Pet Bearded Dragon

Bearded Dragons:

This popular Australian native makes a truly excellent pet for both special needs people and the general populous alike. Easily tamed, this friendly lizard is blessed with certain features and quirks that would put it at the top of any wish list for the ideal, most fascinating reptile to have as a pet. Its habitat is the hot, dry central region where the tans and reddish desert terrain bespeak an ideal environment for a reptile. If anyone were to describe this amazing creature to someone whom had never heard of lizards, they might be aghast at the astonishingly bizarre sight – yet they are one of creations most extreme pinnacles of beauty.

For those wishing to capture the imagination and keep lit that fire of inquisitiveness in ones autistic or Aspergers child, the bearded dragon is an easy win. Like most lizards it is a more gentle proposition than say a pet dog, yet the aim to draw out the autistic from an inner framework, to invite an eventual ‘expression’ of the child’s interest be it verbal or facial is a viable goal that may be aided in simply acquiring these dragons. Who can know what level or at what tenure of experiences in the interactive years that will proceed, that a child may respond with smiles and normal reactions evoked by the loved pet. Here is possibly the single most endearing feature the ‘beardie’ has that is guaranteed to evoke smiles: it frequently has the habit of offering a greeting by raising up its front leg and waiving it in near semi-circular fashion!

This will captivate a young autistic child as will the calming ease these gentle lizards impart. And at the other end of that spectrum when threatened, it can push out a row of long spines that normally radiate back along its throat as an impressive web– hence the term ‘bearded’. It is usually accompanied with a puffing out of its body to simulate larger stature. However beardies in captivity are quite docile rarely displaying this aggressive behavior. Generous sized lizards, the adults can range from 18”to 24” ( 45 to 60 centimeters) and have a lifespan of around 10 years. With exception of fireflies and boxelder bugs ( these are can be toxic), beardies can be fed predominantly insects and worms with greens as an addition.

Caution must be exercised to feed them ‘small’ sized crunchy cased insects such as crickets– the exoskeletons of the insects can cause impaction in the digestive systems of the bearded dragon. Also note that sufficient heat needs to be in the cage before and during feeding to aid digestion. If these modest feeding requirements are observed, the bearded dragon will make a great exotic, out of the ordinary pet for almost any special needs child.