I cannot even begin to explain how loved this bearded dragon is in my household. Her name is Eeyore, and she is a rescue beardie. She was left in a box outside of House of Tropicals. A chunk of her tail was missing on the end, and she was severely compacted from eating sand her previous owners must have used to line her tank. The staff nursed her back to health, and she was not even for sale yet when my family was in the store one day and spotted her in the back. That was almost 7 years ago, and she has been pure joy. Eeyore has a distinct personality. She is funny, gentle, and very tolerant. She lights up when I enter the room and say her name. Her favorite thing to do is snuggle with us, and with her teddy bear. Even our cockatiel is obsessed with her, calling for her when she is not in the room. But best of all, she was/is great with kids.
Unlike geckos, another popular exotic pet reptile, bearded dragons do not drop their tails when alarmed, so that reason alone puts them ahead in the kid-friendly department. If handled properly and often, bearded dragons are gentle, and by nature are very chill. Not once has Eeyore tried to bite any of us, even when I had to pry something she should not have eaten out of her mouth!
However, I must say it is necessary to research any pet before taking on ownership. The initial set up for a bearded dragon takes time and money. They need a larger tank than you would think. They need room to grow and need enough space to have a warm basking area, and a cooler side. They need heat and UV light, a bulb that needs to be changed every 6 months to keep the UV properties. They need to be fed nutritious vegetables (specific ones—not all are safe or offer the correct nutrients). They also need protein, so yes, you will need to get comfortable with feeding them crickets, worms, maybe even dubai roaches.
If you’re considering adding a bearded dragon to your family, please read this care sheet: https://cvm.ncsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Caring-for-your-Bearded-Dragon.pdf
And once you have a beardie of your own, please remember Exotic Pet Pals LLC for care while you are away, and for things like nail trims. We would love to receive photos of your bearded dragon too! Feel free to contact me at sharon@exoticpetpals.com to share or to ask questions.