Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'm currently looking into getting a bearded dragon, and am just wondering if it is harder to care for a beardie or a leopard gecko. I already own a leopard, and am just wondering about the care for a beardie. Any help would be great, thanks.

I'll take you through my typical day and that should help you decide since I have two leo's and two bearded dragons. I get up to get ready for work feed my leo's if they need it turn on their lights go to work come home feed my bearded dragons their crickets(I don't work horribly long hours so I can feed them when I get home) scoop the crap and old vegetables that they scatter then I chop up their vegetables give them those after they eat for about half an hour to an hour I take them out for playtime which usually consists of running around my living room for a while then my female gets to play in the water while my male watches her from the top of my head. My female loves to swim so she gets to play in the water everyday. After I dry her off I put them back in their tank so they can warm up and around 8pm I feed them more crickets, if they want more playtime before bed they get it. At about 10pm the lights go out and we all go to bed except my leo's of course. I don't mind the time my dragons take but seeing as I love animals more than anything in the world and I'd rather spend my time with them than people so it works well for me. From what I've learned so far it really depends on how much time you have to spend with them and how much money you have to spend on them because they're not cheap as I'm finding out. I was lucky enough to not have to buy their original set up or them, they were given to me by someone that couldn't take care of them and didn't realize how much it cost to take care of them. I've got to admit that I'm lucky because I have a very sweet and loving pair that loved me from the begining even though I didn't raise them from the time that they were small. I will advise you to get a 50 gallon long tank at least or larger if you only get one bearded dragon because thats what it will need in the end when its fully grown. I'm not really sure about the starter tank because mine came in a 30 gallon but I'm getting ready to get them 150 gallon tank or larger depending on my budget. I'm not trying to discourage you from getting one but I didn't realize in the begining how much work they really are but I wouldn't trade them for the world even though they do take a lot of time space and money. I hope this helps you decide if you really want to get one and good luck.

Nicoleo is right on. This probably is the standard life for all B.D. lovers. I get my dragon up at 4:00 am. That is the ONLY differance. I think beardies need quality time with their keepers. I dont know if this is the case with geckos.
Wayne.

I started mine in a 20 gallon tank...now he is in a 75 gallon, if I had it to do over again, I would have just bought the 75 gallon and sectioned it off till he got bigger since when they are young too much space they can get stressed...my daughter has a leopard gecko...and there is more work involved in a beardie but they seem to be more active than the geckos which makes it worth it...