Heya peoples! Ok so this is my first post on this forum and I think it will be pretty useful. So my first question, what is a good intermediate lizard? I've have a bearded dragon named Bud that I've had for about 2 years and (I think) is 3 1/2 years and I want something new :3. Any good suggestions? thanks and baiiiiii
Welcome to the boards = ) I would classify the bearded dragon you own as an intermediate lizard... they are quite the handful as juveniles and require a substantial amount of time, space, and cost compared to your common novice reptiles like leopard geckos and crested geckos. The term 'intermediate' is a bit subjective - I think we'll be better able to cater to your needs if you can tell us more of what you want in a pet lizard. Some people base difficulty of care on cost and space needs, others base it more on how sensitive the animal is to a captive environment. There are many species that are very sensitive to fluctuations and are best left cared for by an experienced keeper while others are hardier and tolerate flaws in care and deviations in temperature, humidity, etc etc. So lets start with some questions: What is your budget? How much time are you willing to spend daily or weekly on the animal? How much space do you have/what is the largest size enclosure you wish to accomodate? What do you want in your pet lizard? (Something you can handle or something that makes a nice display? etc) What kind of food sources are you willing to use or obtain? Are you looking for low maintenance or something that is more of a challenge that requires more tedious husbandry and care needs?
My budget: $150 MAX Time: A hour or two a day Enclosure: No more than a 4x4x4 What I want: Something that makes a great display but doesn't mind being handled Food: Anything that isn't too pricey Looking for: Low maintenance-somewhat time consuming
Is it your budget $150 for the animal alone or is this the maximum cost for the entire enclosure, setup, and animal? It is also worth mentioning that an emergency vet fund should always be considered before buying a new pet... even reptiles given the best of care can develop illness and accidents can happen (and these can sometimes be quite costly). So be sure to have plenty of reserve money in the even of an emergency. Assuming this budget includes cost of the animal, caging, lighting, etc the only legitimate options you have right now are a few species of gecko. While it is nice that you can accomodate a very large enclosure, the cost of the vivarium (assuming you don't have it) won't leave much room for other purchases given the budget you have...so we can't go with anything too large. Likewise, most diurnal herps will be difficult to accomodate because UVB lighting can get quite expensive and requires regular replacing... The best candidates would probably be a Rhacodactylus gecko...specifically crested geckos (R. ciliatus) or the gargoyle gecko (R. auriculatus). Both make decent nighttime display animals and will tolerate occasional, gentle handling sessions. They also both thrive at room temperatures and require no additional lighting being nocturnal, and both species have special formulated diets on the market that makes feeding time as easy as feeding a cat. Leopard geckos are also an acceptable option. Many keepers on here have leos and they make excellent pets...very hardy and easy to care for. They too tolerate some handling and can make OK evening displays but they do require a heat source and live insects as prey items. Its too bad you are not interested in snakes, I could think of quite a few that would fit your budget and meet your other qualifications. ; )
When I said the $150 I ment the animal. Well actually I think I have come to my decision. I'm thinking about either a desert iguana or a mountain horned dragon. I will be able to make a custom enclosure because my brother is good with wood working and i have some aquariums lying around my house. What do you think? And ya in the future I might be planning on getting a gargoyle gecko!
I'm not familiar enough with the husbandry of either species to contribute much - but I do know that the Mountain Horned Dragon requires a fairly spacious enclosure for their size and captive bred individuals are a rarity (I'd assume the same can be said for the desert iguana, being an less commonly kept species). I generally don't advocate wild caught animals for a few reasons...one of which being potential parasitic loads and stress from adapting to a captive environment. The choice will be yours and you'll have to see what is available, just be sure to research the animal thoroughly ahead of time and explore all of your options. Hopefully you can find some captive bred or at least captive hatched individuals if these are species you are so inclined to pursue = )
