they had 3 water dragons in for $25 a piece plus the flourescent light that was 18 and the heat lamp for $35 are their any cheaper flourescent lights or heat lamps for these beautiful lizards?

And can you tell me the price of the cheapest supplies and can you use sand or soil instead of the little woodchip thingies?

Thanks

[reptilez]

Water Dragons need humidity and those "woodchip thingies" hold in water really good and use it for humidity. All flourescent lighting for Diurnal lizards are expensive. and heat lamps can be found in Canada for about $30.** but you can get smaller ones for like $15.**
Happy Herping,
-Reptilez

[CornSnakeMan]

Thanks alot but I'm in america and in chicago Illinois and I need to know how much it would be out here. But thanks a whole lot for replying even though I cant go all the way out their to get one

[reptilez]

just divide my prices by 2 and divide that price by 2 and you got the american price.(approx.)

[CornSnakeMan]

oh.....ok thanx alot man!

[reptilez]

No problem

[andrea88]

If you are wanting a cheap lizard do not, I repeat DO NOT get a water dragon. (especially 3 of them...)

We spend $1500 on our initial set-up and we spend at least $900/year on maintanance and food. (It would be even more but we breed out own insects and mice.)

If you want a cheaper lizard go for a collard, skink or uromastix.

[V.hb]

Although iam sure your water dragon has a nice life Andrea, i definatly think thats an outrageous estimate!! Iam sure keeping a bit of money aside for vet etc is a nessecity, but thats alot.

We keep both aussie and asian waters and have bred both with a friend of ours and we have spent nowhere near that, even with 14 babies hatching! I will admit, if you do not have the appropriate enclosure they will escape and cause all hell and hurt themselves so that is the big caution. make sure your enclosure will hold them. I really don't find these guys hard to care for.
I Do commend Andrea for spending the time and money she has, that definatly is the way to be! but if you look at the standards, espeacially for pet-shop material the animals usually do not spend near that too house one of these guys. Aside from their cost they are extremely intellegent and friendly lizards.

[andrea88]

I belong to a busy waterdragon mailing list and another herp sites' waterdragon forum, and you can go to either and ask the 100+ people how much they spent and they will all give you the same price range. You can get away with a few 100 less if you bargain hunt, but when it is all properly set up you will have spent $1000+
Not to mention, I have RARELY seen a dragon as nice as mine with no traces of snout dammage whatsoever. I have seen 100's of sickly looking dragons with their faces rubbed off. You would do well for your dragon to follow my advice!!! (The only other dragons that I have seen as healthy as mine were two women who kept their dragons is bedroom-sized enlosures.)

"but if you look at the standards, espeacially for pet-shop material the animals usually do not spend near that too house one of these guys."
You CANNOT buy an enclosure in a pet shop that is large enough for a waterdragon. They need a minimum of 6'tallx4'widex2'deep. You will either have to build one or get it custom made.
Pet stores standards are of course a lot less, because they have to sell the animal, and heck, who wants to go to all the trouble that a waterdragon REALLY needs??? Have you noticed that all the pet-store dragons limbs are stunted from lack of excersize, they bellies bloated from improper conditions and their noses bloody and scarred from nervously rubbing their faces along the too-small enclosure?
Sure, you CAN get away with jamming an active, aboreal lizard in a flat 125 gallon, sure it will survive and waterdragons do breed like rabbits,,,,,,,, but...... it will not THRIVE.
There is a big difference. If you cannot provide the *best* for a herp, then do the herp a favor and don't get it.

Your attitude that you can get away with much less, is the same attitude that had 1000's of dying iguanas in 75 gallons eating lettuce only a few years ago.

Yes, they are awesome pets, and yes very friendly! BUT, I would never undermine the cost and time I have to put into it to properly care for my waterdragon. People need to know what to expect. They need to know truthfully the amount of time and work that goes into having the honor of keeping one of these creatures.

I am *VERY* firm on these beliefs and opinions, and wish more people thought this way. There would be a lot less sad-looking herps out there if more people did.

