The rising popularity of bearded dragons as household pets has led many beardie enthusiasts to wonder whether or not they can get their favorite dragons as pets.
So, can you get a dwarf bearded dragon? Yes, you can get and keep a dwarf bearded dragon as a household pet if you can legally acquire one. Nevertheless, it must be legal in your locale to keep dwarf beardies as pets. Moreover, you must be able to supply all the provisions and conditions to keep the reptile healthy, comfortable, and safe.
Getting a pet dwarf beardie is a more significant challenge than getting the common species of beardies. Dwarf bearded dragons are not only rarer but also more costly to purchase than the standard beardie.
Read on to learn easy ways to get a healthy dwarf beardie as a household companion.
How to Legally Get a Dwarf Bearded Dragon Pet?
Before searching for a dwarf beardie as a pet, ascertain that it’s legal to acquire and keep the lizard as a pet in your area. In some regions, the dwarf bearded dragon (Pogona minor) is considered an endangered and protected organism. Thus, getting or keeping dwarf beardies from such localities is illegal.
Here’s how you can get a pet dwarf beardie quickly and legally:
1. Purchase from a Beardie Breeder
Pet bearded dragon breeders can selectively breed specific bearded dragon species and morphs. Thus, they’re the best place to get a pure dwarf bearded dragon.
The only challenge to getting a pet dwarf beardie from a breeder is that it’s more costly. Licensed and establishes beardie breeders are not only more expensive but harder to find.
Regardless, acquiring your pet from a dependable breeder is safer and gives you a high-quality pet. A properly-bred dwarf beardie will potentially live for longer without developing strange ailments.
A reliable breeder can weed out unfriendly or unwanted traits from a dwarf beardie through selective breeding to give you a pet with your desired characteristics.
Further, getting your baby dwarf beardie from a breeder gives you plenty of time to grow and bond with the lizard and train it as you would train a puppy.
2. Adopt From a Reptile Pet Orphanage/Rescue Shelter/Home
A pet owner might forsake their pet for various reasons. Tough economic times can render you incapable of providing for your pet, forcing you to abandon, sell, or give it away.
On the other hand, you might be on a long journey with nobody to care for your lizard pet. Or a severe illness might render you incapable of fending for the reptile pet.
Stray reptile pets such as bearded dragons usually land in reptile pet rescue shelters, homes, and orphanages.
If you’re looking to rehome a dwarf bearded dragon, looking in such reptile pet rescue establishments might give you a companion you’ll love for many years.
3. Buy from a Pet Store
Besides supplying pet supplies, some physical and online reptile pet stores sell pet bearded dragons. Such stores liaise with bearded dragon breeders who supply the dragons for sale.
The biggest downside to buying a dwarf beardie from a pet store is that the lizard might not be a genuine dwarf beardie. It’s difficult to tell a beardie’s particular species or morph, especially if you’re a new or prospective owner.
Some bearded dragon pet stores mistakenly or intentionally label other types of bearded dragons as dwarf beardies.
4. Breed Dwarf Bearded Dragons
There are two ways of breeding dwarf beardies- natural and selective breeding. In natural breeding, you allow a male dwarf beardie to mate with a female dwarf bearded dragon. After that, the gravid female lays eggs that hatch into baby dwarf bearded dragons.
Although cheap, natural breeding allows parent beardies to transfer undesirable traits to their offspring.
In selective breeding, you actively choose and predetermine the genetic makeup of a baby dwarf beardie by choosing desirable traits from both parents.
The best thing about selective breeding is that it enables breeders to remove unwanted qualities from the pet before it’s hatched. However, selective breeding is more costly and resource-intensive than natural breeding.
What Do You Need to Get a Dwarf Bearded Dragon?
First, ensure it’s legal to own and keep a dwarf bearded dragon as a pet in your locality. After that, you’ll need:
- Sufficient capital to purchase the pet and all its provisions
- A suitable place (away from noise and disturbing lights and sights) for bearded dragon tank placement
- A ready appropriate-sized terrarium complete with all bearded dragon furniture, hiding spots, substrate, basking spots, cooling areas, and suitable heating and lighting arrangements
- A solid plan to get a constant supply of sufficient and balanced food, supplements, and water for the pet
- Access to dependable reptile pet vet (herpetologist) services
- Plans for the pet’s final journey after demise- you can choose between burial and cremation.