Saturday, April 27, 2013

Bearded Dragons - Get to Know this Interesting Exotic Pet

By Stephen Ayer


The bearded dragon has a quite fitting name. This sought after choice among hobbyists lives up to its moniker by donning a beard. The beard is actually a piece of skin that dangles under its jaws. The skin has spines, and when the creature feels imperiled, it may cause the beard to expand to make it seem much larger and more ominous.

If you reside in a developed location in Australia, you might see one. Beardies, as they are called, enjoy entering those spots with goals of discovering food and shelter. You will be even more apt to see one in the bushes; that is, the vegetated spots outside of the cities and towns.

The points that make up the beard - also call spines - run from their heads down the entire length of these flat lizards' pudgy bodies. In combination with skin scales, this is relied on as their physical armor and defense to ward off attacks by looking ominous. The scales protect against bites, in addition to thistles and sharp stones in the brush.

A different way they make themselves appear more ominous is to change colorations. Lighter colors usually alert other reptiles and other creatures of threat. It could also be that a youthful female could become fascinated by this vibrant, strapping young beardie that is displaying a colorful coat.

They will adjust colors if they are cold. The darker color maintains more heat. If that isn't going to have the desired effect, they will burrow down and camp out below gravel and debris to escape the chilly temperature. They often also hibernate, which in their case is more properly called brumation - a form a dormancy. When the lizard creates this change, it slows its metabolism down so that it uses less energy, and it is able to endure a nominal level of meals.

Pogona is the recognized designation of the genus, and the agamid lizard, or dragon lizard, is of that genus. The Pogona vitticeps is the moniker of the bearded dragon, and it is the one quite often kept by pet enthusiasts. Enthusiasts also refer to them as beardies.

Those managed by collectors can develop to nearly 24 inches long and weigh over a pound; even so, in the wild, they usually only get up to a foot and a half or less in total. That is because of the availableness of food and the life span diversity. Meals is often scarce for them in their habitat, but in someone's home they are provided a range of bugs, vegetables and fruit.

They make excellent pets if lizards are your thing. They're surely a wonderful conversation piece. Imagine telling friends and family you own a dragon. They get along nicely with kids, and the enjoyment would be even greater when your kids tell the other children about their dragon. You'll find these exotic lizards in a niche pet shop, and you might be able to buy them online based on the regulations in your city.




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