Blue Tongues Vs. Bearded Dragons?

[Rialla]

Hey everyone, this is my first post on this site. *Noob alert*

I have absolutely no experiences with herps, but I've been thinking about getting a lizard for about a year now... I've only done a small amount of research so far, because I won't be getting a lizard straight away (for at least 6 months, if not more).

At first I was really wanting a blue tongue, but I'm now also starting to lean towards beardies. I know that they are both suitable for beginners, but I was wondering if:

(A.1) Out of the two, is there one that is more suited than the other?
(A.2) Of the Central, Eastern and Pygmy is any particular one more suited for beginners?
(B) What is the minimum sized tank for each breed? (I've searched online, but I keep getting different opinions.)
(C) Can I keep only one (which I think I'd prefer, for now), or is it better to have more?
(D) I plan to breed woodies, but no other insects (at least to begin with), and I was wondering if either could live primarily on them? Or do I need to keep mixing up the types of insects they eat? (My local pet warehouse has crickets, and I *think* meal worms, so that's not an issue... I'm more just concerned about the overall cost of everything.)

Thanks!

 

[Skippii]

Hey everyone, this is my first post on this site. *Noob alert*

I have absolutely no experiences with herps, but I've been thinking about getting a lizard for about a year now... I've only done a small amount of research so far, because I won't be getting a lizard straight away (for at least 6 months, if not more).

At first I was really wanting a blue tongue, but I'm now also starting to lean towards beardies. I know that they are both suitable for beginners, but I was wondering if:

(A.1) Out of the two, is there one that is more suited than the other?
(A.2) Of the Central, Eastern and Pygmy is any particular one more suited for beginners?
(B) What is the minimum sized tank for each breed? (I've searched online, but I keep getting different opinions.)
(C) Can I keep only one (which I think I'd prefer, for now), or is it better to have more?
(D) I plan to breed woodies, but no other insects (at least to begin with), and I was wondering if either could live primarily on them? Or do I need to keep mixing up the types of insects they eat? (My local pet warehouse has crickets, and I *think* meal worms, so that's not an issue... I'm more just concerned about the overall cost of everything.)

Thanks!

Hey, welcome to APS! All noobs are welcome, in fact encouraged, we are the next generation of the herp-obsessed, afterall!

Anyway, I'm still no expert, but I can answer a few of your questions. I've got a Bluey myself, and he's a gorgeous boy, wouldn't trade him for anything. So my answers will mostly be aimed at Blueys.

(A.1) Either can make a fantastic first reptile, but if you mean ease of care: I'd say Blueys are hardier and a little easier to keep. I haven't owned Beardies myself, so we'll wait and see what more experienced lizard keepers have to say.
(A.2) I couldn't say, hopefully someone else chimes in.
(B) I wouldn't keep a single Bluey in anything smaller than 90cm(long) x 45cm(wide). Height isn't a huge thing, since most Blueys aren't overly into climbing (though mine is, he's a bit of an odd one).
(C) It's generally recommended that Blueys, especially kept indoors in regular sized inclosures, be kept individually. Kept in pairs or groups, they can often end up fighting which can lead to serious injury and at the very least lost toes. Some people keep them in groups for years without incident, but it only takes one squabble to cause permanent and sometimes fatal damage. So one is perfect!
(D) As far as I know, woodies are much better than crickets, nutritionally. It is nice to occasionally mix up the insect snacks, just so your lizard has something different to hunt. However, it's very important to note that the entire diet cannot be made up of just insects. I feed my Bluey mostly fruit/vegetables, with a little egg/meat here and there, and insects only as a snack to keep things interesting.

Whatever you decide, I'm sure you won't be disappointed! From my experience and the people I've spoken to, BOTH make fantastic pets, as long as you know what you're getting into and how to properly care for them. I hope when you make a decision and bring home a little critter, you'll shower us with pictures we love pictures here..

Speaking of pictures, here's one of my little guy, Banjo:

x

 

[Bushman]

Welcome to APS Rialla.
I'm sure you'll get plenty of good advice here. As you mentioned plenty of research is recommended and use the search function on this site.It's hard to go past a blue tongue as a beginners first pet but if you prefer a dragon of those you mentioned, central is most suitable imo. If you're concerned about costs, it's best to breed your own insects.

