In early 2002 I decided I wanted to get a pet green iguana. As I was planning on moving I decided to wait till after the move before picking up a pet. Since I had time, I decided to learn all I can about green iguana's, hopefully find a local breeder and get anything I need ahead of time. So I headed online and researched....and what I learned and discovered was certainly unexpected.
Green iguanas get big...as long as 5', with about half being tail. They need special heating, lights and lots of space...like bedroom sized cages as adults. They live 20 or more years...males can be temperamental during mating season, or all the time if not socialized properly. Females can produce infertile eggs and may suffer problems with egg binding etc. Not to mention a pissed off adult green iguana uses its tail like a whip, can deliver a nasty bite and have big claws which can rip through human skin with ease....On top of all this, I also learned they are extremely difficult to rehouse if one has to find a new home for it, as so many people end up surrendering or trying to sell these lizards when they start to out grow the 20 gal tanks pet stores swore is all they need.
Fortunately, after learning all this about green iguanas I discovered another lizard I never heard of before, bearded dragons. Sure they needed similar heat and light as green iguanas, but they don't get anywhere near as big, averaging about 18-20" and rarely exceeding 24", had a much calmer disposition and not prone to tail whipping, biting or scratching. Also, they didn't live anywhere near as long (at the time most seemed to live an average of 6 years). That and the idea of owning a 'dragon' even one that was nothing like the mythical creature which has fascinated me since I was a child, appealed to me. Thus I switch my research to learning more about bearded dragons.
In the process of my research, I came across www.kingsnake.com. It didn't take me long to realize what a wonderful resource this site was and I registered and starting reading old posts in the bearded dragon forum, then other forums as my interest in reptiles grew. I also spent a fair bit of time in the exotics section of the website, since I also enjoyed keeping many pocket pets.
I have learned many new things about bearded dragons over the years, read what different breeders, large and small, have to say about dragon care and after more than 8 years, I know more about proper dragon diets than I do proper human diets. (actually in alot of ways, a healthy bearded dragon diet would work quite efficiently for a human diet...as long as the 'insects' are substituted by meat more palatable to humans (ie chicken instead of crickets).
Even though its been a long time since I started researching dragons, I feel there is always new things to learn and continue to conduct research and view new things with an open mind. I hope future owners of breaded dragons and other reptiles continue to research well after they purchased their new pet as there are always new information coming out. Some new information may not be the best, but some are better. I also hope new comers research the animal they want before buying it, to make sure it is something they can provide for for the entire life of the animal.
