After alot of reading on this site. Advise needed

[dragoncrab-64]

Hi all,

I have been reading alot of different threads on this site and feeling more and more envious about you guys and your snakes, I have decided the only way to get one myself is to go thru the process. So it looks like i am going to start with a lizard Cat A here in the ACT.
Is the Agamidae Bearded Dragon the best lizard to start with? My other choices are:

Scincidae Eastern Blue-tongued Lizard
Blotched Blue-tongued Lizard
Shingleback Lizard.
Please advise? All suggestions and tips welcome!
Cheers K

 

[Ricko]

Bearded Dragons are perfect starting reptiles. so full of character

good luck with it all

 

[dragoncrab-64]

Thanks Ricko for that, now to research how to care for the little creatures... been reading up on my passion for snakes ...but if I gotta go thru the right channels then I will do so.

 

[freddy]

get a beardie, look at that face

 

[thesilverbeast]

i was in the same situation, i started out with an eastern blue tongue skink before i got a snake.

i would recommend one to anybody, i love my yoshi! so calm, always just sits on my shoulder.

he has never and would never snap at me. ive only ever seen his display (with the tongue and mouth open) once and that was for a split second when i walked past the cage and scared him. he saw it was me and was happy straight away again. ive never seen it since.

i love my guy to bits!

(also the blotched and shingles are pretty much the same temparment but ive only had experience personally with my eastern)

i can post pics if you wish.




im not sure a beardie will be as tame but im not sure due to not owning one before.

 

[dragoncrab-64]

Hi thesilverbeast pictures would be great... all the help i can get would be good at this stage. Think I'd like a lizard that is closer in nature to a snake if thats possible?

 

[thesilverbeast]

well blue tongues often get mistaken for a snake in the wild in grass...

also they require less specialised care than a beardie i think, im not to sure again as i havent owned one before...

heres pics of yoshi and his/her setup...

(he/she is 3 months old)

half shed, half unshed

his tank

 

[thesilverbeast]

oh and heres one where he's flattened himself out and combined with the angle, he looks like a snake sorta.

 

[dragoncrab-64]

Wow great photos and he is cute... great setup too what size enclosure do you have? Are they generally placid in nature dont want a snappy lizard... also is it best to start with a young one?

 

[jamesr]

i have a snake a buley and a beardie and there all good.my first reptile was a dp and that when pretty good my snake is the one i take care of the least if your worried about that. my bluey handles better than my beardies but i think my beardies are a bit more fun.

 

[thesilverbeast]

im on a blue tongue forum and website called bluetongueskinks.net

its an american site but itll give you lots of info on all species of blueys. just remember we cant get the indonesian ones.

my enclosure is 3 feet by 1.5 and im not sure about height but that doesnt matter as they will not climb. the bottom is a cupboard which im making into a snake terrarium.

i would recommend a baby as you can watch it grow up and learn about its development. care-wise it really doesnt matter, the only difference between older and younger is size, shed frequency and how often you feed them.

taming-wise it really wont matter, you'll find if it isnt already tame it will be pretty soon with regular handling. my baby hisses once if you rub his back while he is sleeping but as soon as you move your fingers to pick him up he relaxes and seems to like coming out of his cage. as i said, never ever snapped or even close.



i dont want to make up your mind directly, i just letting you know how awesome they are because i have experienced them. research the beardies too and make your decision independently of what anyone here says. you will know whats right for you. a beardie may be all of the things i have talked about that my eastern is but i just dont know because i havent owned one. it was second on my list before my parents let me get a snake, now thats next! (im 19 but live with my parents so i want them to be happy with what i have too! )

 

[Aslan]

Mate you will find that both Blueys and Beardies are great first reptiles...

The major difference I have seen is that Beardies tend to have a bit more character...both are good handlers...Beardies take a little bit more looking after as they feed on insects quite regularly whilst Blueys can just be fed on vegie and salad mix...

...in saying that, I would honestly say your best bet is to pick what you like the look of, research, and buy it...either way you won't be disappointed...

 

[Gecko :)]

Why?

Thanks Ricko for that, now to research how to care for the little creatures... been reading up on my passion for snakes ...but if I gotta go thru the right channels then I will do so.

Hey Dragon Crab

Just wondering , if it is a snake you want why buy a lizard, .. why not just start off with a Childrens Python or something? They are easy to look after and a great snake to start with

Kelly

 

[JasonL]

Bluey's are much easier to look after, but as Gecko said, if it's really a snake you want, then that's what you should get, most of them are easy to care for (and much cheaper to feed than a beardie)

 

[dragon_tail]

i own and have owned just about every lizard and dragon (no gekos yet), and i strongly suggest just starting with the snake! as jason suggested its just as easy if not (in my belief) 10 times easier! they only eat once a week, they dont need uv nor calcium suppliments ( in 90% of cases) and they only poo (most cases) 1once maybe twice a week!

 

[thesilverbeast]

yeah i agree, i am like you were, i wanted a snake and a lizard though but i wanted a lizard first to learn how to care for them.

if its a lizard you want and you dont think you'll get sick of it when you get a snake then go for it but if you want an "easy" snake then get a antaresia, thats what im getting next.

 

[dragoncrab-64]

Thanks everyone,
I would LOVE to get A Snake First BUT here in Canberra the rules are not the same. You have to care for a Category A reptile for 2 years before applying for your Category B licence. Funny thing is after reading the ACT rules... I cant see how the Dept of the Environment knows you have looked after a lizard for the two years before applying for a snake licence, as blueys and beardies are an exempt species from licensing. So it seems you just go to the pet shop and buy one!

If there is another ACT member out there who could shed some light, I would welcome the feedback...

Cheers, Dragoncrab-64

 

[MMAnne]

Wow.

That sucks!

Lol, sorry. Are you 100% sure you can't go for a Cat B license without experience? I looked for a Canberra gov site as your post about the reptile laws there intruged me but didn't come up with much.

Oh well, lizards are awsome little creatures anyway. I certainly wouldn't mind a dragon or bluey (or two). I'm sure you will be happy with whichever you end up getting

 

[eladidare]

just get an advanced bluey, and say youve had it for 2 years... then snake it up! lizards are awesome, but snakes are the ducks nuts!

 

[hornet]

just get an advanced bluey, and say youve had it for 2 years... then snake it up! lizards are awesome, but snakes are the ducks nuts!

unfortunatly its not that easy, you have to have proof that you purchased a lizard 2 years ago, mate i would get a small dragon such as a central netted or painted dragon and they are fine to keep in groups