 

[pinefamily]

Welcome to APS,
No such thing as ad, or dumb questions. How else do we all learn more about our reptilian friends?
A1: Like Skippii, either would make an ideal first lizard. I have no first-hand experience with blueys, but beardies are great pets, with loads of character.
A2: I have never heard that one is a better beginner's lizard than another. I think your preference in this one.
B: Some people will say that you should start with a smaller tank for beardies, but personally I have just put them straight into the one they will always live in. No smaller than a 3ft tank, I have my three in 4ft ones each.
C: Same for beardies in this case. Some will live happily together, but there is always the chance that they will fight. At the very least, quite often one will dominate the other when it comes to food, so it is in the best interests of the dragons to keep them separate.
D: Never used woodies myself, my beardies have all lived happily and healthily on crickets, regularly dusted with vitamins and calcium. And as Skippii also said, fresh fruit and vegies are a must. Be sure to read up what you can and can't feed them though. Not all fruit and veg is suitable.

 

[BDkeeper]

Welcome to APS,
No such thing as ad, or dumb questions. How else do we all learn more about our reptilian friends?
A1: Like Skippii, either would make an ideal first lizard. I have no first-hand experience with blueys, but beardies are great pets, with loads of character.
A2: I have never heard that one is a better beginner's lizard than another. I think your preference in this one.
B: Some people will say that you should start with a smaller tank for beardies, but personally I have just put them straight into the one they will always live in. No smaller than a 3ft tank, I have my three in 4ft ones each.
C: Same for beardies in this case. Some will live happily together, but there is always the chance that they will fight. At the very least, quite often one will dominate the other when it comes to food, so it is in the best interests of the dragons to keep them separate.
D: Never used woodies myself, my beardies have all lived happily and healthily on crickets, regularly dusted with vitamins and calcium. And as Skippii also said, fresh fruit and vegies are a must. Be sure to read up what you can and can't feed them though. Not all fruit and veg is suitable.

+1 but if you are getting a beardie I would recommend a pygmy beardie cause they're a lot smaller and require smaller everything (tank, food, etc)

 

[Cold-B-Hearts]

Hey, welcome to APS! All noobs are welcome, in fact encouraged, we are the next generation of the herp-obsessed, afterall!

x

I think I fell in love with that cheesy grin.

 

[Skippii]

I think I fell in love with that cheesy grin.

Behold... a picture of Banjo eating some dessert... This will either make you fall more in love, or terrify you and scar you for life (Depending on the kind of person you are.. And how highly you think of bananas).

I hope I'm not derailing the thread too much. If the OP is a visual person, like I am, seeing pictures of these lizards' pretty and ugly sides might help them make a decision!

BANANANOMNOMNOM

x

 

[Cold-B-Hearts]

Behold... a picture of Banjo eating some dessert... This will either make you fall more in love, or terrify you and scar you for life (Depending on the kind of person you are.. And how highly you think of bananas).
x

OMG stop im laughing to hard. Always been a snake guy but i really need a lizard soon ^.^ Ignore me and skippii keep the thread on topic :lol:

 

[pinefamily]

Don't worry I think we are still on topic. By showing photos and talking about our little guys will help Rialla not only hopefully decide but also get an understanding of how close you can get to them.

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[Rialla]

Don't worry I think we are still on topic. By showing photos and talking about our little guys will help Rialla not only hopefully decide but also get an understanding of how close you can get to them.

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Yes I agree, please feel free to overrun this thread with wonderful pics of your lizards! (My questions so far have already been answered.)

Skippii what type of bluey do you have? I really love the lighter colour!

- - - Updated - - -

Behold... a picture of Banjo eating some dessert... This will either make you fall more in love, or terrify you and scar you for life (Depending on the kind of person you are.. And how highly you think of bananas).

I hope I'm not derailing the thread too much. If the OP is a visual person, like I am, seeing pictures of these lizards' pretty and ugly sides might help them make a decision!

BANANANOMNOMNOM

x

Hahaha, this picture is the EPIC! :lol: I just fell so much more in love with blueys! ♥ And for the record, I am a visual person.

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And thanks to both Skippii and pinefamily for explaining their dietary needs; I'll make sure that I thoroughly research what food are appropriate!

