New baby beardie! My first!

[SilverTycho]

Ok, my friend got a bearded dragon last year. I swore I didn't want them due to the care. Well, I heard on the news that there's a breeder locally who ships across the country, goes to expos, etc. Well, I ran out of mealworms for the leos and I couldn't drive 1 hour to Petsmart. So, I asked the breeder if I could come by and get mealworms. My boyfriend and I ended up holding beardies and chatting. His wife has the same mental illinesses I have along with the same panic and anxiety disorders. He said the beardies helped her a lot. I was actually mid panic attack when we got there, and the beardies did calm me. Plus, they're super cute! I fell in love with them. He insisted I'd be a good beardie momma. So, we went back and picked out a baby. He's a het hypo red tangerine fire. His parents are Misha and Cyrus if you've heard of them. He's retired and his wife doesn't work so they handle each baby daily, and they truly love them. Anyway, this is our new baby I'll pick up in a couple weeks. He's named Breen.

 

[dementedlullaby]

Dude/tte....Those colours are crazy! The baby I raised was around that size when I bought him. He had some orange markings but not insane like that. He's grown up to be a very handsome, orange boy.


Hope you're ready for him to eat you out of house and home though. My baby routinely ate 25 small crickets a sitting, fed him three-four times a day. I'd avoid mealworms for a dragon that small, they have too much chitin. Try and get him on spring mix (without spinach) and other greens asap though. My other rescue was a real pain to get eating greens. I don't think the owner ever gave them to him =/.

Here's a pic of my boy now, he's getting even bigger.

Baby :

https://www.instagram.com/p/puxGEQm_aO/?taken-by=dementedlullaby

year-ish ago :

https://www.instagram.com/p/tbvsJqm_W5/?taken-by=dementedlullaby


The trio, Mungi (the baby boy) on left and two rescues. Opal (female) mid and Mookari (male).

Passed out for the night (six-ish months ago) :

https://www.instagram.com/p/5D_5s9m_TP/?taken-by=dementedlullaby


I own leopards too and while they're awesome I find dragons are a whole other level.

Enjoy, they're amazing pets. I know people don't generally think of lizards as cuddle bugs but sometimes one of them decides to walk up from under the blanket/pillow just to snuggle up on us and fall asleep.

 

[SilverTycho]

Your boy is very handsome. Luckily, this breeder is local and has dubias so I plan to feed them with the salad. He has a huge colony so I'll have plenty. I have a dubia colony of my own, but it's not nearly big enough to support a beardie.

I've always stuck with "easy" reptiles and told my friend I'd never get a beardie due to their care. Then I got thinking that I've been in the reptile and invert hobby long enough, why not try a beardie? They're not easy like leos, but it's time I get a reptile I really want and I know I can handle the care. Also, this baby is what the breeder called a "hold me" baby. He handles all the babies regularly but some enjoy it more like this boy. So, I'm hoping he'll be a cuddle bug. He just sat on me and seemed to enjoy me handling him

 

[Ellenantula]

Congrats on the beardie! I find them utterly adorable and cute.
I am new to them also (maybe had mine 5 months or so, I guess). Mine can easily chow down on 40 crickets or 30 roaches in a sitting. I am finally getting my beardie to accept his life's fate and eat some veggies too. I hate to tell him one day it's going to be 75% veg and only 25% feeders.
Just rehoused mine into a 40 gallon and now he looks so tiny again (guessing 13" incl. tail). He was wee thing when I first purchased him -- he traveled home in a deli cup. lol
I could see me getting another -- sorta wished I had gotten two to start with, but hindsight is 20/20.