Reptile & Amphibian Forums

should i choose a bearded dragon or ball python? which is easier to care for and which is more rewarding. you can also say a different lizard. (im leaning towards bearded dargaons)

A ball python eats once a week. Does a lizard eat once a week?
-----
RicK @ BbI

Ball Boutique,Inc.
The home of the singing snakes!

required ambient heat:
Both

required hot spot:
Both

required special lighting:
Beardies

required vitamins & calcium:
Beardies

required varied diet:
Beardies

balls eat once a week ..a quite mouse or rat...beardies eat a few times a week ,,,, those loud crickets now a ball may decide to be a pain in the butt about eating but other than that if you have good temps & humidity & proper size cage you should remain pretty problem free no worries of vitamin or calcium deficiency & bone disease the ball will be much less work...change the newspaper when soiled & water other than that there's not too much work...

eat once a week and possibly defecate even less!

-----
Check Out My Albums

1.0 Ball Python "Aragorn"
1.0 Kenyan Sand Boa "Gimli"
1.0 Saharan Sand Boa "Frodo"
0.1 Rough-Scale Sand Boa "Arwen"
0.1 California Kingsnake "Gentoo"
1.0 Mexican Black Kingsnake "Indigo"
1.0 Snow Corn snake "Chile"

0.1 Australian Cattle Dog/Pointer
"Kira"

Yes, snakes are less work overall than lizards, generally. But beardies won't eat crickets forever, they are vegetarians as adults. And then they will need fresh greens and veggies at least every other day.

But it really depends on what you want. In my opinion, lizards show their personalities more than snakes do. They are active in the daytime, run around, and can be quite amusing. Ball pythons hide A LOT!

Both beardies and balls are generally handlable, and will sit with you as you watch t.v. (although beardies are maybe too active when young to do this).

You need to make sure you have the time, money, and interest to invest in making sure you can give proper care to either animal for it's whole (20 years?) life span.

Hope this helps give you something to think about...
Nicole
-----
Nicki and...

0.0.2 Uromastyx geyri (Saharan Uromastyx) - Dragon and Belle
1.1.0 Uromastyx dispar maliensis (Mali Uromastyx) - Spike and Lizzy
1.0.0 Cordylus mossambicus (Girdled Lizard) - Fidgit
1.0.0 Liasis mackloti savuensis (Savu python) - Bazzi
1.0.0 Lampropeltis mexicana thayeri (Variable (Thayer’s) Kingsnake) - Kavi
0.0.1 Lampropeltis triangulum campbelli (Pueblan Milksnake) - Callia
0.2.0 Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis (Red-Sided Garter Snakes) - Spot and Fluffy
0.2.0 Bufo Paracnemis (Roccoco Toads) - Red and Miss Hissy

Ontario, Canada

Do you want an animal that is easy to care for, but you will hardly ever see(ball) or do you want an animal that requires more care, but is active and fun to interact with(beardie)??
-----
Josh
My Email

May I ask how do you interact with(beardie)??
-----
RicK @ BbI

Ball Boutique,Inc.
The home of the singing snakes!

They are very fun to handle and most even seem to like being handled.
-----
Josh
My Email

Oh ok.....
-----
RicK @ BbI

Ball Boutique,Inc.
The home of the singing snakes!

The Ball Python ofcourse!

Is there any other reptile?

Just kidding........here is a simple solution.

GET THEM BOTH....have fun........
-----
Jim Perron
Python Passion Reptiles
pythonpassion@hotmail.com
www.pythonpassionreptiles.com

LOL you ask on a ball python form. Everyone here will say a ball python. Snakes are less work. They don't need the uvb, enclosures can be smaller, and so on. Beardies breed very easily, no need to cool them at all! They will also sit on your shirt why you walk around all day. Really it's a personal preference thing and is all up to you.

John

I've got both and am crazy about both but they are definitely way different from one another in every aspect except they both are reptiles.

Honestly the only way I can give you a comparison is in the care and cost of each.

With a beardie you will need to invest more time and money than with a python. A beardie is diurnal as opposed to nocturnal like the python.

Screw it! I say get both! I started out with just a ball and 3 mos later got two beardies. Seriously, though, if you haven't had a pet yet I'd lean towards the python first. The python will not take as much time or money to maintain and will get you some experience with reptiles. This is just my opinion, though, and after reading as much as you can about each you'll have to make up your own mind.

Whatever you do make sure you know exactly how to take care of it. Research, research, research! Both animals will amaze you if you let them.

Good luck with whatever you get!
-----
Rob Talkington