 

[Skippii]

Hey Rialla, haha Happy to hear you don't mind me overrunning the place with pictures of Banjo, it would be my pleasure! I do need to take some more pictures of him, but for now I'll pop up some slightly older ones for you. Sadly none quite as epic as his eating, but still just as cute I promise.

As far as diet, I won't put an extensive list up here lol but I can tell you the following are some of his favourites:
Grapes, Tomato, BANANA(obviously), LOVES him some earth worms, crickets (although he has a hell of a time catching them.. some people slow them right down by putting them in the fridge first, but I think it's good for lizards to have to chase their food occasionally.. plus it's good exercise! And if he doesn't catch it on his own eventually, I catch it for him and give it to him with the tweezers as a reward for trying.), kangaroo meat, egg (raw egg, which he laps up like a cat.. he has a habit of drinking/eating the egg so quickly that some goes down the wrong way and ends up actually coming out his nose, and he just keeps on eating regardless.. it's 100% bizarre, I'll pop a video/picture of it sometime). I actually found this out by accident, but he also loves our fresh mint that grows in the garden, one of the few greens I can get him to eat voluntarily (without blending greens into some other food like the kangaroo meat).

As far as I know, most Blueys aren't so keen on heights and climbing.. But Banjo will climb anything I put in his enclosure.. Including one of the small bushy plants that's suction-cupped to the back wall, and the fake fern that's in there, as well as the little branch I put in there for him. Absolutely weird little guy.

I'm talking an almost-vertical little branch.. And he climbs right on up.

He loves to hide and randomly poke his little head out, it's pretty cute..

Banjo when I first got him, he was so tiny. To give you an idea how small he was, he could curl up in the palm of my hand.. SO much cute!

Aand to give you an idea just how long their tongue really is... (again, this was when I first got him, he was a darker brown colour at the time)

And I have to show this this.. Banjo made a little glove the other day, it's so cute!

And of course, if you're interested, a little video of Banjo when I first got him and was trying to get him to eat etc.. I gotta say, those crickets-in-a-can are disgusting.. They smell so bad, I haven't bought them since.
Banjo - Blue Tongued Lizard - YouTube

Lastly before I forget.. Banjo is a Northern Bluey, they're known for having quite light colouring, especially on their heads, I think it's gorgeous.

x

 

[Rialla]

Hey Rialla, haha Happy to hear you don't mind me overrunning the place with pictures of Banjo, it would be my pleasure! I do need to take some more pictures of him, but for now I'll pop up some slightly older ones for you. Sadly none quite as epic as his eating, but still just as cute I promise.

As far as diet, I won't put an extensive list up here lol but I can tell you the following are some of his favourites:
Grapes, Tomato, BANANA(obviously), LOVES him some earth worms, crickets (although he has a hell of a time catching them.. some people slow them right down by putting them in the fridge first, but I think it's good for lizards to have to chase their food occasionally.. plus it's good exercise! And if he doesn't catch it on his own eventually, I catch it for him and give it to him with the tweezers as a reward for trying.), kangaroo meat, egg (raw egg, which he laps up like a cat.. he has a habit of drinking/eating the egg so quickly that some goes down the wrong way and ends up actually coming out his nose, and he just keeps on eating regardless.. it's 100% bizarre, I'll pop a video/picture of it sometime). I actually found this out by accident, but he also loves our fresh mint that grows in the garden, one of the few greens I can get him to eat voluntarily (without blending greens into some other food like the kangaroo meat).

As far as I know, most Blueys aren't so keen on heights and climbing.. But Banjo will climb anything I put in his enclosure.. Including one of the small bushy plants that's suction-cupped to the back wall, and the fake fern that's in there, as well as the little branch I put in there for him. Absolutely weird little guy.

Lastly before I forget.. Banjo is a Northern Bluey, they're known for having quite light colouring, especially on their heads, I think it's gorgeous.

x

Wow, I just LOVE the pic of him in climbing on the vine among the leaves... it's a pity more blueys aren't into climbing, they look so beautiful! ♥ Also the pic of his little glove is really cute and unique too!

I also like the substrate you are using... is it just normal wood chips that you'd get from a hardware store? And how easy is it to clean? - When I was doing some research into the beardies, I read that a lot of substrates are hard to clean, and that the easiest thing is just having newspaper or paper towels... but I want my lizard to live in style! 8) They also said that having substrate can be risky for causing impaction, but from what I can tell the type you're using doesn't look like it would be a risk... So I'm trying to find a nice looking, yet low maintenance substrate that won't kill my lizard.