<img src="http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/502/388loki_pose.jpg"></center><p>

[V.hb]

I agree with you and think its good you are that way, however not everyone is going to house them according to your rule, regardless so i feel its important to also state the "half decent" husbandry practises as well. as far as snout damage, thats easily avoidable, both myself and a friend of mine constructed an enclosure in our hot room that is basically a fence the dragons cannot climb and its all climate controlled to their own needs, it works incredibly well. Your dragon looks excellent, ours dont look much different.. thanks for your input

also to add..
iam not sure what you mean by my attitude, i never said lock a water dragon in a tank you cannot do that. Babies you can, but not adults. You HAVE to construct an enclosure for adults, or come up with alternate means. I just dont believe its difficult too keep water dragons. MAKING an enclosure out of wood is cheaper than buying a large glass aquarium? You don't have to use OAK to make a cage you know? (not that you did, but it isnt expensive to do)

As far as my attitude being the reason iguanas and other lizards do awful is quite offending. Every animal i keep is doing incredibly well, and is well fed. I take care of my animals, and just because i do not agree with you doesnt mean i dont, and it doesnt mean that my animals are any less or more healthy than yours are.

[andrea88]

We did make our enclosure!! And *NOT* out of oak....
Here is a basic price list of what it will cost in Canadian funds to set up a water dragon by building your own cage, and to maintain each year. Every little things adds up, and the end price is not pretty!!!

~HATCHLING SET UP~
33 gallon $75
water area $12
small filter $21
filtermedia $6
substrate $20
initial vet check up $35
fecal exam $30
=TOTAL $204

~PERMANENT HOME~
3 6x4 wood sheets (we got for free)
4 2x4 6' long (we got for free)
6 2x4 4' long (we got for free)
3 2x2 5' long (we got for free)
hardware mesh (we got for free)
pack of screws $6
2 fluro lighting fixtures $22
2 basking lighting fixtures $15
4x4 sheet of plexi glass $65
hinges for plexi glass $20
castors for bottom of cage $24
water container $21
fluval2 submersable filter $39
fluval2 filter media $12
Plants/decorations/ropes $150
2 cans polyurethane $32
sm can brown paint $9
sm can green paint $9
paint brushes $18
4 tubes caulking $18
caulking gun $10
power bar $12
extension cord $5
2 uv bulbs $50
2 halogen basking bulbs $10
2 temp/humidity gauge $23
vitamin supplements $12
calcuim supplement $10
timer $9
spray bottle/mister $12
sandpaper $4
=TOTAL $617

~YEARLY MAINTAINANCE~
4 halogen bulbs $20
4 uv bulbs $100
filter media $24
vitamin supplements $12
calcuim supplement $10
Cost on powerbill $240/year
=TOTAL $406

~YEARLY FOOD FOR AN ADULT~ (pet store prices)
260 juvenille mice $520
312 dew worms $104
1560 superworms $312
520 crickets $52
520 mealworms $52
120 feederfish $18
50 waxworms $9
=TOTAL $1067


Add all of the totals together my friends, and you will see that I exagerate not!

[reptilesalonica]

Green Water dragons are among the easiest lizards to correctly care for. This is because they eat not only insects but fruits, vegies and mice (also lizards if you can find any). After about 2-3 months of handling you will see that they are much tamer, intelligent, friendly and has a better character than iguanas. Also they get much smaller. I still can't forget mine. It died from regurgitation and it was my 2nd Herp. It had a very nice character. I use to have him roaming all over my body and he never run away. Green Water dragons need more humidity than iguanas because are animals that live close/in rainforests. They need tall rather wide terariums. Let's not scare anyone new to the herp hobby...let's just say that indeed as Andrea sais they need more time than an iguana but if the person is willing to spend this time (it's not realy that much) those magnificent animals will pay that time three times back with their interesting character. One last thing i am going to say. I know what it means having and carrying properly for a green water dragon. I keep herps 7 years, now i have 30 herps, i breed lots of mice, hamsters, crickets, mealworms and if i had the chance to find Green Water dragons here in Greece, i would buy a trio...

[V.hb]

Thanks Andrea for posting everything you purchased. That didnt do anything for me. I did NOT say once that you didn't spend that kind of money. I just said, it is unnessecary to do so, there are many other methods of housing them for alot cheaper that are just as effective and good for the animal ours are living proof.. I never knocked your methods or called you a liar. Thanks.

[alex_33]

andrea, for the prices of your permanent home, i only calculated $592 . I can see it would be more for the wood, but not another 600 dollars.

[andrea88]

Simple calculation mistake. Have you ever made one?
You need not be rude.

And V.hb, yah you did!
Quote from your post:
"Although iam sure your water dragon has a nice life Andrea, i definatly think thats an outrageous estimate!! Iam sure keeping a bit of money aside for vet etc is a nessecity, but thats alot."

Most people getting a waterdragon do not have a hot-room or whatever you are using and must construct a cage just as I did. Theres nothing wrong with me posting a price extimate for all to see is there?