# Bearded Dragon Freedom?



## Ethics (Dec 16, 2004)

Hey,

I bought my bearded dragon a little over a year ago. He started off in a 24 gallon tank and moved up to a 55 gallon in the first few months.

Slowly I started letting him out to run around the house, he absolutely loves it.

And it's gotten to the point where he spends maybe 30 minutes a day in his tank, sometimes he'll be out of his tank for weeks at a time.

My family loves him, we always make sure to knwow here he is so no one steps on him.

He usually wakes up in the morning from one of his hiding spots around the house. (usually around some plants my mom has laying around the house)

He then starts his day by running around exploring. We take him out on the balcony for some greens, a swim in a small pool we have for him and some natural sunlight. He's always against the balcony door looking forward to this int he morning like he's a dog waiting to go for a walk.

He has recently learned to climb up the stairs and began to explor upstairs. He's always running around the house checking out what everyones doing for hours.

We have a UV light setup in one of his basking spots which he loves to lay under, and a heat lamp in another which he also visits often.

My question to you guys is, does anyone else do this with any other animals? I feel keeping giving him my house as a tank is great, he's always super bright colors, very happy running around watching what we do. Sometimes he'll sit down in the kitchen and watch my mom cook.

Mario


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## bobz (Mar 9, 2006)

Wow,

I dont have any reptile pets at the moment but that sounds awesome! Its a bearded dragon is it? How big do they get and are they always so friendly. I want one now!

Bobz


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## CrocKeeper (Dec 26, 2003)

Provided there are no dogs or cats, or toddlers, and you have ample places with heat and UV lighting, rooms and multiple rooms work well...again the multiple heating, uv source is paramount. The biggest downfall to people let things just "roam" is that these animals have dambient air temps far below what they need, make sure none of your moms plants are toxic to the beardy....
I have several two year old Spectecled Caiman that have free run in one snake room, and a colony of Blue Tongued Skinks have complete run in another....but mind you these are contained rooms, with controlled temps, and they are provided heating, UV and water.....


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## Ethics (Dec 16, 2004)

Hey,

Thanks for the replies guys.

Yeah it's a bearded dragon, they get to about 1.5 to 2 feet from tail to head. Mines in the 1.2 feet length at the moment.

90% of the time their friendly, well 100% the only time he gets really mad and puffs at me is if he's sleeping and I have to move him because he's in the way. Don't wake up a sleeping bearded dragon









Crockeeper, it's great to hear you have 2 rooms dedicated to your lizards, I feel it's the best enviornment you can provide for them.

I got a old tank today, cleaned it out and filled it with a water dish, another heat lamp, a UV lamp, a place to lay, and a ramp to get in and out freely if he wants to.

I really wish I had more room for other animals, my room is completely filled with tanks right now, even got rid of one of my tv's to put in a 55 gallon P tank.

If anyone has any questions, or has free roaming lizards around the house, I'd love to hear about it.

Mario


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## bobz (Mar 9, 2006)

Just out of curiosity are these lizards ahrder to keep than corn snakes. What type of tank to they need, size etc.

Thanks a lot,

Bobz









P.S Do you have any pictures?


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## CrocKeeper (Dec 26, 2003)

Lizards in general are much more labor intensive than snakes...Ultraviolet lighting becomes a must, not an option, and feeding regimens become a daily not weekly issue.....that said, lizards can be more rewarding for many people because of inate behaviours we like to anthrapormorphize over...in beardies...the hand waving is well recieved by owners....anyway...snakes vs. lizards is a personal choice, and one that really depends what type of time committment you have to devote to your captive.


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## bjmarche (Jun 30, 2005)

Does he crap all over your house? Or do you make sure he craps outside or in his tank?
I've owned and have taken care of many lizards, but where I live in Newfoundland. a lot of the time it isn't warm enough to keep them out of their tank. 
Well, I can take them out, but usually not for more then an hour at a time, and they're always very close to me.
As for the lizards vs. snakes argument, lizards all the way. 
I find them much more intelligent and interactive.


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## KINGofKINGS (Jul 24, 2006)

Bearded dragons are the coolest reptiles to own imo... I found this out not too long ago when I traded my hogg island boa off-- i still have a love for snakes but a nice lizard is much more fun to keep... more personality, interaction, etc... and NOONE is terrified to come into my house(especially females) which is a huge bonus in itself!!! heres my little fellow whom i plan on letting roam when she gets bigger(still pretty quick)...
View attachment 115297


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## Ethics (Dec 16, 2004)

Hey,

Spaceman Spiff, there's actually a pretty funny answer to your question, I don't know where he picked it up but he ALWAYS and ONLY takes a dump in the washroom, now I don't know where he picked this up, maybe from seeing us always going in there, or maybe he just likes the tiles. It's a very strange thing he does, but it's always in the same spot in the washroom.