Lastly, I was wondering whether or not bluey's primarily drink from bowls... while I was looking into the beardies, they said that they mostly drink from water droplets (though it's still a good idea to have a bowl of water handy anyway).

 

[Skippii]

Wow, I just LOVE the pic of him in climbing on the vine among the leaves... it's a pity more blueys aren't into climbing, they look so beautiful! ♥ Also the pic of his little glove is really cute and unique too!

I also like the substrate you are using... is it just normal wood chips that you'd get from a hardware store? And how easy is it to clean? - When I was doing some research into the beardies, I read that a lot of substrates are hard to clean, and that the easiest thing is just having newspaper or paper towels... but I want my lizard to live in style! 8) They also said that having substrate can be risky for causing impaction, but from what I can tell the type you're using doesn't look like it would be a risk... So I'm trying to find a nice looking, yet low maintenance substrate that won't kill my lizard.

Lastly, I was wondering whether or not bluey's primarily drink from bowls... while I was looking into the beardies, they said that they mostly drink from water droplets (though it's still a good idea to have a bowl of water handy anyway).

He does look great when he's climbing, he's adorable, if slightly clumsy.. He does occasionally lose his footing and take a little nose-dive down into the substrate (luckily, it's thick and makes for a soft landing). Glad you like the pictures!

Initially I was using a different substrate for Banjo, I believe it was called Chipsi (and can be seen in the video, where he's digging in it.. Or "digging", more like flapping his little arms about wildly), but when it came time to buy some new bedding, all I could find was Kritter's Crumble. So I bought a bag of the chunky one, skeptical that it'd be as nice as the previous bedding. But I found out 4 important things when I started using it: 1. It looked lovely (like I said, I'm a visual person...), the darker rich brown fit in perfectly with his enclosure, 2. Banjo Loved it (digging in it, laying in it, nudging it around with his little nose), 3. I loved it! (It has a lovely soft feel, it's light and easy to work with, very easy to spot clean, had no problem with being too dusty etc), 4. It's very absorbent, the stuff is like a sponge, and stays feeling dry. I've continued to use Kiritter's Crumble since! I believe it's actually made from the fibrous part of coconut husks. Either which way, I'd definitely say Banjo's 8) living in style.
And yes, Banjo drinks from his water bowl, I don't see it all that often, but the few times I have he's been lapping it up just like a cat would. It's pretty darn cute

x

- - - Updated - - -

He's not quite so impressed with lowly (expensive!) Blueberries, apparently..

Oh I forgot to add too, as you can see I typically feed him on his basking tile, so he doesn't really ingest the substrate. That said, there was one time I know of where he got particularly excited, trying to murderise a grape (shaking and thrashing it about against the floor/walls etc), and he did eat one little piece of the substrate. It didn't do him any harm though.

x

 

[Rialla]

Thanks, I'll definitely look into the Kritter's Crumble.

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I was just looking at some care guides on youtube, and they were saying that blueys are incredibly intelligent and that you needed to keep them entertained... I was just wondering how you do that?

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I'm currently looking into tank setups, and on one website I read that some people grow live plants... I was just wondering if aloe vera would be okay to grow in there? - I know that it grows up to a meter, but obviously I'd take it out of there before it got to that size. And not only that, but I'd be breaking it's off it's leaves regularly to use as a moisturizer.

 

[Skippii]

Yeah, they are smart cookies, it's not so much about keeping them "entertained" (having "fun") as much as it's about keeping them stimulated (Just keeping things interesting). As far as keeping Banjo stimulated, I've found he gets very inquisitive and goes into explore-mode whenever I rearrange his enclosure, so I like to do that every so often for him. Same with changing up the plants/branches in his enclosure occasionally. He also gets pretty curious about new foods, so I like to change up the food I give him.

Aside from that, I like to get Banjo out of his enclosure and let him explore. Sometimes if I'm feeling lazy, I just let him explore my bed, which is a massive bed.. He loves to climb over/under the blankets/pillows. Other times I let him explore on the floor of the house (of course you have to be careful not to let him get anywhere he shouldn't or eat anything he shouldn't. I've heard stories of blueys ending up in surgery having things removed that they've swallowed), but the majority of the time I take him outside and let him explore the yard, which he loves. I also try to spend a little time most days handling him (he used to hate being handled when he was tiny). He also seems to quite enjoy having his head scratched (i just gently run my fingertips/nails back and forth on his head scales, obviously careful not to scratch hard), he even shuts his eyes and leans into it most times.

As far as the aloe vera.. I have heard conflicting advice, and some of that advice indicated that aloe vera can be an issue for some small animals. So I can't give you a 100% answer on that. Personally I'd avoid anything that MIGHT cause problems, just in case, especially with blueys as they'll often give plants a good chomp just out of curiosity. But that said, there are certainly plants that are safe to have in reptile enclosures. Just google "reptile safe plants" or similar, and you should find plenty of options.
I personally grow aloe vera outside in a large pot, for use in moisturisers, to soothe bug bites & irritated/sunburned skin etc, and even use the clear gel in some smoothies for the health benefits. If you're keen to grow aloe vera for general use, outside in a large pot's probably your best bet.

x

 

[Rialla]

Yeah, they are smart cookies, it's not so much about keeping them "entertained" (having "fun") as much as it's about keeping them stimulated (Just keeping things interesting). As far as keeping Banjo stimulated, I've found he gets very inquisitive and goes into explore-mode whenever I rearrange his enclosure, so I like to do that every so often for him. Same with changing up the plants/branches in his enclosure occasionally. He also gets pretty curious about new foods, so I like to change up the food I give him.

Aside from that, I like to get Banjo out of his enclosure and let him explore. Sometimes if I'm feeling lazy, I just let him explore my bed, which is a massive bed.. He loves to climb over/under the blankets/pillows. Other times I let him explore on the floor of the house (of course you have to be careful not to let him get anywhere he shouldn't or eat anything he shouldn't. I've heard stories of blueys ending up in surgery having things removed that they've swallowed), but the majority of the time I take him outside and let him explore the yard, which he loves. I also try to spend a little time most days handling him (he used to hate being handled when he was tiny). He also seems to quite enjoy having his head scratched (i just gently run my fingertips/nails back and forth on his head scales, obviously careful not to scratch hard), he even shuts his eyes and leans into it most times.

As far as the aloe vera.. I have heard conflicting advice, and some of that advice indicated that aloe vera can be an issue for some small animals. So I can't give you a 100% answer on that. Personally I'd avoid anything that MIGHT cause problems, just in case, especially with blueys as they'll often give plants a good chomp just out of curiosity. But that said, there are certainly plants that are safe to have in reptile enclosures. Just google "reptile safe plants" or similar, and you should find plenty of options.
I personally grow aloe vera outside in a large pot, for use in moisturisers, to soothe bug bites & irritated/sunburned skin etc, and even use the clear gel in some smoothies for the health benefits. If you're keen to grow aloe vera for general use, outside in a large pot's probably your best bet.

x

Thanks, this (and everything else) has been really helpful!

 

[Stevo2]

This is our 2 year old Blue Tongue, Slink. He's very engaging and interested in life around him, constantly watching what we're up too.



As for smarts - here's a short video of him returning to his enclosure from outside
Slink - YouTube

 

[Skippii]

This is our 2 year old Blue Tongue, Slink. He's very engaging and interested in life around him, constantly watching what we're up too.

View attachment 297439

As for smarts - here's a short video of him returning to his enclosure from outside
Slink - YouTube

He's absolutely gorgeous! What kind is Slink? He has a lovely pattern, and such a cute face. I may have to lizard-nap him!
I wonder if Banjo would ever go home on his own.. He tends to like being out and about a little too much.

x

 

[Rialla]

This is our 2 year old Blue Tongue, Slink. He's very engaging and interested in life around him, constantly watching what we're up too.

View attachment 297439

As for smarts - here's a short video of him returning to his enclosure from outside
Slink - YouTube

He's so cute!

 

[Stevo2]

He's absolutely gorgeous! What kind is Slink? He has a lovely pattern, and such a cute face. I may have to lizard-nap him!
I wonder if Banjo would ever go home on his own.. He tends to like being out and about a little too much.

x

Thank you Slink is an Eastern. He has the run of our netted backyard on weekends but still likes to come back inside to his home.

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