As for the picture requests, here's a couple of him running around the house...























































Enjoy,
Mario


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## shutter13 (Jun 23, 2004)

nice lookin beardie!!! i bet he hates it in his tank now when he has to go in.. hehe


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## Ethics (Dec 16, 2004)

Hey,

You'd be surprised lol, he doesn't mind being in there for an hour or 2, but after that he dances on the glass to let us know he wants out.

Mario


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## KINGofKINGS (Jul 24, 2006)

does he try to get away from you when you go to pick him up?> and the pooping thing i think is pretty common-- ive heard of some keepers that have dragons that refuse to crap in their cages!! mine craps in the same corner or spot of her cage about 80% of the time


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## Ethics (Dec 16, 2004)

Nope, he never tries to get away when being picked up, I've only seen him do that once when he was very very small.


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## Fresh2salt (Jul 16, 2004)




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## bobz (Mar 9, 2006)

Wow they seem cool, i want one but they sound hard to care for...

Bobz


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## bjmarche (Jun 30, 2005)

Nah, they're pretty easy to take care of.
If you want a medium sized lizard that you can handle, a Beardie or a BTS would be the way to go, as they are both vary intelligent, friendly, and easy to take care of.


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## bobz (Mar 9, 2006)

Wow they sounds great,

Tank size? Equiptment?

Thanks,

Bobz


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## Ethics (Dec 16, 2004)

55 gallon and a 24 gallon, he is rarely in them though. A few strip lights around the house, and a few heat lamps here and there as well.

( we don't keep these on very often because he gets 4-5 hours of natural sunlight daily, and tends to love the cold rather then the hot. )

A few hammacks for him to lay in, and water dishes here and there.

Not much equipment needed to keep a BD, as long as you got the UV light and heat lamp they'll be fine.

Mario


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## bobz (Mar 9, 2006)

Thanks for the info, I think i will do some research.

Is it expensive for that type of set-up?

Bobz


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## Ethics (Dec 16, 2004)

Hey not at all, you can get a used tank of a nice size for fairly cheap $50 probably, check your local newspapers to see if anyone has one for sale, or check craigslist to see if anyone in your area has a tank for sale.

The lights and heat lamp wont run you alot either, maybe $60.

Now it could go up in price if you decide to get fancy, but the equipment won't break your wallet.

Mario


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## Tinkerbelle (Oct 14, 2004)

Those are gorgeous little lizards. I lost my heart to a 4' Iguana when I was in highschool. Darwin was a free range science lab pet (I went to a very small private school). There were babygates on the science lab doors that you had to open to get in and close behind you... There was also a dog door between the two main labs so he could explore and go wherever he wanted. If we were doing an experiment in one, we'd just put him in the other lab or his 'cage' (a converted storage closet).

I've been tempted to get another lizard after meeting the handsome and very personable Darwin. How big do they get? Do you think I could possibly litter train one of these guys?


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## Ethics (Dec 16, 2004)

Hey,

I wish they let us keep lizards at school, we only had a pet goldfish and he was no fun :X

They get about 1.5 to 2 feet long form head to tail.

And it's very likely that you can litter train one of them, if I put a sandbox where he usually goes, he'll go right in it.


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## bobz (Mar 9, 2006)

Wow thanks for the info,

I'm defiantly doing some research on them. So whats the down if any sides to these lizards?

Bobz


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## Tinkerbelle (Oct 14, 2004)

Ethics said:


> Hey,
> 
> I wish they let us keep lizards at school, we only had a pet goldfish and he was no fun :X
> 
> ...


once the old bio teacher quit tho they ended up giving Darwin to a zoo because no one (except for me and I was going into my senior year) really knew how to handle him. oh we had goldies too... the physics teacher kept oddities. mostly malformed fish but he had one bubble eye that had to be at least 6" minus its tail!

2 feet is totally do-able. i may look into one when I have my own place.


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## Ethics (Dec 16, 2004)

Hey,

There's no real downsides to them.

You just really need to pay attention to them and keep an eye out so they don't go somewhere they shouldnt be.

They really do love to be around people, I find him the happiest when I take him for walks around my building on my shoulder. His head goes all which ways, he's so interested in everyhting around him, It's a highlight of the little guys day.

I'd highly reccomend getting a beardie, as long as you pay attention to them they will reward you with their weird and crazy ways.

I actually bought him about a year and a half ago, and my mom hated the idea of having a lizard in the house. But the day I brought him home she fell right in love with him. She cares more for him now, I sometimes think he's not even my lizard anymore.

Mario


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## bobz (Mar 9, 2006)

Thanks for the info, i may start my own thread to ask some more questions.

Got any more pictures?

Bobz


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